Rick Moran @ PJ Media:
The New York Times headline is scary: “Federal Agents Unleash Militarized Crackdown on Portland.” They’re “unleashing” a “crackdown”? Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Naturally, the hysterical left is having a cow. While a decent argument could be made that even if Portland authorities aren’t doing their job, the feds should keep their nose out of local police matters, this is too much.
One protester, Mark Pettibone, told The Washington Post men in green military fatigues and generic “police” patches jumped out of an unmarked minivan early Wednesday and arrested him as he walked home from what he characterized as a peaceful protest. He told the Post he was scared because he did not know who detained him. Reports of similar incidents have drawn condemnation from civil rights groups.
Some Democratic officials accused the Trump administration of sending unidentifiable agents.
“Authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., on Twitter, along with a video of a protester being arrested and placed into an unmarked van. “These Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end.”
DHS says that’s nonsense, that their agents were uniformed and identified themselves. The spokesman said they weren’t wearing name badges because of fears for the agent’s personal safety. The same reasoning justifies an unmarked van. In a city where cop cars are being lit up like 4th of July fireworks, it’s a wise move to use an unmarked van.
The situation in Portland was bad — is bad. Federal property has been vandalized and destroyed. And since the local authorities appear powerless to stop the mayhem, someone in the federal government — presumably the president of the United States — decided that order had to be restored.
But is that really his job to do? Portland is not a federal city. It’s a city in the sovereign state of Oregon. The governor, the mayor, the chief of police, could put a stop to the demonstrations all by themselves. They are not powerless. But they have chosen not to.
It’s not for the president to say if it’s a wise choice or a good choice. That’s for the people of Oregon to decide. The local and state authorities have not requested federal assistance. They have, in fact, asked all federal law enforcement personnel to leave. They claim that the presence of federal law enforcement is not helping “to contain or de-escalate the situation it’s obviously having exactly the opposite impact,” according to Mayor Ted Wheeler.
Well, that may or may not be true. Wheeler doesn’t acknowledge the counter-argument that is equally valid; that doing nothing encourages the violence. Be that as it may, it’s still troubling that any federal law enforcement personnel are assigned to do anything more than protect federal property. These CPB agents appear to be ranging far afield to protect federal structures.
CBP agents were sent to Portland to protect federal property. Federal officers have charged at least 13 people with crimes related to the protests so far, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Thursday. Some have been detained by the federal courthouse, which has been the scene of protests. But others were reportedly grabbed blocks away.
On Thursday night, federal officers reportedly deployed tear gas and fired non-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters hours after Wolf’s visit.
Wheeler and local officials are deluding themselves if they think playing nice with anarchists and barbarians will do anything except encourage more violence and destruction.
@Greg:
Rioters.
Chicago police is requesting the help because shootings and murders are up like 75%, and for Chicago, that is a disaster.
In other words, nothing but a big flashing neon billboard advertising Democrat failure.
No one tells federal officers what to do when they are dealing with federal crimes. More Democrat failure.
July 20, 2020 – Trump’s federal enforcers in Portland, beating a Navy Veteran
The gentleman they attacked without provocation explains what happened. The video documents both his non-aggressive behavior and the totally unnecessary brutality of their response. Anyone could see that he was a non-threatening man in his fifties.
These personnel have no training in crowd control. Some of them appear to have no self control, either. They have no business turning out in force on Portland’s streets, where their behavior will only serve to increase hostility toward the police. They’re only going to escalate the violence. State and local officials understand that and have requested that they leave. It’s not clear what constitutional authority Trump had to put them there in the first place.
In Chicago, the mayor has requested federal assistance dealing with gangs and crime. The mayor specifically requested that Trump NOT send personnel to deal with protests and crowd control, stating that the results of doing so could be disastrous.
40 U.S. Code § 1315. Law enforcement authority of Secretary of Homeland Security for protection of public property
greg continuously demonstrates imbecility with each and every comment…
@Greg:
They don’t attack “without provocation” or justification. Only your beloved BLM and ANTIFA do that.
@july 4th American: They are authorized to confront domestic as well as foreign terrorists. BLM, ANTIFA are domestic terrorists, even if they do have foreign support.
@Greg: The Navy vet must have witnessed the destruction of the fence, the barricading of the doors and the arson as they tried to trap federal employees and agents in a burning building. His quote, “I had no intention of leaving before I had to.” They were warned and told to disperse, big dumb and ugly stands there like a dopey post, did the vet take orders to disperse?
Sorry no sympathy for the baby Hewey who waited some 50 days to attend his first protest.
dup
I actually agree with you on this, Greg.
So did Mark McCloskey.
The man who brandished weapons as a mob threatened to take over his home, burn it down and kill his dog, warned on TV that the Left is trying to force a death by federal enforcement officers, a la Kent State.
If one of the people Trump mobilizes kills anyone, it will be bad optics all the way to Nov 3rd.
