DoJ Labels NYC, Portland, & Seattle As “Anarchist Jurisdictions,” Federal Aid To Cities In Crosshairs

The feud between President Trump and Democratically-controlled cities, which have moved to defund police and enable rioters, sharply escalated Sunday after the Justice Department labeled New York City and three other metro areas as “anarchist jurisdictions,” according to a leaked report in the New York Post. 

Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, were the two other cities identified as “anarchist jurisdictions” in a measure that was approved by Attorney General William Barr. The “anarchist” designations set the pathway for the Trump administration to defund these “lawless” metro areas, which would likely worsen an emerging fiscal crisis.

“When state and local leaders impede their law-enforcement officers and agencies from doing their jobs, it endangers innocent citizens who deserve to be protected, including those who are trying to assemble and protest peacefully,” Barr said in a statement, expected to be released Monday.  

“We cannot allow federal tax dollars to be wasted when the safety of the citizenry hangs in the balance,” Barr added.

“It is my hope that the cities identified by the Department of Justice today will reverse course and become serious about performing the basic function of government and start protecting their own citizens,” he said.

In a five-page memo sent to federal agencies on Sept. 2, Trump directed Budget Director Vought to issue the new guidance within a month “to the heads of agencies on restricting the eligibility of or otherwise disfavoring, to the maximum extent permitted by law, anarchist jurisdictions in the receipt of federal grants.”

Trump tweeted on Sept. 2 that his administration “will do everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses.” 

He added at the end of the tweet: “We’re putting them [liberal cities] on notice today.” 

My Administration will do everything in its power to prevent weak mayors and lawless cities from taking Federal dollars while they let anarchists harm people, burn buildings, and ruin lives and businesses. We’re putting them on notice today. @RussVought45

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2020

Vought told the Post earlier this month that “American taxpayers who fund the great programs that our cities rely on deserve to be protected by their local city officials.” He added that the administration was “exploring all options to ensure federal resources flowing to lawless cities aren’t being squandered.”

“The lack of law and order surrounding these riots, and response from local leadership, is a dereliction of duty. Our men and women in blue cannot be handcuffed by local leadership in their efforts to respond to riots and protect their fellow citizens.”

After months of social unrest, chaos, and a surge in violent crime, will Trump’s move to withhold federal funding from these cities be enough to force errant Democratic mayors back into line?