Dems Rebelling Against Trump Resurrect Confederate Talking Points
Democrats are using arguments for states' rights as a cynical ploy to paint themselves as victims of an oppressive federal government.Democrats are using arguments for states' rights as a cynical ploy to paint themselves as victims of an oppressive federal government.NOT ON OUR WATCH: Patriots stand up to Antifa in Portland
The city of Portland, Oregon, is allegedly being taken over again by blue-haired Antifa leftists — but of course, officials are claiming that everything is fine.
“Portland is not war-ravaged. There’s no insurrection. There’s no threat to national security, and there’s no need for military troops. Military service members should be dedicated to real emergencies,” Oregon Governor Tina Kotek (D) said in a promotional video.
“It’s like, this is the meme,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales jokes. “This is literally the ‘everything is fine’ meme. We’re seeing the fire, the fireworks, the Molotov cocktails, the tear gas dispersed, and governor of Oregon says, ‘Everything’s fine.’”
Meanwhile, Antifa has been leading the state through months of unrest — and tax-paying American citizens have had enough of the gaslighting from their local government.
“When you see that Democrat-run cities will not actually handle things, will not actually address things, patriots in this country decided, you know what, we’re going to show up instead,” Gonzales explains, referring to a clip of young men who tried to drown out Antifa by chanting “USA.”
“And you’ve got even more patriots showing up saying, ‘You know what? We’re going to challenge the city of Portland, but we’re going to do it in a respectful, constitutional way. You want to allow Antifa to take over the sidewalks with their medic tents? What happens when we do the same thing?’” she continues.
The host of the “Speak the Truth” podcast, Matt Tardio, is among the patriots standing up to the Oregon government — and he recorded a clip of himself pointing out the “medic tents” that Antifa has set up all over the streets.
“Here’s what we’re going to do, because the Portland police, I don’t think it matters if you want to walk down the street. Antifa is allowed to own this side of the street over here. These are alleged medic tents. So, this is what we’re going to do tomorrow,” Tardio said in the clip.
“This side of the street is going to belong to us because apparently you can just claim sidewalks in Portland as your own and prevent anybody from moving down them. So, my curiosity is simply whether or not we are going to be held to the same standard as Antifa,” he continued.
“Obviously, this should never happen in an American city,” Gonzales comments. “Unfortunately, that is Portland, Oregon, in 2025.”
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Trump reportedly sends 300 National Guard members to Portland from California — and Democrats are seething
President Donald Trump early Sunday sent 300 federalized National Guard troops from California to Portland, Oregon, the New York Times reported, citing Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“This isn’t about public safety, it’s about power," Newsom told the Times. "The commander in chief is using the U.S. military as a political weapon against American citizens. We will take this fight to court, but the public cannot stay silent in the face of such reckless and authoritarian conduct by the president of the United States.”
'These violent riots are not about free speech. This is the rule of law vs. anarchy. We will win.
The Trump administration's reported move to mobilize California National Guard members in Portland comes after a federal judge on Saturday blocked Trump's attempt to mobilize 200 Oregon National Guard members in Portland, the Times said.
Democrat Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek told the Associated Press that 101 California National Guard members arrived in her state by plane Saturday night.
“This action appears ... intentional to circumvent yesterday’s ruling by a federal judge,” Kotek said Sunday, according to the AP. “There is no need for military intervention in Oregon. There is no insurrection in Portland. No threat to national security. Oregon is our home, not a military target.”
Blaze Media's National Correspondent Julio Rosas posted the following video from the ground in Portland Saturday night, showing federal agents using tear gas to push a left-wing mob away from an ICE facility.
RELATED: VIDEO: Federal agents clash with mob of Antifa-fueled, anti-ICE protesters in Portland
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Meanwhile, a Kotek spokesperson said Sunday he could not verify the National Guard members' current location and directed questions to the Defense Department, the AP said, adding that the California National Guard also referred questions to the Defense Department. The outlet also reported that a department spokesperson declined to comment, and that the White House offered no immediate comment. The Defense Department is now called the Department of War.
