Pelosi Sends Letter to Dump re: Troops & Unidentified Law Enforcement Personnel in DC

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Pelosi Sends Letter to President Trump on Deployment of Troops & Unidentified Law Enforcement Personnel in Nation’s Capital

https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/6420-0

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the following letter today to President Trump seeking answers regarding the deployment of unidentified federal law enforcement agencies and the military against peaceful protestors in the nation’s capital.

In the letter, the Speaker wrote “We are concerned about the increased militarization and lack of clarity that may increase chaos. I am writing to request a full list of the agencies involved and clarifications of the roles and responsibilities of the troops and federal law enforcement resources operating in the city. Congress and the American people need to know who is in charge, what is the chain of command, what is the mission, and by what authority is the National Guard from other states operating in the capital.”

To make matters worse, some officers have refused to provide identification and have been deployed without identifying insignias, badges and name plates. The practice of officers operating with full anonymity undermines accountability, ignites government distrust and suspicion, and is counter to the principle of procedural justice and legitimacy during this precarious moment in our nation’s history.

The Department of Justice itself in the past has stated that allowing officers to work anonymously creates “mistrust and undermines accountability” and “conveys a message to community members that, through anonymity, officers may seek to act with impunity.” In recent days, many former high-level DOJ officials have echoed these concerns and warned that allowing federal law enforcement officers to operate without identification can fatally weaken oversight efforts and fails to send the message that abuse will not be tolerated."