West Coast, Messed Coast™ Law and Disorder Edition

The major cities along West Coast, Messed Coast™ are where polite society goes to die. Good day after Thanksgiving to you. And we start our journey through dystopia in — where else? — Portland, Oregon, where the crime is high, the police are few, and the only ones getting busted on charges are, well, now that is the question.

The other day, an alert colleague rolled up a story into a ball, bound it with concertina wire, and lobbed it over my transom. Attached was a note. You do this story, I’m too annoyed. Or words to that effect.

In short, the story goes like this. Shoplifters, grand theft auto suspects, and other “petty” criminals are going unpunished because, doggone it, woke DA Mike Schmidt claims there aren’t enough free lawyers out there to represent them. In fact, he’s had to let 300 criminals off the hook because they were found in stolen cars multiple times, but they never fenced one and got enough to pay for the attorney they’d need if they ever got caught. Now there aren’t enough free lawyers, so Schmidt’s letting the guy go who stole your car.

We know who Schmidt is. He’s the George Soros lackey who convinced voters that a prosecutor’s main job is not prosecuting people the Left likes. He let off hundreds of Antifa and BLM rioters for burning, looting, and making the city unsafe in 2020. One of the few was “sentenced” this week to restitution for vandalizing the Democratic Party HQ.

Indeed, this week alone in this West Coast, Messed Coast™ area, besides claiming it’s someone else’s fault that ne-er-do-well rip-offs and car thieves can’t get a free lawyer, the DA has announced that he’s only bringing “immigration neutral” charges against illegal aliens because he doesn’t want them shipped out of the country since it’s not their fault they’re criminals. Got it?

Here’s how the far-Left Portland Mercury explains the policy.

The new policy directs Deputy District Attorneys to reach “immigration neutral” case resolutions whenever possible, meaning prosecutors should bring charges that don’t result in automatic deportation for noncitizens. The policy also explicitly restricts prosecutors from threatening an immigrant with criminal charges that would lead to deportation in an effort to get a plea bargain. Under the new policy, prosecutors may opt to charge an immigrant with reasonable charges that do not trigger automatic deportation proceedings under federal law.

Several activists were at the news conference where Schmidt proudly announced this program. One wore a shirt reading “Love Has No Borders.” Another person was from the Latino Network because those racists all believe that illegal aliens are only Latino–the exception being that white nudist guy from Canada who took a hammer to Paul Pelosi. Color-blind justice? Pfft.

On the bright side, the DA’s lack of prosecutions may obviate the need for free lawyers that are in short supply! Win, win, West Coast, Messed Coast™ readers!

But hang on! I told you Schmidt’s been busy this week not prosecuting people. In addition to all those criminals above, the DA hasn’t been busy prosecuting petty thieves. In a story entitled “Why is Multnomah County’s prosecution rate for petty theft so much lower than neighboring counties, really?” KGW TV surveyed all three metro area counties and their petty crime prosecutions.

[The] latest report examined the rate at which county district attorneys prosecute misdemeanor theft cases, and found that Washington County prosecuted 93% of cases brought by police and Clackamas County prosecuted 84%.

In Multnomah County, it was only 46%.

Schmidt told the TV reporter that the only cases he brings are cases he believes they can win (like every other prosecutor’s office in America)–except those going after Donald Trump.

And the effect on Portland and surrounding areas? This lack of social order may force out the headquarters of Salt & Straw because the city is unsafe, as I reported. So few offenses are prosecuted, resulting in dangerous conditions for their employees and the rest of Portland, that the business is thinking of leaving when their lease is up in April. They blame homelessness brought on by drug addiction. And where do those drugs come from? Illegal aliens working for the cartels–who aren’t being prosecuted in the sanctuary city of Portland.

Wait, was that the sound of Leftist heads exploding?

And Oregon voters just approved more stringent gun laws so that it will be harder than ever to defend themselves.

Speaking of dysfunction, up the road in Seattle, local leaders, when they’re not prioritizing expensive electric buses and free abortions, are busy paying for defunding the police again. It appears pattern recognition is in short supply on the council.

Colleague Jason Rantz explains that the mayor wants to cut $11 million from the budget and so the 200 cops that were slated to be hired will be nearly halved. He writes that “thanks to the virulently anti-police council, it will be impossible to fill the open positions.” He explains, “[T]he department has already lost roughly 500 police since the Black Lives Matter riots and protests. They’ll be lucky to hire the 120 they’re budgeting for.”

That’s going to work out great for criminals in that West Coast, Messed Coast™ city, but not so much for law-abiding citizens.

There was justice in San Diego this week, thank God. The city where I spent many years showed some intestinal fortitude and prosecuted what they call an “Antifa cell,” labeling the continuing criminal enterprise by its actual terrorist name. The roving attack against people and at least one dog that occurred in January 2021 was along the Pacific Beach boardwalk, which is usually occupied by bicyclists, walkers, and roller skaters.

The assaults were numerous and lasted a long time along the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, San Diego in January 2021. The #antifa members blinded targets with pepper spray before punching and kicking them. Here’s part of the assault: pic.twitter.com/vFikfVZ41K

— Andy Ngô 🏳️‍🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) December 12, 2021

San Diego is taking this roving attack quite seriously. Eleven people in all have been prosecuted so far. Five people this week admitted to participating in the violent attack.

Finally, keep your head up, West Coast, Messed Coast™ readers.

Photo of an ironworker during construction of the Columbia Tower, Seattle, 1984. pic.twitter.com/ZJVLmBoBpn

— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) November 21, 2022