Florida sheriff shares doubts over being able to provide adequate security during Republican National Convention
With the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, Florida, a little over a month away, Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams says a lot of things still need to come together in order for him to provide adequate security for the event.
Williams, a Republican, told Politico it's still not clear what events will be held and where, and they are "not close to having some kind of plan that we can work with that makes me comfortable that we're going to keep that event and the community safe. It's not my event to plan, but I can just tell you that what has been proposed in my opinion is not achievable right now ... from a law enforcement standpoint, from a security standpoint."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As Williams waits for the RNC schedule, he has asked for 2,000 officers from across the state to work in Jacksonville during the event, but so far, only about 500 have committed, Politico reports. Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood is sending two dozen officers, but told Politico he does not think the convention should be held amid the pandemic. It takes months to plan a convention, and "that's without COVID-19," he said. "There's going to be tons of issues. This has something that has never ever happened before. And for some reason common sense is being thrown out the window."
Republican National Committee spokeswoman Mandi Merritt said in a statement that "Jacksonville has accommodated upwards of 70,000 people for football games and other events, and we are confident in state, local, and federal officials to be able to ensure a safe event for our attendees." Read more at Politico.
-
The ‘ravenous’ demand for Cornish mineralsUnder the Radar Growing need for critical minerals to power tech has intensified ‘appetite’ for lithium, which could be a ‘huge boon’ for local economy
-
Why are election experts taking Trump’s midterm threats seriously?IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the president muses about polling place deployments and a centralized electoral system aimed at one-party control, lawmakers are taking this administration at its word
-
‘Restaurateurs have become millionaires’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
NIH director Bhattacharya tapped as acting CDC headSpeed Read Jay Bhattacharya, a critic of the CDC’s Covid-19 response, will now lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