As Blaze News previously reported, federal agents on Saturday clashed with a mob of Antifa-fueled, anti-ICE protesters in Portland, leading to numerous arrests.
Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in a Fox News interview Sunday morning described the attacks on ICE agents as "unprecedented."
"Gangs, cartel members, and known terrorist organizations have placed bounties on the heads of several of our law enforcement officers," Noem wrote on X. "These violent riots are not about free speech. This is the rule of law vs. anarchy. We will win."
In addition to the chaos and violence in Portland, it's been similar scene in Broadview, Illinois — a Chicago suburb — where leftist militants have been attacking ICE agents. The tensions only heightened there Saturday.
Fox News' Bill Melugin on Sunday said he confirmed with several law enforcement sources that "Chicago police officers were instructed by their Chief of Patrol to NOT respond to Border Patrol agents['] call for help yesterday after they were reportedly surrounded by a large crowd of protesters following a ramming incident & shooting of an armed woman."
The armed woman — a U.S. citizen and member of a mob that surrounded and "boxed in" federal agents' vehicles outside the Broadview detention facility — was identified as Marimar Martinez and was named in a Customs and Border Protection intelligence bulletin, DHS wrote in a statement, Fox News said. Martinez also allegedly doxxed agents and posted online, "Hey to all my gang let’s f--- those motherf------ up, don’t let them take anyone," the cable news network added.
Fox News also noted that DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said no law enforcement officers were seriously injured during the incident, and that "the woman involved drove herself to the hospital to get care for wounds." The driver of another vehicle — whom DHS identified as Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz — allegedly was involved in the ramming and was apprehended, the cable news network also said.
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Weekend chaos in Portland: Anti-ICE protests turn violent
After anti-ICE protests broke out in Portland, Oregon, President Donald Trump has announced plans to send troops to combat the lawlessness rampant in the liberal stronghold.
"At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists," Trump posted to Truth Social.
"I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he added.
However, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D) wasn’t happy with President Trump’s announcement.
“Me and the group of elected leaders and community leaders behind me, we are in the central city of Portland, Oregon. And it is a beautiful day. Beautiful day, and we are very happy to be here speaking with you today,” Kotek began.
“In my conversations directly with President Trump and Secretary Noem, I have been abundantly clear with them that Portland and the state of Oregon believe in the rule of law, and we can manage our own local public safety needs,” she added.
“Wow. OK. So they got everything under control,” BlazeTV host Pat Gray jokes on “Pat Gray Unleashed.”
“I mean, there were some protesters that were armed, they had an explosive device there. I mean, that’s just Portland,” executive producer Keith Malinak chimes in, adding, “We haven’t even talked about the Illinois Broadview Facility yet or what’s happening in Los Angeles. I mean, it’s chaos everywhere, and it’s by design.”
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Democrats gloss over anti-ICE violence in Portland ahead of Trump's crackdown on 'domestic terrorists'
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday — just days after a radical opened fire on an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas — that per Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's request, he was directing War Secretary Pete Hegseth "to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists."
Trump, who on Sept. 17 designated Antifa as a "MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION," noted further that he was "authorizing Full Force, if necessary."
The US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon indicated that as of Sept. 8, a total of 26 defendants had been charged with federal offenses allegedly committed at the ICE facility in Portland since June 13.
Hegseth took action on Sunday, federalizing 200 members of the Oregon National Guard for a period of 60 days.
Democrats, enraged by the prospect that the Trump administration will swoop in to protect federal agents and assets from "domestic terrorists" in the City of Roses — as it has in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. — are desperately attempting to gloss over anti-ICE violence in the city and to portray federal action as unnecessary.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson (D) said in a statement, "President Trump has directed 'all necessary Troops' to Portland, Oregon. The number of necessary troops is zero, in Portland and any other American city."
Within hours of state Attorney General Dan Rayfield filing a lawsuit on Sunday aimed at preventing the U.S. government from federalizing and deploying the Oregon National Guard, Governor Tina Kotek (D) said in a video statement that "Portland is not war-ravaged, there's no insurrection, there's no threat to national security, and there's no need for military troops."
