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| Last Night | |
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Dear Neighbor, Last night, we watched in horror as law enforcement carried out an attack on peaceful demonstrators exercising their First Amendment rights outside the White House. My horror quickly became outrage as it became clear such force was applied solely to clear the way for the president to pose for photos across the street. We are a country crying out for justice for George Floyd and an end to the centuries-long scourge of racist police brutality that has stolen so many black lives from our communities. Last night the president made clear that his response to our collective plea will not be one of compassion and an open heart, but one of hate, violence, and propaganda. Federal law enforcement agencies in our America are not tools of fascism, and they are not the personal guardians of our president's fragile vanity. This is the behavior of tyrants, and it cannot stand. This morning, I sent letters to the Director of the Secret Service and the Acting Director of the National Park Service to demand answers regarding their roles in this despicable display of violence and unreasonable aggression. You can read the letter here, and I'll include the text below: Dear Director Murray/Acting Director Vela, I write to request documents and information regarding disturbing reports that the United States Secret Service was involved in, and may have directed, the use of tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful protesters outside of the White House for the purposes of facilitating a photo opportunity for President Donald Trump. On the evening of June 1, 2020, protesters were gathered around Lafayette Square north of the White House exercising their constitutional right to peaceably assemble. According to reports, “The protesters were removed from the Lafayette Square area across from the White House, apparently to clear the way for the president to walk to St. John's Church, where he posed briefly for photographers, holding a Bible.” While the Secret Service is tasked with protecting the President of the United States, it is not a tool of fascism, and the conduct and operations of the Secret Service cannot be allowed to infringe upon the constitutional rights of the American people for the purpose of serving the President’s personal vanity. It is my hope that the men and women of the Secret Service remain safe and are never put in the untenable position of needlessly targeting their fellow citizens with violence. To better understand the role of the Secret Service in the events of June 1, 2020, please provide the following documents by June 15, 2020:
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important request. |
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| I will not be silent in the face of outright abuse of power. The president's words and actions last night, including his threat to use the force of our military against his own people, serve only to fan the flames of racism and hatred in our country. We are a nation on fire, and Donald Trump holds the match. We need reconciliation and healing. And we need new, compassionate leadership. Please take care of yourselves and each other. As always, my office stands ready to help if you or a loved one need assistance. We will, with love and courage of our convictions, come out of this a stronger and more just country. Sincerely,
Member of Congress |
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