Local and state leaders all had Minnesota on their mind today. Three notes:
First:
(Governor’s Office photo)
“It’s outrageous in the extreme and it has to stop.”
That’s what Gov. Bob Ferguson said today about what’s happening in Minnesota, appearing at a media briefing with state Attorney General Nick Brown (a West Seattle resident). He wasn’t only speaking about the killings by federal agents of Renée Good and Alex Pretti, but also about their enforcement tactics, “plucking people off the street” and going into homes without judicial warrants.Ferguson and Brown detailed some of the steps they’re taking in case a federal escalation happens here, though they said they’re not revealing all the steps they’re taking in preparation, so as to not reveal their “playbook” to the feds. “We will not allow this administration to turn our nation into an authoritarian regime,” vowed Gov. Ferguson. Attorney General Brown said what’s happening has nothing to do with the president’s vow to “go after the worst of the worst” and described the administration as a “cabal of cruelty.” He also said it’s important to not just “hunker down and try to survive the next few years,” but to focus on preparedness and action. “Everyone in our state” has a role in that, they said. You can watch the entire news conference here.
Second:
Seattle City Councilmembers voiced their outrage at their weekly “briefing meeting,” where each member provides updates and observations. Our area’s Councilmember Rob Saka, noting that he’s a Minnesota native, decried the killing of Alex Pretti as “another horrific execution-style … murder of a resident.” Saka said it’s “appalling and outrageous” that federal agents are “running amok … killing people for no reason.” (His remarks are 47 minutes into the meeting video above.) Councilmembers reiterated the call to ensure the city is prepared, including the Public Safety Committee‘s chair Councilmember Bob Kettle, whose committee meets tomorrow morning.
Third:
We’ve learned that Fauntleroy Church‘s pastor Rev. Leah Atkinson Bilinski was part of a Northwest clergy delegation that went to Minnesota as a show of support. She is back and slated to speak during a protest rally at the Federal Building in downtown Seattle tonight, around 20 minutes into the 5 pm rally. We hope to speak to her about her Minnesota trio soon