Seattle Among 3 U.S. Cities 'Permitting Anarchy,' DOJ Says

SEATTLE, WA — The Department of Justice on Monday named Seattle, Portland and New York City as "anarchist jurisdictions" that "permitted violence and destruction of property" during ongoing protests against police brutality and systemic racism.

Monday's announcement follows a memo sent by President Donald Trump in early September, requesting a review of federal funding in state and local governments that were "permitting anarchy, violence, and destruction in American cities."

The Associated Press reports any attempt to cut federal funds will likely encounter swift legal challanges, citing similar failed efforts to withold funding over immigration policies.

Under the criteria published Monday, the Department of Justice outlined four areas it used to evaluate each city and a fifth metric that leaves the Attorney General with wide discretion in how he labels cities "anarchist."

• 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• Whether a jurisdiction has withdrawn law enforcement protection from a geographical area or structure that law enforcement officers are lawfully entitled to access but have been officially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.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney General William Barr argued that local leaders hampered law enforcement efforts and endangered innocent civilians.

"We cannot allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance," Barr said. "It is my hope that the cities identified by the Department of Justice today will reverse course and become serious about performing the basic function of government and start protecting their own citizens."

In Seattle, Barr focused on the city's handling of the Capitol Hill Organized Protest zone.

The Seattle Police Department has never confirmed who gave the order to vacate the East Precinct, saying only that it did not come from then-Chief Carmen Best. However, officers largely abandoned the six-block area until it was dismantled, responding only to "significant life-safety issues." When the former chief announced her decision to retire in early August, Barr praised Best for her "leadership and commitment to her oath of office."

The 525 percent increase in "person-related crime" statistic appears to come from Durkan's executive order that authorized the clearing of the CHOP on July 1.

The mayors of Seattle, Portland and New York City released a joint statement Monday morning:

"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."

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan also posted a brief statement on social media, as did 7th District Rep. Pramila Jayapal.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg released a statement Monday afternoon, saying any suggestion that laws are not being enforced "could not be further from the truth."

"The deputy prosecutors in our office are working hard in the pursuit of justice and are addressing a record numbers of cases from around the county," Satterberg wrote. "The official DOJ designation seems more of a political statement than a factual one, and we were never contacted by them for any actual data."