Wheeler, other mayors respond after DOJ accuses their cities of 'permitting violence'

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, along with Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, issued a joint statement Monday in response to the U.S. Department of Justice identifying the three cities as "jurisdictions permitting violence and destruction of property.

Their statement also addresses President Donald Trump's threats to revoke federal funding to their cities.

The statement says, "This is thoroughly political and unconstitutional. The President is playing cheap political games with Congressionally directed funds. Our cities are bringing communities together; our cities are pushing forward after fighting back a pandemic and facing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, all despite recklessness and partisanship from the White House. What the Trump Administration is engaging in now is more of what we've seen all along: shirking responsibility and placing blame elsewhere to cover its failure."

Trump has previously threatened to cut funding from cities he calls "anarchist jurisdictions."

In its announcement Monday morning, the Department of Justice says it is evaluating cities on the following criteria:

• Whether a jurisdiction forbids the police force from intervening to restore order amid widespread or sustained violence or destruction.
• Whether a jurisdiction has withdrawn law enforcement protection from a geographical area or structure that law enforcement officers are lawfully entitled to access but have been officially prevented from accessing or permitted to access only in exceptional circumstances, except when law enforcement officers are briefly withheld as a tactical decision intended to resolve safely and expeditiously a specific and ongoing unlawful incident posing an imminent threat to the safety of individuals or law enforcement officers.
• Whether a jurisdiction disempowers or defunds police departments.
• Whether a jurisdiction unreasonably refuses to accept offers of law enforcement assistance from the Federal Government.
• Any other related factors the Attorney General deems appropriate.

The DOJ cites Portland's ongoing protests, its increase in shootings, its decision to cut funding to the police bureau, and the mayor's decision to deny aid from federal officers to respond to the protests as reasons the city made the list.