talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-30--Detroit Teenager Killed By Unidentified Suspect Shooting Into Protest Crowd, Police Say

One person was killed in downtown Detroit after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd of people protesting George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis custody , a Detroit police spokeswoman said Saturday .
The shooting occurred about 11:30 p.m. Friday near Detroit ’ s Greektown entertainment district as officers were confronted with dozens of protesters , said Sgt .
Nicole Kirkwood , a police department spokeswoman .
She said an officer wasn ’ t involved in the shooting .
Kirkwood said the victim was a 19-year-old man , who was pronounced dead at the hospital .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fired shots into the crowd , she said .
No details about the victim or the person who fired the shot or shots were immediately available , Kirkwood said .
A white former Minneapolis officer was charged with murder Friday in the death of Floyd , a black man who was handcuffed and pleaded for air as the officer pressed his knee on his neck for several minutes during the arrest .
Earlier in the evening a Detroit police commander was struck with a rock and hospitalized .
Officers , many in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formed lines across streets .
Dozens of arrests were made and that police say many were not Detroit residents , WJBK-TV reported .
By midnight , the crowd had thinned considerably as police shot canisters of gas toward the protesters .
The demonstration began earlier in the day and was peaceful as protesters marched by Detroit Police Headquarters .
As evening wore on , some in the crowd became belligerent .
“ We know that the individuals from outside the city of Detroit who converged at the protest location don ’ t represent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Craig told reporters earlier in the evening .
The number of arrests and injuries were not immediately available .
It also was not clear if any property was damaged .

One person was killed in downtown Detroit after someone in an SUV fired shots into a crowd of people protesting George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis custody, a Detroit police spokeswoman said Saturday.
The shooting occurred about 11:30 p.m. Friday near Detroit’s Greektown entertainment district as officers were confronted with dozens of protesters, said Sgt. Nicole Kirkwood, a police department spokeswoman. She said an officer wasn’t involved in the shooting.
Kirkwood said the victim was a 19-year-old man, who was pronounced dead at the hospital. The suspect pulled up in a Dodge Durango and fired shots into the crowd, she said.
No details about the victim or the person who fired the shot or shots were immediately available, Kirkwood said.
A white former Minneapolis officer was charged with murder Friday in the death of Floyd, a black man who was handcuffed and pleaded for air as the officer pressed his knee on his neck for several minutes during the arrest.
Earlier in the evening a Detroit police commander was struck with a rock and hospitalized.
Officers, many in riot gear, confronted the protesters and formed lines across streets.
Dozens of arrests were made and that police say many were not Detroit residents, WJBK-TV reported.
By midnight, the crowd had thinned considerably as police shot canisters of gas toward the protesters.
The demonstration began earlier in the day and was peaceful as protesters marched by Detroit Police Headquarters. As evening wore on, some in the crowd became belligerent.
“We know that the individuals from outside the city of Detroit who converged at the protest location don’t represent this city,” Police Chief James Craig told reporters earlier in the evening.
The number of arrests and injuries were not immediately available. It also was not clear if any property was damaged.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-30--Reports: Pentagon Tells Military Police To Prepare For Potential Deployment

The Pentagon on the Friday ordered the Army to prepare active-duty military police units to potentially deploy to Minneapolis , according to reports .
The Associated Press first reported the development early Saturday , followed by The New York Times .
Both outlets cited unnamed officials .
The order to prepare the police units for a potential deployment began with a request from President Donald Trump , both outlets reported .
The units would be sent to Minneapolis and would supplement National Guard forces already on the ground there .
“ When the White House asks for options , someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so to speak , ” one unnamed official , who was reportedly on the call in which Trump made his request for deployment options , told the AP .
The Times noted that military police were deployed during the 1992 riots in Los Angeles that followed the acquittal of the police officers who beat Rodney King .
The White House did not immediately respond to TPM ’ s request for comment on the potential deployment orders .
But spokesperson Alyssa Farah denied to the AP that Title 10 of the U.S. Code , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestically , was under discussion .
“ False : off the record – title 10 not under discussion , ” Farah said .

The Pentagon on the Friday ordered the Army to prepare active-duty military police units to potentially deploy to Minneapolis, according to reports.
The Associated Press first reported the development early Saturday, followed by The New York Times. Both outlets cited unnamed officials.
The order to prepare the police units for a potential deployment began with a request from President Donald Trump, both outlets reported.
The units would be sent to Minneapolis and would supplement National Guard forces already on the ground there.
“When the White House asks for options, someone opens the drawer and pulls them out so to speak,” one unnamed official, who was reportedly on the call in which Trump made his request for deployment options, told the AP.
The Times noted that military police were deployed during the 1992 riots in Los Angeles that followed the acquittal of the police officers who beat Rodney King.
The White House did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment on the potential deployment orders. But spokesperson Alyssa Farah denied to the AP that Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which would apply to military police deploying domestically, was under discussion.
“False: off the record – title 10 not under discussion,” Farah said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-30--Crowds Protest George Floyd Killing And Trump Outside White House

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Hundreds of people gathered outside the White House late Friday to protest the police killing of a black man in Minneapolis — and President Donald Trump ’ s response .
Protesters hurled pieces of bricks , bottles and other objects at Secret Service and U.S. Park Police officers who were in riot gear behind barricades around the White House .
Protesters at times kicked and punched officers and wrestled over the barricades .
The crowd of hundreds chanted “ No justice , no peace ” and “ Say his name : George Floyd.
” A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday by pressing a knee into his neck while taking him into custody , leading to a national uproar .
Protests exploded in dozens of cities around the nation Friday night .
As some in the crowd grew more aggressive , police deployed pepper spray to keep them back and maintain a perimeter of officers around the White House .
Fellow demonstrators came to the aid of protesters who were sprayed , their eyes red and puffy , offering bottles of milk and water to splash on their faces .
By the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had stolen about 15 barricades and left police to form a line of officers holding riot shields to keep back the swelling crowd .
At one point , the protesters were able to gain control of an officer ’ s shield and set it ablaze before trying to toss it back at the line of officers .
Police used a smoke device to quickly stop them .
The protest went on for hours before police declared the gathering “ unlawful ” and ordered everyone to leave Lafayette Square , a seven-acre public park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dozens of officers pushed forward with their shields and fired off streams of pepper spray at protesters .
“ Out of the park or you will be sprayed , ” an officer shouted at the crowd .
As the officers continued to push forward through the park , some protesters broke the bricks from the pavement and hurled chunks at the officers .
Police did not immediately provide any information about arrests .
On Thursday , as violence broke out in Minneapolis , Trump tweeted , “ When the looting starts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his comments had been misconstrued .
“ Frankly it means when there ’ s looting , people get shot and they die , ” he said .
The protesters in Washington Friday night chanted curses at Trump , who was in the White House .
Earlier Friday , protesters marched toward the White House after beginning a demonstration several blocks away .
At one point , a man was carried off by police into the nearby U.S. Treasury Department Annex building .
The crowd swarmed around the officers , shouting , “ Let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said of Floyd , “ I just feel like he ’ s just one of many names that we ’ ve had to create hashtags and T-shirts and campaigns for and I feel like nothing has changed .
… And so that ’ s why I ’ m out here .
Yeah , when you say nothing you ’ re taking the side of the oppressor .
”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of people gathered outside the White House late Friday to protest the police killing of a black man in Minneapolis — and President Donald Trump’s response.
Protesters hurled pieces of bricks, bottles and other objects at Secret Service and U.S. Park Police officers who were in riot gear behind barricades around the White House. Protesters at times kicked and punched officers and wrestled over the barricades.
The crowd of hundreds chanted “No justice, no peace” and “Say his name: George Floyd.” A white police officer in Minneapolis killed Floyd on Monday by pressing a knee into his neck while taking him into custody, leading to a national uproar. Protests exploded in dozens of cities around the nation Friday night.
As some in the crowd grew more aggressive, police deployed pepper spray to keep them back and maintain a perimeter of officers around the White House. Fellow demonstrators came to the aid of protesters who were sprayed, their eyes red and puffy, offering bottles of milk and water to splash on their faces.
By the end of the night, the protesters had stolen about 15 barricades and left police to form a line of officers holding riot shields to keep back the swelling crowd. At one point, the protesters were able to gain control of an officer’s shield and set it ablaze before trying to toss it back at the line of officers. Police used a smoke device to quickly stop them.
The protest went on for hours before police declared the gathering “unlawful” and ordered everyone to leave Lafayette Square, a seven-acre public park located directly north of the White House. Dozens of officers pushed forward with their shields and fired off streams of pepper spray at protesters.
“Out of the park or you will be sprayed,” an officer shouted at the crowd.
As the officers continued to push forward through the park, some protesters broke the bricks from the pavement and hurled chunks at the officers. Police did not immediately provide any information about arrests.
On Thursday, as violence broke out in Minneapolis, Trump tweeted, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Trump later said his comments had been misconstrued. “Frankly it means when there’s looting, people get shot and they die,” he said.
The protesters in Washington Friday night chanted curses at Trump, who was in the White House.
Earlier Friday, protesters marched toward the White House after beginning a demonstration several blocks away. At one point, a man was carried off by police into the nearby U.S. Treasury Department Annex building. The crowd swarmed around the officers, shouting, “Let him go.”
District resident Abe Neri said of Floyd, “I just feel like he’s just one of many names that we’ve had to create hashtags and T-shirts and campaigns for and I feel like nothing has changed. … And so that’s why I’m out here. Yeah, when you say nothing you’re taking the side of the oppressor.”
__
AP video journalist Nathan Ellgren contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-30--Protests Over George Floyd Death Overwhelm Authorities Again

