'Racism on the other side?' Fox News pundits suggest Democrats oppose Tim Scott's police bill because he's 'Black man from the South'

A pair of Fox News pundits suggested that Democrats were racist for opposing police reform legislation introduced by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).

In an exchange flagged by The Daily Beast's Justin Baragona, commentator Katie Pavlich drew a link between Scott's race and Democratic opposition to the bill.

"When it comes to the police reform that senator Tim Scott has tried to move through, the Democrats are now blocking, it's now important to remember how Democrats have reacted to a Black man from the South who has been discriminated against himself on the basis of race," Pavlich said. "Dick Durbin, a Democratic senator, said this is 'token' legislation. This is not Mitch McConnell's legislation, this is Tim Scott's legislation."

Fox News correspondent Gillian Turner seemed to pick up on what Pavlich was gesturing toward.

"It is an interesting criticism," Turner said. "You think that part of the reaction in blocking debate on this stems from racism on the other side. Do I understand you right?"

Pavlich declined to answer the question directly, but she again hinted the opposition to Scott's bill was personal and race-related.

"I'm simply pointing out that competent that they have made in response to a bill introduced by an African American senator who is trying to move the ball forward on real policing," Pavlich said, "and if Democrats want to criticize Republicans for not having enough teeth in the bill, Democrats don't want to touch police unions, either, so there is plenty of criticism to go around on those issues."