Free Republic

An appeals court has overturned the conviction of a local Tea Party leader who was found guilty of blackmail. In May 2014, Sooner Tea Party leader Al Gerhart was found guilty of blackmailing a state senator and violating the Computer Crimes Act. Prosecutors claimed Gerhart sent an email to Oklahoma Sen. Cliff Branan, allegedly promising to make the senator a “laughing stock” unless the Senate Energy and Environment Committee passed a bill that would block a United Nations plan. In an e-mail to Senator Cliff Branan, Gerhart allegedly wrote: Branan, Get that bill heard or I will make sure you...

Before firing off that next email to an elected official, you’d better cross your fingers and hope the politician is not feeling anxious about your message. A judge in Oklahoma Friday ordered the co-founder of the Sooner Tea Party to be tried on felony blackmail and computer crimes charges for sending an email to a state senator who said he felt threatened by its tone, The Associated Press reported. The judge ruled that probable cause exists that Al Gerhart committed the crimes when he sent an email allegedly designed to intimidate Oklahoma state Sen. Cliff Branan, the Republican chairman of...

A judge Friday ordered Sooner Tea Party co-founder Al Gerhart to face trial in a blackmail case. Gerhart, a carpenter, is charged with two felonies over an email he admits sending to a state senator in an effort to get legislation passed. Oklahoma County Special Judge Susan K. Johnson rejected defense arguments that the email was protected political speech. “Your First Amendment rights are on trial, not just mine,” Gerhart told news reporters after the ruling was made at the end of a two-hour preliminary hearing. Sen. Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City, said he felt anxious when he first read the...