Recognizing Law Enforcement Officers Across the Country
Floor Speech
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I will begin by recognizing the heroic men and women who serve in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department as well.
This week, our country witnessed a cowardly evil attack on two L.A. County deputies. As the two county deputies were sitting inside of their parked car in Compton, California, a thug approached their vehicle and shot them point-blank. We are grateful that both of them are expected to survive. We regret that ambush, totally without justification, and we need to bring them to justice.
I am reminded of what the British moralist C. S. Lewis described in his book, ``The Abolition of Man,'' where he said of shallow and heartless people as being ``men without chests.''
Perhaps, now, we are seeing that from the vicious criminals who are attempting to single out and overthrow our cities and, specifically, attack our police force.
Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona.
Mr. Speaker, last week, a husband and wife awoke to see, through their bedroom window, a brazen burglar breaking into their car. The dad retrieved a gun and tried to protect his family. He knew that the console of the car being burglarized contained another gun, and he saw the burglar retrieve it. They exchanged fire, and the confrontation had become more than even that prepared father could handle. So it became the responsibility of Ryan Hendrix.
The 8-year veteran of the Henderson County Sheriff's Department arrived with two other deputies at 2:54 a.m. last Thursday. They spotted the suspect, and at first he appeared to comply with commands, and then suddenly raised a weapon and fired.
The first shot struck Deputy Hendrix in the face before his fellow officers returned fire and shot the gunman dead. Investigation revealed that the gunman was a career criminal, wanted by South Carolina Probation, with arrests in four States.
Ryan Philip Hendrix, 35, Marine Corps vet, was declared brain dead the next day. Ryan's 6-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter will live with only fragmentary memories of their father. Ryan's fiancee will not have that October wedding that they planned.
This murder is not an isolated story. Two hundred law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty in 2020, up 90 percent.
Nothing I say can ennoble the sacrifices of those lost nor of the many others injured. Those sacrifices, that service, speak for themselves.
But I can speak to a fast-growing cancer in our civic spirit, an activism that exploits the wound to our national psyche born of racial injustice in our history, an activism that draws explicitly on Marxism and attacks core foundations of our society, including, and perhaps foremost, the consensus of support for law enforcement, a consensus that abides in every nation capable of surviving. It manifests itself in riots, looting, arson, destruction, shootings, and killings.
I can contend against it along with you. I have introduced into Congress the No Riots Act to criminalize injuries not only for Federal but, also, State and local law enforcement officers and to extend the death penalty for killing an officer in the course of interstate rioting.
But we cannot return to law enforcement officers the protection they deserve if leadership of our country is divided on the institution of police--indeed, if the people are divided. All must back the blue. If we do not, then God have mercy on us, because the criminals and thugs like the one who took Ryan Hendrix's life assuredly will not spare yours or those of your loved ones.
This country is exceptional, the recognition that every human is special and has fundamental rights. Our Nation is a story of refining those rights in practice so that everyone gets a fair shake, that everyone's life is protected and respected.
But elemental to that, what we cannot do without are those who defend us from chaos and keep order, those whose service, whose sacrifice most Americans understand and honor.
Most Americans know that Ryan Hendrix is a hero and so are all who serve in blue. Most Americans know that the they are highest caliber among us and that they deserve our respect and support.
I back the blue.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Carolina.
Mr. Speaker, in the sweltering heat of Arizona deserts, we have multiple jurisdictions of police officers who come to the rescue, not just armed with guns, but they will save those who are fighting through the desert, fighting through the heat, whether they are here in this country illegally or not. Whether they are with the Customs and Border Patrol, whether they are with ICE, whether they are with the county sheriff's department or our local municipal police departments, they provide first aid assistance and lifesaving assistance, and I pay homage to them.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's comments and his efforts and service in Congress as he prepares to retire soon. I thank the gentleman, Mr. Yoho.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, when I reflect on the incident of the weekend when the two L.A. County deputies were shot and they had to tend to each other and apply first aid to each other, and they were rushed to the hospital, the rigid cruelty of the mob that gathered at the hospital trying to block an ambulance from accessing the emergency room, accompanied with hateful shouts and taunts, as evidence of the loss of goodness in our society.