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) — Fires burned unchecked and thousands protesting the police killing of George Floyd ignored a curfew as unrest overwhelmed authorities for another night in Minneapolis , and the governor acknowledged Saturday that he didn ’ t have enough manpower to contain the chaos .
The new round of tumult — which has also spread to other cities — came despite Minnesota Gov .
Tim Walz vowing Friday to show a more forceful response than city leaders had the day before .
But by early Saturday morning , Walz said he didn ’ t have enough troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We do not have the numbers , ” Walz said .
“ We can not arrest people when we are trying to hold ground.
” Walz said he was moving quickly to mobilize more than 1,000 more Guard members , for a total of 1,700 , and was considering the potential offer of federal military police .
But he warned that even that might not be enough , saying he expected another difficult night Saturday .
The Pentagon on Saturday ordered the Army to put military police units on alert to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at President Donald Trump ’ s request , according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders who did not want their names used because they were not authorized to discuss the preparations .
The rare step came as the violence spread to other cities : A man shot dead in Detroit , police cars battered in Atlanta and skirmishes with police in New York City .
Criminal charges filed Friday morning against the white officer who held his knee for nearly nine minutes on the neck of Floyd , a black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , did nothing to stem the anger .
Derek Chauvin , 44 , was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter .
Minneapolis police said shots had been fired at law enforcement officers during the protests but no one was injured .
As the night dragged on , fires erupted across the city ’ s south side , including at a Japanese restaurant , a Wells Fargo bank and an Office Depot .
Many burned for hours , with firefighters again delayed in reaching them because areas weren ’ t secure .
Shortly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foot and in vehicles moved in to curb the violence , one day after city and state leaders faced blowback for their handling of the crisis .
On Thursday , protesters had torched a police station soon after it was abandoned by police and went on to burn or vandalize dozens of businesses .
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association urged Gov .
Walz to accept any help .
“ You need more resources , ” the group said in a tweet .
“ Law enforcement needs leadership.
” Not all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of demonstrators encircled a barricaded police station after the 8 p.m. Friday curfew .
“ Prosecute the police !
” some chanted , and “ Say his name : George Floyd !
” Some protesters sprayed graffiti on buildings .
Ben Hubert , a 26-year-old local resident , said he wasn ’ t surprised people were breaking curfew and setting fires .
“ I ’ m outraged , ” he said of the Floyd case .
“ But I ’ m also sad .
The injustice has been going on for so long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years.
” Chauvin was also accused of ignoring another officer who expressed concerns about Floyd as he pleaded that he could not breathe , while Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes .
Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $ 20 bill at a store .
Chauvin , who was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene , faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted of murder .
An attorney for Floyd ’ s family welcomed the arrest but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wants the other officers arrested , too .
Prosecutor Mike Freeman said more charges were possible , but authorities “ felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.
” Protests nationwide have been fueled by outrage over Floyd ’ s death and years of police violence against African Americans .
Protesters smashed windows at CNN headquarters in Atlanta , set a police car on fire and struck officers with bottles .
Large demonstrations in New York , Houston , Washington , D.C. , and dozens of other cities ranged from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with police .
“ You are disgracing our city , ” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told protesters .
“ You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country.
” Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car Monday when he stiffened and fell to the ground , saying he was claustrophobic , a criminal complaint said .
Chauvin and Officer Tou Thoa arrived and tried several times to get the struggling Floyd into the car .
Chauvin eventually pulled Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handcuffed Floyd went to the ground face down .
Officer J.K. Kueng held Floyd ’ s back and Officer Thomas Lane held his legs while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd ’ s head and neck area , the complaint said .
When Lane asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side , Chauvin said , “ No , staying put is where we got him.
” Lane said he was “ worried about excited delirium or whatever.
” An autopsy said the combined effects of being restrained , potential intoxicants in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health issues , including heart disease , likely contributed to his death .
It revealed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death .
There were no other details about intoxicants , and toxicology results can take weeks .
In the 911 call that drew police , the caller describes the man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as “ awfully drunk and he ’ s not in control of himself.
” After Floyd apparently stopped breathing , Lane again said he wanted to roll Floyd onto his side .
Kueng checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not find one , according to the complaint .
Chauvin ’ s attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press .
The prosecutor highlighted the “ extraordinary speed ” in charging the case four days after Floyd ’ s death and defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner .
Freeman said his office needed time to gather evidence , including what he called the “ horrible ” video recorded by a bystander .
Trump said Friday that he ’ d spoken to Floyd ’ s family and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video of the arrest “ just a horrible thing to witness and to watch .
It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it.
” Attorney Benjamin Crump , who is representing Floyd ’ s family , asked to take custody of Floyd ’ s body for an independent autopsy .
The doctor who will do the autopsy is Michael Baden , former chief medical examiner of New York City .
He was hired to do an autopsy for Eric Garner , a black man who died in 2014 after New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he pleaded that he could not breathe .
State and federal authorities also are investigating Floyd ’ s death .
Associated Press writers Amy Forliti , Steve Karnowski , and Doug Glass in Minneapolis , Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee , Bernard Condon in New York , and James LaPorta in Delray Beach , Fla. , contributed to this report .

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Fires burned unchecked and thousands protesting the police killing of George Floyd ignored a curfew as unrest overwhelmed authorities for another night in Minneapolis, and the governor acknowledged Saturday that he didn’t have enough manpower to contain the chaos.
The new round of tumult — which has also spread to other cities — came despite Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vowing Friday to show a more forceful response than city leaders had the day before. But by early Saturday morning, Walz said he didn’t have enough troops, even with some 500 National Guardsmen.
“We do not have the numbers,” Walz said. “We cannot arrest people when we are trying to hold ground.”
Walz said he was moving quickly to mobilize more than 1,000 more Guard members, for a total of 1,700, and was considering the potential offer of federal military police. But he warned that even that might not be enough, saying he expected another difficult night Saturday.
The Pentagon on Saturday ordered the Army to put military police units on alert to head to the city on short notice at President Donald Trump’s request, according to three people with direct knowledge of the orders who did not want their names used because they were not authorized to discuss the preparations. The rare step came as the violence spread to other cities: A man shot dead in Detroit, police cars battered in Atlanta and skirmishes with police in New York City.
Criminal charges filed Friday morning against the white officer who held his knee for nearly nine minutes on the neck of Floyd, a black man who was handcuffed at the time, did nothing to stem the anger. Derek Chauvin, 44, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Minneapolis police said shots had been fired at law enforcement officers during the protests but no one was injured.
As the night dragged on, fires erupted across the city’s south side, including at a Japanese restaurant, a Wells Fargo bank and an Office Depot. Many burned for hours, with firefighters again delayed in reaching them because areas weren’t secure.
Shortly before midnight, scores of officers on foot and in vehicles moved in to curb the violence, one day after city and state leaders faced blowback for their handling of the crisis. On Thursday, protesters had torched a police station soon after it was abandoned by police and went on to burn or vandalize dozens of businesses.
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association urged Gov. Walz to accept any help.
“You need more resources,” the group said in a tweet. “Law enforcement needs leadership.”
Not all the protests were violent. Downtown, thousands of demonstrators encircled a barricaded police station after the 8 p.m. Friday curfew. “Prosecute the police!” some chanted, and “Say his name: George Floyd!” Some protesters sprayed graffiti on buildings.
Anger filled the streets of Minneapolis.
Ben Hubert, a 26-year-old local resident, said he wasn’t surprised people were breaking curfew and setting fires.
“I’m outraged,” he said of the Floyd case. “But I’m also sad. The injustice has been going on for so long. It’s been swelling for years.”
Chauvin was also accused of ignoring another officer who expressed concerns about Floyd as he pleaded that he could not breathe, while Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for several minutes. Floyd had been arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill at a store.
Chauvin, who was fired along with three other officers who were at the scene, faces more than 12 years in prison if convicted of murder.
An attorney for Floyd’s family welcomed the arrest but said he expected a more serious murder charge and wants the other officers arrested, too.
Prosecutor Mike Freeman said more charges were possible, but authorities “felt it appropriate to focus on the most dangerous perpetrator.”
Protests nationwide have been fueled by outrage over Floyd’s death and years of police violence against African Americans. Protesters smashed windows at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, set a police car on fire and struck officers with bottles. Large demonstrations in New York, Houston, Washington, D.C., and dozens of other cities ranged from people peacefully blocking roads to repeated clashes with police.
“You are disgracing our city,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told protesters. “You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country.”
Police were trying to put Floyd in a squad car Monday when he stiffened and fell to the ground, saying he was claustrophobic, a criminal complaint said. Chauvin and Officer Tou Thoa arrived and tried several times to get the struggling Floyd into the car.
Chauvin eventually pulled Floyd out of the car, and the handcuffed Floyd went to the ground face down. Officer J.K. Kueng held Floyd’s back and Officer Thomas Lane held his legs while Chauvin put his knee on Floyd’s head and neck area, the complaint said.
When Lane asked if Floyd should be rolled onto his side, Chauvin said, “No, staying put is where we got him.” Lane said he was “worried about excited delirium or whatever.”
An autopsy said the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyd’s system and his underlying health issues, including heart disease, likely contributed to his death. It revealed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death.
There were no other details about intoxicants, and toxicology results can take weeks. In the 911 call that drew police, the caller describes the man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as “awfully drunk and he’s not in control of himself.”
After Floyd apparently stopped breathing, Lane again said he wanted to roll Floyd onto his side. Kueng checked for a pulse and said he could not find one, according to the complaint.
Chauvin’s attorney had no comment when reached by The Associated Press.
The prosecutor highlighted the “extraordinary speed” in charging the case four days after Floyd’s death and defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner. Freeman said his office needed time to gather evidence, including what he called the “horrible” video recorded by a bystander.
Trump said Friday that he’d spoken to Floyd’s family and “expressed my sorrow.”
He called video of the arrest “just a horrible thing to witness and to watch. It certainly looked like there was no excuse for it.”
Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Floyd’s family, asked to take custody of Floyd’s body for an independent autopsy.
The doctor who will do the autopsy is Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City. He was hired to do an autopsy for Eric Garner, a black man who died in 2014 after New York police placed him in a chokehold and he pleaded that he could not breathe.
State and federal authorities also are investigating Floyd’s death.
___
Associated Press writers Amy Forliti, Steve Karnowski, and Doug Glass in Minneapolis, Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee, Bernard Condon in New York, and James LaPorta in Delray Beach, Fla., contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-31--MN Officials Demand All Cops In George Floyd Death Face Accountability

