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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 1 OcTOber 2020
Portland asks U.S. to rescind deputization of city police

By GILLIAN FLACCUS tactics of white suprema-
Associated Press cy. We learned about its
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — hallmarks, and how to rec-
The mayor of Portland has ognize it," he said. "Then,
asked U.S. officials to end last night, we saw it in ac-
the federal deputation of tion when Donald Trump
dozens of police officers refused to denounce white
in Oregon's largest city as supremacy, and in his not-
part of the response to on- so-veiled call for his sup-
going protests in the city. porters to engage in in-
Mayor Ted Wheeler said timidation at the polls and
late Tuesday that he had elsewhere."
"asked the U.S. attorney's The Proud Boys have vis-
office to withdraw the des- ited the city several times
ignation" that deputized since Trump's election, of-
the officers. ten drawing a response
Deputizing the Portland of- from hundreds of counter-
ficers gives federal prose- protesters. Alan Swinney, a
cutors the option to charge member of the Proud Boys,
anyone arrested by those was booked Wednesday
officers with federal crimes, A Portland Police officer watches protesters rallying at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse on suspicions of a dozen
on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in Portland, Ore.
which often come with Associated Press charges, including allega-
more severe penalties than tions he pointed a revolver
the state crimes for which killed by police in Minne- Portland city officials ap- torney's office, Portland at counterprotesters and
local police usually make apolis. Many of them end parently did not know that city attorney Tracy Reeve fired a paintball gun and
arrests. It also could allow in vandalism of police and their officers' federal depu- wrote that city leaders had mace at them on two sep-
law enforcement a way government buildings and tization status would last been under the impression arate occasions in August.
around Multnomah Coun- violence against police of- until the end of this year. that the deputization would Swinney, who is scheduled
ty District Attorney Mike ficers. "A key feature of the desig- end with the termination for a court appearance
Schmidt's decision not to Fifty-six Portland officers nation is that anyone who of the governor's state of Thursday, was charged in
file state charges against were deputized before a assaults a federally depu- emergency declared only a secret indictment Sept.
hundreds of protesters who rally in the city last week- tized official could be sub- for last weekend's protests, 11 but not arrested until
were arrested for lower-lev- end by the far-right Proud ject to federal charges," which ended Sunday eve- Wednesday. An attorney
el and non-violent offenses, Boys group. During Tues- Wheeler's statement said. ning. for Swinney was not listed
a policy that has angered day's presidential debate, "Fortunately, I am confident On Wednesday, Wheeler in court records. Swin-
some in the law enforce- President Donald Trump re- the Multnomah County dis- condemned Trump's state- ney remained in custody
ment community. fused to condemn armed trict attorney will continue ments on the Proud Boys. Wednesday and it wasn't
Portland has seen pro- militias. When prompted to prosecute anyone who "Yesterday morning, City immediately clear if he had
tests almost every night about the Proud Boys, he assaults or otherwise harms leaders met with the West- retained an attorney or
for more than four months said: "Proud Boys, stand police officers or others." ern States Center for a train- would be assigned a public
since George Floyd was back and stand by." In an email to the U.S. at- ing about the history and defender.q

Seagram's heir sentenced to prison in branded sex slave case

taken into custody to be- niere's organization, NXIVM the crimes with which he
gin her 81-month sentence — pronounced NEHK-see- was convicted were it not
immediately after her ap- uhm — operated like a cult for powerful allies like Bron-
pearance in federal court whose members called him fman." The defendant had
in Brooklyn. "Vanguard." To honor him, long been affiliated with
Bronfman, 41, admitted the group formed a secret NXIVM, giving away tens of
in a guilty plea last year sorority comprised of brain- million of dollars to bankroll
that she harbored some- washed female "slaves" Raniere and his program of
one who was living in the who were branded with his intense self-improvement
U.S. illegally for unpaid "la- initials and forced to have classes. She also paid for
bor and services" and that sex with him, the prosecu- lawyers to defend the
she committed credit card tors said. group against a lawsuit
fraud on behalf of Raniere, Bronfman's lawyers argued brought by its critics.
leader of the group called she deserved leniency be- Along with Bronfman, Ra-
NXIVM. cause she had no direct niere's teachings won him
Clare Bronfman arrives at federal court, Wednesday, Sept. 30, In a letter to the court last involvement in the most the devotion of Hollywood
2020, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. month, Bronfman wrote disturbing allegations and actresses like Allison Mack
Asscociated Press that she "never meant has a health condition that of TV's "Smallville." Mack
to hurt anyone, however could put her at greater also has pleaded guilty
By TOM HAYS en into sex slaves who were I have and for this I am risk for a coronavirus infec- and is awaiting sentencing.
Asscociated Press branded with his initials, deeply sorry." Still, she said tion if incarcerated. But in As part of a plea agree-
NEW YORK (AP) — A wealthy was sentenced Wednes- that she couldn't disavow court papers, prosecutors ment, Bronfman agreed to
benefactor of Keith Ra- day to almost seven years Raniere because "NXIVM argued she deserved a se- forfeit $6 million from a for-
niere, the disgraced lead- in prison in the federal con- and Keith greatly changed rious punishment since, tune prosecutors have said
er of a self-improvement spiracy case. my life for the better." "There can be little doubt is worth $200 million. They
group in upstate New York Seagram's liquor fortune At trial, prosecutors told that Raniere would not also are seeking a $500,000
convicted of turning wom- heir Clare Bronfman was jurors the 60-year-old Ra- have been able to commit fine.q