Quote:The Biden administration's top law enforcement officials on Wednesday pledged to dedicate their resources to combat domestic violent extremists amid questions over whether the agencies are equipped to monitor such threats in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee for a hearing on domestic extremism as Congress ramped up its scrutiny this week of the circumstances around the attack on the Capitol.

Both Garland and Mayorkas testified that white supremacist groups pose the most serious domestic national security threat in the U.S., reinforcing what analysts have long concluded about far-right organizations.

“Domestic violent extremists pose an elevated threat in 2021 and in the FBI’s view, the top domestic violent extremist threat we face comes from racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, specifically those who advocate for the superiority of the white race,” Garland told lawmakers at the top of the hearing.

But the hearing on Wednesday highlighted the competing partisan priorities as Republicans urged a crackdown on illegal immigration and Democrats questioned whether the agencies are fully prioritizing efforts to prevent the type of domestic extremism that led to the storming of the Capitol.

Garland dismissed concern from Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) who asked whether the Justice Department was investigating with “equal vigor” protests in Portland, Ore., and other cities that were often a focus of former President Trump.

“We don't care what the ideology is, violations of law are pursued and are prosecuted. I think it's fair to say that in my career as a judge, and in law enforcement, I have not seen a more dangerous threat to democracy than the invasion of the Capitol,” Garland said. “There was an attempt to interfere with the fundamental passing of an element of our democracy, the peaceful transfer of power. And if there has to be a hierarchy of things that we prioritize, this would be the one we'd prioritize. It is the most dangerous threat to our democracy. That does not mean that we don't focus on other threats.”

The Department of Justice has brought more than 400 prosecutions against individuals who participated in the Capitol riot, including members of right-wing groups such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, who are facing conspiracy charges over their alleged roles in planning out operations at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Some of those charges have also been brought against those with a military or law enforcement background.

Mayorkas faced questions on a recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) commitment to conduct an internal review of its own workforce to root out any extremist views within its ranks.

“That sends chills down my spine that we have to even be doing that,” committee chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said before securing a commitment from Mayorkas to make the conclusions of the review public.

Mayorkas’s appearance before the committee follows an announcement by DHS that they are establishing a specific domestic terror branch within the department's Office of Intelligence and Analysis and amid reports that DHS plans to increase its scrutiny of social media to root out potential extremist plots.

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) warned the agencies need to track social media not just to root out plots but to monitor disinformation campaigns from Russia.

“They are using the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol in such a manner to amplify narratives in furtherance of their policy which is to disrupt and disunite and to indeed destroy, if they could, our democracy,” he said.

But Mayorkas didn’t offer specifics on DHS’s efforts, instead offering up a closed door briefing.

“We are intensely focused on the information with respect to Russia's effort to sow discord and disunity in our country. And of course we're bringing an all of government effort to respond to that, and I would welcome the opportunity to brief you in a more appropriate forum to address information we have in that regard,” he said.

While in past hearings on domestic extremism, Republicans have largely sought to encourage the agencies to focus their attention on left-wing extremism, Wednesday’s questions from the GOP were almost exclusively centered on the southern border.

Mayorkas sought to dispel any concerns that swelling migration at the southern border could present a terror threat.

“We don't have any evidence to suggest that the threat on the border with respect to a foreign terrorist is any greater today than it was last year, the year prior, or the years over the past decade,” he said.

Link

I guess white supremacists cyber attacked that pipeline that is crippling the east coast.

It's so comforting to know that total idiots are running our country.

I think its safe to substitute white people when Democrats say white supremecists.

(05-12-2021 04:56 PM)Todor Wrote:  I think its safe to substitute white people when Democrats say white supremecists.

Even though most of them are white people.

White Supremacists = anyone that opposes or questions the legitimacy of this administration

Well. They are beating and stabbing old Asians.

(05-12-2021 04:15 PM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  

Quote:“We don't care what the ideology is, violations of law are pursued and are prosecuted. I think it's fair to say that in my career as a judge, and in law enforcement, I have not seen a more dangerous threat to democracy than the invasion of the Capitol,” Garland said. “There was an attempt to interfere with the fundamental passing of an element of our democracy, the peaceful transfer of power. And if there has to be a hierarchy of things that we prioritize, this would be the one we'd prioritize. It is the most dangerous threat to our democracy. That does not mean that we don't focus on other threats.”

