D.C. attorney general sues Proud Boys, Oath Keepers over Jan. 6 attack

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post

D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D) on Tuesday sued the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers over the Jan. 6 attack on Congress, seeking to use a law written to cripple the Ku Klux Klan to exact stiff financial penalties from the far-right groups that Racine alleges were responsible for the violence. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., cites the modern version of an 1871 law known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, which was enacted after the Civil War to safeguard government officials carrying out their duties and protect civil rights.

Two similar suits have been filed already this year related to Jan. 6 — one by Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, and another by a number of police officers who fought the rioters that day. Racine’s suit, however, is the first effort by a government agency to hold individuals and organizations civilly responsible for the violence at the U.S. Capitol on the day Congress ceremonially confirmed President Biden’s 2020 election victory.

A similar legal tactic led to a $26 million verdict last month against more than a dozen of the nation’s most influential white supremacists and hate groups for their role in the deadly 2017 United the Right rally in Charlottesville. That trial evidence drew heavily on the defendants’ text messages, social media posts and videos to reconstruct how they conspired in advance of the violence. In the 1980s, a lawsuit drove an Alabama-based faction of the Klan into bankruptcy, forcing members to turn over their local headquarters to the family of a murdered Black man.

Racine said the goal of the Jan. 6 lawsuit is “full restitution and recompense” for the city of Washington, which has incurred huge costs for treating hundreds of injured officers. “I think the damages are substantial,” he said in a phone interview. “If it so happens that it bankrupts or puts these individuals and entities in financial peril, so be it.” The suit names as defendants Proud Boys International LLC, Oath Keepers and dozens of their most high-profile members — mostly individuals who are charged in federal court with committing crimes related to Jan. 6.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/racine-jan-6-lawsuit/2021/12/14/4e581d00-5c51-11ec-bda6-25c1f558dd09_story.html

[zaj]

3. We don't identify domestic threats as terrorists

We better them as criminals. And that's probably how it shouod stay.

Otherwise we'd have ended up with BLM flagged as domestic terrorists under Trump.

[zaj]

23. You seem to imagine a scenario where the RW has no power again.

Had we had a domestic terrorism law in place in the last 4 years, Trump would have used it DESPITE the fact that the movement is peaceful. It's only international BECAUSE of it's potential for abuse against peaceful American's.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. The legislation to do just that

passed in the House in 2020 and was blocked (cloture) in the Senate before the legislative submission expired at the end of that Congressional session.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Durbin has reintroduced it this past spring

after Ron Johnson swooped in to torpedo it back October 2020.

Link to tweet

Senator Dick Durbin
@SenatorDurbin
Just left the Senate floor, where I tried to pass my Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2020, which passed the House unanimously last week. This was an easy opportunity for Senate Republicans to actually do something to stop violent white supremacists.

Instead, they objected.
2:49 PM · Oct 1, 2020

Here was Durbin's statement for the resubmission - https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/dem/releases/durbin-reintroduces-legislation-to-combat-rising-domestic-terrorist-threat

March 25, 2021
Durbin Reintroduces Legislation to Combat Rising Domestic Terrorist Threat

WASHINGTON—Following the continued rise in horrific incidents of domestic terrorism and hate crimes targeting religious and ethnic minorities and communities of color, as well as the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reintroduced legislation to address the growing domestic terrorism threat. The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2021 would enhance the federal government’s efforts to prevent domestic terrorism by establishing offices dedicated to combating this threat; requiring federal law enforcement agencies to regularly assess this threat; and providing training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement in addressing it. Durbin has introduced this legislation every Congress since 2017. U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) introduced the House companion legislation in January.

“We must recognize that threats to our homeland aren’t just coming from across the ocean; they’re also coming from across the street,” Durbin said. “As I have said on many occasions, I condemn all violence, regardless of ideology. But we need to be abundantly clear that white supremacists and other far-right extremists are the most significant domestic terrorism threat facing the United States today. This threat must be confronted with the full force of the federal government, which includes finally passing my Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act.”

“For years, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act has been ahead of the curve in recognizing and combatting the threat of racially and ethnically motivated violent extremism, including white supremacists. Though we may never know what those years of inaction have cost Americans, we can act now. I am confident that with Senator Durbin as the new Chair of the Judiciary Committee, the House and Senate will be able to work together to prevent some of the deadliest threats posed to Americans today and pass the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act,” said Schneider.

Last week, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), on behalf of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), released its assessment of the threat posed by domestic violent extremists. Specifically, the IC assessed that “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists”—a category consisting largely of white supremacist extremists—are most likely to conduct mass-casualty attacks against civilians, while violent militia extremists will continue to target law enforcement and government personnel and facilities. The assessment warns that the likelihood and lethality of domestic terrorist attacks may increase in 2021, among other reasons due to “narratives of fraud in the recent general election.”

Earlier this month, as Chair of the Judiciary Committee, Durbin led a domestic terrorism oversight hearing with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray.

The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2021 authorizes Justice Department (DOJ), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and FBI offices that are responsible for monitoring, analyzing, investigating, and prosecuting domestic terrorism. The bill also requires these offices to issue joint biannual reports to the House and Senate Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Intelligence Committees that assess the domestic terrorism threat posed by white supremacists; analyze domestic terrorism incidents that occurred in the previous six months; and provide transparency through a public quantitative analysis of domestic terrorism-related assessments, investigations, incidents, arrests, indictments, prosecutions, convictions, and weapons recoveries.

