Napolitano Defends Report On Right Wing Extremism Risk

WASHINGTON — Civil liberties officials at the Homeland Security Department did not agree with some of the language in a controversial report on right-wing extremists, but the agency issued the report anyway.

The intelligence assessment issued to law enforcement last week said some military veterans could be susceptible to extremist recruiters or commit lone acts of violence. That prompted angry reactions from some lawmakers and veterans' groups.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said the report was issued before officials resolved problems raised by the agency's civil rights division. Kudwa would not specify what language raised the concerns.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano defended the report Thursday, but she said the definition of right-wing extremism that was included in a footnote should be changed.

In the report, right-wing extremism was defined as hate-motivated groups and movements, such as hatred of certain religions, racial or ethnic groups. "It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration," the report said.

"If there's one part of that report I would rewrite, in the word-smithing, Washington-ese that goes on after the fact, it would be that footnote," Napolitano said Thursday on Fox News.

The same definition was included in the agency's March 26 report on domestic extremism. Both reports were marked "For Official Use Only."

The report on right-wing extremists cites the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing by military veteran Timothy McVeigh as one instance of a veteran becoming a domestic terrorist.

Story continues below

advertisement

Several lawmakers, the American Legion and Vets for Freedom took offense to the intelligence review. The Veterans of Foreign Wars defended it as an assessment, not an accusation.

Napolitano said, "We do not mean to suggest that veterans as a whole are at risk of becoming violent extremists."

She also said: "I apologize for that offense. It was certainly not intended."

The top Republican on the House intelligence committee, Michigan's Pete Hoekstra, has asked the director of national intelligence's ombudsman to investigate the Homeland Security report for "unsubstantiated conclusions and political bias."

The senior Democrat of the House committee with oversight of the department said the report raises privacy and civil liberty issues. "This report appears to have blurred the line between violent belief, which is constitutionally protected, and violent action, which is not," Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., wrote in a letter to Napolitano.

The department's definition of left-wing extremism in the March 26 report includes a reference to violence, stating these groups that embrace anticapitalist, communist or socialist beliefs seek "to bring about change through violent revolution rather than through established political processes."

These reports are part of the department's routine analysis of intelligence information to give to law enforcement agencies guidance on possible security threats.

In February, the department issued a similar warning about possible cyber attacks from left wing extremists. In September, the agency reported that right-wing extremists over the past five years had used the immigration debate as a recruiting tool.

Since September, the agency issued several reports on individual foreign and domestic extremist groups such as al-Qaida and Hammerskin Nation, a skinhead organization. The Hammerskin assessment said many of the group's members received military training and fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The latest report has turned into a "political football," said Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif. Harman, who chairs a House subcommittee on intelligence and information sharing, said the report could have been written more artfully, but added that "it was a well-intended effort to describe to law enforcement what things to look for."

"If the result is to dumb down intelligence products that could prevent the next attack to the homeland, we will all lose," she said.

(This version CORRECTS to show that DHS would not specify which language raised concerns.)

Comments

[juna]

I am waiting, hoping, even expecting (given the greatness of this country) a new voice to emerge from the Republican party - a voice of reason, of true leadership, of intelligent counter-suggestion. This new person or group of people would communicate concern for all the people of this country, not just the ones who happen to subscribe to their philosophies. They would advocate government policies that lift people out of poverty and provide the basic advantages that all citizens of an enlightened, civilized country should expect. These would include: a place to live, essential, basic medical care, a decent education. I believe that this Republican or group of Republicans is out there and I hope they find a way to articulate a more reasoned and peaceful approach to the problems we all face.

[apduncan1]

Don't hold your breath while you wait.

[PATina]

While there may come a new voice of the Republican party that could be described as a voice of reason, true leadership and intelligent counter suggestion­... and they may even communicate concern (although I'd take it w/ a grain of salt) for all the people of this country... They wouldn't advocate the policies that you suggest... because that's not the Republican or Conservative position. They believe that people are in poverty because of their own decision making (or that of their parents) and it's not their responsibility to find a way for them to get out of it. And the same holds true for the rest that you suggest... decent housing, essential medical care and education. They believe that you are more than entitled to all of those things providing you can pay for them yourselves. They don't believe that it is the role of government to provide those things for people.

