A rioter brandishes a Mexican flag during the chaos of the LA anti-ICE riots.Reuters/Barbara Davidson
Concrete blocks hurled at law enforcement officers. Police cruisers set ablaze in broad daylight. Federal buildings damaged by graffiti and explosives.
As rioters overtook the streets of Los Angeles to block Immigration and Customs Enforcement from following through on their responsibilities, President Trump took swift action in a moment of crisis. In calling the National Guard to California to protect federal assets and agents, restore order, and get the riots under control, President Trump showed Americans what true leadership looks like.
But California Governor Gavin Newsom showed what weakness looks like. Newsom sided with the rioters. He attempted to block the National Guard from restoring law and order as a violent mob burned down a community in his state.
And who backed Newsom as he allowed rioters to destroy the streets of California? Kansas?! Governor Laura Kelly rushed to Newsom’s defense, leading the signing of a strongly worded letter that was slow to condemn attacks on law enforcement but quick to condemn President Trump for sending in the National Guard to calm the situation.
Governor Kelly’s decision to side with Gavin Newsom and violent rioters as they obstruct the rule of law is disgraceful.
In Kansas, we support law and order. That’s why more than 750,000 Kansans helped elect Donald J. Trump to the Presidency. It’s why our Attorney General directed the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to work with ICE to deport criminal illegal aliens and keep our communities safe. And that’s why Kansans did not take to the streets to stop ICE agents from arresting an illegal alien convicted of attempted murder in Wichita earlier this year.
Kansans support law and order because we don’t want the policies of California making their way to the Sunflower State.
We want secure borders, strong immigration laws, and safe communities. We support law enforcement officers in their efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and deport dangerous illegal aliens in our communities. And we support President Trump’s commitment to upholding law and order, which he demonstrated in his decision to send National Guard troops to Los Angeles.
In a time of crisis, Laura Kelly had the opportunity to demonstrate her self-given “Middle of the Road” label. Siding with law and order over a violent mob injuring police officers should not be a difficult task for someone who claims to govern from the middle.
Shockingly, she chose to side with a violent mob waving foreign flags as they assaulted law enforcement officers and set fire to an American community. Her decision to back rioters sends a clear signal: our governor will bend the knee if this violent mob makes its way to our state.
Kansans deserve better.
Ty Masterson – President, Kansas Senate
Ty Masterson, a Republican, is President of the Kansas Senate, representing the 16th District since 2009. From 2005 to 2008, he was a Representative in the Kansas House. He lives in Andover and has served on the Andover City Council.
