Gov. Tina Kotek told reporters Monday that she has no plans to deploy the Oregon
National Guard to protests
planned for Saturday in Portland and other locations in the state and that President Donald Trump doesn’t have the
authority to override her.
She chastised the president for sending California National Guard troops to pro-immigrant rallies in Los Angeles over the weekend without the consent of Gov. Gavin Newsom, saying it represented “an alarming disregard for the safety of Americans and their ability to govern themselves.”
“The president’s unlawful actions undermine our local authorities, who should be able to do their jobs without a federal intervention escalating and inflaming the situation,” she told reporters on Monday.
She called it “absurd, dangerous and indisputably undemocratic” for Trump to applaud the idea that Newsom should be arrested, a quip the president made in a video filmed by MSNBC.
Newsom said on social media
that the idea was an “unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.”
Kotek noted that recent protests and other gatherings in Portland and across Oregon have been peaceful. She said her office has been in close communication with law enforcement leaders including Portland’s police chief and the adjutant general of the Oregon National Guard and that she has confidence in local law enforcement to meet public safety needs.
“I am the commander in chief. We are taking care of our communities. If there is any activity that needs to be taken care of it will be done by local law enforcement,” Kotek said. “Right now, all protests have been peaceful and there’s not reason to think that it’ll be otherwise.”
She said the National Guard intervention in California created “even more fear” for Oregon’s immigrant communities and committed to upholding Oregon’s sanctuary laws and fighting for their protection.
“You deserve to feel safe in your communities and in your homes. As your governor, I stand with you,” Kotek said.
Sami Edge covers higher education and politics for The Oregonian. You can reach her at
sedge@oregonian.com
or (503) 260-3430.
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Trump has no right to deploy Oregon National Guard against protesters in Portland, Kotek insists
Trump has no right to deploy Oregon National Guard against protesters in Portland, Kotek insists
Trump has no right to deploy Oregon National Guard against protesters in Portland, Kotek insists