Attorney General William P. Barr on Tuesday called out Democrats’ refusal to condemn the violence that has swept across Portland, Oregon, and other American cities.
“What makes me concerned for the country is this is the first time in my memory the leaders of one of our great two political parties, the Democratic Party, are not coming out and condemning mob violence and the attack on federal courts,” Mr. Barr said in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.
“Why can’t we just say violence against federal courts has to stop. Can we hear something like that?” he asked.
Law enforcement officials, including officers holed up in a federal courthouse in downtown Portland, has been under siege for days.
Rioters have gathered nightly to set fire and unleash explosives at the buildings. They have also fired lasers into officers’ eyes, leading to apparent eye damage.
Democrats have instead taken aim at the Trump administration, accusing it of heavy-handed tactics and using federal officers to crack down on peaceful protests.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler on Sunday called Antifa violence “a myth.”
Mr. Barr took aim at the chairman’s comment that the anarchy group’s violence is a myth.
“I don’t think it’s a myth, Antifa can be best thought of as an umbrella term for a movement composed of loosely organized groups around the country,” he said. “They are definitely organized, but since they have an anarchic temperament, they don’t get along very well.”
The attorney general was asked if Democrats would be outraged if rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol. He took the opportunity to slam Democrats’ response to the Portland unrest.
“This body? I’m not sure,” he said in response to the question.
Mr. Barr also defended the deployment of federal forces to Portland, saying the government has an obligation to protect federal property.
“Federal courts are under attack,” he said. “Since when is it OK to try to burn down a federal court? The U.S. Marshals have a duty to stop that and defend the courthouse and that’s what we’re doing in Portland. We are at the courthouse defending the courthouse. We’re not out looking for trouble.
“Even where there are these kinds of riots occurring, we haven’t had to put in the kind of reinforcement that we have in Portland because the state and local law enforcement does their job and won’t allow rioters to come and just physically assault the courthouse,” Mr. Barr continued. “In Portland that’s not the case.”
