Donald Trump wants to strip federal funding from “anarchist” cities: Is Marc Molinaro okay with that?
by Ann Reichlin
If you think an emboldened Donald Trump would not withhold funds from Democratic jurisdictions if he is reelected, think again. Way back in the fall of 2020—yes, about four years ago, when Trump was the president—he created a presidential memorandum called the “Anarchist Memo,” ordering then-Attorney General Barr to designate cities as “Anarchist Jurisdictions.” Enabler A.G. Bill Barr identified three cities: New York, NY, Portland, OR and Seattle, WA; as “Permitting Anarchy, Violence, and Destruction” during that summer’s Black Lives Matter protests. The intent was to withhold all federal funds from the designated cities.
New York, Portland and Seattle sued. When Joe Biden became president, he undid the damage by eliminating Trump’s “Anarchist Memo.”
Had Donald Trump won the presidency in 2020, who knows what kind of financial pain would have ensued for these cities as a result of the Anarchist Memo? If he was willing to withhold funds from Democratic cities in the middle of a pandemic, it is reasonable to assume that he would try to do so again as a way to punish the people and places that he perceives as disloyal to him. The man is even crazier, crueler and more vindictive than he was four years ago. And now, due to the Supreme Court’s recent immunity ruling, he’s even less afraid of breaking the law. Clearly, another Trump presidency would put our community at risk—especially if he had assistance from the third branch of government: a Republican-majority Congress.
Since Biden has stepped aside as the Democratic candidate for president and Vice President Kamala Harris has stepped forward, there is new momentum for Democrats. And this should worry local congressman Marc Molinaro, a Republican. Not only has Trump endorsed Molinaro, Molinaro has endorsed Trump. And therein lies no little confusion.
Supposedly, Molinaro believes in law and order. Yet, he also supports a convicted felon for president. Marc Molinaro labels himself a moderate, yet he supports a candidate who wants to round up millions of undocumented migrants into concentration camps and deport them. Mr. Molinaro says he cares about people with disabilities, yet he supports a candidate who plans to abolish the education department, which,unlike private educators, is tasked with going to great lengths to ensure all children receive a quality education.
Mr. Molinaro has hitched his political future to a dangerous demagogue who wants to take our country backwards. Democrat Josh Riley and Democrats up and down the ballot will take our country—and all of us—towards a better future.