Several prominent Minnesota officials on Sunday called for all four Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd ’ s death to be held accountable , as protests and police clashes continue escalating in major cities across the country .
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison , Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D-MN ) and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter ( D ) expressed their dissatisfaction over former police officer Derek Chauvin — who is seen in videos pressing his knee on Floyd ’ s neck as he struggled to breathe — being the only cop facing criminal charges thus far .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involvement in Floyd ’ s death .
Here ’ s how the Minnesota officials weighed in : Asked by NBC ’ s Chuck Todd on whether he wants to see federal charges brought against all four police officers involved in Floyd ’ s death , Ellison replied “ yes I do.
” But he ’ s unsure it will happen .
“ I don ’ t know .
I hope so , ” Ellison said , before praising U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica MacDonald for being “ a serious prosecutor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the three officers who haven ’ t been charged are “ not out of the woods ” and that an investigation is ongoing .
Pressed by ABC News ’ George Stephanopolous on what more must be done to deliver justice in the Floyd case , Omar responded that people want to see charges for the three other officers “ who stood by idly ” as they watched Floyd ’ s life be taken .
Omar went on to urge the need for nationwide reforms and argued that the widespread uproar over Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just because of the life that was taken.
” “ We need to really step back and say to ourselves , where do we actually from here ?
” Omar said .
“ And that can ’ t just be getting justice for George Floyd .
It needs to be bigger than that.
” Carter told CNN ’ s Jake Tapper about his father ’ s time as a St. Paul police officer , adding that “ all of humanity ” can look at footage of Floyd ’ s encounter with Minneapolis police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disgusting , that ’ s unacceptable.
” Carter added that no charges for the three officers who held Floyd down or stood guard is “ an incredible insult to humanity ” and to St. Paul officers .
The St. Paul mayor later insisted that he ’ s asking protestors for peace , not patience .
“ What we ’ re calling for right now is peace .
We ’ re asking our folks to protest peacefully , to scream from the top of their lungs that this can never happen again , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just one — but all four of those officers — must be held accountable .
”

Several prominent Minnesota officials on Sunday called for all four Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd’s death to be held accountable, as protests and police clashes continue escalating in major cities across the country.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter (D) expressed their dissatisfaction over former police officer Derek Chauvin — who is seen in videos pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck as he struggled to breathe — being the only cop facing criminal charges thus far. All four cops have been fired for their involvement in Floyd’s death.
Here’s how the Minnesota officials weighed in:
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
Asked by NBC’s Chuck Todd on whether he wants to see federal charges brought against all four police officers involved in Floyd’s death, Ellison replied “yes I do.” But he’s unsure it will happen.
“I don’t know. I hope so,” Ellison said, before praising U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica MacDonald for being “a serious prosecutor” he trusts.
Ellison later added that the three officers who haven’t been charged are “not out of the woods” and that an investigation is ongoing.
Watch Ellison’s remarks below:
Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison wants to see federal charges brought against all four police officers involved in George Floyd's death pic.twitter.com/CQuZ2IJ4HD — Talking Points Memo (@TPM) May 31, 2020
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN)
Pressed by ABC News’ George Stephanopolous on what more must be done to deliver justice in the Floyd case, Omar responded that people want to see charges for the three other officers “who stood by idly” as they watched Floyd’s life be taken.
Omar went on to urge the need for nationwide reforms and argued that the widespread uproar over Floyd’s death “isn’t just because of the life that was taken.”
“We need to really step back and say to ourselves, where do we actually from here?” Omar said. “And that can’t just be getting justice for George Floyd. It needs to be bigger than that.”
Watch Omar’s remarks below:
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter
Carter told CNN’s Jake Tapper about his father’s time as a St. Paul police officer, adding that “all of humanity” can look at footage of Floyd’s encounter with Minneapolis police officers and say “that’s disgusting, that’s unacceptable.”
Carter added that no charges for the three officers who held Floyd down or stood guard is “an incredible insult to humanity” and to St. Paul officers.
The St. Paul mayor later insisted that he’s asking protestors for peace, not patience.
“What we’re calling for right now is peace. We’re asking our folks to protest peacefully, to scream from the top of their lungs that this can never happen again,” Carter said. “And that not just one — but all four of those officers — must be held accountable.”
Watch Carter’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-31--DC Mayor: Trump’s ‘Divisive’ Tweets ‘Harken To Segregationist Past’ Of The Country

Washington , D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called out President Trump for his recent tweets criticizing her and the protesters in the city against the death of George Floyd during an interview on MSNBC Sunday morning .
During a Saturday press conference , Bowser slammed Trump ’ s tweets — which threatened protesters demonstrating in front of the White House with “ vicious dogs ” and the “ most ominous weapons ” — by saying that his remarks were “ gross ” and that the “ vicious dogs ” reference is “ no subtle reminder to African Americans of segregationists who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
” Bowser appeared to double down on her Saturday remarks during an interview with MSNBC ’ s Chuck Todd the next day .
When Todd asked whether it ’ s too late for Trump to “ play a helpful role , ” Bowser responded that he has “ a responsibility to help calm the nation , ” which he can do by toning down his tweets .
“ He can start by not sending divisive tweets that are meant to hearken to the segregationist past of our country , ” Bowser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by doing that right now .
We certainly urge him to do that.
” Bowser went on to say that she agrees with Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms that there are systematic issues needing to be addressed at federal and local levels .
“ It ’ s going to take community and government to heal the hurt that people are feeling , ” Bowser said .
“ So what you see in cities across our nations , what we saw last night , there are people who are angry and people who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing it in ways that are helpful to our cause .
But we still have to acknowledge that hurt and that anger .
”

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called out President Trump for his recent tweets criticizing her and the protesters in the city against the death of George Floyd during an interview on MSNBC Sunday morning.
During a Saturday press conference, Bowser slammed Trump’s tweets — which threatened protesters demonstrating in front of the White House with “vicious dogs” and the “most ominous weapons” — by saying that his remarks were “gross” and that the “vicious dogs” reference is “no subtle reminder to African Americans of segregationists who let dogs out on innocent (people).”
Bowser appeared to double down on her Saturday remarks during an interview with MSNBC’s Chuck Todd the next day.
When Todd asked whether it’s too late for Trump to “play a helpful role,” Bowser responded that he has “a responsibility to help calm the nation,” which he can do by toning down his tweets.
“He can start by not sending divisive tweets that are meant to hearken to the segregationist past of our country,” Bowser said. “And he can start by doing that right now. We certainly urge him to do that.”
Bowser went on to say that she agrees with Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms that there are systematic issues needing to be addressed at federal and local levels.
“It’s going to take community and government to heal the hurt that people are feeling,” Bowser said. “So what you see in cities across our nations, what we saw last night, there are people who are angry and people who are hurting. And some not, not doing it in ways that are helpful to our cause. But we still have to acknowledge that hurt and that anger.”
Watch Bowser’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-31--Trump Says ‘ANTIFA’ Will Be Designated As A Terrorist Organization

President Trump tweeted on Sunday that the U.S. will designate “ ANTIFA ” — a collective of anti-fascist leftist groups — as a terrorist organization after days of protests nationwide against the death of George Floyd .
Trump ’ s tweet , which provided no further details on the designation , came after he praised the National Guard for “ the total shutdown ” of protesters .
Trump ’ s latest tweets echo his Saturday morning tweet blaming the violence that has erupted during protests on “ ANTIFA ” and the “ Radical Left.
” His Saturday afternoon remarks while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the historic SpaceX and NASA launch also expressed a similar sentiment .
“ What we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or with peace , ” Trump said at the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday .
“ The memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters , looters , and anarchists .
We can not and must not allow a small group of criminals and vandals to wreck our cities and lay waste to our communities .
My administration will stop mob violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump ’ s announcement of designating “ ANTIFA ” as a terrorist organization shouldn ’ t come as a surprise .
Last year , the President tweeted ahead of a rally held by the far-right group Proud Boys in Portland , Oregon that “ major consideration is being given to naming ANTIFA an ‘ ORGANIZATION OF TERROR .
’ ”

