WSJ: Portland's Complaint -- Mayor Potter withdraws from the FBI's counterterrorism task force

How quickly they neglect. That's our reaction to the news that Portland, Oregon, has decided to withdraw from the FBI's counterterrorism task force over fears that the civil or constitutional rights of its citizens might be violated. Mayor Tom Potter made that call last week, in one more sign that memories are fraying as September 11 grows more distant.

Mr. Potter tried to put a happy face on his decision in a press conference Friday, saying the city is "changing" its ties with the FBI, not "severing" them, and that Oregonians will still be "safe." But what about the rest of us? The 9/11 terrorists trained in small cities and towns across the nation. Two began their journey that morning in Portland, Maine.

Portland is the home of Brandon Mayfield, a local attorney and convert to Islam who was arrested last year in connection with the Madrid train bombings. The FBI erred in thinking it had found his fingerprints on evidence, and Mr. Mayfield was held for two weeks before being freed without charges. The Mayor cites Mr. Mayfield's story as a factor behind his decision.

Mr. Mayfield's experience was unfortunate, but even more so would have been a Madrid-style attack in this country. Government officials operating in wartime sometimes have to make hard choices between safeguarding the lives of citizens and protecting their civil liberties. The FBI got it wrong in Mr. Mayfield's case. Portland is getting it wrong by pulling out of the FBI anti-terror task force.

The Mayor's decision was triggered by the FBI's rejection of his demand for top-secret clearances for himself and other city officials so that they could more closely monitor Bureau activities.

AND the Mayor's demand for such clearances was triggered by complaints from the ACLU who think the FBI is trampling on people's rights and doing all manner of nefarious things in the fight against terrorism and crime.

The ACLU is going to get people killed (and has already in my opinion) with their molly-coddling the 'rights' of terrorists, murderers, and various other perverts and criminals. The Mayor is worse than a wimp for caving to the ACLU rather than protecting the citizens of his city.

An extreme liberal in the Portland Mayor's office is literally nothing new around here. What is new is that this guy, a former Portland Police chief, is more of a radical. One of his first official "acts" as mayor was to suit up and go on a bicycle ride with local bicycle anarchist group, "Critical Mass" (most of whose protestors frequent antiwar/antiBush marches and the like - frequently commiting mayhem or violence) so he could understand their point of view...Useless Idiot!

With one exception (Frank Ivancie, early eighties, pejoratively mocked by local libs from the outset of his tenure as 'Ivan C', the terrible...) that is all we've had since the later sixties, early seventies. The dishonor roll of former mayors includes Neil Goldschmidt, also later an Orgeon Governor and transportation secretary under "Jimmy theDoofus" Carter.

Goldschmidt was recently outed in a Pulitzer-prize winning report by Nigel Jaquiss (of local ultra lib rag "Willamette Week") for having had an "affair" with his then-14 year old babysitter, while he still held office in this state. Uhhhhhm - that was no affair, that was statutory rape! Unfortunately, all statutes of limitations have expired as has the monthly stipend of "hush-money" being paid by Goldschmidt to the victim (whose life continues to be a mess long into adulthood) so there can be no prosecution of this lib pervert.

But there was ample evidence of several highly-placed police officials, and a state's attorney general - the one who happens to now be the (if you guessed DemonRat, you're right) duly elected Oregon Governor, Ted Kulongowski having known about, or suspected the facts of the situation. Predictably they did nothing, and predictably they now deny and forswear all such knowledge, professing shock and distress.

But I digress (or do I?)

Tom Potter's daughter Katie is indeed an "out" lesbian - one of many gays and lesbians on the Portland Police force. Most of the gay men are mincing, simpering types who could not intimidate an ornery crank skank to save their lavender undies, while most of the lesbos are what East coast folk call "diesel dykes". Women (allegedly) so ugly they stop a train; women who stand up to pee.

Portland is a city of corrupt insider politics which favor Liberals, socialists and radicals, while punishing businesses: 1) for existing, and 2) worse for succeeding. Both Nike and Columbia Sportswear (liberal-run companies) are happily located outside the Portland city limits. Adidas chooses to stay for some reason...

There is ample reason for the FBI not to entrust Portland's mayor with so much as lunch money, let alone secret level clearance, and/or inside details and advance looks at pending terrorism related investigations. It is just a damn dirty shame that with local politics and media coverage being what they are (a collusion with willing mouthpieces) no more people in Portland feel cheated and 'at risk' than currently do.

Reporting undercover from behind battle lines in the W.O.T. in a American town where the inmates ARE running the asylum...

A.A.C.

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