Posted on 04/16/2009 1:22:47 PM PDT by jazusamo
A key House Republican Thursday called for a hearing to investigate a Department of Homeland Security report that highlights security risks posed by extremist groups and disgruntled veterans.
Rep. Peter King (N.Y.), the ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, has asked for a hearing into the matter, one day after the committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said he was dumbfounded by how the agency could release such a report.
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, who has endured a barrage of congressional criticism over the report, on Thursday made the rounds of the morning news programs, appearing in five interviews to defend her agencys monitoring of right-wing extremist organizations. The report also stated that threats could come from military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities.
Napolitano said lawmakers who had criticized the report including House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who called it offensive and unacceptable had misconstrued the statements about veterans and were using it as political ammunition.
He wants to make some political hay, Napolitano said on NBCs "Today Show" of Boehners comments. This (report) is an assessment of things just to be wary of, not to infringe on constitutional rights, certainly not to malign our veterans.
So I think what has happened is taking a few words. There has been a lot of spinning out there in Washington, D.C.-land, but all were trying to [say] is, look, there is situational awareness that needs to go on.
King said the report could have a tumultuous effect on the veteran and military community.
These men and women are fighting, putting their lives on the line, said King on MSNBCs "Morning Joe" on Thursday. We said we'd never repeat Vietnam as far as how we treat returning veterans, and we're doing it now [the report] would have to be demoralizing [for troops]. It would have to be demoralizing.
In Thompsons letter to Napolitano on Wednesday, he criticized the report, which was authored by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, for infringing on Americans' civil liberties.
This report appears to raise significant issues involving the privacy and civil liberties of many Americans including war veterans, the letter read. As I am certain you agree, freedom of association and freedom of speech are guaranteed to all Americans whether a person's beliefs, whatever their political orientation, are extremist or not.
Napolitano hasnt budged much from her initial defense of the report on Wednesday, calling the findings an assessment that was not meant to be accusatory," and that the department was monitoring groups based on their risk level and not their ideology.
The last thing we want to do at the Department of Homeland Security is infringe on anyone's constitutional or civil rights, she said. I think everybody needs to take a deep breath. There was I think there was a lot of Washington spin going on yesterday about this report.
But all it was saying is, look, theres a constant and constantly changing threat environment in the United States. Our job is to protect against terrorism whether it comes from abroad or internally.
King was left dissatisfied.
On that, her answer was totally disingenuous, he said.
Other findings released in the report include an assessment that President Obamas election is being used as a recruitment tool by hate groups.
The report highlighted organizations that deny federal authority over state or local jurisdictions while also specifically mentioning groups motivated by single policy issues, such as opposition to abortion or immigration.
It also warns of the possibility that new gun control legislation could spark unrest, stating that law enforcement groups have been worried about the rise in weapons and ammunition purchases documented in the months since Obama won election.
BS is right! And now Napolitano says she wishes that part had been worded differently. Doesn’t anyone in Obama’s administration read what they write? They didn’t carefully read this DHS report and they didn’t read the porkulus bill either. I do not believe for one minute that this report wasn’t tweeked to create exactly the impression and reaction it has received since being released.
If Obambi fires ONE SINGLE PROSECUTORE from the AG office I think we DEMAND congressional investigation of everyone who ever set foot inthe oval office and ask them what part they played in the decision to fire them.
I want congress WASTING TIME on this stuff instead of passing more laws
Excellent note, ChinaThreat. I will do the same.
This is Emanuel-Begala kind of stuff where they attack opponents before there is even any engagement.
I want to know what higher-up directed this be done by DHS.
Hard to believe Napolitano took this much initiative all by her lonesome.
Agreed...Every Repub should have been screaming as soon as it leaked.
“Also, Janet said that HSD is monitoring left wing groups too. Well, Id like her to list these groups for us, do they include Code Pink, Koz, DU, ACORN, La Raza, and the New Black Panthers? Do they include the prison black muslims, ELF, SDS, Mother Jones, Ayers and Dorn? Seems to me these groups are one issue activists, too.”
I don’t think Janet would risk her job by including all of those friends of Obama on the list.
“I would also point out that George Washington was a military vet who joined up with a bunch of extremists.
That turned out quite nicely in my opinion.”
Good point!
One lone Republican? They should all be demanding an investigation into this.
It does sound like something Emanuel and/or Begala would come up with and would be interesting if they are eventually tied to it.
Thank you.
I think the Mississippi pedigree, a southern Democrat(indicating some sanity), tells the story.
Isn’t Thompson a Blue Dog democrat?
Frankly, if Ms. Napolitano wanted to profile to trouble makers, she would be more accurate to profile to, well, people of color. (This is not because people of color are born any inherently worse than their white brothers, or even mainly because of white bias, but because of intense self-racism in their communities. The statistics bear this out.) But can you imagine the hell fire she would catch for that!
“Right wing” terrorism trouble is also rare compared to lefty terrorism trouble. But Napolitano has to be politically correct.
He is not dumbfounded by the contents, but that DHS was stupid enough to let it get out...
He wants to take out Conservatives when they aren't looking...
Um, no...
Sane is the last thing Bennie is...
Leftwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, and adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of anything religious (read: Christian or Jew) or of specific racial (read: Anglo Saxon) or non-favored ethnic groups), and those that are mainly anti-U.S., rejecting authority of any state local or federal law that does not fit with their personal ideology. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to energy exploration, normal land development, congressionally-approved wars or in favor of unlimited abortion, global warming reduction, sex (same sex or animal preferred), drugs or whatever music theyre inclined to listen to.
Leftwing extremists are harnessing this historical election as a recruitment tool. Many leftwing extremists are hopelessly smitten toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of social programs to minorities, and restrictions on firearms ownership and use. Leftwing extremists are increasingly galvanized by anyone who merely states a different opinion to these issues and has used this as leverage for recruitment drives. From the 2008 election timeframe to the present, leftwing extremists have capitalized on related racial and political prejudices in expanded propaganda campaigns, thereby reaching out to a wider audience of potential sympathizers.
Leftwing extremist chatter on the Internet continues to focus on Obama, his dog, his wife and anything but the real economic problems facing the country. Anti-Semitic leftwing (redundant) extremists attribute economic failures and the historic ties of the U.S. to Israel as our ally in the middle east to a deliberate conspiracy conducted by a cabal of Jewish financial and military elites. These accusatory tactics are employed to draw new recruits into leftwing extremist groups and further radicalize those already subscribing to extremist beliefs. DHS/I&A assesses this trend is likely to accelerate if the economy is perceived to worsen or whatever.
Over the past five years, various leftwing extremists, including Hollywood hacks, the press and hypocritical (mostly white) elitists, have adopted the climate change issue as a call to action, rallying point, and recruiting tool. Debates over appropriate carbon footprint levels and enforcement policy generally fall within the realm of protected political speech under the First Amendment, but in some cases, anti-Al Gore or strident pro-enforcement of carbon footprint fervor has been directed against specific groups and has the potential to turn violent.
That cow needs to be on unemployment.
Only one form of apology I will find as acceptable: Resignation of this entire administration, including Zero.
I hope the integrity of the investigation is preserved, thereby ensuring a good night's sleep for all of us who are now considered “threats”. Oy! If they ONLY knew. I couldn't scare anyone out of the hiccups.
Thanks much for that info, the TMLC is a great group and I’m sure they’ll be thorough in their investigation. I’d bet Napolitano is not happy about this! :)
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