Former U.S. president and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama released a searing statement on Sunday, in response to the second shooting death by immigration law enforcement officers in Minneapolis, saying federal officers appear to be using tactics “designed to intimidate, harass, provoke and endanger” Minnesota residents.

The couple said U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration officials “seem eager to escalate the situation,” adding, “This has to stop.”

The statement is the latest in a number of bipartisan criticisms of the Trump administration, as well as calls for accountability, amid the current climate in Minneapolis — where federal law enforcement clashed with protesters who poured into the frigid streets over the weekend, in a city already shaken by another shooting death less than three weeks earlier.

“Rather than trying to impose some semblance of discipline and accountability over the agents they’ve deployed, the President and current administration officials seem eager to escalate the situation, while offering public explanations for the shootings of Mr. [Alex] Pretti and Renee Good that aren’t informed by any serious investigation — and that appear to be directly contradicted by video evidence,” the Obamas wrote.

  • comador @lemmy.worldEnglish
    222·
    22 hours ago

    What would you have Barack and Michelle Obama do?

    Assuming they’re going to be the mouth piece for the Democrats, then they should not only be condemning it, they should be rallying everyone on Capitol Hill that to act in unison against it.

    The issue with this currently as I know it directly from an active member of Congress is:

    • NO ONE in the Democratic Party wants to stick their neck out to do anything.
    • NO ONE in the Democratic Party has the courage nor accountability to act.
    • EVERY ONE in the Democratic Party is waiting for someone else to lead the assault on MAGA and it’s not coming.

    Further, it’s been suggested that the Democrats could do more within the party and even without leadership. However. they’re too scared due to threats by MAGAts. Two of the memos I was told about suggest:

    • Congressional members against Trump who, if they rally together, can force MAGAs hand.

    • Judges against Trump who, if they rally together, can impede Trump actions at the court level and inundate the DOJ and Supreme Court with unfulfilled MAGA actions.

    Still. they sit on their hands and do absolutely nothing. Democrats, Republicans, it doesn’t matter anymore. None of them care about the people and it’s inaction or actions within the past year which prove that.