[Eoin45]

Dream on.

[horsey]

That Republican is out there but he's not called a republican, he's called a Democrat.

Don't wait on that republican or you'll die waiting.

[Nyla785]

Weird, that touchiness of the Republicans over efforts to protect both our president and our country. As if they secretly ARE guilty of inciting their extreme factions to some kind of radical action. Just goes to show yet again, Republicans' aren't interested in our country's welfare--only their own power.

[GravitonX]

They're afraid of meeting the same response we are planning for these criminal extremist groups.

It can be argued that some rightwing talkshow hosts (and the media outlet that endorses their views) have been inciting subversion of the government and are therefore may be culpable in some future domestic terrorist act(s).

[damilitantone]

Since folks are whining about "playing the race card" let me deal this next hand. As long as there are still people alive who either participated in or approved of the bombing of a church that killed four little black girls, the assasination of Martin Luther King, the COINTELLPRO, the smear that Obama is not a U.S. citizen, and all the rest of the nonsense that has taken place I'll play the race card. I while I'm at it why don't some of you stop playing the whiny, bitter, resentful losers who can't stand the fact that Obama is president. Your use of victimology far and away exceeds that of any other group. The liberals sure have it out for you. In fact they have it out for you so much that you can own as many guns as you want, abortion rates are dropping, gays still can't legally marry in most states, Obama is maintaining Bush's faith-based program and his state secrets doctrine, Obama is still fighting Bush's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama lowered your tax rates, and Limbaugh, Hannity and rest of the right wing gasbags are still spouting off. All in all I would say that you have it pretty good under Obama.

[stonefeet]

is this their freudian way of admitting to what they really are?

[provgrays]

The worst Right Wing extremists stold the 2000 election, trashed the Constitution and instituted torture as official national policy.

[GayGrandpa]

...now who could that be?

[spinmas]

Why does she have to defend herself? We all remember Timothy Mcveigh and Terry whats his name. Those kinds of people are still out there, and now guess what ? we have a black president! And you remember the white idealistic white kids who joined al Quida early on, in fact they still have a young white spokesman. Also not to leave us black folks out, those crazy kids in florida who had ideas with no means to carry them out, and of course the black muslim army kid who threw the granade in the tent of his fellow military men. there have been plans to fight in the inner city for 15-20 years. I think the firts article on muslim sleeper cells int he US was done 1-20 years ago. And at that time they were talking about alll this armoor equipment that city police forces where buying are going to need. somebody then knew that we were going to be fighting asymetric wars and that some of our own kids were going to return disillusioned and crazy, with skinheads and the kk waiting to recruit them, but they alo wanted that equipment for radicalized blacks, we don't have to be so radical now, we have a black president! Those kids coming from Iraq have been forced to fight severl tours with a "stop loss" rule! they are mad as hell, and when they get back they will become policemen, prison guards and God knows what else?

[THE JEDI 69]

Lous Dobbs, Hannity and Beck and O'Reily are as bad as that women who does the propoganda news in North Korea

[ingsoc101]

Today the Secretary went on Morning Joe but they were only allowed to ask one question.

"Apparently, when the Democrats promise an open administration, they really only mean open as long as you ask the questions they want asked and no follow-ups on controversial topics that everyone is reporting on," staffer Joe Pounder wrote in an email.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/anneschroeder/0409/One_Question_Napolitano.html

[PATina]

I saw that segment and they asked more than one question. Joe asked her about this report... and Mika asked her what was going on in Mexico.

[montecarlo408]

At least Republicans can ask questions. When Bush was in office, the other side wasn't even allowed in most of the time.

[All57States]

What's the liberal postion on profiling groups of people?

[dentuso]

If they're south of the Mason-Dixon?

Astoundingly accurate.

[MikeDu]

Yeh, the 'get gov off our backs' righties are mostly still angry at the gov for enforcing anti-lynching laws and scrapping Jim Crow.

[PATina]

That would depend on how they are being profiled. I believe that most of the objection to profiling by liberals is based on color or race... and since not all or even most white people are being "profiled" as right wing extremists so that argument doesn't fit.

