Inclusive Democracy Caucus Chairs Strongly Condemn Trump’s Deployment of Military, Silencing Dissent
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Today, the Co-Chairs of the Minnesota Legislature’s Inclusive Democracy Caucus - Senator Liz Boldon (DFL-Rochester), Representative Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope), and Representative Emma Greenman (DFL-Minneapolis) - strongly condemned President Trump’s deployment of US Marines on Americans protesting in Los Angeles and his abuses of power to silence dissent:
“The Trump Administration is using authoritarian tactics and militarized escalation to intimidate communities, silence peaceful protest, and threaten to occupy American cities the President doesn’t like. Deploying the Marines on U.S. soil is escalating tensions, not reducing them. By using the military to pursue his political agenda and claiming unchecked power to put troops on the streets, the President is continuing down a very dangerous path.
“This is compounded by the Administration’s abuse of federal law enforcement power. Arresting a state judge, a mayor, members of Congress and just yesterday, detaining a U.S. Senator – all just for doing their jobs. We do not use the military to silence criticism of the government or arrests to muzzle political opposition; that’s what authoritarians do. Americans overwhelmingly reject using the military to put down protests and won’t put up with attempts to silence dissent or trample on our Constitutional rights.
“As elected officials, we will not be bullied out of standing up for the democratic freedoms promised in the U.S. Constitution and protected by generations of servicemembers, activists, political leaders, and citizens. We will continue joining our fellow Americans in exercising our First Amendment right to lawfully protest the Trump Administration. We will not back down from the work to defend and to strengthen inclusive, representative democracy in our state and our country.”
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