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A2 UP FRONT
TUESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2020
Continued from Front despite recklessness and
The Justice Department partisanship from the White
said the three cities were House," the statement said.
designated because they In a separate statement,
meet four main criteria, in- Durkan said the threats to
cluding "whether a jurisdic- defund the cities were "are
tion forbids the police force a gross misuse of federal
from intervening to restore power and blatantly un-
order amid widespread or lawful." "Trump, the Depart-
sustained violence or de- ment of Justice, and Barr's
struction" and whether the obsession with Seattle and
city "disempowers or de- me is irrational and most
funds police departments." importantly, a huge dis-
In Seattle, officials pointed traction," she said.
to the "occupied" protest A number of cities, includ-
zone, also known as the ing New York, sued the
"Capitol Hill Occupied Pro- U.S. government after the
test" zone, or CHOP, which Justice Department an-
emerged during nation- nounced in 2017 that it
wide protests over the po- would withhold grant mon-
lice killing of George Floyd ey from cities and states
in Minneapolis, though Se- until they gave federal im-
attle police officers wear- migration authorities ac-
ing helmets and wielding In this Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, file photo, Federal police try to take control of the streets during pro- cess to jails and provide ad-
batons and rifles, cleared tests in Portland, Ore. vance notice when some-
the area by force on July 1. Associated Press one in the country illegally
In Portland, they pointed to is about to be released.
100 consecutive nights of gathered outside the fed- Barr said he hoped the des- olence has occurred, and Federal appeals courts in
protests "marred by vandal- eral courthouse in Portland, ignation would convince tried to focus squarely on Chicago, Philadelphia and
ism, chaos, and even killing" some throwing bricks, rocks the cities to "reverse course pockets of protest-related San Francisco have ruled
and in New York City, the and other projectiles at of- and become serious about violence instead of the against the federal govern-
Justice Department point- ficers, leading officers to performing the basic func- larger point of the racial in- ment by upholding lower-
ed to a skyrocketing num- fire volleys of tear gas and tion of government and justice movement. court injunctions placed on
ber of shootings throughout pepper balls at the crowd. start protecting their own In a joint statement, de the enforcement of some
the five boroughs. "When state and local citizens." Blasio, Portland Mayor Ted or all of the challenged
It is not the first time the leaders impede their own The attorney general's Wheeler and Seattle Mayor conditions, though in Feb-
Justice Department has law enforcement officers statement drew immediate Jenny Durkan decried the ruary the 2nd U.S. Circuit
attempted to take action and agencies from doing condemnation from New designation as "thoroughly Court of Appeals in Man-
against city officials for the their jobs, it endangers in- York City Mayor Bill de Bla- political and unconstitu- hattan overturned a lower
violent demonstrations. nocent citizens who de- sio and Governor Andrew tional." court's decision ordering
The department also ex- serve to be protected, Cuomo, both Democrats, "The President is playing the administration to re-
plored whether it could including those who are who accused the Trump cheap political games with lease funding to New York
pursue either criminal or trying to peacefully assem- administration of politiciza- Congressionally directed City and seven states
civil rights charges against ble and protest," Attorney tion of law enforcement. funds. Our cities are bring- "Just like with sanctuary
city officials in Portland af- General William Barr said in "This is just another one of ing communities together; cities when he did that a
ter clashes erupted there a statement. "We cannot President Trump's games," our cities are pushing for- couple of years ago and
night after night between allow federal tax dollars to de Blasio said. Trump has ward after fighting back a lost, if he actually does
law enforcement and be wasted when the safety heaped blame for the un- pandemic and facing the this, we will sue and he will
demonstrators. For weeks, of the citizenry hangs in the rest on Democrats, who are worst financial crisis since lose once again," Cuomo
hundreds of demonstrators balance." leading the cities where vi- the Great Depression, all said.q

Report: Order to shorten count wasn't made by Census Bureau

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The reau, including the Direc- will take place Tuesday. The
decision to shorten by tor, did not know who ulti- judge in the San Jose case
a month the 2020 head mately made the decision earlier this month issued a
count of every U.S. resident to accelerate the Census temporary restraining or-
was not made by the U.S. schedule," the report said. der prohibiting the Census
Census Bureau and some Federal judges on opposite Bureau from winding down
agency officials suspect coasts this week are hear- 2020 census operations for
it was made by the White ing arguments in two law- the time being.
House or the Department suits from civil rights groups, Plaintiffs in the San Jose
of Commerce, according cities, counties and citizens case allege the decision to
to a report from the bu- who have sued to stop the shorten the schedule was
reau's watchdog agency. 2020 census from ending at made to accommodate
The report by the Office of the end of the month. The a directive from President
Inspector General did not lawsuits say minority com- Donald Trump to exclude
identify who made the de- munities, including Latinos, people in the country il-
cision to shorten the 2020 Asian Americans, and non- legally from the numbers
Steven Dillingham, the director of the U.S. Census Bureau, speaks
outside the Oklahoma State Capitol, Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, in census from the end of U.S. citizens, stand to be used in redrawing con-
Oklahoma City, encouraging people to fill out their census form October to the end of Sep- undercounted if the census gressional districts. A three-
before the end of the month. tember but it said bureau ends a month early. judge panel in New York
Associated Press officials confirm it was not A hearing in Maryland was blocked the directive ear-
made by them. held Monday, and a hear- lier this month, saying it was
By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press "Senior officials at the Bu- ing in San Jose, California, unlawful.q