Lewis: “Too Little, Too Late? Finally, Curfew Established in Twin Cities”
May 29, 2020
WOODBURY, Minn. — U.S. Senate candidate Jason Lewis released the following statement regarding the latest developments around the Minneapolis riots.
“As I called for yesterday, a curfew has finally been established in the Twin Cities. Yesterday, one of our campaign staffers was forced to evacuate their own residence in St. Paul as well due to the unrest.
Many Twin Cities residents are in a state of shock over the crisis in leadership following the mayhem last night when Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, and Governor Tim Walz appeared to have no plan to confront the violence, looting, and torching of entire neighborhoods. After previous problems, it was evident to anyone that trouble was coming Thursday evening, yet the failure to act—a ‘decision not to engage’—abandoned citizens and property owners, not to mention a police precinct, to a harrowing night of carnage.
Adding insult to injury, Governor Tim Walz said it would have been ‘ridiculous’ to break up rioters that violate his own administration’s COVID crowd size rules. In other words, law-abiding Minnesotans could get fined $25,000 if they open their business, but criminals looting businesses and destroying their community have total immunity. Minnesota Democrats have proven they can’t manage pandemics or riots. It’s unconscionable that statewide ‘stay-at-home’ orders were issued for average Minnesotans but none until now for looters and arsonists.
Ultimately, the events over the last few days stem from long-term abysmal leadership and appalling dereliction of duty by our state and local leaders. And while I was encouraged to hear the news from the Hennepin County Attorney this afternoon that the wheels of justice are turning, our beautiful cities now resemble a war zone. Further violence only denigrates the memory of George Floyd.
Where is Senator Tina Smith? Whether riots or extreme quarantines for the healthy – she seems content to ‘cower-in-place,’ eager to let others make the tough calls. Let us hope things will be more stable this weekend, but if more chaos erupts, the President should consider ‘federalizing’ the National Guard and deploy it under a more competent chain of command. This is an exigency and leaders need to act.”
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