"The President's shameless attempt to punish nonprofits and charities who may not co-sign his extremist agenda is deeply un-American," said Rayfield and a coalition of attorneys general.
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Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, a Democrat, released a statement on Wednesday condemning President Donald Trump for investigating left-wing political extremism, which runs rampant in the state, specifically among Antifa terrorist networks.
In the statement, Rayfield cited the president's September 25 memorandum titled "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence," which calls on the US Department of Justice to investigate and potentially prosecute entities and nonprofits that may be funding terrorist groups, such as Antifa. Rayfield claimed that the memorandum violates the First Amendment, and threw his support behind controversial Democrat billionaire philanthropist George Soros, whom Trump has mentioned could be subject to prosecution over his nonprofit, Open Society Foundations, funding radical left causes and candidates, such as the defund the police movement and progressive activist judges and district attorneys.
"President Trump claims without justification that the organizations he targets in the memo are engaged in activities that are 'designed to suppress lawful political activity or obstruct the rule of law,' when in fact the clear intent of his memo is to quell nonprofits' freedom of speech and freedom of association that the First Amendment protects," wrote Rayfield.
The statement included a joint statement from other Democratic attorneys general who share the same sentiment as Rayfield, including those from the states of Washington, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Jersey.
"Charities and nonprofits are woven into the fabric of American society, in every state and community. Any attempts to target nonprofits for simply fulfilling their missions, no matter their beliefs or worldview, is a gross violation of their and all Americans' First Amendment rights to free speech and free association," the joint statement reads. "In a country founded on the right to hold different opinions than the king, the President's shameless attempt to punish nonprofits and charities who may not co-sign his extremist agenda is deeply un-American."
"These coercive efforts also violate donors' intent for how contributions should be used," the statement continues. "As attorneys general, we are the chief regulators of nonprofits, charities, and charitable trusts in our states, and serve as representatives of the public and donor intent. We strongly condemn the Trump Administration's naked effort to intimidate charities from fulfilling their missions and donors' intent. Our message to the nonprofits and charities we oversee is: You keep fulfilling your missions, and we will keep fighting against attempts to weaponize the government to suppress your legitimate activities and constitutional freedoms."
The president's memorandum was issued following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Trump has also designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
The memorandum states that, "The United States requires a national strategy to investigate and disrupt networks, entities, and organizations that foment political violence so that law enforcement can intervene in criminal conspiracies before they result in violent political acts. Through this comprehensive strategy, law enforcement will disband and uproot networks, entities, and organizations that promote organized violence, violent intimidation, conspiracies against rights, and other efforts to disrupt the functioning of a democratic society."
US Attorney General Pam Bondi, at the direction of President Trump, recently vowed to take down left-wing extremist groups, including Antifa, and those that may be funding such networks.
Rayfield's statement comes as the area around the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Southwest Portland has been under siege by Antifa-affiliated agitators for more than four consecutive months, which the president has been actively working to put a stop to.
In the statement, Rayfield cited the president's September 25 memorandum titled "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence," which calls on the US Department of Justice to investigate and potentially prosecute entities and nonprofits that may be funding terrorist groups, such as Antifa. Rayfield claimed that the memorandum violates the First Amendment, and threw his support behind controversial Democrat billionaire philanthropist George Soros, whom Trump has mentioned could be subject to prosecution over his nonprofit, Open Society Foundations, funding radical left causes and candidates, such as the defund the police movement and progressive activist judges and district attorneys.
"President Trump claims without justification that the organizations he targets in the memo are engaged in activities that are 'designed to suppress lawful political activity or obstruct the rule of law,' when in fact the clear intent of his memo is to quell nonprofits' freedom of speech and freedom of association that the First Amendment protects," wrote Rayfield.
The statement included a joint statement from other Democratic attorneys general who share the same sentiment as Rayfield, including those from the states of Washington, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, and New Jersey.
"Charities and nonprofits are woven into the fabric of American society, in every state and community. Any attempts to target nonprofits for simply fulfilling their missions, no matter their beliefs or worldview, is a gross violation of their and all Americans' First Amendment rights to free speech and free association," the joint statement reads. "In a country founded on the right to hold different opinions than the king, the President's shameless attempt to punish nonprofits and charities who may not co-sign his extremist agenda is deeply un-American."
"These coercive efforts also violate donors' intent for how contributions should be used," the statement continues. "As attorneys general, we are the chief regulators of nonprofits, charities, and charitable trusts in our states, and serve as representatives of the public and donor intent. We strongly condemn the Trump Administration's naked effort to intimidate charities from fulfilling their missions and donors' intent. Our message to the nonprofits and charities we oversee is: You keep fulfilling your missions, and we will keep fighting against attempts to weaponize the government to suppress your legitimate activities and constitutional freedoms."
The president's memorandum was issued following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Trump has also designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
The memorandum states that, "The United States requires a national strategy to investigate and disrupt networks, entities, and organizations that foment political violence so that law enforcement can intervene in criminal conspiracies before they result in violent political acts. Through this comprehensive strategy, law enforcement will disband and uproot networks, entities, and organizations that promote organized violence, violent intimidation, conspiracies against rights, and other efforts to disrupt the functioning of a democratic society."
US Attorney General Pam Bondi, at the direction of President Trump, recently vowed to take down left-wing extremist groups, including Antifa, and those that may be funding such networks.
Rayfield's statement comes as the area around the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Southwest Portland has been under siege by Antifa-affiliated agitators for more than four consecutive months, which the president has been actively working to put a stop to.
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