[THE JEDI 69]

She's correct I was at work yestrday in Okinawa and man them ole texas boys was yelling and high fving about succession­..they was like yeah the central government is evil......­..she aint telling fire side stories fellas the threat is real

[horsey]

I think rational people know it's real. they know these right wing guys, at least many of them are nut jobs and they would resort to violence.

there is no doubt these people need to be watched and i'm sure some of them are being watched. they are dangerous Limbaugh loving people.

[Lemeritus]

Without Shirer's "Rise and Fall..." close at hand, I'm going to tread lightly as I point out some very disturbing similarities between the "hi-jinks" yesterday and the rise of the NSDAP.

- Economics. With the rise of unemployment, millions of jobless and dissatisfied voters were exploited by the Nazi Party.
- Class/racial fear. The similarities here, I believe, go without saying.
- Extreme nationalism. It may be amusing that a majority of people on the street yesterday could not define the difference between socialism and facism -- it really doesn't matter, because it is a fear of some "-ism" that is coming to destroy America. But Homeland Security -- much as I hate the name -- has it right; the greatest threat to our country is not an -ism from without, but stupidity and fear within, wrapped, as Sinclair Lewis said, in an American flag.
- Propaganda. One of the earliest acts of the DAP was the purchase of its own newspaper, Völkischer Beobachter; in this day and age, it would be, of course, the use of a cable news channel.

I realize these comparisons have been applied before, but I couldn't help thinking as I watched the news that the DAP was also ridiculed and dismissed as buffoons. And, I gotta' say, what happened yesterday scares me.

[Policon]

Well, since you brought it up, do you know the difference between fascism and socialism? Do you even know what Nazi stands for?

[Lemeritus]

Well, as a matter of fact, I do know the difference. And, if I understand the direction of your question, your next argument will be that Nazi is short for National Socialist German Workers’ Party and you'll be all pleased with yourself for making the point because, tragically, you really haven't done your homework.

[madatnewsmedia]

Very insightful! I wish people would think about what happened yesterday and do a liitle soul searching. I think part of the fear these people have has to do with Obam's skin color. The other thing that's striking to me and I have to ask why? Why would Americans want to destroy other americans and this country? Some of it has to do with economics, fear, class, etc., but I believe the biggest problem is that a black man is running this country. It doesn't even matter that his mother is a white woman; it only matters that his father was a black man - plain and simple!! The fear isn't well-founded, but I have to wonder if the fear has to do with a black man, possibly treating white americans, they way black people were treated and are still treated. Everytime something goes wrong in this country, blacks are number one on the list and on and on. They're afraid that the president might enslave them, the way blacks and other minorities have been enslaved. Blacks have their issues, but white folks have just as many issues. Blacks didn't run the organizations down in the ground! Blacks didn't send us to war. Blacks don't own banks! White folks have as much to be ashamed of as the rest of us!

[devilyousay]

I was just going to post about Oklahoma, when I see I was beaten to it. The right thinks they are the true patriots when the truth is, being narrow minded to your own agenda (by any party) is not patriotist. America was built by many groups that felt disenfranchised in their own countries. Now you have the Republicans doing the same thing. It isn't a long stretch to see how rhetoric is affecting those with more extreme attitudes.

[naturallight]

Does anyone worry that the rhetoric from blogs and cable television is going to spark a civil war between conservatives and liberals? The venom is frothing, on BOTH sides. Where are the adults? don't tell me Rahm is a uniter. That is wrong on its face. They intentionally start a verbal war with Limbaugh who has an army of listeners. DHS needs to watch the GOVT.

[Charmed]

Oh Please....­..it's stupid for people to be upset about a report on rightwing terroist. These same people were NOT upset about any other reports about other groups.

[MikeDu]

The pastor of that black church in Springfield MA that got burned down after Obama was elected may disagree with your assessment of the benign right-wing crazies.

[PATina]

That's because they believe those reports to be true. It stands to reason they wouldn't get upset about them.

What I want to know is why weren't these other earlier reports mentioned in the news when they were released? Why did they just come to light now??

[naturallight]

Ummmmm....­...they invaded a sovereign nation called IRAQ based on "other" reports.

Didn't Obama tell you. WORDS MATTER

[Eoin45]

Oh please, yourself. It was right wingers who formed militia groups in the 90s all over the U.S. The right has a long history in this country of violence towards those they don't like.

