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U.S. NEWS Friday 5 June 2020
Continued from Front lantic for their consideration wrote.
Both Trump and Esper also of using the active-duty mil- Then, on Thursday, Alaska
drew stinging, rare pub- itary in law enforcement — Sen. Murkowski said she
lic criticism from Trump's and for the use of the Na- was "really thankful" for
first defense secretary, Jim tional Guard in clearing out Mattis' comments. She said
Mattis, in the most public a largely peaceful protest she thought his "words were
pushback of Trump's presi- near the White House on true and honest and nec-
dency from the men he put Monday evening. essary and overdue."
at the helm of the world's "We must reject any think- "I felt like perhaps we're
most powerful military. ing of our cities as a 'bat- getting to the point where
Mattis' rebuke Wednesday tlespace' that our uni- we can be more honest
followed Trump's threats to formed military is called with the concerns that we
use the military to "domi- upon to 'dominate,'" Mattis might hold internally, and
nate" the streets where wrote, referencing quotes have the courage of our
Americans are demonstrat- by Esper and Trump re- own convictions to speak Soldiers with Utah National Guard stand near a group of dem-
onstrators that gathered to protest the death of George Floyd,
ing following the death of spectively. "Militarizing our up," she said. Asked if she Wednesday, June 3, 2020, near the White House in Washington.
George Floyd, a black man response, as we witnessed could support Trump for Associated Press
who died when a white po- in Washington, D.C., sets up reelection, she said, "I am
lice officer pressed his knee a conflict — a false con- struggling with it." before Esper's comments "abuse of executive au-
into his neck for several flict — between the military Days ago, Esper had or- that Trump was backing thority." The retired general
minutes. Trump had urged and civilian society. " dered about 1,300 Army away from invoking the quit the Trump administra-
governors to call out the Trump responded on Twit- personnel to military bases act, though officials said tion in December 2018 af-
National Guard to contain ter by calling Mattis "the outside the nation's capital Trump was upset that Es- ter months of conflict with
protests that turned violent world's most overrated as Trump weighed whether per's statement conveyed the president as Trump an-
and warned that he could General," adding: "I didn't to invoke the Insurrection "weakness." nounced he was unilater-
send in active duty military like his 'leadership' style or Act and send active-duty Press secretary Kayleigh ally withdrawing American
forces if they did not. much else about him, and troops into the city, where McEnany said the presi- troops from Syria.
Esper angered Trump when many others agree, Glad the scene of large pro- dent was still willing to de- Though the crackdown
he said he opposed us- he is gone!" tests that devolved into ploy federal troops despite on the Washington dem-
ing military troops for law Yet another former mili- violence and looting over Esper's comments: "If need- onstrations was praised by
enforcement, seemingly tary leader, retired Marine the weekend. But after a ed, he will use it," she told some Trump supporters, a
taking the teeth out of the Corps four-star general Al- night of calm enforced reporters. handful of Republicans ex-
president's threat to use the len, said that events on by a large deployment Meanwhile, the president pressed concern that law
Insurrection Act. Esper said Monday, the day Trump of National Guard troops was taking credit for the enforcement officers risked
the 1807 law should be in- walked to the church, "may and heavily armed federal deployment of federal and violating the protesters' First
voked "only in the most ur- well signal the beginning of law enforcement agents, other law enforcement offi- Amendment rights.
gent and dire of situations." the end of the American defense officials said the cers to the nation's capital, Trump had been furious
He added, "We are not experiment." troops would begin return- saying it offered a model about images juxtaposing
in one of those situations Allen, president of the ing to their home base. to states on how to stop fires set in the park outside
now." liberal-leaning Brookings Army Secretary Ryan Mc- violence accompanying the executive mansion with
After Esper's visit to the Institution, contrasted the Carthy told The Associated some protests nationwide. a darkened White House in
White House, the Penta- routing of the protesters in Press that the decision was On Wednesday evening, the background, accord-
gon abruptly overturned Lafayette Park with remarks reversed after Esper's visit troops and others were ing to current and former
an earlier decision to send by Floyd's brother, Terrence to the White House. The out in force in Washing- campaign and administra-
a couple hundred active- Floyd, who denounced White House didn't respond ton. A Defense official tion officials. He was also
duty soldiers home from the looting that he said tarnish- to request for comment on said at least 2,200 National angry about the news cov-
Washington, D.C., region, es his brother's memory. whether Trump ordered the Guard members would be erage revealing he had
a public sign of the grow- Writing in Foreign Policy, Al- change. on the streets. Helmeted gone to the secure White
ing tensions with the White len urged people to make The shift added to confu- forces ringed Lafayette House bunker during Fri-
House. That reversal was re- their votes in November sion over the president's Park across from the White day's protests.
versed on Thursday. for the future of America's threat to invoke the Insur- House. Military vehicles Trump acknowledged
Former Secretary Mattis, democracy. "It will have rection Act for protests fol- were parked at intersec- he visited the bunker but
a retired Marine general, to come from the bottom lowing Floyd's death in Min- tions, blocking access. claimed he was only con-
lambasted both Trump and up. For at the White House, neapolis. White House of- Mattis, in his essay Wednes- ducting an inspection as
Esper in an essay in The At- there is no one home," he ficials had indicated even day, called the scene an protests raged outside.q

Judge rejects Ponzi king Madoff's bid for early release

By LARRY NEUMEISTER ed the continuing suffering more millions of his ill-gotten
Associated Press of Madoff's thousands of gains to family members,
NEW YORK (AP) — A dying victims who lost $17.5 bil- friends, and certain em-
Ponzi king Bernard Madoff lion when a decades-long ployees," Chin wrote.
lost his bid for early release scheme that deceived The judge said he'd re-
from prison Thursday when them into thinking their viewed public statements
the judge who sentenced money was invested prop- made by Madoff, 82, and
him to 150 years behind erly was exposed in De- found they "show that he
bars said he intended for cember 2008. has never fully accepted
him to die there and noth- "I also believe that Mr. responsibility for his actions
ing has happened in the Madoff was never truly re- and that he even faults his
last 11 years to change his morseful, and that he was victims."
mind. only sorry that his life as He said he now hopes Presi-
Judge Denny Chin, who he knew it was collapsing In this March 10, 2009 file photo, Bernard Madoff leaves Manhat- dent Donald Trump would
now sits on the 2nd U.S. Cir- around him. Even at the tan federal court in New York. consider commuting the
cuit Court of Appeals, not- end, he was trying to send Associated Press sentence.q