DHS: Veterans, Anti-Communism Threat to U.S.

The Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that it has filed a federal lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

The lawsuit claims that her Department's "Rightwing Extremism Policy," as reflected in the recently publicized Intelligence Assessment, "Rightwing Extemism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," violates the civil liberteries of combat veterans as well as American citizens by targeting them for disfavored treatment on account of their political beliefs.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S.District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host Michael Savage, Iraqi War Marine veteran Kevin Murray, and Gregg Cunningham (President of the pro-life organization Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, Inc. (CBR).

The Law Center claims that Napolitano and the Department of Homeland Security have violated the plaintiffs' First and Fifth Amendment Constitutional rights by attempting to stifle their free speech, expressive association, and equal protection rights.

The lawsuit further claims that the Department of Homeland Security encourages law enforcement officers throughout the United States to target and report citizens to federal officials as suspicious rightwing extremists and potential terrorists because of their political beliefs.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center stated, "The Obama Administration has declared war on American patriots and our Constitution. The Report even admits that DHS has no specific information on any plans of violence by so-called 'rightwing extremists.' Rather, what they do have is the expression of political opinions by certain individuals and organizations that oppose the Obama Administration's policies, and this expression is protected speech under the First Amendment."

Thompson added, "Janet Napolitano is lying to the American people when she says the Report is not based on ideology or political beliefs. In fact, her report would have the admiration of any current or past dictator in the way it targets political opponents."

The Report says that law enforcement should use the following in determining whether someone is a threat to society.

• Gun owner
• Returning war veteran
• Opposes restrictions on firearms
• Opposes the policies of President Barack Obama
• Opposes illegal immigration
• Opposes continuation of free-trade agreements
• Opposes same-sex marriages
• Has paranoia of foreign regimes
• Fear Communist regimes
• Opposes one world government
• Bemoans the decline of U.S. stature in the world
• Upset with loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs to China and India
  

If you are a registered gun owner, returning war veteran, or are actively involved in any of the above listed political beliefs, you are on the DHS list as a rightwing extremist and potential domestic terrorist.

The Thomas More Law Center is asking the court to declare that the DHS policy violates the First and Fifth Amendments, to permanently enjoin the Policy and its application to the plaintiffs' speech and other activities, and to award the plaintiffs their reasonable attorney's fees and costs for having to bring this lawsuit in order to clear their names.

The Thomas More Law Center's complaint

Brian Blackwell