The governor shared footage showing her walking in the city with her lesbian partner, Aimee Wilson, early in the day — footage that managed to leave out visual evidence of the radicals teeming in the streets near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building and chasing law enforcement officers, as well as the multitudes of homeless persons occupying the sidewalks and other signs of late-stage societal decay.
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Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) took a page out of California Democrats' playbook and characterized the federal intervention as an "attempt to incite violence" in the supposedly "peaceful city." He proceeded to share a carefully curated montage of nonviolent scenes in Portland, stating, "Every single one of these clips was taken today in downtown Portland. Portland doesn't want or need a federal takeover."
Those responsible for Kotek's and Wyden's videos were gambling with their safety.
Portland has a rating of 1 on Neighborhood Scout's crime index, where 100 is safest. The likelihood of becoming a victim of a violent crime is 1 in 138, and the likelihood of becoming the victim of a property crime is 1 in 17.
According to Portland Police Bureau statistics, the city of 640,000 people had 68 homicides last year; 3,059 reported aggravated assaults and 6,025 simple/intimidation assaults; 70 kidnappings or abductions; 560 sex offenses; and 46,635 property offenses. Already this year, there have been 25 homicides, a 50% year-over-year increase in kidnappings; an increase in all types of assault; a 25% spike in arson; and a 226% increase in drug offenses.
While the city has a general crime problem, the Trump administration is responding specifically to the violence outside the ICE facility and to leftists' attacks on federal agents following the Sept. 24 sniper attack on the ICE field office in Dallas.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon indicated that as of Sept. 8, a total of 26 defendants had been charged with federal offenses allegedly committed at the ICE facility in Portland since June 13. The charges include assaulting federal officers, arson, possession of a destructive device, and depredation of government property.
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The attorney's office noted that one radical, Julie Winters of Portland, allegedly attempted to place an incendiary device next to the guard shack at the ICE office on June 24. When confronted by Federal Protective Service officers, Winters allegedly pulled a large knife from her backpack, threatened officers, then threw the knife at an officer.
The Department of Homeland Security highlighted how on June 24, a rioter also allegedly pelted a federal officer with a smoke grenade. Days later, another rioter who had been caught allegedly attempting to damage equipment at the ICE facility "resisted arrest, grabbed an officer in the genitals, and kicked officers in the groin and legs," said the DHS.
In addition to Antifa-linked individuals sending death threats to ICE agents in the city, Rose City Antifa has reportedly doxxed ICE officers, publishing their personal information and home addresses.
Blaze News has reached out to the DHS and the White House for comment.
Oregon's lawsuit against the Trump administration, which seeks to block the deployment of the National Guard to Portland, claims that the planned intervention is "provocative and arbitrary" and threatens "to undermine public safety by inciting a public outcry."
The complaint, which makes no mention of anti-ICE radicals apparently rolling out a guillotine at a Sept. 1 riot, downplays the attacks on the ICE facility and federal agents, suggesting that the rioting outside the facility has "been small in recent weeks" and "less energetic" than earlier in the summer.
Liberal media outfits appear keen to help Democrats gaslight about the continued threat posed by the anti-ICE radicals in Portland.
CNN, for instance, characterized the mob actions outside the ICE facility as mostly "peaceful." While Politico acknowledged "the sporadic violence between protesters and federal law enforcement," it reassured readers that "there have been no fatalities at protests this year."
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Watchdog To DOJ: Investigate Oregon For Destroying Voter Records
The Civil Rights Act of 1960 requires election officials to 'retain and preserve' voter roll maintenance documents for 22 months and produce them 'upon demand.'Oregon DMV Busted Allowing People Of ‘Unknown Citizenship’ To Register To Vote
Under this system, the Oregon DMV has processed more than 54,600 voter registrations for individuals who have not proven citizenship, according to documents obtained by The Federalist.Audit: Oregon Registered Even More Potentially Ineligibile Voters, Bringing The Total To More Than 1,500
The Oregon DMV discovered its 'motor voter' system registered even more possible noncitizens to vote, the number now totaling more than 1,500.Oregon governor re-criminalizes drug possession, marking end of another fatal leftist experiment
Oregon's Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek ratified legislation Monday re-criminalizing the possession of small amounts of drugs, bringing a fatal leftist experiment to an end.