President Trump tweeted on Sunday that the U.S. will designate “ANTIFA” — a collective of anti-fascist leftist groups — as a terrorist organization after days of protests nationwide against the death of George Floyd.
The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
Trump’s tweet, which provided no further details on the designation, came after he praised the National Guard for “the total shutdown” of protesters.
Congratulations to our National Guard for the great job they did immediately upon arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota, last night. The ANTIFA led anarchists, among others, were shut down quickly. Should have been done by Mayor on first night and there would have been no trouble! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
Other Democrat run Cities and States should look at the total shutdown of Radical Left Anarchists in Minneapolis last night. The National Guard did a great job, and should be used in other States before it is too late! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 31, 2020
Trump’s latest tweets echo his Saturday morning tweet blaming the violence that has erupted during protests on “ANTIFA” and the “Radical Left.” His Saturday afternoon remarks while speaking at the Kennedy Space Center after the historic SpaceX and NASA launch also expressed a similar sentiment.
“What we are now seeing on the streets of our cities has nothing to do with justice or with peace,” Trump said at the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday. “The memory of George Floyd is being dishonored by rioters, looters, and anarchists. We cannot and must not allow a small group of criminals and vandals to wreck our cities and lay waste to our communities. My administration will stop mob violence and we’ll stop it cold.”
Trump’s announcement of designating “ANTIFA” as a terrorist organization shouldn’t come as a surprise. Last year, the President tweeted ahead of a rally held by the far-right group Proud Boys in Portland, Oregon that “major consideration is being given to naming ANTIFA an ‘ORGANIZATION OF TERROR.’”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-31--Atlanta Mayor: Trump’s Reaction To Protests Is ‘Like Charlottesville All Over Again’

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Sunday morning compared President Trump ’ s tweets reacting to protests across the country in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death to his response during the 2017 “ Unite the Right ” rally in Charlottesville .
When CNN ’ s Jake Tapper asked Bottoms about Trump ’ s recent tweets threatening to use “ the unlimited power of our military ” and “ the most vicious dogs and most ominous weapons ” against protesters , Bottoms replied that the President “ should just stop talking.
” “ This is like Charlottesville all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes it worse , ” Bottoms said , referring to Trump ’ s reaction to the white supremacist rally held there in 2017 by saying there were “ very fine people on both sides.
” Bottoms then added that she wishes Trump “ would just be quiet.
” “ Or , if he can ’ t be silent , if there ’ s somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House , put him in front of a teleprompter and pray that he reads it , and at least says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making it worse , ” Bottoms said .

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Sunday morning compared President Trump’s tweets reacting to protests across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death to his response during the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville.
When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Bottoms about Trump’s recent tweets threatening to use “the unlimited power of our military” and “the most vicious dogs and most ominous weapons” against protesters, Bottoms replied that the President “should just stop talking.”
“This is like Charlottesville all over again. He speaks and he makes it worse,” Bottoms said, referring to Trump’s reaction to the white supremacist rally held there in 2017 by saying there were “very fine people on both sides.”
Bottoms then added that she wishes Trump “would just be quiet.”
“Or, if he can’t be silent, if there’s somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House, put him in front of a teleprompter and pray that he reads it, and at least says the right things, because he is making it worse,” Bottoms said.
Watch Bottoms’ remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-31--Pelosi Says Taking Trump’s ‘Bait’ Is ‘Just A Gift To Him’ As Protests Escalate

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) slammed President Trump for his response to nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death during an interview on ABC Sunday morning .
After Pelosi told ABC ’ s George Stephanopolous that she is “ not paying too much attention to what Trump says , ” he pressed her on her thoughts regarding his continuous attacks against protesters as well as the mayors of Minneapolis and Washington , D.C. Pelosi argued that the President “ should bring dignity to the office that he serve ” and that he should serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country.
” “ We have seen that with Democratic and Republican presidents all along , ” Pelosi said .
“ They have seen their responsibility to be the President of the United States , to unify our country , and not to fuel the flame , not to fuel the flame .
Not to fuel the flame.
” Pelosi then added that taking Trump ’ s “ bait ” is “ just a gift to him.
” “ He always wants to divert attention from what the cause of the response was rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms , ” Pelosi said .
Trump has come under fire recently following his tweets deriding protesters , which included threatening Minneapolis protesters with the warning that “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts ” as well as claiming that protesters in front of the White House risk facing “ vicious dogs ” and the “ most ominous weapons .
”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) slammed President Trump for his response to nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death during an interview on ABC Sunday morning.
After Pelosi told ABC’s George Stephanopolous that she is “not paying too much attention to what Trump says,” he pressed her on her thoughts regarding his continuous attacks against protesters as well as the mayors of Minneapolis and Washington, D.C.
Pelosi argued that the President “should bring dignity to the office that he serve” and that he should serve as ” a unifying force in our country.”
“We have seen that with Democratic and Republican presidents all along,” Pelosi said. “They have seen their responsibility to be the President of the United States, to unify our country, and not to fuel the flame, not to fuel the flame. Not to fuel the flame.”
Pelosi then added that taking Trump’s “bait” is “just a gift to him.”
“He always wants to divert attention from what the cause of the response was rather than to describe it in his own terms,” Pelosi said.
Trump has come under fire recently following his tweets deriding protesters, which included threatening Minneapolis protesters with the warning that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” as well as claiming that protesters in front of the White House risk facing “vicious dogs” and the “most ominous weapons.”
Watch Pelosi’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-31--National Security Adviser Denies Systemic Racism In Police Forces: ‘Few Bad Apples’

White House National Security Adviser Robert O ’ Brien denied that systemic racism is a problem in law enforcement agencies across the country during an interview on CNN Sunday morning .
After CNN ’ s Jake Tapper pointed out that George Floyd is hardly the only unarmed black man killed by police and asked whether he thinks systemic racism is a problem in police forces , O ’ Brien denied that ’ s the case .
“ No , I don ’ t think there ’ s systemic racism , ” O ’ Brien said .
“ I think 99.9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great Americans and many of them are African-American , Hispanic , Asian .
They ’ re working in the toughest neighborhoods , they got the hardest jobs to do in this country.
” O ’ Brien went on to praise law enforcement for being “ amazing , great Americans ” before arguing that “ there are some bad apples in there.
” “ There are some bad cops that are racist , there are cops that maybe don ’ t have the right training , ” O ’ Brien said .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they need to be rooted out because there ’ s a few bad apples that are giving law enforcement a terrible name.
” O ’ Brien then added that “ there ’ s no doubt there ’ s some racist police ” before reiterating that he thinks “ they ’ re the minority.
” “ I think they ’ re the few bad apples and we need to root them out , ” O ’ Brien said , before touting that he ’ s “ proud ” law enforcement professionals are handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans “ with restraint.
” “ We do have to get rid of those that are like the dirty cop that killed George Floyd , we need to get rid of those people , ” O ’ Brien said .

White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien denied that systemic racism is a problem in law enforcement agencies across the country during an interview on CNN Sunday morning.
After CNN’s Jake Tapper pointed out that George Floyd is hardly the only unarmed black man killed by police and asked whether he thinks systemic racism is a problem in police forces, O’Brien denied that’s the case.
“No, I don’t think there’s systemic racism,” O’Brien said. “I think 99.9% of our law enforcement officers are great Americans and many of them are African-American, Hispanic, Asian. They’re working in the toughest neighborhoods, they got the hardest jobs to do in this country.”
O’Brien went on to praise law enforcement for being “amazing, great Americans” before arguing that “there are some bad apples in there.”
“There are some bad cops that are racist, there are cops that maybe don’t have the right training,” O’Brien said. “There are some that are just bad cops and they need to be rooted out because there’s a few bad apples that are giving law enforcement a terrible name.”
O’Brien then added that “there’s no doubt there’s some racist police” before reiterating that he thinks “they’re the minority.”
“I think they’re the few bad apples and we need to root them out,” O’Brien said, before touting that he’s “proud” law enforcement professionals are handling nationwide unrests over the mistreatment of African Americans “with restraint.”
“We do have to get rid of those that are like the dirty cop that killed George Floyd, we need to get rid of those people,” O’Brien said.
Watch O’Brien’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-31--‘Out Of Control’: Nationwide Unrest Continues Flaring Up Over George Floyd’s Death