The feckless leaders of some States and cities that have not only permitted the destruction of property, but the wasting of lives and livelihoods are without heart, as well. In many cases they have not only stood by watching the wreckage, they have fomented the rioting, looting, the murder, and mayhem.
One of the enemies of a free society is one who will appease people who are intent on destroying the rights of individuals within that society, those who permit and encourage by inaction criminal conduct.
We saw this when the Portland mayor, Ted Wheeler, was driven from his own home because the mob had turned on him. He is not alone.
Winston Churchill once noted that an appeaser is someone who feeds others to the alligators with the hopes that he will be eaten last. That is what is being lived out in some American cities before our eyes today.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for being here tonight. I appreciate his comments.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Banks) for his words and also for his work on the legislation that I think will be very important.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from Arizona, Representative Gosar, for his comments.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, I include the following items in the Record:
A letter dated September 10, 2020, to the Honorable William P. Barr, Attorney General; a newspaper article dated September 15, 2020; another one, dated August 26, 2020; another piece which is undated, which I will get the date for; and then another series of articles as well. Congress of the United States, Washington, DC, September 10, 2020. Hon. William P. Barr, Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
Dear Attorney General Barr: We write to share our deep concerns regarding the ongoing violence that has gripped American cities and threatened the rule of law across our nation. ANTIFA and other left-wing anarchist groups have unleashed a barrage of totalitarian attacks on our country in recent months, including accosting a sitting U.S. Senator, hijacking peaceful rallies, organizing armed riots, destroying property, burning buildings, stealing livelihoods, and spreading hate.
It is clear that these individuals are well-funded and supported by a national network of left-wing activists committed to perpetrating violence and furthering anarchy in our streets. As such, we urge you to immediately open an investigation to identify and prosecute all individuals and groups responsible for funding and organizing these terroristic acts that are wreaking havoc on our nation.
As you know, 18 U.S. Sec. 2101 makes it a federal crime punishable by up to five years in prison to incite a riot; organize, promote, encourage, participate in, or carry on a riot; commit any act of violence in furtherance of a riot; or aid or abet any person in inciting or participating in a riot. Tragically, we are seeing the letter and spirit of the law being desecrated on a daily basis, as ANTIFA and other organized groups of anarchists continue to infiltrate peaceful protests and launch violent attacks against American citizens. Tragically, these activities recently turned deadly in Portland, Oregon, as Michael Forest Reinoehl, who described himself as ``100% ANTIFA'' shot and killed a supporter of President Trump.
Additionally, the riots in Portland and other major American cities have revealed a targeted effort to destabilize our way of life, including deliberately targeting federal buildings and law enforcement in an effort to undermine the rule of law. The prolonged nature and organization of these violent attacks, including the rioters' use of military grade helmets, gas masks, protective vests, and illegal fireworks, clearly displays the high level of coordination and outside funding supporting these anarchist groups. It is readily apparent that these individuals were outfitted for war and were clearly part of a planned effort to infiltrate peaceful protests, provoke violence, and further subvert our system of government.
Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents. Well- organized factions of ANTIFA and other anarchist groups have taken advantage of peaceful protests to sow division, threaten free speech, and enflame tensions throughout the nation for more than 90 days.
The violence occurring in our cities cannot continue. The DOJ must take action to stop these dangerous attacks. As such, we urge you to fully investigate the groups responsible for these attacks on our republic and prosecute all individuals who are violating federal law by participating in, inciting, organizing, or funding these destructive riots. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this urgent request and your prompt action to protect our nation. Sincerely, Ken Buck, Andy Biggs, Brian Babin, D.D.S., Ted Budd, Doug Collins, Bob Gibbs, Jeff Duncan, Steve King,
Members of Congress. ____ [From Fox News, Sept. 15, 2020] LA County Sheriff Says Protesters Calling for Ambushed Deputies' Death is `Almost Worthy of ISIS' (By Joshua Nelson)
Protesters showing up at the hospital treating two deputies who were shot in an ambush and calling for their death is ``something almost worthy of ISIS,'' said Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Tuesday.
``It's just a new low for the hatred that I don't think anyone in this nation has ever seen before,'' Villanueva told ``America's Newsroom.''
