Democratic congresswoman Cori Bush has been attacked for backing calls to "defund the police" while forking out thousands of dollars on private security. The Black Lives Matter activist has been challenged in recent days after the lawmaker was found to be spending $70,000 on her private security detail. Bush was invited to respond to critics during a recent interview with CBS presenter Vladimir Duthiers.

       "They would rather I die?" Bush replied.

       "You would rather me die?

       "Is that what you want to see?... you want to see me die?

       "You know, because that could be the alternative."

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       She added: "So either I spend $70,000 on private security over the last few months and I am here standing now, and able to speak.

       "Able to help save 11 million people from being evicted.

       "Or I could possibly have a death attempt on my life and we are also talking about the same exact people who say horrible things about me.

       "Who lies to build up their base and then because they lie about me I receive death threats."

       The Missouri representative continued: "I'm going to make sure I have security because, I know, I have had attempts on my life.

       "And I have too much work to do, there are too many people that need help right now, for me to allow that.

       "So if I end up spending $200,000 if I spend $10 more on it – you know what, I get to be here to do the work.

       "So suck it up."

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       It comes as the Republican member of Congress for Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene, accused Bush of being an "elitist" during an angry worded Twitter rant.

       "You don't care about the people, you only care about you," penned Greene.

       "You want to eradicate police from existence, take away guns to leave Americans defenseless, and create lawlessness all over our country.

       "You will pay endless amounts of money for private security for yourself because your security is clearly more important than the taxpayers who pay your salary and for your private security."