Tom Ridge Rips His Old Agency

Former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge “had sharp words for his former agency Tuesday, condemning the Trump administration’s decision to send federal officers into the streets of Portland to quell protests, saying it was ‘counterproductive,’ and that it was not the agency’s mission to act as domestic law enforcement,” the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports.

Said Ridge: “The department was established to protect America from the ever-present threat of global terrorism. It was not established to be the president’s personal militia.”

He added: “Had I been governor, even now, I would welcome the opportunity to work with any federal agency to reduce crime or lawlessness in the cities. But I would tell you, it would be a cold day in hell before I would consent to an uninvited, unilateral intervention into one of my cities.”