Right-wing extremism: June 2009

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Right-wing extremism: June 2009

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John Ensign

Did A Shadowy Christian Group Help Keep Ensign's Secret?

Zachary Roth | June 22, 2009, 1:20PM

Senate Republicans, it's becoming clear, aren't exactly lining up to defend John Ensign.

Of course, that's not so surprising, given the damage that sex scandals have inflicted on the GOP in recent years. But could it be that the Ensign imbroglio poses a particularly thorny problem for some Republicans because, aside from the sex and jobs angle, the story threatens to shine an unflattering light on the role of the shadowy religious group to which the Nevada senator belongs?

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Topics: Hillary Clinton, John Ensign, Right-wing extremism, Sex

Racism

Accused Far-Right Killer Has Bizarre, Troubled Past

Zachary Roth | June 16, 2009, 5:18PM

So this morning, the story of Shawna Forde -- the alleged ringleader in the recent murder of a nine-year-old girl and her father near the US-Mexico border -- appeared to be pretty run-of-the-mill stuff: it looked like your standard plot to start a "revolution against the US government" by recruiting members of the Aryan Nations to a vigilante anti-immigrant border-patrol group, in order to rob Mexican drug cartels, then use that money to free kidnap victims in Syria.

Dog bites man, we figured.

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Topics: Racism, Right-wing extremism

Right-wing extremism

More Far-Right Violence? Anti-Immigrant Suspects In Arizona Killing Have Ties To White Supremacists

Zachary Roth | June 16, 2009, 12:48PM

The recent murders of a Kansas doctor who performed late-term abortions and of a guard at the National Holocaust Museum have stoked fears of a rise in right-wing extremist violence -- just as that much-maligned DHS report predicted. And now it looks like we've got another one to add to the list...

According to local law enforcement, three people posing as police officers forced their way into the home of Raul Flores in Arivaca, Arizona, about 10 miles from the Mexican border, on May 30. They shot and killed Flores and his nine-year-old daughter, and wounded Flores' wife. The three, Shawna Forde, Jason Bush, and Albert Gaxiola, were arrested and charged last Thursday and Friday.

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Topics: Racism, Right-wing extremism

Right-wing extremism

SHOCKER: Buchanan Prefers "The Old Bigotry" To Affirmative Action

Zachary Roth | June 12, 2009, 1:55PM

OK, we know it's not exactly breaking news that Pat Buchanan holds some views that are borderline racist, to put it mildly. But this one is just too blatant to pass up.

In his latest column for Human Events -- a forum he often uses to air opinions that wouldn't fly during his regular gigs as a commentator on MSNBC -- Buchanan writes that he "prefers the old bigotry" to the Ivy League affirmative action policies that may have benefited Sonia Sotomayor, because "at least it was honest."

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Topics: Media, Racism, Right-wing extremism

Racism

Latest Right-Wing Meme: Von Brunn's A Lefty

Zachary Roth | June 11, 2009, 4:19PM

It's hardly been 24 hours since James Von Brunn allegedly walked into the Holocaust Museum and shot museum guard Stephen Johns. But already conservatives from Rush Limbaugh to Red State have started advancing their latest up-is-down meme: Von Brunn -- a white supremacist consumed by hatred of Jews and blacks, who has called for President Obama to release his birth certificate -- isn't really a right-winger -- in fact, he's a lefty.

Let's count off the examples:

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Topics: Media, Racism, Right-wing extremism

Right-wing extremism

Von Brunn's Site Was Transferred Out Of His Name June 1

Zachary Roth | June 11, 2009, 10:05AM

The registration for James Von Brunn's now-defunct white supremacist website, HolyWesternEmpire.org, was transferred out of Von Brunn's name on June 1, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The information, which SPLC obtained through a search of online records, suggests that Von Brunn was at the time planning the attack on the Holocaust Museum of which he is now suspected, and may have wanted to ensure that the site continued.

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Topics: James von Brunn, Right-wing extremism

Right-wing extremism

Did Von Brunn See Significance In The Number 88?

Zachary Roth | June 10, 2009, 4:52PM

Is there a significance to the fact that James Von Brunn allegedly carried out this shooting at the Holocaust Museum at the age of 88?

Eighty-eight is a number with particular significance in Neo-Nazi circles. The eighth letter of the alphabet is 'H', so 88 equates to HH, or "Heil Hitler." The German Neo-Nazi rock group Landser has a song called "88 Rock Band.

The lyrics:

White Power! They call me nazi and I am proud about They call me racist and I shout it out loud I am proud of my race, proud of my land White brothers and sisters Come and raise your hand
We are an 88 Rock 'n' Roll Band
We are an 88 Rock 'n' Roll Band
We are an 88 Rock 'n' Roll Band
and we play for the fallen for race and land

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Topics: Holocaust Museum shooting, James von Brunn, Right-wing extremism

Racism

Von Brunn Promoted Work Of Legendary Anti-Semite

Zachary Roth | June 10, 2009, 4:05PM

It looks like James Von Brunn tried to use Wikipedia to promote the work of Willis Carto, the right-wing Holocaust denier and founder of the Liberty Lobby.

