Lauren Boebert accuses Biden of trying to replace MLK with George Floyd in attack on family’s White House meeting

The president will discuss police reform with the Floyd family

Republican US Rep Lauren Boebert has criticized Joe Biden for hosting the family of George Floyd at the White House to mark the first anniversary of his death.

The president will host a large contingent of the Floyd family in a private meeting where he is "eager to listen to their perspectives" on police reform, press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday.

In a series of tweets, Ms Boebert said Mr Biden was trying to replace Martin Luther King with George Floyd, "just like he wants to replace America with China".

"Joe Biden will be hosting George Floyd’s family at the White House. Did the invite for David Dorn’s family get lost in the mail?" she said.

Mr Dorn was the 77-year-old retired police captain who was shot and killed in St Louis during violent looting that took place in the wake of Mr Floyd’s death. He was one of 14 Americans killed in incidents linked to political unrest during the summer of 2020, according to a database kept by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project previously reported by The Guardian.

A series of events have been planned to mark the anniversary and the passing of Mr Biden’s deadline to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which has stalled in Congress.

That includes a meeting between Mr Biden and multiple members of the Floyd family including his daughter, Gianna, her mother Roxie Washington, as well as Bridgett Floyd, Philonise Floyd, Rodney Floyd, Terrance Floyd and nephew Brandon Williams.

“He wanted this meeting to be private in order to have a real conversation and preserve that with the family,” Ms Psaki said during the White House’s daily briefing.

“He has a genuine relationship with them and the courage and grace of this family, especially his daughter Gianna, has really stuck with the president.”

While the deadline set by Mr Biden to pass his signature police reform bill is likely to be missed, the bipartisan group of lawmakers said they’re optimistic about reaching a compromise soon.

Democrat Senator Cory Booker and Republican Tim Scott, along with Democrat Representative Karen Bass, said Mr Floyd’s death “awakened millions” to the deadly consequences of policing system failures.

"This anniversary serves as a painful reminder of why we must make meaningful change," the statement said.

“While we are still working through our differences on key issues, we continue to make progress toward a compromise and remain optimistic about the prospects of achieving that goal."