Latest news with #BostonMassacre
Washington Post
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump is playing with fire by deploying troops to Los Angeles
U.S. history should make any president cautious about deploying troops — whether the National Guard or active-duty personnel — to quell domestic disturbances. One of the events that led to the American Revolution, after all, occurred in Boston in 1770 when British troops deployed in response to anti-tax protests. Rather than putting down an incipient uprising, the Redcoats ignited it by opening fire and killing five protesters in what became known as the Boston Massacre. In the centuries since, U.S. troops have only rarely been employed domestically, and then for purposes both noble (fighting armed white supremacists in the South during Reconstruction) and ignoble (putting down strikes during the Gilded Age). Even though there have been few instances of military personnel being used for crowd control, such deployments have led to notorious tragedies. These include the 1914 Ludlow Massacre (the Colorado National Guard and private security guards attacked striking miners and their families, killing 25 people), the 1932 Bonus Army (U.S. Army troops attacked World War I veterans protesting for expedited benefits, killing two of them) and the 1970 Kent State shootings (the Ohio National Guard opened fire at an anti-Vietnam War rally, killing four students and wounding nine). That troubling history makes clear that President Donald Trump is playing with fire by nationalizing the California National Guard over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and sending troops into Los Angeles to deal with protests sparked by the Trump administration's roundups of undocumented immigrants. Yet rather than proceed with the appropriate caution, Trump appears all too eager to foment a clash. In a social media post on Sunday, Trump claimed Los Angeles 'has been invaded and occupied by Illegal Aliens and Criminals' and was being swarmed by 'violent, insurrectionist mobs.' He was directing federal authorities to 'liberate Los Angeles from the Migrant invasion, and put an end to these Migrant riots.' The president's incendiary rhetoric is baseless. Far from facing a migrant invasion, the United States has recently seen the lowest levels of undocumented border crossings in decades — news that the White House touted on its own website. Violent crime is also falling rapidly across the country, including in Los Angeles. The only emergency is the one that the Trump administration is creating by mandating that Immigration and Customs Enforcement make a minimum of 3,000 arrests a day, up from an average of 660 arrests a day during the first 100 days of Trump's second term. There is no way to meet those kinds of arbitrary quotas by focusing only on criminals and gang members who deserve deportation. So ICE has taken to using paramilitary force to round up day laborers in Home Depot parking lots. These are people working to support their families and contributing to the economy, so it is little wonder that the ICE raids have led to protests and pushback. Sending the National Guard into Los Angeles has predictably heightened the anger of protesters and led to violent clashes with police and troops. Unfortunately, some protesters are playing into Trump's hands by committing acts of violence — such as throwing projectiles at police or torching cars — that create the confrontation the president evidently craves. Waving Mexican flags on television also allows Trump to depict protesters as invaders. This is hardly the first time that Trump has been eager to deploy troops to city streets. He tried to do so during the George Floyd protests in 2020. Trump reportedly urged Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper to 'crack their skulls' and asked whether troops could shoot protesters in the legs. Esper and Milley resolutely refused to countenance such state violence or even to deploy active-duty troops. The National Guard did deploy but generally acted with appropriate restraint. That history helps explain why Trump was so eager this time to appoint officials he no doubt viewed as more compliant. He fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that he inherited from the Biden administration and brought out of retirement a three-star officer, Dan Caine, whom he apparently believed (probably mistakenly) would be loyal to him personally. And for defense secretary, Trump chose Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who made clear during his confirmation hearings that he would have no objection in principle to using force against protesters. Hegseth's tenure has been a troubled one so far: It has been characterized by nonstop turmoil among his senior staff and by the scandal over his use of an unsecure Signal chat to share information about a planned military attack on the Houthis in Yemen. Even Trump has reportedly been upset with Hegseth for all the bad publicity he is generating and for his willingness to brief Elon Musk (who has substantial business interests in China) on the Pentagon's plans for fighting China. So it is no surprise that, in dealing with the Los Angeles protests, Hegseth appears to be acting as an accelerator, rather than a brake, on the president's worst instincts. Perhaps desperate to get back in Trump's good graces, the defense secretary tweeted on Saturday that not only was he 'mobilizing the National Guard IMMEDIATELY' but that, 'if violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert.' Hegseth appears all too willing to put troops in a situation they should not be in, where they risk becoming political pawns in the administration's attempt to foment a crisis that will enable the president to assert even greater executive power. Now it will be up to the troops themselves, from Caine on down, to ensure they keep their honor clean and do not do anything that would transgress on the First Amendment rights that generations of their forebears fought to protect. The troops cannot refuse a lawful order to deploy, but their commanders can push back behind the scenes and ensure that any soldiers or Marines on city streets do not make a bad situation even worse.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge strikes down 'unprecedented' Trump order targeting Perkins Coie law firm
WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Friday struck down President Donald Trump's executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie in a blistering opinion calling the president's efforts 'an unprecedented attack' on the U.S. judicial system. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, an Obama appointee, issued a permanent injunction barring the enforcement of any part of Trump's order from March, which focused on the firm's representation of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and its work with billionaire donor George Soros. 'No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this lawsuit targeting a prominent law firm with adverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect, this action draws from a playbook as old as Shakespeare, who penned the phrase: 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers,'' Howell wrote. 'The importance of independent lawyers to ensuring the American judicial system's fair and impartial administration of justice has been recognized in this country since its founding era,' Howell wrote, referencing John Adams' decision to represent eight British soldiers charged with murder in connection with the Boston Massacre. She said Trump's order 'violates the Constitution and is thus null and void.' The Justice Department and Perkins Coie did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday night. Trump's executive order limited Perkins Coie employees' access to government buildings, revoked security clearances at the firm, and ordered the heads of all federal agencies to terminate contracts with the firm and refrain from hiring employees who worked had grilled Justice Department lawyer Richard Lawson at a hearing over the measure last week, and Lawson was unable to answer basic questions about the other firms that had reached deals with the White House to avoid their own executive orders. Howell also used a footnote in Friday's order to criticize firms that took deals with the White House, writing that 'some clients may harbor reservations about the implications of such deals for the vigorous and zealous representation to which they are entitled from ethically responsible counsel, since at least the publicized deal terms appear only to forestall, rather than eliminate, the threat of being targeted in an Executive Order.' Trump has targeted numerous law firms via executive order, prompting some to strike deals with the White House that include committing millions of dollars in pro bono representation for clients and causes supported by the Trump administration and getting rid of internal DEI policies. Concessions by firms such as Paul Weiss and Skadden Arps have generated backlash within the legal community, including a protest letter signed by dozens of Skadden alumni who were outraged by the firm's deal with Trump. In Friday's order, Howell wrote that Trump's 'multi-year history of lodging public attacks' on Perkins Coie and 'his promises during the 2024 campaign to act on his displeasure' toward the firm if he won further demonstrates that the executive order 'was issued to seek retribution against plaintiff for the Firm's representation of clients in political campaigns or litigation, about which President Trump expressed disapproval, dating back to 2017.' 'This purpose amounts to no more than unconstitutional retaliation for plaintiff's First Amendment protected activity,' she added. This article was originally published on
CNBC
03-05-2025
- Politics
- CNBC
Judge strikes down 'unprecedented' Trump order targeting Perkins Coie law firm
A federal judge on Friday struck down President Donald Trump's executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie in a blistering opinion calling the president's efforts "an unprecedented attack" on the U.S. judicial system. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a permanent injunction barring the enforcement of any part of Trump's order from March, which focused on the firm's representation of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and its work with billionaire donor George Soros. "No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this lawsuit targeting a prominent law firm with adverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect, this action draws from a playbook as old as Shakespeare, who penned the phrase: 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers,'" Howell wrote. "The importance of independent lawyers to ensuring the American judicial system's fair and impartial administration of justice has been recognized in this country since its founding era," Howell wrote, referencing John Adams' decision to represent eight British soldiers charged with murder in connection with the Boston Massacre. She said Trump's order "violates the Constitution and is thus null and void." The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night. Trump's executive order limited Perkins Coie employees' access to government buildings, revoked security clearances at the firm, and ordered the heads of all federal agencies to terminate contracts with the firm and refrain from hiring employees who worked there. Howell had grilled Justice Department lawyer Richard Lawson at a hearing over the measure last week, and Lawson was unable to answer basic questions about the other firms that had reached deals with the White House to avoid their own executive orders. Howell also used a footnote in Friday's order to criticize firms that took deals with the White House, writing that "some clients may harbor reservations about the implications of such deals for the vigorous and zealous representation to which they are entitled from ethically responsible counsel, since at least the publicized deal terms appear only to forestall, rather than eliminate, the threat of being targeted in an Executive Order." Trump's "multi-year history of lodging public attacks" on Perkins Coie and "his promises during the 2024 campaign to act on his displeasure" toward the firm if he won further demonstrates that the executive order "was issued to seek retribution against plaintiff for the Firm's representation of clients in political campaigns or litigation, about which President Trump expressed disapproval, dating back to 2017," Howell wrote. "This purpose amounts to no more than unconstitutional retaliation for plaintiff's First Amendment protected activity," Howell wrote.
