Holder: DOJ Will Do All It Can To "Deter Violence" Against Abortion Providers

Attorney General Eric Holder offered his most forceful condemnation to date of the murder of George Tiller, a Wichita, Kansas doctor who ran a women's clinic that provided late-term abortions, using the occasion to issue a broad warning about the rise of violent extremism.

Speaking at the Washington Lawyers' Committee conference on Tuesday, Holder pledged that the Department of Justice would do all it could to "deter violence against reproductive health care providers" and prosecute those who committed such acts.

"Neither our respect for the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech nor our clearest hope for common ground can justify the violence that we saw in Kansas," Holder said. "We will not tolerate murder or the threat of violence masquerading as political activism. Let me be clear, the Justice Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect the rights ensured under our constitution and we will do all that we can to deter violence against reproductive health care providers and prosecute those who use such violence to the fullest extent of the law."

The remarks were part of a broader call to action against the violent acts, which have sent shock waves throughout the country in recent weeks. Holder also addressed the recent shooting of a National Holocaust Museum Security Guard by an 88-year-old white supremacist as well as the killing of an American soldier at a recruitment center in Arkansas.

"Over the last several weeks we have witnessed brazen acts of awful violence occurring in places many would think were unthinkable: A sacred memorial in the nation's capital, a recruiting station for the nation's armed forces, a church in the nation's heartland," he said. "The violence in Washington, Little Rock, and Wichita remind us of the potential threat posed by violent extremists and the tragedy that ensues when discourse is replaced by armed confrontation."

The brief speech -- roughly seven minutes in length -- was one of the sharpest denunciations of violent extremism since the recent spate of murders began.

The topic had become politically complicated for the White House because Republican critics began airing their grievances with a recent Department of Homeland Security Report that warned of right wing extremism and the potential for violent behavior from returning veterans. With those warnings now looking increasingly prescient, the administration has been more forceful in addressing the matter.

The Department of Justice, through it all, has ignored the politics and Holder reacted quickly by dispatching U.S. Marshals to protect abortion providers in the wake of Tiller's murder.

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Comments

[walkamile]

abortion must remain legal, safe, rare and let's not forget - accessible. Unfortunately, our rights and our access are under attack today.

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/524/index.html

Great PBS piece on the terror abortion providers endure to provide the medical care women need. Please note the part about the woman who used to be pro-life, and even picketed - who later found herself in the position of terminating a pregnancy and is now pro-choice. Again, it's a personal issue and personal choice - one that can only be made by the person in the situation! The domestic terrorism - whether in action or hate speech - against these providers must be stopped!!!!

[GranE]

I applaud Mr. Holder, but he will have to carry out his words before lawbreakers "accept" the news that our laws will be upheld. "Full extent of the law" has to mean what it says, and be enforced. There are many laws already on the books to stop most of what is happening. Strong actions by prosecutors should, (should) be a wake up call to those who incite violence when their minions go to prison, and there appears to be a lot of violators to put in prison. We're behind you Eric, now go do it. This is your second warning shot, so get on with it.

[Grunty1]

Good for him, though it would have been better if he used the word "terr0rist"

[nicole44]

didnt the left ban that word because it was hurting people's feelings. I think its now called man-made-disasters with a little heart dotting the I. Makes me feel all fuzzy now that they sugar-coated it.

[realpolitic]

Holder should address the hate speech on Fox News and conservative talk radio!

[Cye]

The Republicans are the first to complain that moderate islam has not spoken up clearly and forcefully with regard to horendous acts of fundamentalis terror.

You cannot drawn a clear comparison between the abhorent acts of 9/11 and other acts of fundamenta­list-inspi­red mass terriorism and the events of the past few weeks where isolated incidents of radical right wing terror has resulted in the murder of a number of individuals.

However, the potential of these isolated acts of violence to escalate is great. The Republican party needs to speak up and unequically condemn the wave of radicalism sweeping the Republican base - before more violence occurs. It needs to speak out against those sowing hate and unrest amongst their angriest and (sorry to say) least educated voters.

So far the response has been tentative and mixed. The Republican Party were so embassingly wrong in their decision to crassly politicize Napolitano's report on Right Wing terrorism that they're downplaying the current mood. While, after villianizing Dr Tiller so thoroughly on his show, O'Reilly is more concerned about not being blamed than he is with reflecting on what his contribution may have been to the man's death. Palin's supporters are baying for blood in the streets because Letterman told a few tasteless, unfunny jokes. And overall, the chorus of invective from the radical Right shows no sign of abating.

The Republican party must show some leadership and defy the Limbaughs, Hannities and the Becks and speak up - loud and clear.

[jeffp26]

You get 'em Eric.

The world of Stuyvesantians has your back.

And if they don't like it: "their mothers!!!!"

