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Rep Beau LaFave
Holding those who permit anarchy accountable
RELEASE|September 29, 2020

By state Rep. Beau LaFave, of Iron Mountain

Cold-blooded killings, local businesses and cars set ablaze, sidewalks blanketed in glass, ATMs ransacked, street blocks coated in graffiti, and mortar-wielding rioters.

You would think I’m depicting war-torn societies and failed states abroad – but I’m not.

I’m illustrating the chaos, destruction and lawlessness currently happening in the streets of multiple U.S. cities whose cowardly political leaders have allowed anarchy and social unrest to fester.

Rather than ward off perpetrators terrorizing their communities, public officials in Portland, Seattle and New York City have prolonged their stay with empathy – calling for defunding the police, ordering law enforcement not to pursue criminal behavior and denying assistance from the feds.

Here’s a reality check for these inept leaders: Handicapping law enforcement won’t solve the endless rioting, it only cultivates an environment for such activity to continue and spread.

When political leaders intentionally prevent police from maintaining public order and safety, it endangers innocent people who deserve protection – including those who are wishing to peacefully assemble and protest. It’s why the U.S. Department of Justice is watching Portland, Seattle and New York City very closely, recently declaring them as jurisdictions that permit violence and destruction of property.

A civil society cannot exist without law enforcement being able to carry out their role to protect the public. Without law enforcement, unrest will occur and prove costly for any community. This brings me to my next point: Who pays for the damage in the aftermath of a riot?

Insurance? Taxpayers? I know it’s certainly not the corrupt politicians allowing these riots to happen under their watch. Axios estimates rioting damage will exceed $1 billion nationwide, making the chaos we’ve witnessed over the past 100-plus days the most costly in our country’s history.

This is downright shameful.

Public safety is not a plaything for politics. Community leaders need to work together to keep their streets safe, and if they don’t, there needs to be a sense of accountability. That’s why I recently introduced a plan in the Michigan House that would protect Michiganders in the event a local government or city official fail to police riots.

Under the legislation, a government agency or an elected official could be held liable for three times the amount of damage sustained from personal injury or property damage that results from the agent acting in willful, callous or wanton disregard of protecting private property or a person’s safety.

Without accountability, as seen in Portland, Seattle and New York City, there is nothing stopping anarchists from terrorizing our streets. While we have been fortunate not to have the same chaos and violence happening in Michigan as the rest of the country, we owe it to the people of Michigan that they never have to experience such lawlessness.

Michigan families want safety and protection, not unrest. As your state representative, I will always stand up against the angry mob and protect my fellow Michiganders. This proactive measure will keep anarchists at bay, hold nefarious officials accountable, and ensure our communities remain safe.

Michigan House Republicans

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