Anti-oilsands activists in the U.S. are getting unexpected visits from the FBI

National Post ^ | February 7, 2015 | Alexander Panetta

[rickmichaels]

WASHINGTON — Unexpected visitors have been dropping in on anti-oil activists in the United States — knocking on doors, calling, texting, contacting family members. The visitors are federal agents.

Opponents of Canadian oil say they’ve been contacted by FBI investigators in several states following their involvement in protests that delayed northbound shipments of equipment to Canada’s oilsands.

A lawyer working with the protesters says he’s personally aware of a dozen people having been contacted in the northwestern U.S. and says the actual number is probably higher.

Larry Hildes says it’s been happening the last few months in Washington State, Oregon and Idaho. He says one person got a visit at work, after having already refused to answer questions.

“They appear to be interested in actions around the tarsands and the Keystone XL pipeline,” Hildes said in an interview.

“It’s always the same line: ‘We’re not doing criminal investigations, you’re not accused of any crime. But we’re trying to learn more about the movement.’”

He’s advised activists not to talk — and they mostly haven’t. That lack of communication has made it a little complicated to figure out what, exactly, the FBI is looking for.

The bureau hasn’t offered too many clues.

One agent left his name, number, and the following message in a voicemail for Helen Yost of the group Wild Idaho Rising Tide: “I work with the FBI. Could you give me a call back — I would appreciate it.”

[who_would_fardels_bear]

The government using the RICO act to justify the stifling of free speech is anti-constitutional.

Even if the protesters are highly organized and attempt to disrupt a private business through coordinated demonstrations this should not be a case for the FBI.

After all that's how the liberals got the government to crack down on the Pro Life movement.

At one time the Pro Life movement was highly organized and energized and used coordinated demonstrations to disrupt the business of abortionists.

I would rather RICO go away entirely making it more difficult for the feds to make cases against mobster, than that it be expanded to stifle free speech.

The spirit of RICO is what is currently leading to all of the asset forfeiture business. Legal cases being made against sums of cash because the police claim that the money might be used for illicit purposes. Or bank accounts being seized because small businesses make deposits that are under $10,000 dollars. Or bank accounts that are used by legitimate gun dealers who could theoretically be selling guns to drug cartels ... and unfairly competing with Eric Holder.

[Pelham]

“The government using the RICO act to justify the stifling of free speech is anti-constitutional.”

I doubt that it’s a free speech issue. More likely it’s that the FBI caught wind of a new version of the Monkey Wrench Gang and they’re seeing if they can get any leads.