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Domestic Terrorism Donald Trump Elections

Homeland Security: Trump ‘Reinstatement’ Conspiracy Theory May Trigger Domestic Terrorism: Report

As the conspiracy theory that former President Donald Trump will be reinstated in August continues to gain traction on right-wing media and among some ardent Trump supporters, it’s also causing considerable concern among the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that it could touch off acts of domestic terrorism.

According to Politico, John Cohen, the top counterterrorism official at DHS, told members of the House Homeland Security Committee this week that the agency is watching chatter among “reinstatement” theorists carefully:

“In the briefing, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) asked Cohen how DHS is following the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories, as well as the way that discourse can fuel violence. She specifically brought up the conspiracy theory claiming Trump will be reinstated as president in August — a theory Trump himself has reportedly promoted.

“Cohen replied that DHS is not aware of any specific, credible threats of violence linked to the conspiracy theory about Trump being reinstated. But he added that DHS is following discussion of the topic online among extremist communities. And he said department officials are highly concerned about it because it fuels the false narrative that the election was rigged — a narrative that may trigger a violent response from extremists.”

This is what we’ve come to in the United States: Lies are spread on Fox News, Newsmax, and One America and then work their way into the morass of disinformation and virulent hatred that festers in online communities.

Perhaps the most fervent spreader of lies that Trump will be returned to the White House later this year is MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell, who continues to move the goalposts when one deadline passes without the failed, one-term president being coronated as national potentate. Reportedly, even Trump is buying Lindell’s fact-free pronouncements:

“Lindell told The Daily Beast that Trump probably reached that conclusion because he has been promoting it.”

“If Trump is saying August, that is probably because he heard me say it publicly.”

The reinstatement lie has also gained traction among a large number of Americans, with almost one-third saying in a recent poll that they also believe Trump will be back as head of state sometime this year.

It remains to be seen how conspiracy theorists will react if Trump is indicted, which seems likely, but there have been warnings that action may also touch off acts of terrorism from Trump supporters.

Apparently, we now live in a country where millions of our fellow citizens are too damn lazy to search for the truth and too stupid to believe it when it’s right in front of them.

 

Categories
Crime Domestic Terrorism Elections Justice Department Sedition

DOJ Issues New Criminal Conspiracy Charges Against Capitol Insurrectionists

The wait is over for some of the people who participated in the January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol which resulted in the deaths of five people, including a member of the Capitol Police Force.

CNN reports that the U.S. Department of Justice has begun handing down more criminal conspiracy charges against members of the group known as the Oath Keepers:

“The Justice Department has added four new defendants to the federal criminal conspiracy case against Oath Keepers who allegedly prepared for and took part in the US Capitol riot, according to a new indictment made public in DC District Court on Sunday.

“The newly named Oath Keeper defendants are Joseph Hackett, who went by ‘Ahab,’ Jason Dolan, who went by ‘Turmoil,’ and William Isaacs, all from Florida. A fourth new defendant’s name and alleged actions are still redacted.”

All of the Oath Keeper defendants are accused of taking part in a criminal conspiracy and entering the restricted Capitol grounds:

 “Isaacs, for instance, allegedly yelled, ‘The fight’s not over’ once the Oath Keepers group had gotten inside the building, and he waved rioters down the hallway toward the Senate, according to the indictment.”

Additionally, five of the individuals already named as defendants are also facing charges of allegedly deleting their social media and cell phone activity, which could lead to them being convicted of obstruction of justice and other federal felonies.

The new court filings also lay out disturbing new details about how the Oath Keepers illegally attempted to smuggle weapons into Washington, D.C. for the Jan. 6 event:

“Department of Justice prosecutors were describing in court filings what else they’ve learned about the group’s so-called Quick Reaction Force, an effort to allegedly bring guns to a Northern Virginia Comfort Inn as backup for the siege.

“Previously, prosecutors had described how the Oath Keepers gathered and stashed weapons at the Comfort Inn, and how defendant Thomas Caldwell of Virginia allegedly had floated an idea of ferrying weapons across the Potomac River to assist with the Capitol siege.”

Before federal prosecutors are finished, many of the Oath Keeper defendants could well be facing charges that would put them in federal prison for the remained of their lives, a fitting punishment for anyone who dares to try and overthrow the elected representatives of the nation as they were going about their official duty of certifying the 2020 presidential election results.

Ironically, the Oath Keepers love to portray themselves as being devoted to the principle of defending the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” But they’re nothing more than terrorist punks who deserve to rot behind bars.

