Donald Trump and the United States’ “Top Cop,” William Barr have been waging a war against citizens’ First Amendment rights for the past few weeks. Using federal law enforcement, military police, unmarked cars, and vaguely understood detainment sites, the federal government has descended on Portland, Oregon, in order to attack and arrest Americans protesting racial injustice and social inequalities. They have done this over the protests of local officials. Gov. Kate Brown announced on social media that by Thursday, federal officers who the governor says have been acting “as an occupying force, refused accountability, and brought violence and strife to our community,” will leave downtown Portland.
This is a victory for the American people, as Attorney General Barr and President Trump have seemed rather obdurate in their blunt abuse of power to squash the president’s detractors. It’s hard when the number of detractors to this administration grows as fast as the pandemic numbers of the public and economic crisis this White house has botched.
Only a couple of hours ago, using the loud sounds of a helicopter’s roaring engine as a safety blanket, Trump complained he couldn’t hear reporters’ questions, all while telling the press that his gestapo forces would not be leaving Portland until the city was “secure.”
If Gov. Brown’s statement is true, and Vice groveler Mike Pence can be believed, I’m guessing we will be hearing from Donald Trump all about how he made sure Portland was secure and none of us would believe how secure Portland was now.
According to The New York Times, the federal shock troops will be leaving after a vague agreement was met that would ensure that Oregon State Police provide security for the “exterior of the courthouse,” in downtown Portland. The “usual team of federal officers that protects the courthouse year-round will continue to provide security for the interior of the courthouse.” This sounds like exactly the situation in downtown Portland before Trump and Barr brought in the out of town goon squad. Gov. Brown added an acknowledgement of what these protests have actually been about, reminding everyone and writing, “Let's center the Black Lives Matter movement's demands for racial justice and police accountability. It's time for bold action to reform police practices.”
Trump’s small-minded attempt at creating enough fear to charge his base into excitement seems to have puttered out. His attorney general spent most of Tuesday looking like a truly weak little wanna-be-dictator as he faced off against real leader after real leader in front of the House Judiciary Committee.