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Trump Administration Denies Minnesota Request for Half a Billion for Rebuilding Aid


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You reap what you sow.

Democratic leadership in Minnesota is learning that the hard way.

When protests turned violent in Minneapolis following George Floyd's death, the city leadership appeared to allow the rioters to go unchecked.

In fact, the Third Precinct Police Station was essentially "abandoned," which allowed rioters to enter the building and severely vandalize it.

Aside from destroyed government buildings, rioters also targeted small businesses in Minneapolis. 

Many of these small business owners are black.

The damages to the city and state were terrible, especially since COVID-19 ravaged the economy prior to the protests.

Now, the state of Minnesota requested nearly $500 million in federal aid to help rebuild their city.

The Trump administration has rejected that request.

Observers believe the administration would have approved the request had the city and state mobilized its law enforcement to protect public and private property.

Instead, however, local leaders appeared to stand down.

Like we said above.. you reap what you sow.

More details below:

President Trump offered to help restore law and order to the streets of Minnesota.

However, Trump's statements were mocked by the media as being "totalitarian" and were essentially rejected by local leaders.

According to the Washington Examiner, over 1,500 were damaged or destroyed as a result of the so-called peaceful protests:

President Trump has denied a request from Minnesota’s governor for money to rebuild parts of Minneapolis that were destroyed during the riots following the death of George Floyd.

“The Governor is disappointed that the federal government declined his request for financial support,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's office said in a statement. “As we navigate one of the most difficult periods in our state’s history, we look for support from our federal government to help us through.”

Walz, a Democrat, requested that Trump declare Minnesota a “major disaster” zone in a request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on July 2 after more than 1,500 buildings were damaged by looting and rioting in the wake of Floyd’s death, totaling over $500 million in damages.

At least one Republican in the state had lobbied the Trump administration to reject the request, arguing that the state’s response to the unrest should be thoroughly reviewed.

“If the federal government is expected to assist in the clean-up of these unfortunate weeks, it has an obligation to every American — prior to the release of funding — to fully understand the events which allowed for this level of destruction to occur and ensure it never happens again,” Rep. Tom Emmer wrote to the Trump administration in a letter.

Another congressman, Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, praised the Trump administration’s decision to reject Minnesota’s request, placing blame on the local officials who told the police to stand down during the rioting.

“Great news! @realDonaldTrump has DENIED Minnesota's disaster request to repair half a billion dollars in damage from the riots,” Duncan tweeted. “Governors and Mayors who ordered police to stand down and watch their cities burn shouldn't get a penny in taxpayer aid!”

Indeed, American taxpayers should not fund the rebuilding of a city or state where local leadership ALLOWED rioters to destroy so much without any pushback.

In fact, what happened in Minneapolis should be a role model of how NOT to handle civil unrest.

It appears that Minneapolis' leaders haven't learned their lesson.

In a unanimous vote, the city council moved to ABOLISH (not just "defund") their police department.

If this is the route that local leaders are taking, American taxpayers should not pay the price for the destruction that ensures.

Breitbart has more details on the context of the situation:

“The Governor is disappointed that the federal government declined his request for financial support,” said a spokesperson for Walz in a statement quoted by the Star-Tribune. “As we navigate one of the most difficult periods in our state’s history, we look for support from our federal government to help us through.”

President Donald Trump has been critical of Walz for what he said was a weak response to the riots that broke out after Floyd was killed in police custody on May 25.

On Wednesday, May 27, President Trump announced that he had directed the FBI and the Department of Justice to conduct a swift investigation of Floyd’s death.

But that night, rioters attacked a police precinct and set businesses ablaze. Local law enforcement did little to respond.

Though Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey requested National Guard troops the next morning, and Gov. Walz formally mobilized the Guard that afternoon, the initial response was insufficient.

In his letter requesting funds, Gov. Walz wrote to the president that the state had acted to address the civil unrest “quickly.”

But state law enforcement officials told a different story.

As leaders of the Minnesota National Guard and Department of Public Safety testified before the Senate last week, the initial call-up of 200 National Guard troops was inadequate.

[...]

Soon the state’s entire 15,000-strong force would be mobilized. President Trump also offered the support of the U.S. military, which was placed on alert, but was not requested by the state in the end.

As protests continued under the banner of “Black Lives Matter,” Mayor Frey attempted to negotiate directly with them, only to be chased off the street when he refused to accept their demand to abolish or defund the police.

Later that month, a veto-proof, unanimous majority of the city council approved a pledge to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department.

Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) wrote to the president last Thursday, asking him to order a federal review of Minnesota’s response to the violence before any federal funds were released.

Minnesota is considered a key battleground state in the 2020 presidential election after Trump nearly won it in 2016.

While Democratic leadership appears to be kneeling before the mob, President Trump offers "law and order" to keep all Americans safe.

There has never been a bigger distinction between candidates and their apparent support for law enforcement.

President Trump will always DEFEND our police, not defund them.



 

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