Resolution by Carollynn Zimmers Revised 7-23-2020, Approved at Central Committee Meeting July 23, 2020
The Letter and Resolution are attached and can also be found in the ARCHIVE:
RESOLUTION REGARDING EROSION OF FEDERALISM AND UNDERMINING OF OUR CONSTITUTION
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WHEREAStheweeks-longprotestsinPortland,OR,stemmingfromcallstoend police brutality and racial injustice, have grabbed the attention of President Trump;
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WHEREASarmedfederalagentswearingmilitary-styleuniformsandriotgear devoid of specific identifying agency markings were dispatched to Portland, Oregon by the current administration and these armed Federal agents using unmarked vehicles drove around downtown Portland, detained protesters and placed them into the officers’ unmarked vehicles without cause or warrants;
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WHEREASsendinginfederaltroopstoPortlandhasledtomorechaos,deeper political divisions and concerns that Trump is eroding norms of democracy and the White House is planning to send “hundreds” of federal law enforcement officers to Chicago, Albuquerque, and Kansas City, MO and other cities;
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WHEREAStherearevalidconcernsamongmanyAmericanswhofearTrump's response to the civil unrest too closely resembles an authoritarian crackdown using the military; and
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WHEREASlocalandstatepoliceauthoritiesdidnotrequestanyfederal assistance for dealing with local issues and the Constitution clearly states in the 10th Amendment that “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, not prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Washington State 23rd LD Democrats call upon our federal elected officials - Senator Cantwell, Senator Murray and our Congressional Representative Derek Kilmer – and our state elected officials – Senator Christine Rolfes, Representative Drew Hansen and Representative Sherry Appleton to oppose these actions by the Trump administration. We are demanding that our Members of Congress and our State elected officials make known to all by word and deed that this is an unacceptable trampling of our constitutional rights and our basic freedoms as citizens of the United States.