Just last month, a Wikipedia user James Von Brunn asked the site's adminstrators:

How do I get user: James W. von Brunn on Wikipedia website. Also I have a letter from Professor Revilo Oliver pertaining to Willis Carto that I want to attach. ???????"

According to his Wikipedia page, Carto has been accused by some observers of doing more than just about anyone to keep anti-Semitism alive as a political movement in the US during the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Late Update: The Southern Poverty Law Center, which says it added Van Brunn's website as a hate site last year, adds:

In the 1980s or early 1990s, von Brunn was employed by Noontide Press, a part of the Holocaust denying Institute of Historical Review, which was then run by Willis Carto, one of America's most prominent anti-Semites.

So Von Brunn's ties to Carto appear to go far deeper.

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Topics: Holocaust Museum shooting, James von Brunn, Racism, Right-wing extremism

Right-wing extremism

Von Brunn To Fellow Extremists: Don't Go To Montana, Holocaust Memorials Are The Enemy

Zachary Roth | June 10, 2009, 3:53PM

In the posting on a right-wing conspiracy site, Von Brunn specifically mentions the idea that the "enemy" is at Holocaust memorials.

He writes:

There are many, many informed patriots such as YOU who know the score! The question then is why don't the INFORMED, such as YOU, take action? If YOU won't take action, if the INFORMED don't take action who the hell will - certainly not the UN-informed.

Moving to Montana is a cop-out. The ENEMY is at the FED, the networks, Wall Street, Congress; at "Holocaust" memorials, at synagogues, not in some sylvan mountain retreat.

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Topics: Holocaust Museum shooting, James von Brunn, Right-wing extremism

Right-wing extremism

Von Brunn Revered By Some Neo-Nazis

Zachary Roth | June 10, 2009, 3:40PM

James Von Brunn appears to be a kind of revered elder statesman of the hardcore white supremacist movement.

A 2003 posting on the Neo-Nazi website Storm Front, by "The Celtic Pit Dog," asked readers to wish him good health after heart surgery and noted "I have heard many great things about this amazing man."

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Topics: Holocaust Museum shooting, James von Brunn, Right-wing extremism

Right-wing extremism

James Von Brunn: A Profile

Brian Beutler and Zachary Roth | June 10, 2009, 3:18PM

On December 7, 1981, a man named James W. Von Brunn pulled out a sawed-off shotgun at the Federal Reserve Board headquarters, claiming to have planted a bomb and threatening to take members of the Board hostage. That was 40 years to the day after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, though it's unclear whether that's a coincidence or not.

Years later, he'd describe the entire incident somewhat differently.

In 1981 Von Brunn attempted to place the treasonous Federal Reserve Board of Governors under legal, non-violent, citizens arrest. He was tried in a Washington, D.C. Superior Court; convicted by a Negro jury, Jew/Negro attorneys, and sentenced to prison for eleven years by a Jew judge. A Jew/Negro/White Court of Appeals denied his appeal.

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Topics: Holocaust Museum shooting, James von Brunn, Right-wing extremism

Torture

Torture Advocates Mum On Whether They Support Waterboarding Roeder

Zachary Roth | June 8, 2009, 2:18PM

For years now, torture supporters have been using the "ticking time-bomb" scenario to argue that it's irresponsible to issue a blanket ban on torture. If we knew that a bomb was set to explode imminently, goes the argument, and that torture could help obtain information to avert the disaster and save hundreds of lives, who wouldn't do it?

This has always borne more relation to an episode of 24 than to the actual war on terror. Even torture supporters have admitted that no such ticking time-bomb case has ever occurred. But it looks like we may now be confronted with a version of it in a very different context -- and this time, it's hard not to notice that those same torture supporters don't seem to be rushing to call for the waterboard just yet.

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Topics: Dick Cheney, Eric Holder, John Cornyn, Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder, Torture

Media

Report: Before Congressional Run, Scarborough Represented Killer Of Abortion Doctor

Zachary Roth | June 5, 2009, 6:07PM

Over the last week, MSNBC has led the cable-news charge in covering the George Tiller murder -- and the questions it's raised about how implicated the wider anti-abortion movement is in the violence. Rachel Maddow, Keith Olbermann, and Chris Matthews have all covered the story -- Maddow with particular distinction. But until today, one MSNBC show has been conspicuous for its reluctance to touch this major story. That would be Morning Joe, hosted by Joe Scarborough.

This morning, Scarborough publicly addressed the story, for what appears to be the first time. But what he talked about was his own past ties to an anti-abortion killer. And his comments -- which seemed designed largely to minimize those ties -- appear to conflict with other reported facts about the incident.