[not one of the sheep]

Please is right. The reports were on foreign terrorists not average citizen who just happens to think abortion might be wrong or they are overtaxed and wish to use their constitutional right to peacefully protest. It was ok for Cindy Sheehan to protest but not for anyone else? We all have the guarateed right to voice our opinion, or don't we? What do you think, Comrade?

[hoppybunny]

One the one hand: "an army of listeners"
On the other: an actual Army

Something tells me they wont be doing much outside of listening and seething, the way I had to for 8 years.

[Hallucinocynic]

Pogo: "We have met the enemy and he is US."

[horsey]

Limbaugh is the leader of the right wing extremists and the Republican Party and needs to be pointed out as that figure.

Nothing wrong with Rahm pointing out the extreme nature of Limbaugh.

[JShankel]

1) DHS's mandate is to "protect the homeland" not "avoid offending certain groups."

2) The report does not, repeat, does NOT criticize veterans. It suggests that veterans may be TARGETED by extremist groups for recruitment. It makes no suggestion that this targeting will be particularly successful. If you suggest that women may be targeted for sexual assault, that is not a criticism of women. If you suggest that the elderly may be targeted for financial scams, that is not a criticism of the elderly.

3) To say that "DHS needs to watch the GOVT" is silly. DHS is the government. It's an intelligence gathering agency whose job is to look for threats to national security. It is not a government watchdog organization or a right wing think tank or the enforcement arm of the Republican party. Saying they should "watch the govt" is like saying the CIA should be "investigating Congress."

4) There's no intentional war of words here. This is an internal report that was leaked. It is not a public position paper.

The right can't have everything six different ways. Either domestic terrorist chatter and racial/cultural profiling are serious issues, in which case the wingnut militias are as good a target for investigation as the "islamofasicsts" OR this a free country where everyone has a right to assemble and protest without fear of government intrusion, in which case we have no authority to be wiretapping mosques left and right.

[jme-SD]

There are a lot more of potential sympathizers to extreme right wing groups and I think there is reason to be concerned. They have a major cable network and a major political party embracing some of these violent and extreme views and puffing them up. I think behind the scenes Republicans are trying to figure out how to use them as they have in the past used the religious right to keep in place the favoritism to the very wealthy and industry in terms of the tax code and lack of regulation. But it's a dangerous game. I just hope we learn more about these corporate sponsors so that if a sad act of domestic terrorism happens, they can be hauled to jail for supporting one of these groups with their astroturf movement money.

[Lemeritus]

"behind the scenes Republicans are trying to figure out how to use them..."

It appears that this group of crazies are all that's left for the Republicans. And, as I've said before and will probably say again, they're dangerous.

[noleftturns]

saying/doing any of the following.­..

protect our boarders = right wing extremist

stand up for the 2nd amendment = right wing extremist

calling on congress to stop spending our great-gran­dchildrens money = right wing extremist

[dentuso]

Please... seriously.­.. PLEASE tell us where in the report it says that.

I'm begging you to, for one second, look at your comment, then relate it to reality as it appears in the report.

What you've taken out of it, and what the report says, are two VERY different things.

And that, my friend, is the problem with the Republican party today.

[noleftturns]

The analysis warned law enforcement officials of a rise in right-wing extremism, and that the struggling economy along with the election of the nation's first African-American president could lead to an increase in white supremacist groups.

The report included organizations that deny federal authority over state or local jurisdictions while also specifically mentioning groups motivated by single issues like "opposition to abortion or immigratio­n."

[Aranxa]

Yes, they are experts in taking things out of context.

[MikeDu]

"stand up for the 2nd amendment = right wing extremist"

Oh please... Scalia recently announced that half the wording of the 2nd amendment meant NOTHING. So much for protecting the 2nd. And what about the others? Care to protect the 9th amendment while you're at it? The idiot 2nd amendment right is more than willing to destroy the country to protect their 'hobby'.

[planetfotheApes]

How about demanding national and state sovereignty = right wing extremist.

Opposing Barry's war expansion in Pa k is t. = right wing extremist

Ending the leech, economy imploding, Federal Reserve = right wing extremist.

Demanding an end to Barry's foreign country tor ture sites = right wing extremist

Exposing the truth about spontaneous tower disintegration = right wing extremist

This is exactly what was done in Orwell's 1984