MINNEAPOLIS ( AP ) — Another night of unrest in every corner of the country left charred and shattered landscapes in dozens of American cities Sunday as years of festering frustrations over the mistreatment of African Americans at the hands of police boiled over in expressions of rage met with tear gas and rubber bullets .
Cars and businesses were torched , the words “ I can ’ t breathe ” were spray-painted all over buildings , a fire in a trash bin burned near the gates of the White House , and tens of thousands marched peacefully through city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd , a black man who died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing .
His death is one of a litany of racial tragedies that have thrown the country into chaos amid the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions out of work and killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S. , including disproportionate numbers of black people .
“ We ’ re sick of it .
The cops are out of control , ” protester Olga Hall said in Washington D.C. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s just been too many dead boys.
” People set fire to police cars , threw bottles at police officers and busted windows of storefronts , carrying away TVs and other items even as some protesters urged them to stop .
In Indianapolis , police were investigating multiple shootings , including one that left a person dead amid the protests — adding to deaths in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days .
In Minneapolis , the city where the protests began , police , state troopers and National Guard members moved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect to break up protests , firing tear gas and rubber bullets to clear streets outside a police precinct and elsewhere .
At least 13 police officers were injured in Philadelphia when peaceful protests turned violent and at least four police vehicles were set on fire .
In New York City , dangerous confrontations flared repeatedly as officers made arrests and cleared streets .
A video showed two NYPD cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators who were pushing a barricade against one of them and pelting it with objects .
Several people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was unclear if anyone was hurt .
“ The mistakes that are happening are not mistakes .
They ’ re repeated violent terrorist offenses and people need to stop killing black people , ” Brooklyn protester Meryl Makielski said .
Few corners of America were untouched , from protesters setting fires inside Reno ’ s city hall , to police launching tear gas at rock-throwing demonstrators in Fargo , North Dakota .
In Salt Lake City , demonstrators flipped a police car and lit it on fire .
Police said six people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured after being struck in the head with a baseball bat .
In Ferguson , Missouri , where Michael Brown Jr. was shot and killed by a white police officer in 2014 , sparking a wave of protests throughout the country , mostly peaceful protests turned late Saturday and six officers hit with rocks and fireworks were injured .
Police have arrested at least 1,669 people in 22 cities since Thursday , according to a tally by The Associated Press .
Nearly a third of those arrests came in Los Angeles , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ordered the National Guard to back up the city ’ s 10,000 police officers as dozens of fires burned across the city .
The damage in U.S. cities came as many Americans plan to return to in-person church services on Sunday for the first time in several weeks since the pandemic forced a ban on large gatherings .
Pastors in pulpits across the country will likely be urging peace amid the rubble of riots .
Trump appeared to cheer on the tougher tactics Saturday night , commending the National Guard deployment in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and saying police in New York City “ must be allowed to do their job !
” Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden condemned the violence as he continued to express common cause with those demonstrating after Floyd ’ s death .
“ The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest , ” Biden said in a statement Saturday night .
Overnight curfews were imposed in more than a dozen major cities nationwide , including Atlanta , Denver , Los Angeles , Minneapolis , San Francisco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrest recalled the riots in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago after the acquittal of the white police officers who beat Rodney King , a black motorist who had led them on a high-speed chase .
The protests of Floyd ’ s killing have gripped many more cities , but the losses in Minneapolis have yet to approach the staggering totals Los Angeles saw during five days of rioting in 1992 , when more than 60 people died , 2,000-plus were injured and thousands arrested , with property damage topping $ 1 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by violence .
In Juneau , Alaska , local police joined protesters at a rally in front of a giant whale sculpture on the city ’ s waterfront .
“ We don ’ t tolerate excessive use of force , ” Juneau Police Chief Ed Mercer told a gathering where most people wore masks and some sang Alaska Native songs .
The show of force in Minneapolis came after three days when police largely avoided engaging protesters , and after the state poured in more than 4,000 National Guard troops to Minneapolis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly 11,000 .
“ The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd , ” said Gov .
Tim Walz , who also said local forces had been overmatched the previous day .
“ It is about attacking civil society , instilling fear and disrupting our great cities.
” Some residents were glad to see the upheaval dissipating .
“ l live here .
I haven ’ t been able to sleep , ” said Iman Muhammad , whose neighborhood saw multiple fires set Friday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests over Floyd ’ s death but disagreed with the violence : “ Wrong doesn ’ t answer wrong .
”

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Another night of unrest in every corner of the country left charred and shattered landscapes in dozens of American cities Sunday as years of festering frustrations over the mistreatment of African Americans at the hands of police boiled over in expressions of rage met with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Cars and businesses were torched, the words “I can’t breathe” were spray-painted all over buildings, a fire in a trash bin burned near the gates of the White House, and tens of thousands marched peacefully through city streets to protest the death of George Floyd, a black man who died Monday after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck until he stopped breathing.
His death is one of a litany of racial tragedies that have thrown the country into chaos amid the coronavirus pandemic that has left millions out of work and killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S., including disproportionate numbers of black people.
“We’re sick of it. The cops are out of control,” protester Olga Hall said in Washington D.C. “They’re wild. There’s just been too many dead boys.”
People set fire to police cars, threw bottles at police officers and busted windows of storefronts, carrying away TVs and other items even as some protesters urged them to stop. In Indianapolis, police were investigating multiple shootings, including one that left a person dead amid the protests — adding to deaths in Detroit and Minneapolis in recent days.
In Minneapolis, the city where the protests began, police, state troopers and National Guard members moved in soon after an 8 p.m. curfew took effect to break up protests, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to clear streets outside a police precinct and elsewhere.
At least 13 police officers were injured in Philadelphia when peaceful protests turned violent and at least four police vehicles were set on fire. In New York City, dangerous confrontations flared repeatedly as officers made arrests and cleared streets. A video showed two NYPD cruisers lurching into a crowd of demonstrators who were pushing a barricade against one of them and pelting it with objects. Several people were knocked to the ground, and it was unclear if anyone was hurt.
“The mistakes that are happening are not mistakes. They’re repeated violent terrorist offenses and people need to stop killing black people,” Brooklyn protester Meryl Makielski said.
Few corners of America were untouched, from protesters setting fires inside Reno’s city hall, to police launching tear gas at rock-throwing demonstrators in Fargo, North Dakota. In Salt Lake City, demonstrators flipped a police car and lit it on fire. Police said six people were arrested and a police officer was injured after being struck in the head with a baseball bat. In Ferguson, Missouri, where Michael Brown Jr. was shot and killed by a white police officer in 2014, sparking a wave of protests throughout the country, mostly peaceful protests turned late Saturday and six officers hit with rocks and fireworks were injured.
Police have arrested at least 1,669 people in 22 cities since Thursday, according to a tally by The Associated Press. Nearly a third of those arrests came in Los Angeles, where the governor declared a state of emergency and ordered the National Guard to back up the city’s 10,000 police officers as dozens of fires burned across the city.
The damage in U.S. cities came as many Americans plan to return to in-person church services on Sunday for the first time in several weeks since the pandemic forced a ban on large gatherings. Pastors in pulpits across the country will likely be urging peace amid the rubble of riots.
Trump appeared to cheer on the tougher tactics Saturday night, commending the National Guard deployment in Minneapolis, declaring “No games!” and saying police in New York City “must be allowed to do their job!”
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden condemned the violence as he continued to express common cause with those demonstrating after Floyd’s death.
“The act of protesting should never be allowed to overshadow the reason we protest,” Biden said in a statement Saturday night.
Overnight curfews were imposed in more than a dozen major cities nationwide, including Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Seattle.
This week’s unrest recalled the riots in Los Angeles nearly 30 years ago after the acquittal of the white police officers who beat Rodney King, a black motorist who had led them on a high-speed chase. The protests of Floyd’s killing have gripped many more cities, but the losses in Minneapolis have yet to approach the staggering totals Los Angeles saw during five days of rioting in 1992, when more than 60 people died, 2,000-plus were injured and thousands arrested, with property damage topping $1 billion.
But not all protests were marred by violence. In Juneau, Alaska, local police joined protesters at a rally in front of a giant whale sculpture on the city’s waterfront.
“We don’t tolerate excessive use of force,” Juneau Police Chief Ed Mercer told a gathering where most people wore masks and some sang Alaska Native songs.
The show of force in Minneapolis came after three days when police largely avoided engaging protesters, and after the state poured in more than 4,000 National Guard troops to Minneapolis and said the number would soon rise to nearly 11,000.
“The situation in Minneapolis is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd,” said Gov. Tim Walz, who also said local forces had been overmatched the previous day. “It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities.”
Some residents were glad to see the upheaval dissipating.
“l live here. I haven’t been able to sleep,” said Iman Muhammad, whose neighborhood saw multiple fires set Friday night. Muhammad said she sympathized with peaceful protests over Floyd’s death but disagreed with the violence: “Wrong doesn’t answer wrong.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-01--Cops Break Up Peaceful Protest With Tear Gas So Trump Can Have A Church Photo-Op

President Trump delivered his first formal address Monday evening amid mounting protests nationwide in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death , saying that he has “ strongly recommended ” that every governor deploy the National Guard to “ dominate the streets.
” The President ’ s remarks in the Rose Garden came as federal police used tear gas and flash bangs to disperse a seemingly peaceful crowd outside the White House , creating a surreal split screen as unrest boils over in cities across the country .
The aggressive police tacts were apparently used so that Trump could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Episcopal Church — a historic church near the White House that was vandalized during protests the night before .
The President stood in front of the church and waved alongside senior officials , including chief of staff Mark Meadows , Attorney General Bill Barr , National Security Adviser Robert O ’ Brien , Defense Secretary Mark Esper and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany for a photo-op .
Trump also awkwardly waved around a Bible .
As the President left the White House to walk toward the church , a White House pool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground : “ Remnants of gas has your pooler and others coughing and choking.
” During his brief speech from the Rose Garden , Trump echoed comments he made earlier in the day about “ dominating ” protests .
“ Mayors and governors must establish an overwhelming law enforcement presence until the violence has been quelled , ” Trump said .
“ If the city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residence , then I will deploy the United States military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

President Trump delivered his first formal address Monday evening amid mounting protests nationwide in the wake of George Floyd’s death, saying that he has “strongly recommended” that every governor deploy the National Guard to “dominate the streets.”
The President’s remarks in the Rose Garden came as federal police used tear gas and flash bangs to disperse a seemingly peaceful crowd outside the White House, creating a surreal split screen as unrest boils over in cities across the country.
The aggressive police tacts were apparently used so that Trump could make a surprise visit to St. John’s Episcopal Church — a historic church near the White House that was vandalized during protests the night before. The President stood in front of the church and waved alongside senior officials, including chief of staff Mark Meadows, Attorney General Bill Barr, National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany for a photo-op. Trump also awkwardly waved around a Bible.
As the President left the White House to walk toward the church, a White House pool report noted the remarkable conditions on the ground: “Remnants of gas has your pooler and others coughing and choking.”
During his brief speech from the Rose Garden, Trump echoed comments he made earlier in the day about “dominating” protests.
“Mayors and governors must establish an overwhelming law enforcement presence until the violence has been quelled,” Trump said. “If the city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residence, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-01--Louisville A Tinderbox: BBQ Owner Dead, No Body Cam Footage, Police Chief Fired

