Democrats are looking to severely restrict "unauthorized militias" by closing a "gap" in federal law and making it extremely difficult for legal militias to carry out their constitutionally protected activities.
The truth is that the bill targets two groups that Democrats hate: gun owners and conservatives.
The Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act is a direct challenge to those who choose to join a militia. The rationale is frightening.
“Three years ago, white supremacists affiliated with paramilitary organizations stormed the U.S. Capitol, shattering windows, walls, and the families of five U.S. Capitol police officers,” said Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in a statement accompanying the bill. “Private paramilitary actors, such as the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, pose a serious threat to democracy and the rule of law, and we must create new prohibitions on their unauthorized activities that interfere with the exercise of people’s constitutional rights. The forces of bigotry, hatred, and violent extremism must be stopped for the sake of our democracy.”
No militia member has ever been charged in the killing of any Capitol Police officer because the dead officers died of natural causes. For a sitting senator to peddle the lie that someone injured the families of Capitol Police officers is lower than low.
“Patrolling neighborhoods, impeding law enforcement, and storming the U.S. Capitol, private paramilitary groups like the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters, and the Proud Boys are using political violence to intimidate our people and threaten democratic government and the rule of law,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). “Our legislation makes the obvious but essential clarification that these domestic extremists’ paramilitary operations are in no way protected by our Constitution. I’m grateful to Senator Markey for his partnership on this critical effort to protect the rule of law, deter insurrection, and defend our democracy.”
There were thousands of Republicans who stormed the Capitol on January 6. Why not ban them?
The legislation would prohibit publicly patrolling, drilling or engaging in harmful or deadly paramilitary activities, interfering with or interrupting government proceedings, interfering with someone else exercising their constitutional rights, falsely assuming the role of law enforcement, and “training to engage in such behavior.”
The lawmakers propose different tiers of criminal penalties, depending on whether violations result in injury or property damage. The bill would establish harsher penalties for repeat offenders, and probationary sentences for first-time offenders. It would also create paths for the DOJ and private individuals to seek civil federal lawsuits against paramilitary activity.
The overwhelming majority of militia members are peaceful, law-abiding Americans who belong because they want to serve their community. But the left is terrified of anyone with a gun even if there's little chance that gun will ever be turned on law enforcement or the military.
Can Antifa or Black Lives Matter make the same claim?
The Capitol riot was the culmination of surging anti-government sentiment and paramilitary activity seen throughout 2020. That year, armed paramilitary groups swarmed government buildings to protest COVID-19 restrictions, plotted to kidnap Michigan’s governor over those restrictions, conducted armed neighborhood patrols in response to racial justice protests, and killed law enforcement officers.
Yes, there are some individuals in the militia movement who are violent but no more so than some individuals in Antifa or BLM members.
The bill is far too broadly drawn and punishes peaceful members of private militias unnecessarily. Either rework the bill to narrow its scope or toss it in the garbage can.
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