Posted on 05/31/2020 12:48:14 PM PDT by EBH
I know this sounds crazy, but Donald Trump will not be president forever. In fact, he hasn’t been president that long . . . meaning, it was not so long ago that we were dealing with an Obama administration — and its media-Democrat pom-pom squads — that regarded limited-government conservatives, Second Amendment proponents, and many veterans returning from overseas military service as “right-wing extremists” who posed a threat of “domestic terrorism.” Someday, maybe sooner than we’d like to think, Democrats are going to be in power again. Do we really want to give them enhanced federal powers to harass ideological opponents under the guise of “designating” domestic terrorist threats?
Right this minute, in terms of confronting Antifa or any other domestic terrorist organization, we have a more robust array of state and federal law-enforcement powers than we have ever had. Moreover, coordination between federal and state law-enforcement and national-security officers is as good as it has ever been. All that is required to gut Antifa is the will to do it — the will to say, “Regardless of our disparate political views, we Americans draw the line at violent extortion that eviscerates our right to speak, assemble, and engage in constitutionally protected political activity.”
I’d humbly suggest we work on that, rather than wasting our energy on meaningless and potentially counterproductive theater like designating domestic terrorist organizations.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
It’s worth noting there are a number of charges available the the government when prosecuting domestic terrorism, including conspiracy and RICO. Foreign terrorist groups are generally out of our practical reach. I say practical because there are judgments against foreign terror groups and the Great Terrorist, Iran, issued by US courts, but which can’t be collected. When Obama rewarded Iran with cash, he did it in a way that victims in the US couldn’t tap the Iranian funds to collect. Undeserving victims dating back to our Embassy and the attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut up to American terror victims in the mideast. Thanks Barak. But at least the designation of foreign groups allows action against Americans supporting them.
YES!
As I noted in prior posts, there is no "designation" of domestic terror groups, only an FBI listing which is a warning, but has no force of law. If, and I'm not convinced, Soros is funding the multiple, disorganized groups of Antifa, conspiracy and RICO charges are available.
https://www.pipelinenews.org/2020/jan/17/andrew-mccarthy-on-pal-james-comey-ndash-ldquoi-know.html
I question everything this insider says.
These are not disorganized terrorist. Someone pays for and arranges the bussing and supply for these vermin. Who put the pallet of bricks out on the street corner for these terrorists to use? No, these are not disorganized; the organizational structure is hidden from your knowledge, but it surfaces in the aspects, like the bussing and supplying.
I don’t think I used the term ‘domestic terrorists’ ... these bastards are international.
Antifa is an old communist terror group, with lots of ups and downs in their history. Back in the days they worked with the Baader-Meinhof gang they were designated a terror organization by several European countries. Personally, I see a consistent history back to their birth as the Communist militia under the Weimer Republic in 1932. However they are different groups using different. Like the post Civil War KKK, the early 20th century KKK and some would see the post WWII KKK as a third organization. All with the same ideology. I'm not sure a single Antifa organization exists in the US, rather kindred groups. Like the many Arab terror groups on the State Dept list. I don't know there's an easy link to non US groups. Though I wouldn't care if State designated them, assuming they could make it stick.
Doesn’t the term fall under the Patriot Act section 802?
Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act (Pub. L. No. 107-52) expanded the definition of terrorism to cover “”domestic,”” as opposed to international, terrorism. A person engages in domestic terrorism if they do an act “dangerous to human life” that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to: (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping. Additionally, the acts have to occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States and if they do not, may be regarded as international terrorism.
Section 802 does not create a new crime of domestic terrorism. However, it does expand the type of conduct that the government can investigate when it is investigating “terrorism.” The USA PATRIOT Act expanded governmental powers to investigate terrorism, and some of these powers are applicable to domestic terrorism.
YES. That’s how you go after them. With the crimes. Not a designation, likely unconstitutional, which a Dem administration would apply to the NRA, pro life groups, Baptists and Orthodox Jews. Maybe the Republican party.
Relative to the crime, I should have noted that 802 is what brings what would be individual state crimes into the Federal system. Like RICO, often abused, and conspiracy.
Now that these “protests” have gone international, doesn’t it take it out of the domestic realm as well? And Lord knows our allies would be real upset if this insanity starts in London, Dublin etc.
I don’t know. I’m sure you’d have to link the groups. And I suspect they’d have to be more than linked, but actually the same organization. I noted some of the risks of domestic designations, which are likely unconstitutional. But I don’t see any advantages. Unlike foreign groups, US Antifa and their actions are already subject to US laws. What’s usually missing with domestic groups is a willingness to go after them. Individuals under the banner moving state to state, inspiring violence, transporting bricks and bombs, I think there’s plenty there. At least with individuals. Are there groups controlling them, I don’t know, but it seems logical. And the Attorney General seems to suspect it. The administration has plenty of tools
Having a same source of funding links these devils internationally.
>> there are judgments against foreign terror groups and the Great Terrorist, Iran, issued by US courts
I recall concerns about “unintended consequences”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.