A protester holds a placard during a demonstration against the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin on August 26, 2020. (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
(CNSNews.com) – It is “preposterous” for Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler to blame President Trump for the violence that has engulfed the city for the past three months, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told “Fox & Friends” on Monday:
What is responsible for the violence is this deeply irresponsible defund the police movement, and when you go back to the Obama administration, it was none other than Jim Comey who identified the Ferguson effect, which is when there is this rush to judgment and criticism of police officers, they pull back.
And what we’ve seen with defund the police is when you literally get rid of police officers, there is an up-tick in violence.
It’s what we’re seeing in Portland. Mayor Wheeler is responsible — he’s not charging individuals, and by contrast, the DOJ has charged 74 individuals with federal crimes, so we’re doing all we can, but until he accepts our help, there’s a limit to what we can do.
Wheeler, a Democrat, blasted Trump over the weekend, saying: “Do you seriously wonder, Mr. President, why this is the first time in decades that America has seen this level of violence? It’s you, who have created the hate and the division. You’ve tried to divide us more than any other figure in modern history and now you want me to stop the violence that you helped create?”
Asked about Joe Biden ‘s plans to give a speech on Donald Trump’s America in Pittsburgh Monday, McEnany questionedwhy Biden is “ignoring the state of Wisconsin,” where violence recently flared in Kenosha after a white policeman shot a black suspect.
President Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday, although the state’s Democrat governor has urged him not to come, saying his visit will “hinder healing.”
“This president is out and about reopening the country,” McEnany said, “demonstrating his respect for the American people by actually going to places where Americans are hurting. He’ll always show up. That’s what this president has done for four years, and he’ll continue to do.”
McEnany noted that when local officials have relented and allowed Trump to send in the National Guard, the violence ended in both Minneapolis and Kenosha.
“So this president is always willing to help and he’s going to show up and he’ll be there tomorrow.”
McEnany said the Trump White House is making an effort to reach the family of Jacob Blake, the Kenosha man shot seven times in the back by police when he refused to surrender and reached into his car, where a knife was later found.
“We are efforting outreach, have not been able to connect yet,” McEnany said. “So tomorrow, the plan is so far to go and to meet with law enforcement to look at some of the damage from the riots but we are holding his family close to our hearts, and this president, as I said, we’ve efforted outreach and once I have an update we’ll be sure to get back to you,” she said.
President Trump tweeted on Monday:
The Radical Left Mayors & Governors of Cities where this crazy violence is taking place have lost control of their “Movement”. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, but the Anarchists & Agitators got carried away and don’t listen anymore – even forced Slow Joe out of basement!
Portland is a mess, and it has been for many years. If this joke of a mayor doesn’t clean it up, we will go in and do it for them!
If I didn’t INSIST on having the National Guard activate and go into Kenosha, Wisconsin, there would be no Kenosha right now. Also, there would have been great death and injury. I want to thank Law Enforcement and the National Guard. I will see you on Tuesday!
