Marriott is reportedly housing the violent, lawless federal agents who are acting to diminish democratic rights in the USA even as I type this.
Enterprise is supplying the minivans used to disappear protestors, activists, and possibly even bystanders.
We should not let them profit off such crimes without scrutiny. (Indeed, I would like to make sure that they don’t profit off such crimes at all, but rather pay the normal capitalist penalties for abhorrent behavior: loss of customers and loss of money.
One model letter, written by me and sent to Care@Enterprise.com:
I have received what i consider to be credible reports that your rental vehicles are being used in the process of transporting people detained by federal law enforcement officers in Portland, Oregon.
Although LEOs do indeed have broad powers, these powers are constrained by both the constitution and federal statute. As it happens, respected experts in this area of law, including the Attorney General for the State of Oregon believe that these detentions are unlawful and unconstitutional.Should their analysis be correct, then federal criminal statutes 18 USC § 242 would apply and this behavior would be a felony known as deprivation of right under color of law. Not only is this a very serious crime in its own right, but as the behavior gives every appearance of being planned, and again assuming that the Oregon AG understands and is accurately stating the law involved, further felonies of conspiracy would also have been committed.Acts of this grievous nature not only injure the rights of individuals, but also degrade the ability of the public to participate in the democratic process. This is why the penalty for such crimes is so harsh: up to 10 years in a federal prison.My questions to Enterprise.com, then, are these:1. to what extent were you aware that your vehicles would be used in the commission of a string of multiple felonies?2. When did you first gain that awareness?3. What action is your corporation now taking to limit your involvement with this felonious criminal conspiracy and the erosion of democratic rights?Thank you for your prompt attention.
Good work. What other businesses use Marriott or Enterprise, and might wish to stop doing so to avoid association with this? Hitting them in the wallet is the only language capitalists understand…
your rental vehicles are being used in the process of transporting people detained by federal law enforcement officers in Portland, Oregon
Cue the Dr John defense (“If I don’t do it, somebody else will”) in 5… 4…
Hmmm, does OR still do asset forfeiture? Could not the state of OR seize properties they believe are being used in commission of felonies? As far as I can tell, you don’t even need to arrest anyone to go after their property, let alone convict anyone, since we dispensed with the 4th Amendment some years ago.
I know the Supremes weighed in on this again (after earlier approving the practice), but I didn’t get the impression that they did away with it altogether. I’m sure the Portland PD would be on board since they’re looking at defunding…
(note: I would /s here, but I’m not sure just how sarcastic I’m being in all of this. It probably depends on the current state of the law.)
“I know the Supremes weighed in on this”
Majority opinion with Florence Ballard dissenting…?