Gov. Inslee & Mayor Durkan Complain Over Trump Sending Fed. Officers To Seattle: “He Is Itching For A Confrontation. He Wants Attention”

[Image source: KING 5 -The Seattle Times video screenshots. Swamp Drain compilation].

Posted By: Lindsey Michelle July 25, 2020

As Seattle police prepare for weekend protests, Washington Democratic Governor Jay Inslee and Seattle Democratic Mayor Jenny Durkan took shots at President Donald Trump on Twitter following the Commander in Chief sending federal officers to help the city’s law enforcement.

Federal officers have been deployed to the region and are on standby to protect federal buildings if things get out of hand this weekend, officials said.

Governor Jay Inslee tweeted on Friday: “President Trump sent federal officers to Seattle because he is itching for a confrontation. He wants attention. We shouldn’t give him either. Keep it peaceful, keep the attention where it belongs – on building a better, more just Washington for everyone.”

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan also took to Twitter with a statement: “I implore the public to please protest peacefully this weekend, particularly in light of the President making good on threats to send federal forces into American cities.”

Durkan continued: “Know that Police Chief [Carmen Best], [Seattle Fire Department] Chef Scoggins, and I will do everything in our power to protect our City and protect our residents. Regardless of the President’s threats, residents can and should continue to demonstrate peacefully and make their voices heard. But we cannot pretend that his comments are just bluster.”

“Our local, state, and members of our congressional delegation are all working to oppose these actions and prepare for immediate legal relief should it become necessary. I previously served as US Attorney – the chief federal law enforcement officer – for Western Washington. Current and former law enforcement officials understand community safety is being jeopardized by this President. We’ve seen it firsthand in Portland. We cannot let it happen in Seattle,” she added. Continued Below

Meanwhile, on Friday afternoon, nine members of the Washington Congressional delegation wrote a letter demanding that Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf immediately withdraw the deployment of federal agents to Washington state.

“We believe that these deployments of federal agents and their tactics will only serve to escalate and prolong protests and result in more violence,” nine members of the delegation said in their letter. “We urge you to immediately withdraw the deployment, center de-escalation tactics and ensure that deployments of DHS resources do not occur without the request, consent and knowledge of state and local officials.”

The letter was led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D) and Senator Patty Murray (D). It was signed by Representatives Adam Smith (D), Rick Larsen (D), Suzan DelBene (D), Derek Kilmer (D), Denny Heck (D) and Kim Schrier (D). Video Below

Mayor Durkan also claimed on MSNBC on Friday: “This is not what you use federal law enforcement for– to have them become paramilitary groups, with secret arrest powers, bundling people off, deploying tear gas every night, it’s a frightening thing. And it’s done for political purposes. This is not what America stands for. We have to make sure every American knows, this is a threat to all of us in our democracy.”

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Seattle police prepare for weekend protests:

Mayor Jenny Durkan’s official tweets:

(Related: Pelosi Declares ‘Trump & His Stormtroopers Must Be Stopped’ Amid Portland Violence, Crenshaw Reacts)