Sens. Cruz, Scott, Lee, Cotton Demand Information from DOJ, DHS, and FBI on Portland Violence
‘Neither state nor local law enforcement has been willing or able to intervene to disperse the organized attacks, and the extremists have continued targeting the federal courthouse for violence and vandalism’
HOUSTON, Texas - U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) this week sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray to ask what their agencies are doing to protect the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Oregon. The Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse has been the target of repeated attacks by left-wing extremists over the past year. The Senators are also requesting information on efforts the agencies have made to investigate, arrest and prosecute the individuals who have terrorized the city of Portland for the past year.
In the letter, the senators wrote:
"Throughout the summer of 2020, Portland's federal courthouse endured months of nightly assaults, during which left-wing extremists repeatedly set fire to the building with personnel inside, and attacked federal officers using Molotov cocktails, explosives, and various weapons. The brave federal agents who defended the federal courthouse bore the brunt of those unchecked attacks, resulting in numerous injuries, including blindness caused by lasers the left-wing extremists pointed into the eyes of those officers. Unfortunately, neither state nor local law enforcement has been willing or able to intervene to disperse the organized attacks, and the extremists have continued targeting the federal courthouse for violence and vandalism."
[...]
"We ask that you promptly respond to this letter detailing the steps you and your agencies are taking to protect the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, and to investigate, arrest and prosecute the domestic terrorists who have terrorized the federal facility, officers and personnel for the past year."
Read the full text of their letter here and below.
April 7, 2021
The Honorable Merrick Garland
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
Washington, D.C. 20530
The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas
Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
The Honorable Christopher Wray
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20535
Dear Attorney General Garland, Secretary Mayorkas, and Director Wray:
As you are well aware, the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Oregon, has been the target of frequent and repeated attacks by left-wing extremists. These attacks have no place in American society and must be swiftly condemned and appropriately handled by law enforcement at every level. It is in response to these repeated attacks that we write to you today to ask what each of your respective agencies is doing to protect this federal facility, including what efforts your agencies have made to investigate, arrest and prosecute the individuals who have terrorized the city of Portland for the past year.
Throughout the summer of 2020, Portland's federal courthouse endured months of nightly assaults, during which left-wing extremists repeatedly set fire to the building with personnel inside, and attacked federal officers using Molotov cocktails, explosives, and various weapons. The brave federal agents who defended the federal courthouse bore the brunt of those unchecked attacks, resulting in numerous injuries, including blindness caused by lasers the left-wing extremists pointed into the eyes of those officers. Unfortunately, neither state nor local law enforcement has been willing or able to intervene to disperse the organized attacks, and the extremists have continued targeting the federal courthouse for violence and vandalism.
This is a textbook example of domestic terrorism, but neither the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, nor the Federal Bureau of Investigation appear to be doing anything to stop these attacks or bring to justice the left-wing extremists responsible for this violence and destruction.
The U.S. Constitution protects "the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The near-constant attacks on the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in Portland are neither peaceful, nor constitutional expressions of dissent - they are acts of domestic terrorism that have been allowed to continue unabated by local, state, and now federal officials apparently unwilling to intervene. This is unacceptable.
We ask that you promptly respond to this letter detailing the steps you and your agencies are taking to protect the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, and to investigate, arrest and prosecute the domestic terrorists who have terrorized the federal facility, officers and personnel for the past year.
Sincerely,
/s/
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