General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWashington’s high-powered terrorist supporters
In June, 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its 6-3 ruling in the case of Holder v. Humanitarian Law. In that case, the Court upheld the Obama DOJs very broad interpretation of the statute that criminalizes the providing of material support to groups formally designated by the State Department as Terrorist organizations. The five-judge conservative bloc (along with Justice Stevens) held that pure political speech could be permissibly criminalized as material support for Terrorism consistent with the First Amendment if the advocacy [is] performed in coordination with, or at the direction of, a foreign terrorist organization (emphasis added). In other words, pure political advocacy in support of a designated Terrorist group could be prosecuted as a felony punishable with 15 years in prison if the advocacy is coordinated with that group.
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So Fran Townsend lavishly praised this decision one that, as Blitzer put it, means that If youre thinking about even voicing support for a terrorist group, dont do it because the government can come down hard on you. And while Townsend was right that the decision requires more than just voicing support for the Terrorist group, the Court was crystal clear that such voicing of support, standing alone, can be prosecuted if it is done in coordination with the group (the term service [] cover[s] advocacy performed in coordination with, or at the direction of, a foreign terrorist organization).
But look at what is happening now to Fran Townsend and many of her fellow political elites. In August of last year, The Christian Science Monitors Scott Peterson published a detailed exposé about a high-powered array of former top American officials who have received tens of thousands of dollars from a designated Terrorist organization the Iranian dissident group Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) and then met with its leaders, attended its meetings, and/or publicly advocated on its behalf. That group includes Rudy Giuliani, Howard Dean, Michael Mukasey, Ed Rendell, Andy Card, Lee Hamilton, Tom Ridge, Bill Richardson, Wesley Clark, Michael Hayden, John Bolton, Louis Freeh and Fran Townsend.
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But whatever else is true, the activities of Townsend, Rendell, Dean, Giuliani and the rest of MEKs paid shills are providing more than enough material support to be prosecuted under the Humanitarian Law decision and other statutes. Theyre providing more substantial material support to this Terrorist group than many people usually vulnerable, powerless Muslims who are currently imprisoned for that crime. Its nice that Fran Townsend suddenly discovered the virtues of free speech and free association guarantees, but under the laws she and so many others like her have helped implement and defend, there is a very strong case to make that her conduct and those of these other well-connected advocates for this Terrorist group is squarely within the realm of serious criminal behavior.
http://www.salon.com/2012/03/12/washingtons_high_powered_terrorist_supporters/singleton/
kenny blankenship
(15,689 posts)There is the Good kind of Terror which we support because it is all in a good cause and directed at bad people, and on the other hand there is the Bad kind, which is by bad people (All definitions and classifications subject to revision without notice. Some exemptions and safe harbor provisions may not apply according the race, ethnic origin, or religious persuasion of the defendants. Void where prohibited by post facto Presidential edict.)