Portland Police Union Head Proposes Ballot Initiative to Curb Protest Activity
Portland police stand in a street during protests, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in Portland. AP Photo/John Locher
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An initiative submitted to Oregon’s secretary of state for consideration on the 2022 ballot would grant local governments the authority to restrict the time, place, and manner of protests and demonstrations. The initiative, which was spearheaded by the head of the Portland police union, would establish a 10 p.m. noise ordinance for First Amendment-protected activities located near residential areas and a midnight cutoff for protests at all other locations. The initiative would also prohibit any barriers or blockages on sidewalks, the destruction of any public or private property, the setting of fires, and ban the possession of use of fireworks, flammable explosives and laser pointers at demonstrations. If protesters violate the restrictions, the ballot initiative would also make city governments liable for litigation and damages. Chief supporters of the initiative include Portland Police Association president Daryl Turner, police union attorney Anil Karia, and state Rep. Jeff Barker. Proponents of the measure say it would create clear-cut rules for what is allowed and not allowed at demonstrations. “When public safety protocols become politicized, it leads to wildly varying standards from event to event, making situations unpredictable for both protestors and law enforcement officers,” Karia said. [Oregonian, KOIN-TV]
NAKED BALLOTS | Pennsylvania elected officials are going topless as part of an election education campaign. Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam and other female elected officials launched the campaign to remind voters not to return “naked ballots”—a term used to describe ballots mailed back to the elections board without the mandatory secrecy envelope. Voters must also sign their declaration forms. Any absentee ballots mailed without the secrecy envelopes or signatures will be thrown out and state experts have predicted that at least 100,000 votes could be invalidated in the upcoming presidential election. The lawmakers appear topless in campaign photos with graphics of mail-in ballots positioned across their chests. “If we have to get naked to get this message across, that’s what we’re willing to do,” Hallam said. [TribLive]
MASK FINES | As the rate of positive Covid-19 tests in New York City is rising, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city will now seek to fine residents or visitors up to $1,000 if they refuse to wear a face mask in public. Under the policy, police and health officials will first offer a mask to anyone caught not wearing one before issuing them a fine. “We don’t want to fine people, but if we have to, we will,” de Blasio said. The New York state-controlled Metropolitan Transportation Authority imposed a $50 fine this month for commuters who refuse to wear masks while taking public transit. [Reuters]
KANSAS FRAUD | The Kansas Department of Labor has seen an explosion of fraudulent unemployment claims this year as criminal organizations and fraudsters have used stolen identities to try and collect unemployment amid the coronavirus pandemic. The department has blocked at least 45,000 fraudulent unemployment payments so far. Prior to 2020, the most fraudulent claims seen in one year was seven reported in 2013. The state does not know how many payments have been made based on fraudulent claims. The department’s Acting Secretary Ryan Wright said the flood of applications coming from independent contractors—who normally don’t qualify for unemployment, but can get it during the pandemic— has complicated the process. [Kansas City Business Journal, Kansas City Star]
BOEING MOVE | Boeing plans to move production of one of its top selling jetliners from Seattle to South Carolina, a shift that could have significant impacts on Washington state’s economy. The decision to shift production of the Dreamliner 787 to South Carolina comes after Boeing said it would slash production of passenger jets and cut its workforce due to reduced demand this year as the coronavirus pandemic significantly reduced airline travel. Boeing employs more than 70,000 workers in Washington, and 7,000 at its production and assembly plant in North Charleston. [Wall Street Journal]
Andrea Noble is a staff correspondent with Route Fifty.
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