Louisville was on edge Monday after the shooting death of a black barbecue stand owner overnight .
In the hours that followed the killing of David McAtee , 53 , the city ’ s mayor , Greg Fischer , fired the city ’ s police chief Steve Conrad .
And the mayor revealed that officers who reported to the incident had not activated their body cameras .
McAtee was killed after law enforcement and Kentucky National Guard troops arrived at the barbecue stand to disburse a large crowd that was violating the city ’ s curfew .
Authorities “ returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened fire , police said .
Before he was dismissed , Conrad said that officers and soldiers “ began to clear the lot and at some point were shot at.
” “ Both LMPD and National Guard members returned fire .
We have one man dead at the scene.
” Still , law enforcement has not said definitively that McAtee was killed by their fire .
On Monday , Conrad ’ s interim replacement Robert Schroeder said authorities didn ’ t know who fatally shot McAtee .
“ At this point in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we do not know who shot him , ” Schroeder said .
“ We do not know if it was related to a separate incident , if it was due to the shots fired by our officers and the National Guardsmen and soldiers that accompanied them .
We are working diligently to determine what happened.
” McAtee operated YaYa ’ s BBQ and was known as a community pillar who fed police and others for free , according to multiple local reports .
“ For him to be caught up in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with us today is a tragedy that ’ s just hard to put into words , ” Fischer said at a press briefing Monday .
McAtee is the second African American Louisvillian killed in a police shooting in recent weeks whose death has rocked the country : Breonna Taylor , a 26-year-old emergency room technician , was shot and killed by police during a no-knock raid in March .
The city recently instituted a 9 p.m. curfew in light of the anti-police brutality protests spurred by Taylor ’ s death , and by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis .
Kentucky Gov .
Andy Beshear ( D ) said Monday that state police were investigating the incident .
He called for authorities to release all available video from the scene “ long before nightfall.
” “ I ’ m not asking people to trust our account , and I want to see it myself , ” Beshear said .
“ There was no protesting or anything and no critical infrastructure to be protected there , ” Louisville Metro Council David James told BuzzFeed News , adding : “ I hope the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community was not killed over the curfew.
” According to several local reports , McAtee ’ s body remained at the scene of the shooting hours after it occurred Monday .
Mayor Fischer visited the scene Monday to meet with McAtee ’ s grieving family , according to video from the Courier-Journal :

Louisville was on edge Monday after the shooting death of a black barbecue stand owner overnight.
In the hours that followed the killing of David McAtee, 53, the city’s mayor, Greg Fischer, fired the city’s police chief Steve Conrad. And the mayor revealed that officers who reported to the incident had not activated their body cameras.
McAtee was killed after law enforcement and Kentucky National Guard troops arrived at the barbecue stand to disburse a large crowd that was violating the city’s curfew. Authorities “returned” fire after someone in the crowd opened fire, police said.
Before he was dismissed, Conrad said that officers and soldiers “began to clear the lot and at some point were shot at.”
“Both LMPD and National Guard members returned fire. We have one man dead at the scene.”
Still, law enforcement has not said definitively that McAtee was killed by their fire.
On Monday, Conrad’s interim replacement Robert Schroeder said authorities didn’t know who fatally shot McAtee.
“At this point in the investigation into last night’s events, we do not know who shot him,” Schroeder said. “We do not know if it was related to a separate incident, if it was due to the shots fired by our officers and the National Guardsmen and soldiers that accompanied them. We are working diligently to determine what happened.”
McAtee operated YaYa’s BBQ and was known as a community pillar who fed police and others for free, according to multiple local reports.
“For him to be caught up in this, and for him not to be with us today is a tragedy that’s just hard to put into words,” Fischer said at a press briefing Monday.
McAtee is the second African American Louisvillian killed in a police shooting in recent weeks whose death has rocked the country: Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician, was shot and killed by police during a no-knock raid in March.
The city recently instituted a 9 p.m. curfew in light of the anti-police brutality protests spurred by Taylor’s death, and by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said Monday that state police were investigating the incident. He called for authorities to release all available video from the scene “long before nightfall.”
“I’m not asking people to trust our account, and I want to see it myself,” Beshear said.
“There was no protesting or anything and no critical infrastructure to be protected there,” Louisville Metro Council David James told BuzzFeed News, adding: “I hope the person who is beloved figure in the community was not killed over the curfew.”
According to several local reports, McAtee’s body remained at the scene of the shooting hours after it occurred Monday.
Mayor Fischer visited the scene Monday to meet with McAtee’s grieving family, according to video from the Courier-Journal:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-01--GOP Governor Gets Choked Up Over Trump’s Call To ‘Dominate’ Protesters

Massachusetts Gov .
Charlie Baker ( R ) criticized President Trump on Monday for his comments regarding nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
Earlier Monday , Trump called on governors during a video teleconference to “ dominate ” protesters and warned that “ they ’ re going to run over you ” if the state leaders fail to do so .
Baker reacted to Trump ’ s remarks during a press conference later in the day , saying that he ’ s not surprised by the President ’ s unhinged remarks toward governors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ today about dominating and fighting , ” Baker said .
“ I know I should be surprised when I hear incendiary words like this from him , but I ’ m not . '
” Baker added that there have been “ so many times ” during the past several weeks when the country needed compassion and leadership but “ it was simply nowhere to be found.
” “ Instead , we got bitterness , combativeness , and self-interest .
That ’ s not what we need in Boston , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Massachusetts , ” Baker said , before appearing to get choked up .
“ And it ’ s definitely not what we need across this great country of ours either .
”

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R) criticized President Trump on Monday for his comments regarding nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Earlier Monday, Trump called on governors during a video teleconference to “dominate” protesters and warned that “they’re going to run over you” if the state leaders fail to do so.
Baker reacted to Trump’s remarks during a press conference later in the day, saying that he’s not surprised by the President’s unhinged remarks toward governors.
“I heard what the President said today about dominating and fighting,” Baker said. “I know I should be surprised when I hear incendiary words like this from him, but I’m not.'”
Baker added that there have been “so many times” during the past several weeks when the country needed compassion and leadership but “it was simply nowhere to be found.”
“Instead, we got bitterness, combativeness, and self-interest. That’s not what we need in Boston, it’s not what we need right now in Massachusetts,” Baker said, before appearing to get choked up. “And it’s definitely not what we need across this great country of ours either.”
Watch Baker’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-01--WATCH LIVE: Trump Delivers A Statement Amid Unrest Over George Floyd Death

WASHINGTON , DC - APRIL 27 : U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during the daily briefing of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ Garden of the White House on April 27 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
@ @ @ @ @ , DC - APRIL 27 : U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during the daily @ @ @ @ @ force in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 27 , 2020 in @ @ @ @ @ 's task force briefing is the first since Friday .
( Photo by Win McNamee/Getty @ @

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during the daily briefing of the coronavirus task force in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Today's task...
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions during the daily briefing of the coronavirus task force in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Today's task force briefing is the first since Friday. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-01--READ: DOJ Says Judge’s Moves In Flynn Case Violate Constitution

The Justice Department accused a federal judge of violating the Constitution by failing to accept its motion to drop charges against Michael Flynn , according to a Monday court filing .
The DOJ made the argument in a brief filed in the D.C .
Circuit Court of Appeals , arguing that District Judge Emmett Sullivan had erred in appointing a former federal judge to argue against the government ’ s motion to drop the charges against Flynn .
“ The power to prosecute belongs to the Executive , not the Judiciary , ” the DOJ wrote , arguing that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ to grant the government ’ s motion to dismiss the indictment with prejudice because that motion was unopposed.
” “ At a minimum , it required the court to grant the motion under the circumstances of this case , notwithstanding petitioner ’ s guilty plea , ” the filing reads .
The Justice Department ’ s filing , which was submitted by U.S .
Solicitor General Noel Francisco , was an escalation in the battle of what should come next in Flynn ’ s case now that the Justice Department wants it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the appeals court earlier Monday , Sullivan said the circumstances around the Justice Department ’ s reversal were “ unprecedented , ” while calling Flynn ’ s own walkback of his plea “ unusual.
” Before the Justice Department sought to drop the case last month , it had repeatedly defended the prosecution in court , even after Flynn himself signaled that he would try to back out of his 2017 plea deal .
The dispute is now in front of the appeals court after Flynn asked the court to intervene in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissed .
The appeals court invited the Justice Department to weigh in , while ordering that Sullivan submit his own response to Flynn ’ s request that the appeals court intervene .
Sullivan argued Monday that it was too early in the process for the appeals court to get involved .
The Justice Department ’ s Monday filing went through the reasons it was now seeking to dismiss Flynn ’ s case , which focus on a new DOJ claim that the false statements Flynn made to the FBI in early 2017 were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia probe .
“ Simply put , the district court has no authority to reject the Executive ’ s conclusion that those reasons justify a dismissal of the charges , ” the Justice Department argued .
The Department argued that the federal rules of criminal procedure do not allow the judge or his appointed amicus to “ conduct evidentiary proceedings based on speculation about the government ’ s motives.
” The Justice Department claimed it “ makes no legal difference ” that Flynn was asking the appeals court to intervene at this stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decision on the motion to dismiss .
“ Indeed , the threat of intrusive judicial proceedings and criminal charges — and potentially even evidentiary proceedings if the court-appointed amicus has his way — only makes the separation-of-powers problem worse , ” the Justice Department said .
“ The district court plans to subject the Executive ’ s enforcement decision to extensive judicial inquiry , scrutiny , oversight , and involvement .
Under the Supreme Court ’ s and this Court ’ s precedents , it is clear and indisputable that the district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that course.
” Read the brief here :

