>>> I’M NOT GOING TO LIE.
IT STINGS.
IT’S HARD TO BREATHE.
I CAN TELL YOU WITH 100%
HONESTY, I SAW NOTHING THAT
PROVOKED THIS RESPONSE.
THIS IS NOT A DEESCALATION
STRATEGY.
THIS IS FLAT OUT URBAN WARFARE.
IT’S BEING BROUGHT ON THE PEOPLE
OF THIS COUNTRY BY THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
IT’S GOT TO STOP NOW.
>> ON THE 56th NIGHT OF THE
PORTLAND PROTEST, FEDERAL AGENTS
TEAR GASSED THE CITY’S MAYOR.
PLOT TWIST IN DONALD TRUMP’S
SHOW OF FORCE CRACKDOWN, ANOTHER
ESCALATION AND OUR LURCH TOWARD
AUTHORITARIANISM AND THE
ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCING IT
WOULD SEND HUNDREDS OF
ADDITIONAL FEDERAL AGENTS INTO
CITIES LIKE CHICAGO AND
ALBUQUERQUE.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR
GENERAL WILL INVESTIGATE THE USE
OF FORCE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
PERSONNEL AGAINST PROTESTERS IN
PORTLAND AND WASHINGTON, D.C.
JOINING OUR CONVERSATION
CONNECTICUT CONGRESSMAN WHO IS A
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE.
THAT COMMITTEE INVESTIGATED
DONALD TRUMP FOR ABUSE OF POWER.
THEY TRIED TO WARN US.
WHAT DO YOU SEE IN HIS
ESCALATION OF BEHAVIOR THAT CAN
ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS SUCH, AN
ABUSE OF HIS OFFICE?
>> IT’S PROBLEMATIC IN SO MANY
WAYS.
HE’S DOING THIS BECAUSE IT FITS
HIS RE-ELECTION NARRATIVE OF LAW
AND ORDER.
HE SAYS THAT ON HIS TWITTER FEED
AT PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT
IT’S NOT HELPFUL TO RESTORING
ORDER IN PORTLAND OR ANYWHERE
ELSE.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE THE MAYOR
AND THE GOVERNOR OF OREGON HAVE
SAID WE DON’T WANT YOUR PEOPLE
HERE.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE BORDER
PATROL AGENTS AND U.S. MARSHALS
ARE NOT TRAINED AND WHAT IS
FAIRLY TECHNICAL THING AROUND
CONTROLLING CROWDS.
THEY ARE TRAINED IN CHASING
FUGITIVES AND SECURING THE
BORDER.
WHEN YOU HAVE GUYS WITHOUT
IDENTIFICATION AND CAMOUFLAGE
UNIFORMS AND COMBAT READY
HUSTLING PEOPLE INTO THE BACK OF
A VAN, THAT LOOKS LIKE A
KIDNAPPING.
THAT OPENS UP THE DOOR FOR
VIOLENCE AND MISUNDERSTANDING.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
FOR VERY CLEAR REASONS
ASSOCIATED WITH HIS RE-ELECTION
IS TRAMPLING ON THE IDEA THAT
STATE AND LOCALITY ENFORCE THEIR
OWN RULES.
HE’S CREATING AN ALREADY
UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WITH SOME
VANDALISM.
HE’S TURNING THAT INTO A FAR
MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION AND AS
USUAL, NONE OF MY REPUBLICAN
FRIENDS IN THIS BUILDING WHO
TRADITIONALLY STAND UP OR
SUPPOSEDLY STAND UP FOR STATE
RIGHTS ARE MAKING A PEEP.
>> IS IT WORTH HIGHLIGHTING WHAT
YOU JUST SAID THOUGH.
IS IT WORTH CONVENEING SOME SORT
OF EMERGENCY HEARINGS JUST TO
MAKE SURE THOSE THINGS ARE
CLEAR.
IT’S CLEAR TO THE MAYORS AND THE
GOVERNORS WHOSE ON THEIR
STREETS.
THAT PEOPLE’S RIGHTS -- PEOPLE
HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHO THE
ARRESTING AGENCY IS IS MY
UNDERSTANDING.
IS IT SOMETHING BEING DISCUSSED
CONVENING ANY HEARINGS ON THIS
IN.
>> WE HAVE DONE THAT.
YOU’VE HEARD THE VARIOUS
COMMITTEES HERE ON THE HOUSE
SIDE THEY SAY WANT HEARINGS.
THE WHITE HOUSE IS BASICALLY PUT
A BLANKET PROHIBITION ON PEOPLE
COMING TO TESTIFY TO THE
CONGRESS.
THAT IS SOMETHING I WILL REMIND
MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS OF IF AND
WHEN THERE’S A PRESIDENT JOE
BIDEN.
THIS PRECEDENT THEY HAVE SET
THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES IS NO LONGER SUBJECT TO
CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.
OF COURSE, IT IS.
JUST EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS
DANGEROUS AND WRONG.
THE PRESIDENT WHO CAN’T THINK
BEYOND A TELEVISION IMAGE AND I
GUESS HE SEES THOSE MEN IN
CAMOUFLAGE AS AN IMAGE THAT
MAKES HIM HAPPY.
THIS CAN’T END WELL FOR HIM.
THE VIOLENCE SGETING WORSE, NOT
BEAT
BETTER.
THE CHANCE FOR A MISTAKE WHERE A
PROTESTING CIVILIAN GETS KILLED
IS PRETTY HIGH.
THE COURTS, BECAUSE THE COURTS
ALWAYS RULE AGAINST THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WHO
ANNOUNCED HIS INVESTIGATION, THE
ANSWER WILL BE THIS WAS A