``We just don't expect it on our own shores and we have been here fighting to save people's lives across the county-- it doesn't matter who you are and it is not something we are going to expect or tolerate,'' Villanueva said.
Villanueva on Monday challenged NBA star LeBron James to match and double the reward money, which is currently up to $200,000, that is being offered for information on the gunman who ambushed and shot two deputies over the weekend.
``This challenge is to LeBron James. I want you to match that and double that reward,'' Villanueva said. ``I know you care about law enforcement. You expressed a very interesting statement about your perspective on race relations and on officer-involved shootings and the impact that it has on the African American community.''
``And I appreciated that,'' he continued. ``But likewise, we need to appreciate that respect for life goes across all professions.''
The Los Angeles Lakers star has been one of the most vocal professional athletes to speak on social issues and to condemn police misconduct. After Jacob Blake was shot multiple times by officers in Wisconsin last month, James said Black people in America are ``terrified'' of police misconduct.
``I know people get tired of hearing me say it, but we are scared as Black people in America,'' James said following the Lakers' Game 4 win over the Portland Trail Blazers last month. ``Black men, Black women, Black kids, we are terrified.''
Villanueva on Tuesday said he had yet to hear from LeBron regarding his challenge, but that the NBA star needs ``to take some ownership of exactly what he said in terms of propagating the idea that people are being hunted'' due to the color of their skin.
``I think that is just flat out not the case. I think we need to hold those accountable for breaking the law, be it law enforcement when we are crossing the line, but, then we have to acknowledge the bigger problem of violence overall and this ambush, cowardly ambush, of the two deputies just doing their own job, doing their business there in Compton, really illustrates that. That is that the problem we need to address,'' he said. ____ [From Fox Business, Aug. 26, 2020] BLM Brings Economic Stress to Communities It Claims To Represent: Pastor (By Bishop Aubrey Shines)
Early in August a news story jumped out to me and not in a good way my friends. I am still thinking about it.
As Fox Business reported on August 5, a trucking company will no longer deliver to cities that are defunding police. The co- owner of JKC Trucking, Mike Kucharski, told Fox he was concerned for the safety of his drivers and their cargo going to cities where police have had their budgets slashed.
As an African American and a minister, I knew something like this would happen sooner or later.
My colleagues and I founded Conservative Clergy of Color because we were afraid something like this would happen if Black Lives Matter was the only voice in the room.
We wanted to give a voice to African Americans who believe in real change, not leftist platitudes and want their country to be better.
My father was able to watch this country become a better place from the segregation he knew growing up but now I fear the progress he witnessed is being turned on its head. We've now seen the first domino fall in the rollback of that progress.
It's sad we've come to this, but it's the truth. Black Lives Matter has crippled the police across dozens of cities, and we're now seeing the economic impact.
These, friends, are the first tangible results from Black Lives Matter's mad, anti-police crusade. These are the first far-reaching consequences beyond the violence in cities this summer that has gone so long it's beginning to feel lethargic. These are the consequences that BLM's leadership probably are fully aware of, but that the young misguided social justice warriors that make up their ranks haven't stopped to think about.
When you do stop and think about it, why should the owner put his drivers in danger? Why would he risk the danger in cities where police have been hamstrung and rioters have free reign of the streets?
When young children like poor Secoriea Turner in Atlanta are getting gunned down in the streets, I wouldn't want my employees going to those cities either.
It's sad we've come to this, but it's the truth. Black Lives Matter has crippled the police across dozens of cities, and we're now seeing the economic impact.
Cities that normally receive commerce by way of trucking companies and shipping outlets are now going to lose a vital source of income. Depending on the size of the city, the effect could range from negligible to devastating.
Either way, it's a problem none of these communities should have faced. But because city leaders and governments either were bullied into defunding their police or just felt like being politically correct, grocery stores and retail outlets are going to have to find other ways to supply their products.
Now you might be thinking, ``I see your point Bishop, but won't another trucking company just step up and fill the void?'' Ideally, you'd be right, but I would pose the counter-question of how long it will take before other companies follow JKC's lead if the riots aren't brought to heel soon.
