Is Con Trump threatening to violate the Posse Comitatus Act ? *

[DemocratSinceBirth]

President Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday night to re-up the idea of sending federal law enforcement to Chicago if the city’s homicide rate doesn’t come down.

“If Chicago doesn't fix the horrible ‘carnage’ going on,” Trump wrote, “I will send in the Feds!”

He said in his tweet that there had been 228 shootings and 42 homicides in Chicago since the start of the year — figures higher than the comparable period during 2016, which was particularly bloody year for the city.

-snip- (Trump's tweet)

Trump has raised the prospect of Washington intervention in Chicago before. His latest musings on the subject came just a day after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) criticized the Republican president for focusing so much on the size of the crowd at his inaugural ceremony and failing in his speech to appeal to “our better angels as a country.”

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/01/24/trump-threatens-to-send-in-the-feds-to-address-chicago-carnage/?utm_term=.471891963135&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1


ON EDIT - I should have titled it: Is Con Trump threatening to send in the armed forces to police black communities?

[C_U_L8R]

1. Trump is a bumbling fool

He has no idea what he's talking about.

[PJMcK]

3. You're right but it doesn't matter

The reality is that "bumbling fool" has the power. Frighteningly, when he gives an order, it will be followed.

[avebury]

2. K & R nt

[FarCenter]

4. The Posse Comitatus Act applies to the Army and Air Force

It doesn't actually forbid the use of the Navy or Marines.

The Coast Guard, DEA, ATF, FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies are outside its scope.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. It would be fine if he sent in the FBI, DEA, and ATF. The city would welcome the help.

[former9thward]

6. There is no violation.

Did President Eisenhower violate the act when he sent the 101st Airborne into Little Rock, Arkansas to enforce civil rights of black students?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Would you be okay with sending the military to an American city in the absence of an emergency?

What precedent would it send ?

[former9thward]

11. I have no problem with what Eisenhower did to enforce civil rights.

I would have no problem with the military enforcing the rights of people to walk down streets without being shot. Whether that is possible I don't know and I don't know what Trump has in mind. Chicago police have abandoned enforcement in large sections of the west and south sides of the city. I currently live on the south side but fortunately our neighborhood is only two blocks from a large area police station. This means police cars coming and going to assignments are constantly going through our neighborhood 24/7.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

12. " I have no problem with what Eisenhower did to enforce civil rights."

" I have no problem with what Eisenhower did to enforce civil rights." Neither would most sentient people. However the thought of armed military personnel roaming the streets of an American city in the absence of an emergency is chilling.


If he really wants to help he can send in the FBI, AFT, and DEA to embed themselves among the police and help them. He could also get Congress to appropriate funds to hire more cops.

But again the thought of the military in the streets is chilling. Might as well end the charade and say our experiment in self governance is over. We became the Philippines.

[Lee-Lee]

7. No, Posse Comitatus only applies to the military

It does not apply to Federal LE, nor the National Guard when acting under state control.

It would also be legal for them to us military in an advising and supporting role as long as they didn't actually make arrests enforcing laws. For example it would be allowable for a military pilot to use a helicopter to follow a suspected drug or gun smuggler and tell civilian law enforcement where they are to go arrest them.

[PJMcK]

9. The article doesn't mention the Posse Comitatus Act

Perhaps the title of your OP is an exaggeration.

I do believe Donald Trump will do many terrible and probably illegal/unconstitutional things. I also believe that he has no understanding of the Constitution he has sworn to uphold. But there are many things any US president can do to "send in the Feds" that would have nothing to do with the Army or the Air Force. These are the only services covered by the Act. (In fact, Navy regulations, which also govern the Marines, do align with the Act.) The article quotes Chicago Mayor Emmanuel who outlines some of the help the Federal Government could provide.

Otherwise, thank you for the link. It's another insight into the massive problems our country faces with Mr. Trump in the Oval Office.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. The idea of any American president even pondering a military solution to gang violence is chilling.

[heaven05]

13. per your edit

you bet your a.. he WILL do it. The boy-potus has to show HIS ameriKKKan followers, actually bannon is doing the behind the scenes manipulation of boy-potus, that he will get/be tough on those negroes. The boy-potus and bannon are pigs. I expect much death and misery brought by those two, aka Rosewood thinking, they will kill to make their point.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. First principle.

The police should respect the people they serve and the people who are being served should respect them. We are all entitled to respect until we demonstrate we are unworthy of it. Nobody like a criminal predator beside other criminal predators.

The solution to the wanton violence in Chicago is better local policing and better local police-community relations. Sending in the armed forces is chilling.

[heaven05]

15. yep

I don't like crime or shootings, yet the Chicago police had better get their program together and start policing, hire more, train better, get their mayor moving on this issue....someone said that mayor wouldn't take federal troops in his city, if the boy-potus and bannon send them in I bet THAT mayor will roll over....chilling? Yes and a precursor to.......occupation of major 'urban' areas by the forces of the boy-potus and bannon. I wouldn't be surprised if david duke wasn't in the background somewhere where he and bannon are putting their heads together. A lot of people would breath easier if that happened of course, The 47% that voted for the boy-potus would have huge block parties, no negroes allowed, even those who voted for the boy-potus.....I'll see what transpires here in the way of resistance.....