On this day, July 27, 2020, the mayors of Portland, Oregon, and five other major US cities appealed to Congress to make it illegal for the federal government to deploy militarized agents to cities that don't want their presence.
Also on this day, July 27, 2020, US agents declared an unlawful assembly, and just after 1 a.m., confronted protesters on the street and worked for hours to clear the area. Several people were seen being detained, but it was not immediately clear how many may were arrested.
Also on this day, June 27, 1859 US General William S. Harney sent troops to San Juan island -- in what is now Washington State -- to face the British in the Pig War, which was a dispute started by a British pig eating potatoes out of an American farmer's field.
The Monmouth Democrat claims that “unconstitutional activities†are “political theatricsâ€
In a
letter addressed to US Attorney General William Barr and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, Rep. Paul Evans, along with several legislative Democrats are demanding “immediate withdrawal of federal operatives from the City of Portland.â€
In an ironic twist, while the letter seeks to deflect expected criticism for being a political stunt, its diversion toward blaming the president for the “deadly pandemic†could itself be seen as political. The letter says,
“We refuse to allow our streets to be a playground for political theatrics intended to deflect attention from the president’s failure to control a deadly pandemic. We will not stand by while violent actions exacerbate conditions on our streets.â€
Interestingly, the letter seeks to defend its demand on constitutional grounds, “Upon assuming office, we each took a vow to defend the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Oregon. We take that responsibility to heart. Confronted with clear evidence that federal agents are engaging in unconstitutional activities resulting in significant harm to individuals and our community as a whole, we are obligated to respond.â€
Article VI, clause 2 of the US Constitution, known as the supremacy clause, reads, “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.†The letter does not describe specifically which actions it believes are unconstitutional.
Homeland Security issued the following statement yesterday, “As they have for the past 54 straight days, violent anarchists continue to riot on the streets of Portland as federal law enforcement officers work diligently and honorably to enforce federal law by defending federal property and the lives of their fellow officers.â€
One Republican lawmaker, who asked not to be named pointed out that “All this is happening in a Democrat controlled state, in a Democrat controlled county, in a Democrat controlled city. Much of what is not being done to control these riots is what got President Trump to get elected in the first place.â€
The letter claims to be aligned with other elected Democrats, “including Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Congress members Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer, Governor Kate Brown, our Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, and Portland’s mayor, Ted Wheeler.†The letterhead references State Representative Pam Marsh (D-Ashland) as the media contact.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2020-07-24 18:15:35 | |
