Andrew McCarthy: The President Has the Constitutional Power to Restore Order. He Must Act.

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What has happened over the last few nights in major cities of the United States is unacceptable. It has gotten worse because of federal and state passivity.

Law enforcement is a vital response to any riotous uprising. Indeed, I believe the failure to enforce the laws without apology from the start of the upheaval last week has fueled its ferocity. It would be naïve to claim that much of the violence, which is being incited and coordinated by radical groups, might not have happened anyway — these groups are always on a hair-trigger, pouncing on any opportunity to make mayhem. But how badly things get out of control has a lot to do with the resolve of state and federal law enforcement. The laws do not enforce themselves.

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That said, law enforcement on its own is inadequate to restore order once order has been lost. Police and prosecutorial offices simply do not have the resources to quell widespread seditionist violence. Consequently, other provisions of law must be considered.

Under Article IV of the Constitution, the United States guarantees every state a republican form of government, protection against invasion, and — on request of the state government — protection from domestic violence. In furtherance of this provision, Congress enacted legislation, most notably, the Insurrection Act of 1807, which empowers the president “to suppress, in any State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy.” Obviously, suppressing such attacks requires deploying the United States armed forces as needed.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the Insurrection Act was beefed up to enable presidents to respond to natural disasters, public-health emergencies, terrorist attacks, and other catastrophic conditions.

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What has happened over the last few nights in major cities of the United States is unacceptable. It has gotten worse because the federal and state governments have failed to convey the signal that order will be maintained and the rule of law enforced.

That must end. The president and governors must work together to restore order, including by deployment of the military where that is necessary. The Justice Department and state law enforcement, particularly the FBI and its Joint Terrorism Task Forces, must make it clear that lawbreakers will be arrested and serious crimes will be vigorously prosecuted. Anti-America must be made to understand that America has had enough.

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The President must deliver a prime time address to the nation that will double down on Bill Barr's great statement today and demonstrate how the federal government will do everything it possibly can to put down these unlawful violent riots and arrest the agitators that fanned the flames of these riots.

These riots need to be put down with a show of force that is so overwhelming that it will make the criminals have second thoughts before participating in such criminal acts. And these riots won't end until good people decide to put that overwhelming show of force into action.

LAW AND ORDER!