On the recordJuly 23, 2020
Madam President, I want to thank my colleague for putting a human face--the face of Oregonians--on this Federal invasion of our State. And I want to talk just for a moment and ask my colleague a question because, yesterday, here in Washington, as our constituents were finding this horrific invasion of their constitutional rights--the moms and others, when they were peacefully protesting--what we saw in the Senate Intelligence Committee, I say to Senator Merkley, was an example of just how disconnected the Trump administration is from reality as they try to find these figleafs to cover up for their violation of the constitutional rights of our citizens. We had a nominee for a top legal position in the Trump administration--a top position, legal position, that is greatly going to affect the constitutional rights of the people we are honored to represent--the rights that are now being violated, as we have said repeatedly here on the floor. The nominee's name was Patrick Hovakimian, and I asked him a couple of basic questions, questions that our constituents are asking. I asked him: Do you believe that Federal forces can patrol American cities over the objections of State and local officials and away from Federal buildings? That is something you and I get asked all the time by our constituents. Then I also asked him: Do you believe that unidentified Federal forces in unmarked cars can drive around seizing and detaining American citizens?…
Source
govinfo.gov