For that matter, how long will it be before other industries start making similar choices? How long will it be before the results BLM's leftist ideology impedes different businesses from providing income to communities?
What if a company like Staples or Walmart decides to build new facilities in Portland but then pulls out at the last second because rioters there are still out of control? And it's not just mega-retailers; I haven't even touched on small businesses and entrepreneurs. If I were a young, bright individual looking to start my own company, I certainly wouldn't want to do it in a place with kneecapped police and no guarantee of stability.
The worst part of this debacle is that minority communities, the very people BLM claims to represent, will suffer the most.
A weaker police force means less business in a community and that's less jobs to go around including for minorities.
Minorities in low-income neighborhoods need the work, not just bloated government welfare programs. These are minorities who could work in shipping warehouses, malls, stores, or startups are worse off if none of those industries decide to do business in their communities.
BLM's ``justice'' has already gotten black children killed on the streets. Its crusade to replace police authority with an anarchist mob has made it less safe in low-income neighborhoods than before George Floyd's tragic death. But now we're finally seeing the long-term consequences; the purging of business opportunities that will only drive minorities further away from prosperity and into the loving arms of government dependency. ____ [From Fox News, Sept. 16, 2020]
LA Sheriff Alex Villanueva Challenges LeBron James To Match Reward Money for Gunman Who Ambushed Two Deputies in Compton (By Louis Casiano)
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva on Monday challenged NBA star LeBron James to match and double the reward money being offered for information on the gunman who ambushed and shot two deputies over the weekend.
Speaking with KABC Radio on the John Phillips Show, Villanueva said the reward money reached $175,000--a combination of donations of $100,000 from the county and $75,000 from two private individuals.
``This challenge is to LeBron James. I want you to match that and double that reward,'' Villanueva said. ``I know you care about law enforcement. You expressed a very interesting statement about your perspective on race relations and on officer-involved shootings and the impact that it has on the African-American community.
``And I appreciated that,'' he continued. ``But likewise, we need to appreciate that respect for life goes across all professions.''
The Los Angeles Lakers star has been one of the most vocal professional athletes to speak on social issues and to condemn police misconduct. After Jacob Blake was shot multiple times by officers in Wisconsin last month, James said Black people in America are ``terrified'' of police misconduct.
``I know people get tired of hearing me say it, but we are scared as Black people in America,'' James said following the Lakers' Game 4 win over the Portland Trail Blazers last month. ``Black men, Black women, Black kids, we are terrified.''
He earlier tweeted his frustrations about police shootings.
``And y'all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!! Someone please tell me WTF is this???!!! Exactly another black man being targeted,'' James wrote. ``This s--- [sic] is so wrong and so sad!! Feel so sorry for him, his family and OUR PEOPLE!! We want JUSTICE.''
It was not clear if James was aware of Villanueva's challenge. Messages to the LeBron James Foundation were not immediately returned.
``Let's see what he does,'' the sheriff said. ``I'll be very curious to see what his response is, if any.'' ____ [From Fox News, Sept. 11, 2020] St. Louis BLM Protesters From McCloskey Confrontation Cited for Trespassing (By Louis Casiano)
Nine Black Lives Matter protesters who were confronted by an armed St. Louis couple on their lawn have been issued citations for trespassing, officials told Fox News.
The June 28 encounter between the demonstrators, and Mark and Patricia McCloskey made headlines as the country was gripped by nationwide protests over police brutality. The couple--both personal injury lawyers--were seen on video and in photos pointing a handgun and a rifle as demonstrators moved through their neighborhood.
No shots were fired.
Calls and emails to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department from Fox News were not returned.
The office of City Counselor Julian Bush told Fox News in an email that the citations were mailed to the nine people but that Bush has ``not yet determined whether to file charges.''
The protesters could face up to $500 in fines and up to 90 days in jail. However, Bush told NPR it was rare for anyone to receive such penalties for a municipal ordinance violation.
Last week, Black Lives Matter activist Ohun Ashe tweeted that she received a summons.
``I was just sent a summons to appear in court for ``trespassing on private property'' on Portland P1 aka the street Patricia and Mark McCloskey live on,'' the post read. ``I had a gun waved in my face by them but trespassing is what matters?''