NBC News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Judge strikes down 'unprecedented' Trump order targeting Perkins Coie law firm
WASHINGTON — A federal judge Friday struck down President Donald Trump's executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie in a blistering opinion calling the president's efforts "an unprecedented attack' on the U.S. judicial system. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a permanent injunction barring the enforcing of any part of Trump's order from March that focused on the firm's representation of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and its work with billionaire donor George Soros. "No American President has ever before issued executive orders like the one at issue in this lawsuit targeting a prominent law firm with adverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect, this action draws from a playbook as old as Shakespeare, who penned the phrase: 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers,'" Howell wrote. "The importance of independent lawyers to ensuring the American judicial system's fair and impartial administration of justice has been recognized in this country since its founding era," Howell wrote, referencing John Adams' decision to represent eight British soldiers charged with murder in connection with the Boston Massacre. She said Trump's order 'violates the Constitution and is thus null and void.' The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night. Trump's executive order limited Perkins Coie employees' access to government buildings, revoked security clearances at the firm, and ordered the heads of all federal agencies to terminate contracts with the firm and refrain from hiring employees who worked at the firm. Howell had grilled Justice Department lawyer Richard Lawson at a hearing over the measure last week, and Lawson was unable to answer basic questions about the other firms that had reached deals with the White House to avoid their own executive orders. Howell also used a footnote in Friday's order to criticize firms that took deals with the White House, writing that "some clients may harbor reservations about the implications of such deals for the vigorous and zealous representation to which they are entitled from ethically responsible counsel, since at least the publicized deal terms appear only to forestall, rather than eliminate, the threat of being targeted in an Executive Order." Pointing to Trump's "multi-year history of lodging public attacks" on Perkins Coie and "his promises during the 2024 campaign to act on his displeasure" toward the firm if he won further demonstrates that the executive order "was issued to seek retribution against plaintiff for the Firm's representation of clients in political campaigns or litigation, about which President Trump expressed disapproval, dating back to 2017," Howell wrote. "This purpose amounts to no more than unconstitutional retaliation for plaintiff's First Amendment protected activity," Howell wrote.
Boston Globe
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
March's best photos: Figure skating, Match day and high school championships
Lindsay Grimes, a horticulturist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, climbed a ladder in order to remove a 20-foot vine of nasturtiums from their trellis on March 25, as a team from the museum moved the nasturtiums from the greenhouse where they're grown to the museum's courtyard. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff The Wachusett Girls Basketball team celebrated after winning the D1 Girls MIAA basketball finals against Bishop Feehan High at Tsongas Center in Lowell on March 15. Erin Clark/Globe Staff Theresa Lister, 16, a junior at North Andover High School, spoke to some of the students after they walked to the School Administration building on March 24 during a walk-out in support of their teachers and programs. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff Civil rights activist Dorothy Burnham (left) reached toward a guest during her 110th birthday celebration March 22. Erin Clark/Globe Staff Victoria Ajayi from Nigeria was overcome with emotion after learning she will serve her residency at the Cleveland Clinic. Tufts University School of Medicine Class of 2025 opened their letters to learn where they will serve their residencies during National Match Day on March 21. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Cellist Sofia Hernandez-Williams, 11, practiced before rehearsing with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, March 2. She is a Project STEP student who recently became one of the youngest semifinalists at the prestigious Sphinx Competition. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe University of Maine's Luke Antonacci celebrated his game-tying goal with teammates and fans against Northeastern University during the Hockey East semi-final game at TD Garden on March 20. Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum stuffed Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic on his shot attempt during the third quarter at TD Garden on March 8. Barry Chin/Globe Staff The New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge cast a shadow over MacArthur Drive. Fisherman Alfredo "Freddy" Loya once confronted Officer Jorge Santos here after Santos allegedly stole pills from him. The police in New Bedford have a long history of abusing the confidential informant system in the fight against drugs, guns, and gangs. Lane Turner/Globe Staff Members of the Colonel Henry Knox Color Guard Sons of the American Revolution made their way down the spiral staircase inside the Old State House for a wreath-laying ceremony in honor of the Boston Massacre anniversary on March 5. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Demonstrators carried Palestinian flags during a 'standout' organized by Needham for Palestine on March 8. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Protesters gathered outside of the Boston Public Library to advocate against the removal of the Boylston Street bus lane on March 18. Erin Clark/Globe Staff The Catholic Memorial team celebrated after winning against Saint John's at the 2025 Boys D1 Ice Hockey State Championship on March 16 at TD Garden. Brett Phelps for The Boston Globe Jeyden, 6, (left) and his cousin Sylvia, 5, played together in Jeyden's family's apartment. Jeyden's brother, 17-year-old Jose Adalberto Herrera who entered the United States as an unaccompanied minor in 2019, was released back to his parents and is now being held again in federal custody. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Paula and Jeff Babel sampled a recent batch of maple syrup inside their sugar house in Mason, N.H., on March 7. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Ace, a 2-year-old dog who was surrendered to the Animal Rescue League of Boston Dedham branch, attempted to look out the door on March 6. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Survivors of the commercial sex industry (from left) Brittanie Adams, Audra Doody, Audrey Morrissey, and Stacy Reed watched a live broadcast of the Cambridge Court proceedings with client Mark Zhu shown on the screen. They are from the EMMA Coalition. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff Greg Bobst, 65, who lives in a tent in an abandoned lot in Bridgewater, had a cigarette in the rain on March 17. He said he doesn't feel safe in a shelter. 'I just want to have a mail in address and have a nice room by myself and just start my life over.' Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Members of the Tenth Regiment of Foot, a reenactment group portraying British troops at Lexington and Concord, underwent drills in preparation for the April 19 commemoration in the parking lot at St. Brigid's Church in Lexington. Barry Chin/Globe Staff
