The United States Attorney for Oregon, Billy Williams, said Wednesday that the Oregon State Police will remain federal deputies, despite Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s pleas.
Mayor Wheeler asked the U.S. Attorney’s office and the Department of Homeland Security to rescind the federal designation earlier this week, well before the designation is due to expire, out of concern that federal deputies could charge Portland’s protesters with federal crimes for assaulting officers, attacking federal buildings, and fomenting unrest.
The mayor’s office issued a statement noting that they’d “asked the U.S. Attorney’s office to withdraw the designation.”
“A key feature of the designation is that anyone who assaults a federally deputized official could be subject to federal charges,” the statement added, per Oregon Live. “Fortunately, I am confident the Multnomah County District Attorney will continue to prosecute anyone who assaults or otherwise harms police officers or others.”
Wheeler may have confidence in the Multnomah County District Attorney, but as the Daily Wire reported last month, the Department of Homeland Security deputized members of the Oregon State Police out of concern that the same District Attorney would not prosecute protesters arrested during Portland riots, especially if those individuals were charged with low-level offenses.
read more here: https://resistthemainstream.com/portland-begs-dhs-to-de-deputize-state-police-stop-arresting-protesters-dhs-responds/
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