Biden rescinds Trump order restricting funding to “anarchist” zones including Portland, Seattle
President Joe Biden has rescinded a Trump administration order to restrict funding to so-called “anarchist jurisdictions,” like Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, where Antifa militants have been allowed to run rampant without fear of prosecution.
On Thursday, Biden rescinded the Trump memorandum that labeled the two cities “anarchist” and slashed their access to federal funds. During his final weeks in office, Trump signed the order intended to punish the two cities as well as a handful of others for failing to control the often destructive riots held by anarchists.
In Portland, Antifa demonstrations occurred on a nightly basis throughout much of the year following the death of George Floyd in late May 2020. Demonstrators often claimed to be protesting against racism by labeling law enforcement officers and federal police as fascists and racists.
“Trump issued a memorandum in September that sought to identify municipal governments that permit ‘anarchy, violence, and destruction in American cities,'” the Associated Press reported. “The memorandum followed riots during anti-police and anti-racism protests over George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police. The Justice Department identified New York City, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle as three cities that could have federal funding slashed.”
Cities named in the order filed a federal lawsuit against the government alleging that the president did not have the authority to pull federal funding over disagreements with their policing strategy. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that the cities accused the former president of “playing cheap political games with Congressionally directed funds.”
Despite Biden taking office on Jan. 20, riots have continued to rage in both Portland and Seattle, where police as well as bystanders have been targeted with assaults from the black-clad militant anarchists, who have largely ignored orders to cease and desist due to the lack of criminal prosecutions against them.
Portland officials have expressed their approval of Biden’s move to rescind the order, as they will no longer lose federal funding for refusing to control the riots, reported OPB.
In addition to rescinding the anarchist jurisdictions order, Biden also revoked a 2018 order that called on federal agencies to review welfare programs, including food stamps, Medicaid and housing aid, and strengthen work requirements for recipients.
Biden also rescinded Trump’s requirement for newly constructed federal buildings in Washington D.C. to embrace neoclassical architecture, instead of Brutalist designs which have thus far blighted the capital’s landscape.
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