Republican Sen. Rand Paul could face a brutal battle against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , a Democrat , in the 2016 battle for the presidency . But on Thursday , the Kentucky senator extended his potential rival an olive branch . `` We would welcome Hillary Clinton ( to help reform the criminal justice system ) , if she would like to come and help us promote this agenda , '' Paul told Wolf Blitzer on CNN 's `` The Situation Room . '' `` I 've been working with Sen. Cory Booker and other Democrats . If she wants to join me , we would welcome her support . '' Earlier this year , Paul joined forces with Attorney General Eric Holder , to re-examine the way law enforcement sentences people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses . In light of the recent verdict not to indict a white police officer in the chokehold death of an unarmed black man , Eric Garner , Paul said he is `` shocked '' that no statement has been delivered from the Staten Island police about whether the bystanding officers involved in the incident will continue to serve . `` I really think to calm down the reaction to this , one thing that could happen is for the police could say , 'This is unacceptable for a policeman and we ca n't have this type of an individual on the police force , ' '' Paul said . Asked about comments he made Wednesday where he blamed the politician who created New York 's high cigarette tax for Garner 's death , Paul said the black market created by heavy taxation and regulation -- whether it be food , drugs or cigarettes -- forces police officers to arrest people for mostly menial , non-offensive crimes . Garner was arrested for selling tax-free cigarettes . `` There 's a black market because we have made the price of cigarettes so onerous that people are going to sell it illegally , '' Paul said . `` I do n't think it 's justified what the police did but I also think it 's bad policy that puts the police in an untenable position . ... So I think politicians are responsible for creating a situation and putting police in an untenable situation . '' But `` there 's no excuse for what happened , '' he said . Closing his interview , the likely presidential hopeful said he would probably decide 'in the springtime , '' about whether or not he will run in 2016 , admitting that he is still going through family discussions and weighing his personal `` momentum . ''
Sen. Rand Paul said he would team up with Hillary Clinton on improving the criminal justice system . Paul says there is ` ` no excuse '' for what happened to Eric Garner . The Kentucky governor said he 's still weighing whether or not to run for president in November .