A federal judge has thrown out all the significant charges against members of the Hutaree Militia in Michigan. This case was near and dear to Eric Holder, and an effort to use the power of the Justice Department against right wing militias. The federal court found that the defendants did little more than exercise their free speech rights against the government. The Washington Post:
The decision is an embarrassment for the government . . . . “The court is aware that protected speech and mere words can be sufficient to show a conspiracy. In this case, however, they do not rise to that level,” the judge said. . . . U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade declined to comment. Two years ago, when militia members were arrested, she said it was time to “take them down.”
How ironic and delicious. In 2010, some were defending the dismissal of the New Black Panther voter intimidation case on free speech grounds, even though they physically tried to block a poll. To Eric Holder, the political leanings of the speakers seems to determine how much respect for those rights the political appointees at DOJ will afford.
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