Narco state
In 2020, radicals in the Beaver State figured that the best way to tackle addiction and perceived "systems of oppression" would be to enable addicts to openly carry illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamin without legal consequence.
This decriminalization initiative took on the form of Measure 110, which reclassified possession of a controlled substance in Schedule I-IV from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E violation.
The Democratic Party of Oregon, Multnomah Democrats, several medical unions, the ACLU of Oregon, NAACP Portland, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, and various other leftist outfits championed the measure.
The Oregon Association Chiefs of Police, various recovery groups, the Oregon Catholic Conference, and the Washington County Republican Party were among those who understood the decriminalization scheme was a recipe for disaster, reported Ballotpedia.
Naomi Schaefer Riley, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, warned that "such measures lower the risk and the cost of doing business for drug dealers and increase the supply of these drugs on streets across the country. Drugs will be cheaper and easier to get for adults already suffering from untreated mental illness, poverty or abuse. And the effects will be felt most severely by children."
Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton underscored, "This is a terrible idea. It's disconnected to what's best for Oregonians. It will lead to increased crime and increased drug use."
Measure 110 went to a vote in November 2020 and 58.5% of voters indicated they were on board.
Kassandra Frederique, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, touted the result as a "paradigm-shifting win and arguably the biggest blow to the war on drugs to date," adding, "Oregon showed the world that a more humane, compassionate approach is possible."
The law took effect in February 2021.
Fatal failure
It turns out normalizing the use of hard drugs was indeed "a terrible idea." After all, earlier this year, Gov. Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson each declared a 90-day state of emergency to address the out-of-control overdoses in the state.
Newsweek reported that between 2020 and 2022, overdose deaths in Oregon skyrocketed by 75%. By way of comparison, overdose death increased by only 18% nationally during the same two-year stretch. Opioid overdoses in the Beaver State during this period increased by 101% and meth-involved overdoses increased by 112%.
Violent crime increased by 17% after Measure 110 passed, while public drug use and homeless camps full of junkies became ubiquitous.
Portland remains one of America's seedier cities, ranking 1 on Neighborhood Scout's crime index where 100 is safest.
To make matters worse, as drugs were freely flowing through the streets of Oregon and crime was on the rise, the state also saw one of the largest increases in homelessness in the nation. The Oregonian reported that between 2020 and 2022, the state saw an increase in its homeless population from 3,304 homeless persons to roughly 18,000.
The public quickly soured on the decriminalization scheme, with even radicals like Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland seeking some return to sanity.
Correcting a 'huge mistake'
Kotek ratified House Bill 4002 on Monday, effectively reversing Measure 110.
Under the law, which had bipartisan support, a court can lock up an individual found in possession of illegal drugs for up to 180 days or sentence them to 18 months of probation. Jail sentences can be reduced "for any day the defendant is on release to a treatment program or previously served in-custody."
The law, which prevents courts from imposing fines or fees for a drug possession conviction, won't go into effect until Sept. 1.
The Statesman Journal reported that during testimony at the state legislature, the Oregon Public Defense Commission indicated it would have to hire 39 new full-time public defenders just to accommodate the glut of incoming suspects charged for drug offenses under the bill.
"We must acknowledge that Oregon's number of unrepresented persons will likely increase due to House Bill 4002," Kotek wrote in a letter to the speaker of the state House and the president of the state Senate.
While critical of Measure 110 and its fallout, Wheeler still appears unwilling to condemn the idea animating the decriminalization movement, telling the New York Times that "the state botched the implementation. ... To decriminalize the use of drugs before you actually had the treatment services in place was obviously a huge mistake."
"The truth is that addiction rates and overdose rates skyrocketed. I personally do not attribute all of that to the passage of Measure 110," added Wheeler. "It was very easy for the public to draw a line between the passage of Measure 110, the decriminalization of hard drugs, the increase in addiction and the increase in overdoses — and criminal activity associated with drugs."
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