Video footage captured the confrontation as 300 demonstrators marched in the street, claiming they were headed toward the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson. The McCloskeys aimed their weapons at the marchers and have since been charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, has said he will almost certainly pardon the McCloskeys if they are convicted.
The incident landed the couple an appearance during the first night of the Republican National Convention last month, where they asserted their Second Amendment right to defend themselves.
``The radicals are not content just marching in the streets,'' Mark McCloskey said during a virtual speech. ``They want to walk the halls of Congress. They want power. This is Joe Biden's party. These are the people who will be in charge.'' ____ [From the Wall Street Journal, Sept. 14, 2020] Confessions of a New Gun Owner (By William McGurn)
On Monday it became official: The police issued me a gun permit.
Never did I imagine I'd be here. Not because I was anti- gun. My dad was a career FBI agent, so my siblings and I grew up with guns.
At the same time, my father was never particularly interested in guns. To no avail, we would beg him to go t o shoots to show off his skills. More frequently he would remind us that many who keep guns in the house are more likely to shoot a friend or family member than a would-be robber or rapist. His proudest boast about his own career was that not once did he have to shoot anybody.
This may help explain why we all grew up supporting the Second Amendment in principle while not much interested in the practice. What changed? Certainly the rioters played a key part. But far more shocking than the rioters themselves has been the associated spectacle of police and political authorities across America standing down in the face of night after night of criminal behavior directed at the lives and livelihoods of innocent, law-abiding citizens.
Even in suburbia, many are no longer confident our authorities would or could keep us safe. In a small suburb such as mine, what would happen if even 100 or 200 people bent on violence were to arrive at once? Could our small police force really handle it? Or would we be left to fend for ourselves like Mark and Pat McCloskey in St. Louis, who defended their home and were then treated as if they were criminals?
A few years back, I asked a former colleague whom I knew to be pro-Second Amendment philosophically if he owned a gun. He answered no, and then asked if I had one. I said I wouldn't know what to write down as my reason for wanting one.
He told me, ``Write down, `Because I don't trust the government.' ''
That might have worked for the Founding Fathers. But in today's New Jersey--a state ranked by the Giffords Law Center's annual Gun Law Scorecard as the nation's most restrictive after California--the response might be 40 squad cars on the front lawn by morning. I say this only half in jest: Do other Americans buying guns for the first time find it as grating as I do to learn that we need government permission to exercise a constitutional right?
Equally illuminating has been learning about guns and those who own them. Over four decades in the news business, I have often written about the National Rifle Association, usually about some proposed new gun law. Most recently the NRA has been in the headlines over a lawsuit filed by New York's attorney general in which she accuses top leaders of decades- long corruption and misspending.
But our family's decision to buy a gun has introduced us to the side of the NRA more Americans see: the education side. The NRA has courses, online and in person, for almost everything. The NRA instructor my wife and I engaged, Billy De Almedia, was firm, professional and patient.
It's not just the instruction that impresses. It's the sheer Americanness of a private organization established to support a constitutional right in all its manifestations, from defending the Second Amendment legally and philosophically to instilling in newbies such as myself the respect for guns necessary to keep and use them safely. Not to mention a taste of the satisfaction that comes from mastering a new discipline.
Surely if the government were to assume the functions the NRA provides, the experience would be akin to going to your local Department of Motor Vehicles. In America, by contrast, the ethos emphasizes private initiative and responsibility. In our new interactions with gun owners, gun instructors and owners of gun ranges, my wife and I have found them unfailingly eager to help and to answer even the dumbest questions.
This year a record five million law-abiding Americans, like us, have become new gun owners. Many don't fit the stereotype: African-Americans account for the largest percentage jump in gun ownership, while women are 40% of first-time buyers. These new buyers join an even larger demographic: the 43% of American households that already have a gun.
The record gun sales for 2020 may have implications for swing states in November as well. In Pennsylvania alone, the National Shooting Sports Foundation reckons there are 276,648 first-time gun owners this year. To put this in perspective, in 2016 Donald Trump won Pennsylvania by 44,292 votes.