 

Categories
Crime Domestic Terrorism Donald Trump Justice Department Racism Sedition

DOJ May May Have A Way To Destroy All Right-Wing Extremist Groups In The U.S.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is ratcheting up the pressure on the insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol in January, leaving five people dead, with reports suggesting that federal prosecutors are planning to charge as many as 500 more people for their connection to the riots.

And now we’re learning that the Justice Department may use a legal theory which would allow them to take down right-wing extremist groups such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.

 

Former FBI Assistant Director Frank Figliuzzi was a guest on MSNBC recently and was asked by host Alex Witt about the ongoing investigation:

“The Justice Department is now saying it expects to charge at least 500 people with taking part in those riots on Capitol Hill. So far over 400 have been charged in what the DOJ is calling one of the largest investigations in U.S. history.

“DOJ lawyers is calling this one of the largest — not just because of the number of people charged, but the sheer volume of evidence. It includes, last count, something like 20,000 hours of video from surveillance and police body cameras. I mean, can you put this in perspective and your reaction to all of it?”

Figliuzzi responded:

“Yeah, Alex, certainly, in my 25-year career including, by the way, 9/11 and the aftermath and inquiry of that — this makes that pale in comparison in terms of the span and scope of this investigation and the volume of evidence related to it.”

And that’s where the legal theory about charging groups with conspiracy and other crimes that would shatter them into a million pieces comes into play, Figliuzzi explained:

“And I am hearing from people I talked to involved in the investigation that yes, indeed, they will hit the 500 number in arrests and maybe surpass that, but that far more importantly, Alex, the magnitude of the charges will move from things like trespass and assault all of the way up to conspiracy and we’re seeing more of that and even possibly sedition and even possibly an enterprise theory of approach which is under consideration to take down and dismantle groups like Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.”

Dismantle them completely. Destroy them and everything they stand for. They’re right-wing terrorists and belong in prison.

 

Categories
Domestic Terrorism Donald Trump Elections Right Wing Morons

Some Right-Wing Extremist Groups Are Now Calling For Trump’s ‘Arrest’ And ‘Execution’

Seven months ago, extremist demonstrators were only too happy to display their undying loyalty to Donald Trump by marching on the U.S. Capitol and storming the building, which led to the deaths of five people, including a police officer.

Now, however, some of those same once-loyal Trump worshipers are calling the president a “coward” and insisting that he either needs to be arrested or executed, according to a report from Jesselyn Cook of HuffPost:

“In online havens for MAGA extremists, including Gab, CloutHub, MeWe, Telegram and far-right message boards such as 8kun, the tone toward Trump is shifting. HuffPost reviewed thousands of messages across these platforms and found that a growing minority of the president’s once-devout backers are now denouncing him and rejecting his recent pleas for peace. Some have called for his arrest or execution, labelling him a ‘traitor’ and a ‘coward.’ Alarmingly, many of those who are irate about Biden’s supposed electoral theft are still plotting to forcibly prevent him from taking office – with or without Trump’s help.”

What led to the shift in opinion among the extremists who have supported Trump since he first labeled Mexican immigrants as “rapists”? Apparently it was the video the president made in which he called for a peaceful transfer of power and an end to the violence that had taken place at the Capitol.

“’So he basically just sold out the patriots who got rounded up for him,’ one person wrote in a 15,000-member pro-Trump Telegram group. ‘Just wow.’

“’We don’t follow you,’ another Telegram user wrote, addressing Trump, after the president put out his video urging calm and order. ‘Be quiet and get out of our way.'”

There have also been messages such as this one:

On other forums, there are calls to “burn down” the Capitol and “pop some libtards”:

“WHATEVER IT TAKES!!” Some posts are more specific:“Civil War is here. Group up locally. Take out the News stations,” one person declared. “LET’S HANG THEM ALL,” another implored. “LET’S FINISH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.”

The Boogaloo Boys, a far-right extremist group that openly advocates for civil war, have also issued a call to arms:

“Theres a war coming, and cowering in your home [while] real patriots march with rifles … will make you a traitor,” commented a member of an encrypted Boogaloo chat.

Other postings are aimed directly at Trump, and suggest that he too may be a part of the problem that the extremists call for neutralizing:

Among the recent messages excoriating Trump in dedicated pro-Trump networks: “tbh I hope they hang Trump at this point”; “He deserves what’s coming to him”; “he is literally done he will die in jail”; “Seriously hoping they’ll lock him up or lynch [him]”; “Guy is the biggest cuck ever at this point” “Can’t wait til the left locks up his bitch ass. Rot in prison.” Several people have proclaimed that at this point, Trump can only redeem himself by declaring martial law to maintain power by force.

Clearly, and that could well wind up being a direct threat to him and anyone associated with his administration. But the only person to blame for what’s become of some of his former acolytes is the man-child Trump sees whenever he looks in the mirror.