The Justice Department accused a federal judge of violating the Constitution by failing to accept its motion to drop charges against Michael Flynn, according to a Monday court filing.
The DOJ made the argument in a brief filed in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that District Judge Emmett Sullivan had erred in appointing a former federal judge to argue against the government’s motion to drop the charges against Flynn.
“The power to prosecute belongs to the Executive, not the Judiciary,” the DOJ wrote, arguing that the federal rules of criminal procedure required Sullivan “to grant the government’s motion to dismiss the indictment with prejudice because that motion was unopposed.”
“At a minimum, it required the court to grant the motion under the circumstances of this case, notwithstanding petitioner’s guilty plea,” the filing reads.
The Justice Department’s filing, which was submitted by U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco, was an escalation in the battle of what should come next in Flynn’s case now that the Justice Department wants it dropped.
In his own filing with the appeals court earlier Monday, Sullivan said the circumstances around the Justice Department’s reversal were “unprecedented,” while calling Flynn’s own walkback of his plea “unusual.” Before the Justice Department sought to drop the case last month, it had repeatedly defended the prosecution in court, even after Flynn himself signaled that he would try to back out of his 2017 plea deal.
The dispute is now in front of the appeals court after Flynn asked the court to intervene in the matter and order that his case be dismissed. The appeals court invited the Justice Department to weigh in, while ordering that Sullivan submit his own response to Flynn’s request that the appeals court intervene. Sullivan argued Monday that it was too early in the process for the appeals court to get involved.
The Justice Department’s Monday filing went through the reasons it was now seeking to dismiss Flynn’s case, which focus on a new DOJ claim that the false statements Flynn made to the FBI in early 2017 were not material to the FBI’s Russia probe.
“Simply put, the district court has no authority to reject the Executive’s conclusion that those reasons justify a dismissal of the charges,” the Justice Department argued.
The Department argued that the federal rules of criminal procedure do not allow the judge or his appointed amicus to “conduct evidentiary proceedings based on speculation about the government’s motives.”
The Justice Department claimed it “makes no legal difference” that Flynn was asking the appeals court to intervene at this stage, rather than after the judge made a decision on the motion to dismiss.
“Indeed, the threat of intrusive judicial proceedings and criminal charges — and potentially even evidentiary proceedings if the court-appointed amicus has his way — only makes the separation-of-powers problem worse,” the Justice Department said. “The district court plans to subject the Executive’s enforcement decision to extensive judicial inquiry, scrutiny, oversight, and involvement. Under the Supreme Court’s and this Court’s precedents, it is clear and indisputable that the district court has no authority to embark on that course.”
Read the brief here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-01--Defense Secretary Calls Turmoil On America’s Streets A ‘Battlespace’ To ‘Dominate’

Defense Secretary Mark Esper described American streets , which have become the site of protests and riots over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd , as a “ battlespace ” to “ dominate ” in a call on Monday .
“ I think the sooner that you mass and dominate the battlespace , the quicker this dissipates and we can get back to the right normal , ” Esper said in a White House call with governors , according to audio obtained by the Washington Post .
Esper and other allies of President Trump are eager to reel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country .
Many of the protests have remained peaceful , with calls for racial equality and an end to police brutality .
But several flash points have erupted , with looting , torching of property and violent exchanges with police .
Esper ’ s remarks line up with comments Trump made to the governors , urging the state executives to “ dominate ” the protests .
Trump also called governors “ weak ” amid the ongoing unrest in their respective states that began last week with demands for justice and charges against all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a black man who died in police custody .
The president ’ s call to designate “ antifa ” as a domestic terrorist organization in a tweet Sunday seems to have incited some members of Congress to advocate the use of violence and force against their fellow Americans .
Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R-FL ) tweeted his desire to “ hunt them down ” in the tradition of Americans hunting terrorists “ in the Middle East.
” After a commenter responded within minutes to Gaetz ’ s tweet suggesting that the tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tone that echoed Trump ’ s rebuke of governors that “ weakness ” incites violence .

Defense Secretary Mark Esper described American streets, which have become the site of protests and riots over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd, as a “battlespace” to “dominate” in a call on Monday.
“I think the sooner that you mass and dominate the battlespace, the quicker this dissipates and we can get back to the right normal,” Esper said in a White House call with governors, according to audio obtained by the Washington Post.
Here’s the audio of the US secretary of defense referring to American streets as the “battle space” pic.twitter.com/SmqynReHTC — John Hudson (@John_Hudson) June 1, 2020
Esper and other allies of President Trump are eager to reel in protests that have swept across the country. Many of the protests have remained peaceful, with calls for racial equality and an end to police brutality. But several flash points have erupted, with looting, torching of property and violent exchanges with police.
Esper’s remarks line up with comments Trump made to the governors, urging the state executives to “dominate” the protests. Trump also called governors “weak” amid the ongoing unrest in their respective states that began last week with demands for justice and charges against all four officers for the death of Floyd, a black man who died in police custody.
The president’s call to designate “antifa” as a domestic terrorist organization in a tweet Sunday seems to have incited some members of Congress to advocate the use of violence and force against their fellow Americans. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) tweeted his desire to “hunt them down” in the tradition of Americans hunting terrorists “in the Middle East.”
Now that we clearly see Antifa as terrorists, can we hunt them down like we do those in the Middle East? — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) June 1, 2020
After a commenter responded within minutes to Gaetz’s tweet suggesting that the tweet promoted violence, Gaetz shot back in a tone that echoed Trump’s rebuke of governors that “weakness” incites violence.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-01--READ: Flynn Judge Defends How He’s Handled Case

The federal judge who is handling the extraordinary proceedings in the Michael Flynn case told an appeals court on Monday it should not yet intervene in the matter , as Flynn is seeking .
The judge , U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan , of D.C. , pointed to the “ unique facts ” of the case , which included Flynn ’ s “ unusual ” efforts to recant his guilty plea and the Justice Department ’ s “ unprecedented ” actions to contradict its previous statements in the prosecution .
Arguing that those “ reversals ” presented the judge with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defended his move to hold off on dropping Flynn ’ s case , after a request from the Justice Department that it be dismissed last month .
Sullivan instead has set up a process for some of the concerns about the Justice Department ’ s shocking reversal in the Flynn case to be aired .
“ The question before this Court is whether it should short-circuit this process , forbid even a limited inquiry into the government ’ s motion , and order that motion granted .
The answer is no , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan noted that he still might ultimately grant the DOJ ’ s request to drop the case , “ so Mr. Flynn can obtain the exact relief he seeks through ordinary judicial process.
” Sullivan ’ s brief with the appeals court was submitted on his behalf by Beth Wilkinson , a veteran D.C. attorney Sullivan hired to represent him in the dispute .
The brief argued that Sullivan did not overstep his authority by tasking a former judge to oppose the DOJ ’ s request to drop Flynn ’ s case .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ any decisions on the DOJ dismissal request , and once he did , the appeals court “ will have an opportunity to review it , without writing on a blank slate.
” “ Mr .
Flynn ’ s case has garnered considerable attention .
But that is no reason to resolve it outside the normal judicial process , ” Sullivan said Sullivan ’ s filing Monday is the latest remarkable twist the case has taken , since Flynn entered a plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller in December 2017 .
After the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted in court that he was guilty of lying to the FBI in a January 2017 interview about his contacts in late 2016 with Russian officials .
A transcript released last week of Flynn ’ s Russia conversations confirmed that the statements he made to the FBI were false .
But Flynn is now trying to walk away from that plea , and last month the Justice Department said it could no longer defend its prosecution of the former national security advisor , and asked the judge to drop the case as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned new information that made it second guess the case , the reversal came after Trump had vehemently criticized the prosecution and was part of a larger pattern of Attorney General Bill Barr undermining Mueller ’ s probe .
Rather than immediately granting the dismissal request , Sullivan invited outside parties to weigh in on the case , while the judge himself appointed a so-called “ amicus ” ( or “ friend of the court ” ) to oppose the DOJ dismissal request .
“ For now , it suffices to say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least a plausible ‘ reason to question ’ the ‘ bona fides ’ of the government ’ s motion , ” Sullivan said .
“ As this Court ’ s precedents envision , Judge Sullivan can — and arguably must — consider those issues before granting a motion to dismiss.
” Sullivan ’ s filing zeroed in on questions raised by the recent developments in the case , including how he should handle Flynn ’ s admission to lying to the Justice Department about his lobbying for Turkey .
Those false statements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty plea , but the Justice Department did not address them head on in its recent dismissal request , which instead focused on Flynn ’ s false statements regarding his contacts with Russian officials .
Sullivan pointed to other “ notable ” aspects of how the Justice Department had gone about the reversal , including the departure from the DOJ of the U.S. Attorney who signed it soon after the filing was submitted .
“ The motion did not explain the absence of any line prosecutors , including those who had previously prosecuted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any declarations or affidavits from witnesses with personal knowledge supporting the government ’ s new factual representations , ” Sullivan added .
He also noted that the Department had yet to withdraw any of the previous filings it submitted while it was still defending its prosecution .
He also said that the “ length of the government ’ s motion suggests that its reversal was not an everyday occurrence , ” while arguing that it contained “ minimal ” legal citations backing the key reversal the Department was making about the legitimacy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan ’ s resistance to dropping the case prompted Flynn to seek an intervention from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C .
Circuit .
The appeals court asked Sullivan to respond to Flynn ’ s request that the appeals court ordered the case dismissed .
Sullivan took another shot at the Justice Department ’ s recent actions while rebuking a claim that Flynn made in his petition to the appeals court .
“ Mr .
Flynn likewise errs in seeking mandamus on the basis that further proceedings in the district court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sustained assaults on its integrity , ’ ” Sullivan said .
“ Judge Sullivan has not disparaged DOJ ’ s integrity in any way .
And although the government has attacked the investigation of Mr. Flynn , it has not asserted any misconduct by the career prosecutors who previously oversaw the case.
” He also winked in a footnote at the irony that Flynn ’ s current attorneys — whom Flynn hired a year ago to replace the legal team that negotiated his plea — were now questioning Sullivan ’ s judgement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the case , Judge Sullivan disclosed that several years earlier , she had sent him a copy of her book , Licensed to Lie , with the inscription : ‘ Judge Emmet Sullivan , to all those who seek , hallow , and do Justice .
With the greatest respect and gratitude for your honorable service , ’ ” the footnote recounted .
“ Neither party objected to Judge Sullivan ’ s proceeding with the case .
”

