Numerous members of Congress and other officials joined in condemning Saturday’s racist attack and in calling out Nazis and other violent rightwing extremists. Many also expressed their disappointment and even outrage at the slow, lackluster response from the current president and his attorney general. Even Senator Orrin Hatch, the arch-conservative Republican from Utah, tweeted on Saturday that, quote: “We should call evil by its name. My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home.” Earlier today U-S Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that the Justice Department would be filing charges over the attack. On a network morning news program Sessions said quote “You can be sure we will charge and advance the investigation towards the most serious charges that can be brought, because this is an unequivocally unacceptable and evil attack that cannot be accepted in America.”
The city of Portland is threatening to rescind its official recognition of the Overlook Neighborhood Association after the Association proposed new bylaws that would exclude homeless persons from joining the organization. The Overlook Neighborhood is located in North Portland on the east bank of the Willamette River near Swan Island. It’s one of 95 neighborhood associations that are officially recognized and partly funded by the City of Portland. Tomorrow night, the Overlook Neighborhood Association is set to discuss new bylaws that would require people to have a valid address to join the group, which would preclude homeless people from participating. The City of Portland has ruled that people only have to live in the neighborhood to be eligible, regardless of whether or not they reside in a legal residence. That meeting is set for tomorrow night, Tuesday August 14th, at 6:30 pm at the Trillium Charter School located at 5420 N Interstate.
The BBC is reporting that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is now preparing to hold military exercises in response to President Trump’s statements last Friday, concerning possible military intervention into the South American country. Trump’s statements were criticized by other latin American countries, but were also met with intense scrutiny by the Venezuelan opposition. Maduro stated at a Rally in Caracas that Venezuela “is sacred, and should never be touched by the Yankee Imperialist Boot”, and that her people must be prepared to defend against it. He continued his speech by stating that they should prepare themselves to defend the peace with, quote, “tanks, planes and guns.” Thousands of Venezuelans responded by taking to the streets to show opposition to the US, waving banners that say, “Stop Trump”.
- KBOO