A modern-day Saint Pancake* is what the puppet master is hoping for.
*Nickname for Rachel Corrie, a American activist who volunteered to help Palestinian militants in their attacks on Israel; she was killed after being crushed by a Israeli bulldozer while “defending” Palestinian smuggling tunnels.
@kitt:
He deserved to get the beating he took. He is a dumbass. So he served, good for him.
@july 4th American, #54:
You seem to have skipped reading this central point in the statute:
Trump HAS NOT obtained authority from Oregon’s State and local governments to have federal personnel act outside the bounds of federal property. No such agreement has been entered into. In fact, State and local governments have specifically requested that he NOT do this, and have filed suits in court to stop it.
Trump is has taken unlawful action. Chad Wolf apparently doesn’t understand the rules that govern his own department, or doesn’t actually care about them.
@Greg:
He doesn’t need it when, through gross incompetence and neglect, the local government is allowing citizens, infrastructure, and economies to be attacked by Confederate-like rebels.
Trump has taken lawful action.
Oregon has abandoned its citizens.
Can’t wait to watch those fun campaign ads of what “Biden-ville” will look like if idiots actual vote for him, when they won’t.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Well done, Trump.
@Greg: If they pursue a suspect that allegedly committed a crime on federal property, they can pursue outside the federal property.
@Nathan Blue: At least he’s doing his job. He’s not worried about losing the voting support of worthless useful idiots that hate this country, as the Democrats are.
@Nathan Blue, #61:
Horse hockey. Trump has no lawful power to override the authority of the governing bodies of individual states in such matters, outside the bounds of properties that are under federal control and jurisdiction. That’s the reason that section (e) is part of 40 U.S. Code § 1315. Such actions can be lawfully undertaken only by mutual agreement.
The Constitution was written so as to protect a separation of powers between the federal government and individual sovereign state governments. This is a central concept of federalism. It’s also one that Republicans have traditionally attached even more importance to than Democrats, but Trump is no more a Republican than he is a conservative. What he actually is is defined not by the phony labels he wears, but by what he does and intends to do.
@july 4th American:
Apparently Comrade Greggie, who fancies himself a legal eagle, doesn’t understand the law he cites which says:
“40 U.S. Code § 1315
(e) Authority Outside Federal Property.—For the protection of property owned or occupied by the Federal Government and persons on the property, the Secretary may enter into agreements with Federal agencies and with State and local governments”
The word I have highlighted escaped Comrade Greggie. The law does not say “shall” but “may” which makes all the legal difference in the world.
So who are all these people creating all the destruction in Portland? Does Comrade Greggie think they are all from Oregon? What do you want to bet that Comrade Greggie doesn’t know that traveling across state lines to riot, loot and burn down businesses and attack a Federal courthouse is a federal crime. By his mindset, the Feds couldn’t come in and investigate a bank robbery unless the mayor or governor invited them.
For everyone of those rioters, looters and arsonists that are from another state they should have RICO charges thrown at them. The Feds need to follow the money with Antifa/BLM. RICO!!!
Oh, and how convenient that a reporter just happened to be in the same spot at the same time filming the “Navy vet.” Kinda like the reporters that just happened to be on Roger Stone’s street when swat teams showed up, right?
@retire05, #65:
Indeed, it makes all the legal difference in the world.
The word shall would mandate that such agreements be entered into whenever such circumstances arise. May leaves federal involvement off of property under federal jurisdiction discretionary, and available only when both federal and state officials are in agreement.
I recall you also had your problems with the distinction between may and shall in connection with a statue requiring the IRS to provide tax returns on demand to designated congressional committees. In that case you seemed to believe that shall was not intended as a mandate.
@Greg:
Wrong.
Wrong again.
You’re the one that doesn’t understand law. Never have and I guess you never will.
You are just a moron who likes to pretend that you are an expert in EVERYTHING when you really don’t have the sense G-d gave a goose.
The Feds should follow the money and RICO the lot of them protesting in the streets that are rioting, burning and looting. Or do you think all those little snowflakes have high paying jobs that allow them to riot all night?
A more correct statement has never been made.
I think I’ll just observe that you’re consistently full of it, since you always end up making assertions without supporting evidence or arguments, and then revert to calling people idiots. We have once again reached that point.
@Greg:
We all know your nothing more than a Marxist that hates America. So we all really ignore everything you say until you show your total ignorance and then we mock you.
Perhaps you would be well served to realize this website is monitored by a former police officer. It would be a shame if the Feds showed up at your door with a warrant. After all, you have proven you only support the First Amendment for your Antifa/BLM Marxist buddies.
And I see you edited your post. Were your handlers not satified with your original response, Comrade Greggie?
“We”, as in you and your sock puppet collection? I wish you all a pleasant evening.
@Greg:
Projecting again, Comrade Greggie?
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/07/22/portland-demonstrators-attack-federal-courthouse-on-day-55-of-violent-protests/