By Steve Pomper
Oregon Governor Kate Brown, who apparently has a spine resembling seaweed out of water, has played an interesting game with her state’s public safety, and she’s losing. The radical, anti-law and order politician now struggles against a tsunami of opposition to her highly partisan rule.
Gov. Brown never wanted the Feds in Portland and has made that very clear, rebuffing President Trump’s repeated efforts to have her request federal help. But no… she has her principles. It’s just too bad they don’t include protecting Oregonians.
In fact, she and Portland’s, radical bootlicker, mayor Ted Wheeler (mayor must be spelled with the lower case for him, right?), the governor of a blue state (at least, electorally), and the mayor of a deep blue city, are blaming President Trump, elected by red America, for a recent murder on a Portland street. A former VP Joe Biden-supporter allegedly shot and killed a President Donald Trump-supporter. An incident that caused other street terrorists to cheer. How does that work? That’s quite the ideological gymnastics, right there.
When the feds sent federal law enforcement to Portland to protect a $200 million federal courthouse and the people working there. Gov. Brown accused President Trump of “inflaming” the violence. Does she mean the leftwing violence that has plagued the city, off and on, and more recently, on and on, since at least the late 90s.
So, being even more reasonable than he had to be, Pres. Trump made a deal with Gov. Brown, bringing in Oregon state troopers to augment Portland cops to deal with riots in exchange for the additional federal officers standing down.
Well, after only a couple of weeks, and obviously prematurely, as the Daily Caller reported, “Oregon State Police said Thursday that they are pulling officers out of Portland as unrest continues. The announcement comes as the city’s district attorney released a statement that protesters would not be charged for rioting and most other offenses.” (Meanwhile, Oregon continues to enforce facecloth edicts).
Oregon State Police Captain Timothy Fox issued this diplomatic statement about the troopers’ withdrawal: “State police are ‘continually reassessing our resources and the needs of our partner agencies, and at this time we are inclined to move those resources back to counties where prosecution of criminal conduct is still a priority.’”
Gov. Brown denied the allegation the troopers left because of the lack of prosecution. Yeah, why would it upset troopers that the county prosecutor won’t prosecute the violent rioters they risked their safety to arrest? Gov. Brown asserted the state’s agreement with the state police had ended. Really? The unrest hasn’t ended; that is clear. No one was replacing them, and the Portland cops were once again left on their own without the proper tools or support to complete their mission. Also… the Oregon governor appoints the Superintendent of the Oregon State Police. So, who’s in charge?
So, what next? Recently, Oregonlive reported, “Several local law enforcement agencies said they will deny Gov Kate Brown’s request to have outside agencies staff ongoing protests in Portland, citing hostility and lack of public support for law enforcement.” A “request” she reportedly did not make but delivered as another edict she’s become so accustomed to issuing.
Clackamas and Washington County Sheriffs have both issued statements in which they say they will not send deputies to Portland. Other police agencies have similarly declined the governor’s request.
Sheriff Craig Roberts of Clackamas County said Gov. Brown never contacted him about a plan she had mobilize his agency. The sheriff said, “Had Governor Brown discussed her plan with my office, I would have told her it’s about changing policy, not adding resources,” he said. “Increasing law enforcement resources in Portland will not solve the nightly violence and now, murder.”
The sheriff explained Governor Brown’s problem is not deploying more personnel. A change of policy is needed. Sheriff Roberts is spot on in his assessment. He says he will not send his deputies because of Portland and Oregon’s “lack of political support for public safety…” and “the current volatility combined with the intense scrutiny on use of force presents an unacceptable risk if deputies were deployed directly.”
What next, now? Maybe something Gov. Brown and mayor Wheeler abhor. More federal government “interference” i.e. effective assistance. Gateway Pundit reports a story broken by freelance writer, Deborah Bloom. Bloom reported that the state police have confirmed, through KOIN 6 News, “Oregon State Police troopers responding to the ongoing protest-related unrest in Portland have been federally deputized.”
Why? Because, cross deputized by the U.S. Marshals, the state troopers will act as federal law enforcement officers and their arrests can be charged federally instead of locally. Gov. Kate Brown is apparently onboard—reluctantly, I’m sure, likely fatigued with her fingerhold on the warped political ideology she’s clung to in supporting this violent, sustained insurrection.
As to which cases will be handled federally or locally, Bloom reported, the governor issued a statement saying, “The U.S. Attorney and Multnomah County D.A. work together every day deciding which cases each will be prosecuted.” Okay, Gov. Brown… tell yourself whatever makes you feel better, but you might not want to tell your hordes in Portland. From what I’ve heard, these radicals can be a tad touchy about what ideas they allow people to express.