Thread by @ScottHech

For years Oregon's "progressive" AG has fought to keep people imprisoned by a KKK law silencing Black jurors. While lying she lacks power to change it. Not going to work anymore. Journalists are calling her. "The responsibility falls squarely on the office of Ellen Rosenblum."

For 7 years, Ellen Rosenblum was the Attorney General of 1 of 2 states that allowed non-unanimous juries. Let them continue. Wouldn't do anything until the Supreme Court finally took up the case. She *joined Louisiana in asking the Court to keep the racist law alive & thriving.*

Fortunately, the Supreme Court didn't listen to Oregon AG Ellen Rosenblum. In April 2020, they finally acknowledged this racist law was unconstitutional. Even Justice Kavanaugh.

To save face, she praised the decision. Finally, Oregon could "move beyond this embarrassing stain."

But Rosenblum kept fighting. Fighting in Oregon courts against everyone convicted in the past from having the opportunity to have a new, fair trial. Claiming, dangerously, she had no power to do anything. That she was "awaiting guidance" from the Supreme Court on retroactivity.

You see: The decision striking down the KKK-era law to maintain white supremacy by allowing legal lynchings in court, like most new constitutional rules, only applied to the future (or cases then on appeal). But what about all those people the decision didn't cover, @ORDOJ?

Ellen Rosenblum (@ORDOJ) didn't need to "await guidance." She could have conceded retroactivity on her own. Couldve stopped fighting every case. *Instead she fought in the Supreme Court.* Asking the ultra-conservative Justices to block retroactive justice. They listened to her.

The result of Ellen Rosenblum fighting every single case in Oregon courts & arguing forcefully to maintain the impact of white supremacy in the Supreme Court: Not just a major loss on this one issue. A Supreme Court decision damaging to millions impacted by other issues to come.

Now Ellen Rosenblum is trying to pass the buck again. First she claimed she was "awaiting guidance" from the Supreme Court. Now she wants the state legislature to tell her what to do? @ORDOJ, why won't you just use the power you have to do justice?

https://twitter.com/ORDOJ/status/1394687043624603648?s=20

Good news: Ellen Rosenblum's lies & deflections aren't working anymore. People are paying attention. And journalists are calling her out:

"The fate of hundreds of incarcerated Oregonians [are] in the hands of Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum." portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2021/…

Read Rosenblum's statement below claiming to care about this issue. Then consider: "Of the more than 200 people who've filed for this relief, none of them have been granted by Rosenblum's office."

Aliza Kaplan, head of litigation on this cause, calls it out: "Disingenuous."

Head of Oregon's ACLU calling @ORDOJ out: "We know systemic racism embedded in our institution that are difficult to address. A couple hundred people are asking for relief. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t seem like a big ask in work of racial justice."

All Oregon advocates are asking for from Ellen Rosenblum is she stop opposing requests from hundreds still in prison. That she listen to her community, the local ACLU, Human Rights Watch, people & families directly impacted. That way, local DAs can then decide whether to retry.

Join me & a growing coalition of tens of thousands around the country in calling on Ellen Rosenblum--and by extension all state leaders--to use the power they have to end systemic racism. They don't have to obey Justice Kavanaugh. act.colorofchange.org/sign/People_st…