Mi Famila Vota a self described non-profit, civic engagement organization whose mission includes promoting social justice, economic justice and voter registration, filed a civil lawsuit in the federal District Court for the District of Columbia [Mi Famila Vota Education Fund, et al v Donald J. Trump; William Barr, et al, Case 1:20-cv-03030], alleging the Defendants violated the Voting Rights Act, the Ku Klux Klan Act, and the U.S. Constitution. [Compl: ¶1, ¶8]
Mi Famila Vota a self described non-profit, civic engagement organization whose mission includes promoting social justice, economic justice and voter registration, filed a civil lawsuit in the federal District Court for the District of Columbia [Mi Famila Vota Education Fund, et al v Donald J. Trump; William Barr, et al, Case 1:20-cv-03030], alleging the Defendants violated the Voting Rights Act, the Ku Klux Klan Act, and the U.S. Constitution. [Compl: ¶1, ¶8] Many of the allegations contained in the Complaint are events and Trump Tweets which have been widely reported in the news media. However, reviewing them will give us insight into the pattern and practice of the defendants actions over the last few months.
The Complaint presents incidents of violent attacks on public speech and assembly perpetrated by federal law enforcement. See; Compl. Pg. 4, A. I. The first incident presented involved the large public demonstrations against police brutality which took place after the death of George Floyd in May. It was noted that Trump described the phrase Black Lives Matter as “a symbol hate.” Armed Federal agents, in unmarked clothing were deployed to break up assemblies and detain demonstrators, sometimes with violence. [Compl ¶24].
In June federal agents, including riot control teams from the Bureau of Prisons, were ordered to clear peaceful demonstrators from Lafayette Square in Washington D.C. They used tear gas and/or chemical irritants, flash-bang explosives, all in order to clear the crowd so Trump could stand in front of a church holding a Bible up-side-down, which was as feeble as attempting to quote 2 Corinthians. [Compl. ¶27]
Trumps Executive Order 13933 stats:
Anarchists and left-wing extremists have sought to advance a fringe ideology that paints the United States of America as fundamentally unjust and have sought to impose that ideology on Americans through violence and mob intimidation. [Compl. ¶29]
If you were one of the citizens protesting against police brutality, do you like being referred to as an anarchist trying to impose your views through violence and mob intimidation?
In July the Customs and Border Protection sent armed federal agents to Portland Oregon, to protect the federal courthouse from protestors, some were wearing camouflage and tactical gear which lacked any insignia identifying them as federal agents, they used tear case and impact weapons to disperse mostly peaceful protestors. They seized people emerging unidentified from vehicles with tinted windows, grabbed citizens and detained them, later releasing them without charges. Trump praised them, they have done a fantastic job, the protestors are anarchists they hate our country and we are not going to let them get away with it. When asked if the federal agents to had probable cause to detain people, the Deputy Director of the Federal Protective Service, Kris Cline said they were not custodial arrests requiring probable cause. In Trump’s world federal agents can forcibly remove you from the public streets, and detain you, without charging you with any crime, or having probable cause. What boarder were the Border Patrol Agents protecting in Portland? When were to Constitutional protections against unlawful search and seizure repealed? Trump and Barr do not have answers to these questions. [Compl. ¶¶37-43].
On May 28, Trump that Thugs were dishonoring the memory of George Floyed, and told the Governor that “the Military is is with him all the way,” and promised:
any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you. [Compl 54]
On June 1, Trump said during an address in the WH Rose Garden:
If the city or state refuses to take actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them. [Compl 55]
On June 2, Trump Tweeted:
DC had no problems last night. Many arrests. Great job done by all. Overwhelming force. Domination. Compl 56.
Trump sent an email to his supporters: FOR PATRIOTS ONLY asking them to join ”the Trump Army as the President’s first line of defense when it comes to fighting off the Liberal MOB. Compl 58.
A Trump TWEET on June 23, promised:
There will never be an Autonomous Zone in Washington DC, as long as I am your President. If they try they will be met by serious force. [Compl 60].
In late April militants stormed the State Capitol protesting Gov. Whitmer’s COVID-19 public health and safety restrictions. Trump said they are “very good people.” In October 13 very good people were arrested for planning to kidnap and kill Gov. Whitmer. [Compl 89, 92].
Trump has made numerous efforts to prevent or intimidate people from voting by mail. He claimed MAIL-IN BALLOTS will be the most RIGGED election in our history, and has done everything in his power to thwart mail-in voting. [Compl 97-166]
Trump has also threatened voters attempts at in-person voting. He said:
“We are going to have sheriff’s, and we’re going to have law enforcement. And we are going to have U.S. Attorneys. . . to watch all the thieving stealing, an robbing the do”. [Compl 167-172].
Trump’s campaign has an Army for Trump to fight for him. He instructed the Proud Boys to stand back and stand down, largely considered a call to encourage “white supremacist intimidation.” The PROUD BOYS social media account proclaimed “standing back and standing by, sir.” [Compl 182-184]
TRUMP
I STAND FOR LAW AND ORDER AND I TOOK ACTION
Federal Court Complaint: freespeechforpeople.org/...