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Topics: Media, Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

FBI

Justice Department To Probe Tiller Killing

Zachary Roth | June 5, 2009, 3:34PM

The Justice Department has announced an investigation into whether federal crimes were committed in connection with the murder of Dr. George Tiller.

In a press release, DOJ writes that it will probe whether there were violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act or other federal statutes in the case.

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Topics: FBI, Justice Department, Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

FBI

FBI 9/11 Whistleblower: Bureau Dropped The Ball On Tiller Case

Zachary Roth | June 4, 2009, 5:51PM

We told you earlier about questions over whether the FBI responded aggressively enough to detailed information it got about Scott Roeder, who's charged with killing Kansas doctor George Tiller.

And one prominent former bureau veteran says the answer is no.

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Topics: FBI, Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

FBI

Before Tiller Murder, FBI Got Detailed Info On Roeder's Illegal Activity

Zachary Roth | June 4, 2009, 11:56AM

Earlier this week, we raised questions about whether the FBI acted aggressively enough after getting a tip about Scott Roeder, who's been charged with murdering Kansas doctor George Tiller.

And those questions are only getting louder. Last night, the abortion clinic worker who had provided that tip went on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show, where he laid out Roeder's various efforts to vandalize the clinic -- starting in 2000 and culminating the day before Tiller's murder -- as well as the detailed information that the FBI received about the incidents.

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Topics: FBI, Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

FBI

Did FBI Fail To Act On Roeder Tip?

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 5:50PM

Did a failure of law enforcement help lead to the murder of Kansas doctor George Tiller?

Earlier today we told you about evidence that the FBI may have failed to follow up on a tip it got about Scott Roeder, who this afternoon was charged with Tiller's killing. CNN reported that, just a day before Tiller was slain, a worker at a Kansas abortion clinic had seen Roeder trying to tamper with the building's locks, and reported the incident to the Feds. He said he was told in response that the bureau couldn't do anything unless a grand jury was convened.

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Topics: FBI, Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

Scott Roeder

Roeder Called Himself "Citizen Of The Republic Of Kansas"

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 11:49AM

Yet more details about the extremist background of Scott Roeder, the suspect in the George Tiller murder.

USA Today reports that Roeder "called himself a citizen of the Republic of Kansas who didn't want to pay income or Social Security taxes or register his car."

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Topics: Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

Right-wing extremism

Source: Roeder Tried To Vandalize Abortion Clinic Saturday

Zachary Roth | June 2, 2009, 10:01AM

It looks like Scott Roeder, the suspect on the murder of George Tiller, was targeting other abortion providers in the days before Tiller's slaying Sunday.

A worker at a clinic in Kansas City, Kansas at which Roeder regularly demonstrated told CNN that early Saturday morning, he "actually chased after" Roeder after catching him trying to pour epoxy into the facility's locks two weekends in a row.

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Topics: Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

Department of Homeland Security

DHS Report On Right-Wing Extremism Looking Better After Tiller Murder

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 4:00PM

Remember that report by the Department of Homeland Security about the potential for a rise in right-wing extremism thanks to the election of President Obama and the economic crisis?

It triggered so much outrage on the right that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was forced to apologize. RNC chair Michael Steele said it accused peaceful conservative activists of being "terorrists." Michelle Malkin called it a "hit job" and a "piece of crap" that offered a "sweeping indictment of conservatives." And Andrew McCarthy of National Review called it "appalling" and "nakedly political."

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Topics: Department of Homeland Security, Right-wing extremism

Scott Roeder

Tiller Suspect "Suffered From Mental Illness"

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 2:41PM

Scott Roeder, the suspect in the George Tiller murder, had suffered from mental illness in the past, according to his family.

In a statement to the Topeka Capital-Journal, Roeder's brother Dave Roeder said:

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Topics: Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

Scott Roeder

Tiller Murder Suspect's Wife: He Was Involved In "A Lot Of Anti Stuff"

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 1:03PM

Here's a bit more on Scott Roeder, the suspect in the George Tiller murder. Wichita, Kansas-based KAKE reached Roeder's ex-wife by phone.

According to the woman, who asked that her name not be used, the two have been divorced since 1996, and have a 22-year-old son together. The woman said that one reason for the couple's split was what she called Roeder's radical views. It was in 1996 that Roeder was charged for having bomb-making materials in his car.

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Topics: Right-wing extremism, Scott Roeder

Scott Roeder

Tiller Murder Suspect's Ties To Right-Wing Extremism

Zachary Roth | June 1, 2009, 12:10PM

So who is Scott Roeder, the suspect in the George Tiller murder?

The 51-year-old resident of Merriam, Kansas has a record as a fanatical anti-abortion activist, who had made at least one other threat against an abortion provider. And he also has had ties to the a violent right-wing extremist group that came to prominence in the 1990s.