Overdue Crackdown On Right-Wing Domestic Terrorists?

Reuters is reporting that the Justice Department is looking at new measures to combat the growing extremism and danger represented by armed right-wing militia and white supremacist groups:

"Extremist groups motivated by a range of U.S.-born philosophies present a 'clear and present danger,' John Carlin, the Justice Department's chief of national security, told Reuters in an interview. 'Based on recent reports and the cases we are seeing, it seems like we’re in a heightened environment.'” (emphasis added)

A barrier to aggressively pursuing domestic terrorists who have bombed schools and religious buildings, etc., is the lack of a domestic terrorist statute that would prohibit giving support to designated domestic terrorist groups.  With the Rethuglican / New Confederate / Stupid / Shooter's Party actively cultivating the support of far right secessionists and groups with extreme anti-Government views, it's unlikely that a Rethug-controlled Congress would pass such legislation, short of a 9-11 style attack perpetrated by a right-wing group.  While the Government has the necessary tools to prosecute supporters of international terrorism under the "material support" rule, supporters of domestic terrorist groups aren't covered:

"The U.S. State Department designates international terrorist organizations to which it is illegal to provide 'material support.' No domestic groups have that designation, helping to create a disparity in charges faced by international extremist suspects compared to domestic ones.

A Reuters analysis of more than 100 federal cases found that domestic terrorism suspects collectively have faced less severe charges than those accused of acting on behalf of Islamic State since prosecutors began targeting that group in early 2014." (emphasis added)

Recall that in April 2009, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a report (ironically initiated on Dumbya's watch) that warned of increased right-wing extremism after the election of the nation's first African-American President and that focused on anti-immigration and anti-gun control activism. The pushback on the report by Rethuglicans was fierce, and also by wingnut welfare recipients like Michelle Malkin and the hacks at the RedState blog.  Bowing to political pressure, the DHS and the Administration shamefully backed off of the report instead of defending it and acting on the evidence of growing right-wing violent extremist activity.

Fast forward to Oregon's Malheur wildlife refuge, and the ongoing standoff with militia loons and one sees the results of not acting earlier.

UPDATE:  At least the indictments are coming in for the Oregon jamokes now, and they should be facing hefty fines, too.

UPDATE II:  You can see the indictment here.

UPDATE III:  Check out Kurt Eichenwald's superb article on right- wing terrorism.