US Attorney General William Barr labeled New York City, Seattle and Portland, Oregon, “anarchy” jurisdictions in a press release on Monday. The move will give the federal government the ability to deny federal funding to those jurisdictions.
In the press release, Barr cited increases in violence correlated with the protests for racial justice that began in May and June. As a basis for his actions, Barr relied on a memorandum criticized for providing support for government overreach. As evidence, Barr pointed to the $1 billon cut from New York Police Department Budget, property destruction in Portland and the murders that brought an end to the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in Seattle.