The federal judge who is handling the extraordinary proceedings in the Michael Flynn case told an appeals court on Monday it should not yet intervene in the matter, as Flynn is seeking.
The judge, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, of D.C., pointed to the “ unique facts” of the case, which included Flynn’s “unusual” efforts to recant his guilty plea and the Justice Department’s “unprecedented” actions to contradict its previous statements in the prosecution.
Arguing that those “reversals” presented the judge with “several substantial questions,” Sullivan defended his move to hold off on dropping Flynn’s case, after a request from the Justice Department that it be dismissed last month. Sullivan instead has set up a process for some of the concerns about the Justice Department’s shocking reversal in the Flynn case to be aired.
“The question before this Court is whether it should short-circuit this process, forbid even a limited inquiry into the government’s motion, and order that motion granted. The answer is no,” Sullivan told the appeals court Monday. Sullivan noted that he still might ultimately grant the DOJ’s request to drop the case, “so Mr. Flynn can obtain the exact relief he seeks through ordinary judicial process.”
Sullivan’s brief with the appeals court was submitted on his behalf by Beth Wilkinson, a veteran D.C. attorney Sullivan hired to represent him in the dispute. The brief argued that Sullivan did not overstep his authority by tasking a former judge to oppose the DOJ’s request to drop Flynn’s case. He noted that he had not made any decisions on the DOJ dismissal request, and once he did, the appeals court “will have an opportunity to review it, without writing on a blank slate.”
“Mr. Flynn’s case has garnered considerable attention. But that is no reason to resolve it outside the normal judicial process,” Sullivan said
Sullivan’s filing Monday is the latest remarkable twist the case has taken, since Flynn entered a plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller in December 2017. After the plea deal was unveiled, Flynn twice admitted in court that he was guilty of lying to the FBI in a January 2017 interview about his contacts in late 2016 with Russian officials. A transcript released last week of Flynn’s Russia conversations confirmed that the statements he made to the FBI were false.
But Flynn is now trying to walk away from that plea, and last month the Justice Department said it could no longer defend its prosecution of the former national security advisor, and asked the judge to drop the case as well. Though the Justice Department claimed it learned new information that made it second guess the case, the reversal came after Trump had vehemently criticized the prosecution and was part of a larger pattern of Attorney General Bill Barr undermining Mueller’s probe.
Rather than immediately granting the dismissal request, Sullivan invited outside parties to weigh in on the case, while the judge himself appointed a so-called “amicus” (or “friend of the court”) to oppose the DOJ dismissal request.
“For now, it suffices to say that the unusual developments in this case provide at least a plausible ‘reason to question’ the ‘bona fides’ of the government’s motion,” Sullivan said. “As this Court’s precedents envision, Judge Sullivan can — and arguably must — consider those issues before granting a motion to dismiss.”
Sullivan’s filing zeroed in on questions raised by the recent developments in the case, including how he should handle Flynn’s admission to lying to the Justice Department about his lobbying for Turkey. Those false statements were part of Flynn’s 2017 guilty plea, but the Justice Department did not address them head on in its recent dismissal request, which instead focused on Flynn’s false statements regarding his contacts with Russian officials.
Sullivan pointed to other “notable” aspects of how the Justice Department had gone about the reversal, including the departure from the DOJ of the U.S. Attorney who signed it soon after the filing was submitted.
“The motion did not explain the absence of any line prosecutors, including those who had previously prosecuted the case. Nor did it contain any declarations or affidavits from witnesses with personal knowledge supporting the government’s new factual representations,” Sullivan added. He also noted that the Department had yet to withdraw any of the previous filings it submitted while it was still defending its prosecution. He also said that the “length of the government’s motion suggests that its reversal was not an everyday occurrence,” while arguing that it contained “minimal” legal citations backing the key reversal the Department was making about the legitimacy of the FBI’s Flynn investigation.
Sullivan’s resistance to dropping the case prompted Flynn to seek an intervention from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The appeals court asked Sullivan to respond to Flynn’s request that the appeals court ordered the case dismissed.
Sullivan took another shot at the Justice Department’s recent actions while rebuking a claim that Flynn made in his petition to the appeals court.
“Mr. Flynn likewise errs in seeking mandamus on the basis that further proceedings in the district court ‘will subject [DOJ] to sustained assaults on its integrity,’” Sullivan said. “Judge Sullivan has not disparaged DOJ’s integrity in any way. And although the government has attacked the investigation of Mr. Flynn, it has not asserted any misconduct by the career prosecutors who previously oversaw the case.”
He also winked in a footnote at the irony that Flynn’s current attorneys — whom Flynn hired a year ago to replace the legal team that negotiated his plea — were now questioning Sullivan’s judgement.
“On counsel’s first appearance in the case, Judge Sullivan disclosed that several years earlier, she had sent him a copy of her book, Licensed to Lie, with the inscription: ‘Judge Emmet Sullivan, to all those who seek, hallow, and do Justice. With the greatest respect and gratitude for your honorable service,’” the footnote recounted. “Neither party objected to Judge Sullivan’s proceeding with the case.”
Read Sullivan’s filing below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-06-01--WH Denies Trump Has Been Silent On Floyd’s Death Despite Lack Of Address

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Monday vehemently defended President Trump when pressed on his lack of a nationally televised address as protests and unrest mount in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
When asked about reports that the President took cover in the White House ’ s underground bunker during protests in nearby Lafayette Park on Friday evening , McEnany denied that Trump is “ hiding out ” from addressing Floyd ’ s death .
The President had no public events on his schedule Monday .
Although Trump has issued inflammatory tweets targeting political enemies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he has yet to give a formal Oval Office address on the nationwide unrest .
McEnany said she spoke to the President “ at least half a dozen times ” on Sunday , claiming that he has “ stepped in ” when governors have failed to “ solve and resolve what we have seen in the streets.
” “ He is acting .
He is hard at work , ” McEnany said .
“ You heard from him on this issue any number of times , and he is working because that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep this country safe.
” After a reporter pointed out that he has yet to speak on Floyd ’ s death in a formal address , McEnany responded that she thinks “ that is a misnomer in the media.
” McEnany then railed against the New York Times , Washington Post and CNN for their coverage of the President ’ s response .
McEnany listed off quotes from Trump ’ s remarks while visiting the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday — which included calling Floyd ’ s death a “ grave tragedy ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the President has not remained silent .
“ I could go on and on , but I would just be repeating with the President has already said , ” McEnany said .
“ Make no mistake .
This President has not been silent .
And at the moment he is acting to protect this country from the lawlessness we saw just out here in Lafayette Park last night.
” Earlier Monday , McEnany shared similar remarks during an interview on “ Fox and Friends ” saying that Trump “ has addressed ” @ @ @ @ @ @

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Monday vehemently defended President Trump when pressed on his lack of a nationally televised address as protests and unrest mount in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
When asked about reports that the President took cover in the White House’s underground bunker during protests in nearby Lafayette Park on Friday evening, McEnany denied that Trump is “hiding out” from addressing Floyd’s death.
The President had no public events on his schedule Monday.
Although Trump has issued inflammatory tweets targeting political enemies and protesters against Floyd’s death, he has yet to give a formal Oval Office address on the nationwide unrest.
McEnany said she spoke to the President “at least half a dozen times” on Sunday, claiming that he has “stepped in” when governors have failed to “solve and resolve what we have seen in the streets.”
“He is acting. He is hard at work,” McEnany said. “You heard from him on this issue any number of times, and he is working because that is the job the President is to keep this country safe.”
After a reporter pointed out that he has yet to speak on Floyd’s death in a formal address, McEnany responded that she thinks “that is a misnomer in the media.”
McEnany then railed against the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN for their coverage of the President’s response.
McEnany listed off quotes from Trump’s remarks while visiting the Kennedy Space Center on Saturday — which included calling Floyd’s death a “grave tragedy” — before doubling down on her argument that the President has not remained silent.
“I could go on and on, but I would just be repeating with the President has already said,” McEnany said. “Make no mistake. This President has not been silent. And at the moment he is acting to protect this country from the lawlessness we saw just out here in Lafayette Park last night.”
Earlier Monday, McEnany shared similar remarks during an interview on “Fox and Friends” saying that Trump “has addressed” the unrest “repeatedly.”
Watch McEnany’s remarks below: