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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump's Private Army Is Scarier Than You Think
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/07/president-trump-private-army-is-scarier-than-you-think.htmlIt doesnt take a legal expert to know that whats happening in Portland, Oregon is an abuse of power. When unidentified federal forces dressed as soldiers pull people off the streets into unmarked vans, something is gravely wrong. Whats less apparent is that this abuse is part of an ongoing effort by the administration to get around posse comitatus: the principle that the president cannot use the military as a domestic police force. The implications for the rule of lawand potentially for the 2020 electionare staggering.
The Department of Homeland Security personnel deployed in Portland are federal law enforcement agents, not members of the armed forces. But the evidence is mounting that they are not there to enforce the law. Instead, they are acting as a paramilitary wing to assist the president in his longstanding goal to (in his words) take over U.S. cities run by Democrats.
This goal dates back to the beginning of Trumps presidency. Five days after his inauguration, he tweeted: If Chicago doesnt fix the horrible carnage going on, 228 shootings in 2017 with 42 killings (up 24% from 216), I will send in the Feds! (Three and a half years later, hes about to get closer to carrying out his threat: He announced on Wednesday that he will send 200 federal agents to the city, plus 35 additional agents to Albuquerque.) He has issued similar threats periodically throughout his time in office.
But it was the protests that erupted across the country in response to the brutal police killing of George Floyd that finally gave the president his chance. At the presidents direction, the governors of 11 states (10 of them Republicans) sent their National Guard units into Washington, DC, where largely peaceful protests had been marred by isolated incidents of violence and looting. The deployment was over the objections of the citys mayor, Muriel Bowser.
*snip*
malaise
(269,049 posts)if the only thing that can stop him is an election.
CatLady78
(1,041 posts)I am glad right now that I fled half way across the world years ago. I'd be shitting myself if I was in the U.S. right now.
Not that things are great anywhere but this is frightening.
IronLionZion
(45,450 posts)he's targeting Dem cities to suppress voter turnout and scare suburban voters
jaxexpat
(6,832 posts)Men and women with good will in places of power can fix it as well. Got any?
malaise
(269,049 posts)See Portland
jaxexpat
(6,832 posts)malaise
(269,049 posts)police brutality towards African-Americans. Yes I do have faith in the regular folks
jaxexpat
(6,832 posts)malaise
(269,049 posts)and many older folks as well
jaxexpat
(6,832 posts)The plot setting is eerily similar. Paris 1832, Portland 2020.
Youth and parents throwing themselves against the Power. The stuff of history.
malaise
(269,049 posts)Love it
jaxexpat
(6,832 posts)Woo-Hoo
triron
(22,006 posts)trueblue2007
(17,228 posts)Ferrets are Cool
(21,107 posts)This shit must be stopped.
trueblue2007
(17,228 posts)Roy Rolling
(6,917 posts)They may be bigger, better equipped, or intimidating, but they are not scary.
Thats exactly what they want, to scare people. They dont scare me, and I would suspect they dont scare you either.
Its just a slip of the tongue.
PCIntern
(25,556 posts)To the streets, theyre gonna need that camo.
Mendocino
(7,495 posts)sellitman
(11,607 posts)A distinct odor.
Evolve Dammit
(16,736 posts)malaise
(269,049 posts)Traildogbob
(8,748 posts)Can fire the Judges that are giving permission for these thugs to abuse constitutional rights. According to the laws I served under, and risked my life for, that should be an easy case to win. Prosecute them Along with Prince, Barr and all the traitorous pus bags involved. Remember Tiger Lady, the defense claws that collect DNA. That is one way to identify and prosecute these trump/Barr criminals. Does trump/Barr require NDA for his soldiers to get paid with our tax dollars?
hedda_foil
(16,375 posts)And good luck getting them convicted by 2/3 of the Senate. There won't be 67 Dem senators to do it.
Traildogbob
(8,748 posts)Then the stupid ass lady of justice holding those scales needs to be thrown into the garbage heap. There is no justice, and our legal system is a damn joke. What the hell did I serve for?
hedda_foil
(16,375 posts)Traildogbob
(8,748 posts)Like is being done now by the commander of military and head lawyer of the country. I sure did a good job. Guessing the Jack Boots and Police siding with them are honoring all of us that have served. Sure the Navy Vet that was Beaten feels the constitution is being upheld as well. The wonderful constitution offers the death penalty for treason. Lets uphold that.
hedda_foil
(16,375 posts)superpatriotman
(6,249 posts)Were like 0 for 3 fighting those
raging moderate
(4,305 posts)I saw a list the other day, of the top thirty US cities for violence. Chicago was not even on the list. Some of the cities seemed to me to be more under Republican influence. Could this perhaps be pointed out by some prominent persons?
EX500rider
(10,849 posts)Ms. Toad
(34,074 posts)that is exactly what I have known it to be from the very beginning.
panader0
(25,816 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)1) Federal Protective Police ( those responsible for protecting Fed buildings) are sanctioned with arrest power but are not Federal Law Enforcement officers. It is an extremely small force (about 15 in San Diego). The 80% of security officers you see at Fed Bldgs checking packages etc are private security guards, no fire arms, no arrest powers.
VA facilities also have FPP type security.
None of these offices have separate detention facilities. If they detain someone (for bringing contraband into federal facility e.g.) they have to call the local police/sheriff's office to arrest and prosecute.
2) Keeping on the arrest and detention point for a minute misdemeanor or felony trespassing would be handled at local jail facilities because federal are very limited with very sparse locations however many federal facilities, like the one in San Diego, are not currently receiving any new prisoners because of Covid 19.
My understanding is that graffiti "suspects" were cited and released and not booked into prison
3) FED LEO Agents are NOT trained with heavy tactical arms and do not have tactical. Equipment, except for a very small group that undergoes a lengthy induction, training and field deployment that takes about 16 months before they get the contract that makes them "tactical" and available for deployment as needed.
This is at most 5 % of DHS LEOS , maybe maximum 3,000 nationwide. Other DHS Officers/Agents have location and job specific contracts and cannot be ordered to this kind of duty. They are not going to volunteer for it and their unions would fight it.
4) The bigger picture that people are not seeing a that Trump is failing at deployment of force agenda. He obviously. Went to the military to deploy federal military troops and was blocked.
Barr probably told him that he had a couple of thousand Swat trained DHS agents/officers that he could deploy, but there would be arrest and detention problems.
He shot the moon and not knowing details about federal law enforcement got trapped in a quagmire in a small West Coast city and is being out maneuvered by the local PTA.
As a legal/political issue the deployment of Fed LEO is a major issue that will need investigation, prosecution and new legislation but as a tactical/strategic issue it is not "scary" just another massive Trump fuck up that drives down his numbers and helps elect more Democratic Senators.