Link

If you are telling the truth, judge, I can only assume you were the judge in Mayberry. You're in way over your head, you P.O.S. ideologue. If this had been an actual insurrection, many members of Congress would be dead. But they are not and were never really threatened. AFAIK, no weapons were recovered. The only weapons I know of were those of LE, including the one which executed Ashli Babbit. These dem politicians were only threatened in their own heads. No wonder they want fencing and troops around them.

As for the border, the Biden admin could care less. We all see it.

This white supremecist schiff is the same stuff we heard when Obama was in office. Second verse, same as the first.

As Portland and Minneapolis burn at the hands of Antifa and BLM. Such bs testimony.

I don’t know any of those but this kind of chit will surely create more than a few. These idiots are the very definition of oblivious. It’s becoming more and more apparent they are begging for a real insurrection and don’t even know it.

(05-12-2021 05:25 PM)Eagleaidaholic Wrote:  Well. They are beating and stabbing old Asians.

Of course that is exactly what the media wants you to think, but if you look past the headlines you see the vast majority of these incidents are perpetuated by people of color.

FBI said a few months ago over 76% were victims of black people.

I am willing to bet it is even higher at this point.

Interracial crime data says differently. Black people are far greater to attack every other race than vice versa.

Never forget too that Biden's pick for DOJ has a history of saying stuff like "white people are genetically inferior". Democrats are the party of racists.

I am sure that a white supremacist is someone with which I would not personally want to associate. The problem is that I have never met one. Now, I have seen normal folks being labeled as such for not going along with the virtue-signaling, progressive, taking offense at everything, alphabet soup losers that care more about feelings than rights, and that is a bigger problem, as the lied told to support these narratives are whoppers, and we have Balkan media constantly fanning the flames.

(05-12-2021 10:40 PM)ODUsmitty Wrote:  I am sure that a white supremacist is someone with which I would not personally want to associate. The problem is that I have never met one. Now, I have seen normal folks being labeled as such for not going along with the virtue-signaling, progressive, taking offense at everything, alphabet soup losers that care more about feelings than rights, and that is a bigger problem, as the lied told to support these narratives are whoppers, and we have Balkan media constantly fanning the flames.

White supremacists are angry, violent and vile people - they are full of hate.

There a a very small number of "real ones". If you listen to these people however, there are at least 70M of them. Can yo imagine of there were truly 70 Million WS? They would be rolling over this country and those they hate 8 days a week. 70M WS is nearly twice the number of POC in this country. If True WS were in those numbers, POC would be eliminated from this county in a month.

There are no words for the idiocy of what these "officials" are spewing. I may need to make up a word...

Tommunism

They did just invade the Capitol on January 6th… so there’s that.

(05-13-2021 06:51 AM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  They did just invade the Capitol on January 6th… so there’s that.

And you are still a dope.... so there's that.

I guess the D's have to keep race dividing us by any means necessary.

(05-13-2021 07:22 AM)VA49er Wrote:  I guess the D's have to keep race dividing us by any means necessary.

Yeah...the old standard..."If you don't bring up racism...it doesn't exist...and if you bring it up...you're the problem."

Shameful.

(05-13-2021 07:36 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(05-13-2021 07:22 AM)VA49er Wrote:  I guess the D's have to keep race dividing us by any means necessary.

Yeah...the old standard..."If you don't bring up racism...it doesn't exist...and if you bring it up...you're the problem."

Shameful.

Nah, but it's their SOP. Sure, there are white supremacist but to think they are the number one domestic threat is asinine.

(05-13-2021 06:51 AM)Marc Mensa Wrote:  They did just invade the Capitol on January 6th… so there’s that.

Yes, it was such a horrific event. These crazed WSs stormed the Capital and executed politicians and wiped out the Capital police and burned down government buildings while they pillaged. I haven’t slept good since this heinous event took place.

Sorry, save the drama for a real event not when a propaganda booth gets turned over.

It’s obvious that these fools need a diversion from their incompetence. This Administration needs to pull their heads out and start working on the real crises-at hand .Or, is this t beyond their scope of tools they possess?

This tired old man is slowly sliding into the dementia realm.