Opinion| Mark Sidney| How is your memory doing today?
Do you remember when the authorities, including Mayor Frey, tried to tell us those arrested were mostly from out of state, and largely ‘white supremacists?’
We are now confronting white supremacists, members of organized crime, out of state instigators, and possibly even foreign actors to destroy and destabilize our city and our region.
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) May 30, 2020
Fox News reported:
‘Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said Saturday that officials think “white supremacists” and “out-of-state instigators” could be behind the protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death, but a report showed that “about 86 percent” of arrests so far are mostly of in-state residents.
…
However, a report by KARE 11 showed “about 86 percent” of the 36 arrests listed their address in Minnesota, and that they live in Minneapolis or the metro area, according to data the outlet analyzed from the Hennepin County Jail’s roster. Five out-of-state cases came from Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and Missouri, according to KARE 11.
The Minneapolis mayor’s office, after repeated requests for comment from Fox News including about the KARE 11 reporting, said Saturday evening they “will look into this.” A separate official from the mayor’s office told Fox News: “You’ll have to contact the Governor’s office.”‘
Do you remember when the Mayor of Minneapolis essentially stand down, authorizing a retreated from a police station which allowed a violent mob to take over the streets of ‘his’ city, including a police precinct?
The Washington Times reported:
‘But Frey’s leadership is being questioned after police failed to quell several nights of rioting, fires and ransacking of local businesses that followed Floyd’s death. Frey, who pleaded for calm, also approved the decision to abandon the city’s 3rd Precinct station on Thursday night, surrendering it to protesters who set fire to the building.
The night the station burned, Frey appeared at an early-morning news conference after hours of criticism on social media for a police response that didn’t confront the violence despite the activation of the National Guard. As he began talking, one reporter snapped, “What’s the plan here?” Frey struggled to answer, and the next morning, Gov. Tim Walz – like Frey, a Democrat – criticized the “abject failure” of the city’s response and said the state had taken control. President Donald Trump took to Twitter to call Frey a “very weak Radical Left Mayor” and threatened to get involved.’
Trump called Frey out by name:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266231100172615680
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1266737385120960515
Frey … ‘hit’ back:
Frey, a Democrat, responded to the criticism on Friday, saying the city would get through this “difficult time,” video from a city news conference shows.
“Weakness is refusing to take responsibility for your own actions,” Frey said. “Weakness is pointing your finger at somebody else during a time of crisis. Donald Trump knows nothing about the strength of Minneapolis.”
The Star Tribune reports:
‘With at least $55 million in estimated damage and far more to come, Minneapolis will need state and federal aid as it attempts to rebuild hundreds of structures after the riots following George Floyd’s death, Mayor Jacob Frey said.
City officials are still putting together a complete tally of the destruction and cautioned that estimates are likely to rise significantly. Gov. Tim Walz and members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation are trying to get government assistance to offset that cost. But in the past, neither the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) nor Congress has consistently sent federal funding to cities ravaged by riots.
Minneapolis City Council members on Tuesday received an update from the city’s Community Planning & Economic Development department that estimated at least 220 buildings had been damaged, resulting in a minimum of $55 million in costs, though the city was “not yet ready to produce a credible estimate” of the losses.
Frey said in an interview that he expects the full cost of the damage to be “tens, if not hundreds of millions” of dollars, across both Twin Cities.
“We will do everything we can as we shift to recovery mode,” Frey said. “We’re recovering from crises sandwiched on top of each other, from COVID-19 to the police killing and then the looting which took place afterward.”
Walz said Tuesday that he is pushing for funding to rebuild damaged communities. His administration has been talking to U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, as well as U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar and Betty McCollum, who represent the Twin Cities. Walz said they have had conversations about seeking federal assistance to rebuild communities and “we have expressed some of our desires to explore what we can do there.”’
Yes, there are other avenues the mayor can explore for funding, including the State government, and more than likely, the US House. However, any bill that comes out of Congress will need Trump’s signature (unless it has a veto proof supermajority) and if Frey wants FEMA funds or those of any other federal agency, it is my understanding that the Trump admin controls those purse strings.
Good luck getting the Trump administration to send you our hard earned national tax payer funds to pay for the damage you refused to stop, sir.
Actions have consequences. It’s time the politicians in this country learned that lesson, and not with our money.