Now, I appreciate how unlikely it is that I will ever reach for a gun to defend my home or myself. But after watching the mayhem that's taken over so many city streets I wonder, probably with plenty of my fellow first-time gun buyers, what alternative I'd have if ever I had to make that terrible 911 call--and it went unanswered? ____ [From the Washington Times, July 27, 2020] Rep. Jerry Nadler Says Antifa violence in Portland a ``Myth'' (By Jessica Chasmar)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler declared Sunday it's a ``myth'' that Antifa provocateurs are behind the ongoing violent protests in Portland, Oregon.
In a now-viral video posted on Twitter, writer-producer Austen Fletcher caught up with the House Judiciary Judiciary Committee chairman on his way to his vehicle.
``I ran into Jerry Nadler in DC and asked him to disavow the Antifa violence/rioting in Portland. His response? `THAT'S A MYTH,' '' Mr. Fletcher said in a tweet along with the video.
``It is true,'' Mr. Fletcher tells Mr. Nadler in the video. ``There's violence across the whole country. Do you disavow the violence from Antifa that's happening in Portland right now? There's riots--''
``That's a myth that's being spread only in Washington, D.C.,'' Mr. Nadler responded.
``About Antifa in Portland?'' Mr. Fletcher asked.
``Yes,'' Mr. Nadler replied before a staffer nudged him to get into the vehicle.
``Sir, there's videos everywhere online,'' Mr. Fletcher continued. ``There's fires and riots, they're throwing fireworks at federal officers. DHS is there. Look online. It gets crazy, Mr. Nadler.''
The New York Democrat was slammed for his response, which came as Portland entered its 60th day of riots since the death of George Floyd.
Portland is the home of Rose City Antifa, the oldest known so-called anti-fascist group in the country. ____ [From American News, Sept. 14, 2020] DHS Leaked Email Confirms Antifa Is an Organized Group (By Ian Miles Cheong)
An internal email from the Department of Homeland Security leaked to CBS Catherine Herridge late Monday detailing that the violence in Portland was not ``opportunistic,'' but rather ``organized''--confirming long-suspected details about the Antifa movement.
The email explains that Antifa is organized and runs contrary to reports in the mainstream media that Antifa was not responsible for anti-police violence, but an impromptu movement spurred on by anti-fascist sentiments held by most of the American public.
A recent article in the Washington Post by Mark Bray, author of Antifa: Anti-Fascist Handbook, attempted to dispel ``myths'' about Antifa, claims that the group is not an organization, but rather a ``tradition of militant antifascism.'' The article disputed claims that Antifa ``masterminds violence at Black Lives Matter protests.''
In printed email documents attained by Herridge, the DHS' Acting Under Secretary for Intelligence & Analysis Brian Murphy wrote to his colleagues on July 25 detailing his findings of Antifa in Portland.
Murphy urged for an immediate change of definitions for the violent activity in Portland following a review of the individuals arrested by federal authorities, as well as intelligence surrounding their affiliations and activities.
``The individuals are violently attacking the Federal facilities based on these ideologies,'' he said in regards to Antifa, which he classed as VAAI or ``VIOLENT ANTIFA ANARCHISTS INSPIRED.''
``We can't say any longer that this violent situation is opportunistic,'' wrote Murphy. ``Additionally, we have overwhelmingly intelligence regarding the ideologies driving individuals towards violence and why the violence has continued.''
``A core set of Threat actors are organized, show up night after night, share common TTPs and drawing on like minded individuals to their cause.''
TTP stands for Tactics, Techniques and Procedures.
``I recognize we may not be able to attribute every individual as VAAI however we need to look at the totality of the intelligence both current and previous and recognize the motivation for the violence and why people have shown up to commit violence for about 60 days. And why the individuals are using social media to encourage the VAAI on the ground to carry out acts of violence.''
The nightly riots in Portland numbered at sixty days when the email was composed. Rioting has shifted from Portland to other cities with some of the same actors, including Washington DC, Seattle, and Kenosha--violence of which was spurred largely by pro-Antifa advocates on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitch, and Twitter.
``Threat actors who are motivated by Anarchist or ANTIFA (or a combination of both) ideologies to carry out acts of violence against State, Local, and Federal authorities and infrastructure they believe represent authority or represent political and social ideas they reject,'' Murphy concluded.