The DHS, DOJ, and FBI offices would be required to focus their limited resources on the most significant domestic terrorism threats, as determined by the number of domestic terrorism-related incidents outlined in the joint report. The legislation also codifies the Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee (DTEC), an interagency task force, which was originally created by the Department of Justice in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing.

Additionally, the bill requires DOJ, DHS, and the FBI to provide training and resources to assist State, local, and tribal law enforcement in understanding, detecting, deterring, and investigating acts of domestic terrorism. Finally, the legislation would establish an interagency task force to combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration of the uniformed services.

-30-

[IronLionZion]

9. White people don't have a political agenda

Believe it or not, it's our lefties in Congress who oppose using domestic terrorism laws on violent Americans because they know the conservatives will use it against our peaceful protestors. The GOP would love to ban BLM and the mythical Antifa and others.

[IronLionZion]

13. It needs a clear violence provision

so that peaceful protestors won't be maliciously prosecuted for terrorism.

During the summer 2020 protests, I only went to the one that had US Senators marching in it. I figured that one wouldn't get much tear gas or rubber bullets and was right.

[PortTack]

2. This is very good news..break them financially thru legal fees, other expenses and fines

[OldBaldy1701E]

30. I agree completely.

However, knowing how money in this country works, I am betting that they get little or nothing from the defendants and these lunatics will still have all the funding they want. I wish I thought that suing them out of economic existence would have some effect but we know it won't. They need to be locked up. Now. These idiots act like they can handle this, as they are tough. Yeah, like that loony in the furry hat demanding vegan food during his incarceration. Put them all in a cell and throw away the key. Let them experience the same life that they foster on so many others over things that are far less dangerous than insurrection. Don't allow any kowtowing from any of them. I would bet that we would have plenty of 'witnesses for the prosecution' once they have stewed in stir for a year or so.

[dalton99a]

4. Excellent.

[PunkinPi]

5. Great news. Thanks! nt

[TeamProg]

11. TFG will give them all MONEY to save HIS followers !!

[Mr.Bill]

21. "TFG" and "give money"

should never be used in the same sentence.

[Wild blueberry]

12. Great plan!

[panader0]

14. This is great news, but they don't have money.

Confiscate their homes, bank accounts, etc.

[Lonestarblue]

25. I'm not sure about a lack of money.

The NYT has an article today about how the Proud Boys, and other right-wing militias, have moves toward more local interactions, showing up at school board meetings and other local venues to protest because they’ve gotten too much national attention. A lot of the violence protests at recent school board meetings and threats against teachers and school administrators are either motivated by Proud Boys or from them.

These are people who can afford expensive weapons and travel all over the country. I wonder which right-wing billionaire is funding them to take down the US. In my mind, such groups are the equivalent of Hitler’s Brown Shirts.

Edited to add link to the NYT article and a paragraph.

“Members of the Proud Boys, the far-right nationalist group, have increasingly appeared in recent months at town council gatherings, school board presentations and health department question-and-answer sessions across the country. Their presence at the events is part of a strategy shift by the militia organization toward a larger goal: to bring their brand of menacing politics to the local level.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/14/us/proud-boys-local-issues.html

[Leghorn21]

15. YEAH BABY

THANK YOU, AG RACINE

[RockRaven]

17. Good. Hit them from every angle possible. nt

[BlueBlud]

19. Had an online friend, that was highly placed oathkeeper.

Trained cops in antiterrorism response.

He said, in a conversation, that Kent state was NOT a mistake or anything to regret.
He also admitted, that while he would only start the revolution for unconstitutional things, he considered the only things he had seen, were all from the left.

I asked him how he could tell, if someone with an assault rifle is with their secret plot, or the enemy, once revolution starts? I also asked, how the word spreads, to start revolution. He wouldn't say. Couldn't say.

[FakeNoose]

29. Welcome to DU, and thanks for your honesty

[jalan48]

20. D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine is impressive. Glad to see this.

[DENVERPOPS]

26. Good article, BDRS, and some great comments!

THE most important definitions to remember:


Insurrection - an act of revolting against a civil authority or an ESTABLISHED GOVERNMENT

Sedition - incitement of resistance to, or insurrection against, LAWFUL AUTHORITY

Cabal - the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot



We are witnessing, by far, the most thoroughly corrupt political party in the history of our nation...bar none.

Katie Bar The Door.......................

Does any attorney out there know the statutes and penalties for Insurrection or Sedition at a Federal Level??????????????

Addition:
In one of the first tests of freedom of speech, the House passed the Sedition Act, permitting the deportation, fine, or imprisonment of anyone deemed a threat or publishing “false, scandalous, or malicious writing” against the government of the United States.
(Small wonder Fox and others are now claiming they sent texts and made phone calls to try and stop the insurrection)

[BumRushDaShow]

28. I expect in this case

because of the decades of nonsense promulgated by the likes of J. Edgar Hoover and Joe McCarthy, whatever is done needs to be based on some truly ground-breaking legal sound footing, able to withstand the media's penchant for ripping stuff apart in order to shoe-horn whatever we do to see that justice is done, into their usual "well both sides...".

[Mr. Evil]

27. Good!

Make them bleed green.