[conserv47]

Just so you know.

America is a REPUBLIC not a democracy. Learn the difference. Learn the unconstitutional actions of the American govt. Why is it the Federal govt REFUSES to answer the American people's questions?


We the People Foundation

http://www.givemeliberty.org

[zanzig]

The 2 are not mutually exclusive. A republic, briefly, is a state without a monarch; a democracy is a state in which power is held by the people.

[doug108]

Well, ours is definitely more of a republic than a democracy.

[Skepticat]

A republic can be a democracy if people want it to be - and most Americans seem to prefer that over other options.

[take10]

Al-Craquer is on the rise in America and our country is a more dangerous place because of it, is what the headline should say

[Jaxy]

Al-Craquer - that's a great one! Har har har ...

[doug108]

Indeed. Nicely done.

[unite4change]

We don't need anymore warnings! All domestic terrorists should be hunted down as if they were Osama Bin Laden.

Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, FoxNews, etc. should be charged with sedition.

se·di·tion (si dis̸h′ən) noun

1. The stirring up of discontent, resistance, or rebellion against the government in power

2. Archaic revolt or rebellion

----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------

[conserv47]

What exactly were ABC, NBC, CBS, etc doing during the Bush years??

[mike42nola]

No lie. Let's just repeal the First Amendment altogether. Wait, I have a better idea, let's do it when the Republicans retake power and then we won't ever have to leave.

[libslayerguy]

Yeah, I remember all those stories about people with liberal political beliefs blasting people while in church because W was in office. When will wingers stop projecting their behaviors and attitudes onto others?

Yet another post from winger fantasy world.

[doug108]

What exactly are ABC, NBC, and CBS?

[Grunty1]

Not enough to stop his treason and far too much to defend and condone it.

[northstar11]

you dont need to worry about the boys inciting the population­.------the people are comatose and are willing to let obama carry the can alone against the corporate lobbyists and a corrupt congress.-­-
then jump on him for not carrying enough cans fast enough.

[mlr710]

Word.

[TJCole]

The DOJ still has all those Bush religious sycophant appointees in it, as we saw with DOMA and the insults and persecution and you can count on nothing changing till they are gone, including Federalist Society Tories..Un­itary Usurpers..

[conserv47]

" The govt does not have to answer the American people's questions, even though it is GUARANTEED in the First Amendment.­"

Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan (8/31/2005)

Is this what Eric Holder has in mind?

[sviolette]

"Let me be clear, the Justice Department will use every tool at its disposal to protect the rights ensured under our constitution and we will do all that we can to deter violence against reproductive health care providers and prosecute those who use such violence to the fullest extent of the law."


What about the torturers? When will you prosecute them Mr Holder?

[RationalityPlease]

Holder probably won't read your comment, so please write him and ask him here:

usdoj.govdoj.gov

[LemonMeringue]

This is why Sayrah Paylynn must not run again.

The way she campaigns - her ugly talk - makes extremists, racists and bigots believe their worst feelings are legitimate. She hurts America every time she opens her mouth.

[IowaKid]

I agree.

[Cye]

She panders to their basest impulses. .

It may suit her political purposes to exploit these people now, but eventually it will be hard to keep a lid on the powerful emotions and impulses she's so successfully stoking. It will likely come back to bite her in very a bad way.

[ALCThomas]

I thought she was a Born Again Christian?

[Grunty1]

"Born Again" is all too often used as a "get out of sin free card" than to make any real change in their lives.

[themodernleader]

The most dangerous citizens are jobless citizens who have lost hope in their own competence and future employment. Such individuals will soon begin to coalesce in groups and cells headed by a charismatic leader of an absolutely certain and reasserting doctrine. They will transform themselves into true believers. With no counterforce of political, economic development , a mass movement may grow that overwhelms the democratic form of governance and permits only the liberty of their fanatically held vision.
President Obama doesn't seem to recognize the terrible danger of destruction from within, all the font of failed politics and government. You must undrstand where our country is going with your present Bush policies.

[take10]

Domestic terrorists should be dealt with as severely as foreign terrorists! Where are the funds for this internal war?

[johnnynyc]

Its reported Obama is ordering Federal Benefits for same sex partners.

Told you didn't I?

Now take back all those nasty things you said and blow air kisses.

"Updated 9:23 p.m.
By Scott Butterworth
President Obama will announce tomorrow that he is extending federal benefits to include unmarried domestic partners of federal workers, including same-sex partners, White House officials said tonight."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/06/16/obama_intends_to_extend_federa.html?hpid=topnews

[conserv47]

So much for being fiscally responsible, I wonder what wonderful govt program that he will cut since he has "promised" to not expand govt spending unless some other govt program is cut.

[RationalityPlease]

Shall we just shift discriminations and take away the federal benefits of people like you to compensate?