Justice Inspector General Horowitz opens probe into federal agents' actions in Portland and DC protests
The inspector general for the Justice Department announced Thursday that his office has opened an investigation into the recent use of force by federal law enforcement agents against protesters in Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C.
The probe was started in response to a referral from the U.S. Attorney in Oregon, Billy Williams, according to a statement from DOJ Office of the Inspector General Spokeswoman Stephanie Logan. The office also had received public complaints and congressional requests for an investigation.
The statement said the investigation would be conducted in coordination with the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security,
"In addition, in response to requests from Members of Congress and members of the public, the DOJ OIG is initiating a review to examine the DOJ’s and its law enforcement components’ roles and responsibilities in responding to protest activity and civil unrest in Washington, DC, and in Portland, Oregon over the prior two months," the statement said.
Portland protests: What you need to know about the federal response and the legal questions it raises
"The review will include examining the training and instruction that was provided to the DOJ law enforcement personnel; compliance with applicable identification requirements, rules of engagement, and legal authorities; and adherence to DOJ policies regarding the use of less-lethal munitions, chemical agents, and other uses of force."
President Donald Trump has threatened to use federal resources to quell unrest in cities since demonstrations against police brutality erupted around the nation following the death of George Floyd, a Black man killed in the custody of Minneapolis police officers. Many of the protests included violent clashes with police, vandalism, arson and looting.
On June 1, after several nights of protests outside the White House, federal officers from various agencies forcible cleared Lafayette Square of peaceful protesters before Trump walked with top administration officials to a nearby historic church that had been vandalized the night before.
Horowitz said that incident would be investigated with the Interior Department inspector general's office, which already began a review of the events.
Protests in Portland have continued for nearly two months, with almost nightly clashes between police and protesters. Last week, Trump dispatched federal agents to the city over the objection of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, Gov. Kate Brown and Oregon's two U.S. senators.
Trump said the officers were sent to restore order to the city. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said the primary mission was to secure federal building, including the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse which had become a target for protesters.
But critics said the federal agents were going beyond that mandate as videos shared on social media showed officers in undesignated camouflaged uniforms putting demonstrators into unmarked vans.
In addition to looking into the use of force in Portland and Washington, Inspector General Michael Horowitz said his office, if "circumstances warrant," will "consider including other issues that may arise during the course of the review.
Democratic critics of Trump's deployment of federal agents celebrated the news of the investigation.
"Congress will continue to check this reckless Administration, but it is deeply important that these independent inspectors general get to the bottom of President Trump’s use of force against his own citizens," said Reps. Jerry Nadler, Bennie Thompson and Carolyn Maloney – the respective chairs of the House Judiciary, Homeland Security and Oversight committees – in a joint letter.
"These investigations are critically important as the President and his chief enablers, including the Attorney General and Acting Homeland Security Secretary, have announced plans to send federal law enforcement authorities to additional cities in the coming days," they said.
The lawmakers said the federal agents "have occupied the streets of American cities against the express wishes of state and local officials" and that nearly "everywhere they have deployed, their presence has increased tensions and caused more confrontation between demonstrators and police. And they have done all of this on the flimsiest of legal pretext."
Both of Oregon's senators and two of its U.S. House members had sent a letter requesting such an investigation on Wednesday.
"The violent tactics deployed by Donald Trump and his paramilitary forces against peaceful protesters are those of a fascist regime, not a democratic nation," said Sen. Ron Wyden in a statement. "This gross abuse of power demands intense scrutiny to put an end to what Donald Trump is doing in my hometown against my neighbors and friends, and make sure it doesn't happen anywhere else."
"We have demanded not only that these acts end, but also that DOJ and DHS remove their forces immediately from Oregon," said Sen. Jeff Merkley. "In the meantime, full investigations by the Inspectors General of these departments will help provide critical information and public accountability at a time when the Trump administration would rather operate like a dictatorship than employees of the people in a democratic republic."
Contributing: Kristine Phillips, Kevin Johnson and Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inspector general investigates feds' use of force in Portland protests
