At one of his super-spreader events in Greenville North Carolina on Thursday, a flailing Trump boasted to his people about how federal agents murdered an anti-fascist activist. The implication was that having agents kill a suspect without trial was an example of his own "leadership." He said, probably not even cognizant that there was anything wrong, "We sent in the U.S. Marshals. Took 15 minutes, it was over. We got him." Trump's boast was disgusting-- and a lie. The suspect, Michael Reinoehl, was killed by local officers, not by anyone Trump sent-- apparently in cold blood and without trying to arrest him. Yesterday, Los Angeles Congressman Ted Lieu, a former prosecutor, urged Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz to open an investigation into whether U.S. Marshals task force officers had legitimate grounds to kill Michael Reinoehl. He suggested Horowitz explore these 5 questions:
• Were the U.S. Marshals given any type of order or suggestion that they kill Mr. Reinoehl without trying to arrest him first?• Did the President give any orders or suggestions to the U.S. Marshals related to the killing of Mr. Reinoehl? If so, what was that order or suggestion?• Did the Attorney General give any orders or suggestions to the U.S. Marshals related to the killing of Mr. Reinoehl? If so, what was that order or suggestion?• Did the U.S. Marshals have legitimate grounds to use deadly force?• What attempts, if any, were made to first arrest or subdue Mr. Reinoehl?
He reminded Horowitz that "Extrajudicial killings in the U.S. are illegal... Under our Constitution, the federal government cannot deprive a person of his or her life without due process of law, regardless of what crimes they are suspected of committing. The members of the U.S. Marshals’ task force were legally authorized to use deadly force only if they or another person faced an imminent threat from Mr. Reinoehl. Based on both the reporting from the NY Times and the words of Donald Trump, that does not appear to be the case."Murdered anti-fascist Michael Reinoehl
