Attorney general will defend aggressive US response to Portland protests
William Barr will tell members of a House judiciary hearing that the events in Portland are disconnected from the death of George Floyd
Guardian staff and agencies
Published onMon 27 Jul 2020 22.19 EDT
US attorney general William Barr will defend the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America in a highly anticipated hearing on Tuesday, arguing that “violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests” sparked by George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.
Barr will tell members of the House Judiciary Committee that the violence taking place in Portland, Oregon, and other cities is disconnected from the death of Floyd, which he described as a “horrible“ event that prompted a necessary national reckoning on the relationship between Black men and law enforcement.
“Largely absent from these scenes of destruction are even superficial attempts by the rioters to connect their actions to George Floyd’s death or any legitimate call for reform,” Barr will say of the Portland protests, according to a copy of his prepared remarks released by the Justice Department on Monday.
Barr will also touch on other controversies that have shadowed his tenure, including his handling of the investigation into Trump campaign ties to Russia, which he derisively refers to as “the bogus ‘Russiagate’ scandal”.
More:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/27/attorney-general-defends-federal-agents-portland-william-barr
Edit:
Bob Barr will be on C-Span, Tuesday. July 28
10:00 AM EST Attorney General Barr Testifies on Justice Department Mission & Programs
3 hours, 30 minutes
Attorney General William Barr testifies on the Justice Department's mission and programs in an oversight hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.
It will be shown again at 8:00 PM EST tomorrow evening.
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