US Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Springfield) from Oregon's 4th Congressional District has been feeling the heat from his Republican opponent, upstart Alek Skarlatos and has made several moves lately that indicate that he's perhaps not on firm footing with Oregonians in his rural, Southern Oregon district.

For instance, DeFazio came out as an early supporter of the "Defund the Police" movement, favoring a shift of funds away from enforcement and into community policing. He also refused to condemn the violence carried out by anarchists in Springfield and Eugene until forced to five days after the incident. Predictably, he deflects blame away from the rioters and to the President.

DeFazio parrots the partisan narrative that federal law enforcement have been acting outside the law. While criticizing federal law enforcement and calling their actions “gross violations of Oregonians’ civil liberties”, the Congressman later has spoken glowingly of “peaceful protestors.” No specific allegations of wrongdoing have been lodged against any federal law enforcement.

More recently, DeFazio has taken to chaining himself to a mailbox -- a stunt to highlight what is claimed to be an attempt by the president to shut down parts of the post office in preparation for the upcoming election. Experts point out that the US Postal Service volume is down and losses are mounting.

This is not the first time Peter DeFazio has attempted to follow pull numbers and flip-flopping on issues. Between 1995 and 2018 DeFazio has flipped his position for a balanced budget amendment to the constitution multiple times including twice in 2011 alone, first declaring that it was too radical a move in July and then supported a similar proposal in November of that year. He used to proudly be pro-gun and now calls for nationwide gun control. Once considered an ally of the timber industry and responsible forest management, DeFazio now opposes salvage logging or standard Bureau of Land Management timber sales in the Pacific Northwest including one near Springfield.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-08-30 18:45:29

Last Update: 2020-08-28 18:47:10