Phrases like ``Every city, every town. Burn the precincts to the ground'' are a common refrain at Black Lives Matter rallies, and have been chanted during arson attacks on the Portland Police Bureau, the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in Portland, and other facilities where Antifa and Black Lives Matter militants were present.
The intelligence provided by the DHS validates claims by conservative voices who have long identified Antifa as an organized movement, and flies in the face of claims that the group was not intent on committing violence or conducting an insurgency against the United States government. ____ [From gatewaypundit.com, Sept. 15, 2020] Milwaukee Trump Supporter Arrested for Brandishing a Gun at Black Lives Matter Mob That Was Surrounding His Home (VIDEO) (By Cassandra Fairbanks)
A Milwaukee man has reportedly been arrested after pulling a gun on a mob of Black Lives Matter supporters who were surrounding his home for several hours. It is currently unclear who the man is or why the mob was at his house, but he did have a ``Trump Train'' flag hanging outside.
Members of the mob claimed on social media that their actions were justified because he is a ``racist'' and had a confederate flag. The flag was not seen in the videos, but an American and Trump flag were hanging prominently on the front of his home.
In livestream footage of the incident, the mob is clearly seen stepping on to the man's property.
``They went specifically to his house to protest him for `being a racist.' The homeowner was arrested, and the crowd remains outside. They seem to have gone on his property. WTF Milwaukee?'' Kitty Shackleford, a Twitter user that archives riot footage, tweeted along with videos.
After the mob was outside his home for more than two hours, police arrived. As they entered the man's property, the rioters cheered for police and called for the man's arrest, yelling about how he had a weapon.
When the man was taken outside, seemingly in cuffs, the crowd went wild.
The militant leftists were threatening the man saying that he was going to have big problems if he dared to step outside.
As they threatened him, shined lights into his home, and pranced all over his property, he pointed a shotgun out the window.
The person who called for the ``protest'' livestreamed the mob outside the man's home for several hours.
It does not appear that any members of the mob have been arrested.
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Mr. BIGGS. Mr. Speaker, as we have recognized here today with our speakers the importance of law enforcement to maintaining our rights and the safety of our neighborhoods and communities, I am reminded that it was just a little over a month ago, late July 2020, when the chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the House of Representatives said about antifa, as the city of Portland was being burned by antifa, he said it is a myth. It is a myth.
And then what has happened is an internal email from the Department of Homeland Security revealed Monday that the violence in Portland was not opportunistic but, rather, organized by the antifa organization.
We have got to see that our Attorney General--I urge him, I urge the FBI to investigate and the Attorney General to take every action that the law allows, whether it is civil RICO or prosecution of these individuals, because, if you want to bring our society back into order, you take people who are violent, rioting, looting, causing mayhem and murder, you arrest them. You charge them, you prosecute them, and you convict them.
We know there are law enforcement who do a great job, but right now, in many places around this country, it will take a law enforcement officer 5 or 10 minutes or longer to get to a home or a business that is under attack by a criminal. When that happens, if they are under attack, these individuals need to have the right, as they do under the Second Amendment, to protect themselves. That right must be protected and maintained.
So I am kind of surprised--I am going to give you a fact here. In Pennsylvania alone, this year, you have had an increase in new gun owners by more than a quarter of a million. More than a quarter of a million people in Pennsylvania own guns today who didn't own them at the beginning of the year. Why? Because of what is going on in our streets, whether it is in Pennsylvania, Oregon, or wherever else it may be.
A mob circles a home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; an individual holds up a shotgun inside as this mob surrounds his home. What does the mob do, the antifa folks? They call the police to have this man arrested for having a gun on the ready to protect himself from that very mob. That is backwards.
Mr. Speaker, we thank the police. The purpose of the police is to protect the weak and the rights of all.
When our leaders in places like Portland, Minneapolis, you name it, castigate the police or celebrities castigate the police, what they are really saying is: We are content with mob rule. That can't be the case.
We have heard this tonight from my colleagues who have said this so well. We support the police, and we support the thin blue line that protects our rights. This rioting and this mayhem must end tonight.
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