Biden Says Rioters Who Stormed Capitol Were Domestic Terrorists
President-elect says Trump supporters who attacked legislative complex were insurrectionists, not protesters
President-elect Joe Biden called the violence in Washington, D.C., ‘one of the darkest days in the history of our nation.’
By Ken Thomas and Sabrina Siddiqui Updated Jan. 7, 2021 2:23 pm ET
Mr. Biden has said he plans to make a priority of passing a law against domestic terrorism, and he has been urged to create a White House post overseeing the fight against ideologically inspired violent extremists and increasing funding to combat them.
Federal law defines domestic terrorism as dangerous and illegal acts intended to coerce a population or influence the government. While it can be charged in some states, no generic federal crime exists. Domestic terrorism spans extremist ideologies, but it has been predominantly a far-right phenomenon in recent decades, according to researchers.
Biden Administration Urged to Take Fresh Look at Domestic Terrorism
First-ever White House post and more funding to combat violent extremists floated by working group that advised president-elect’s team
By Rachael Levy Nov. 13, 2020 10:03 am ET
WASHINGTON—President-elect Joe Biden, who has said he plans to make a priority of passing a law against domestic terrorism, has also been urged to create a White House post overseeing the fight against ideologically inspired violent extremists and increasing funding to combat them, according to people who have advised his team.
A proposal for the Biden presidency’s first 100 days, now with Mr. Biden’s transition team for consideration, also calls for passing more red-flag laws, which allow authorities to temporarily take guns from people deemed dangerous, some of the people said.
One of the most notable proposals from the advisory group is the new White House post, which would oversee federal agencies’ efforts to combat domestic terrorism. Those measures could include approaches to mental-health issues from the Department of Health and Human Services and high-school programs handled by the Education Department, a person familiar with the matter said.
The group also proposed creating a federal interagency task force that addresses the current threat landscape, and forming an advisory body that includes people from communities often targeted by domestic extremists, such as Black, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and LGBT communities, the person said.
According to a campaign website, Mr. Biden intends to work “for a domestic terrorism law that respects free speech and civil liberties, while making the same commitment to root out domestic terrorism as we have to stopping international terrorism.”
Other ideas floated to Mr. Biden’s team, according to people familiar with the discussions, include increasing funding to a revamped DHS program to combat extremists. In its latest incarnation under the Trump administration, that program recently announced grants of $10 million to groups focused largely on combating white supremacists and other far-right extremists.
Several former officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department advocate a targeted law on domestic terrorism, saying the U.S. could better address the issue if it were a federal crime.
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Biden: Rioters who stormed Capitol were insurrectionists, domestic terrorists
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transition team calls for passing more red-flag laws, which allow authorities to temporarily take guns from people deemed dangerous
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Biden has said he plans to make a priority of passing a law against domestic terrorism, campaign website says would respect free speech and civil liberties
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former FBI, Justice officials, say the U.S. could better address the issue if it were a federal crime
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advisory group proposes approaches to mental-health issues from the Department of Health and Human Services and high-school programs handled by the Education Department
Sounds suspiciously like the Biden party vans and re-education camps are revving up.
I ain't snitchin', sorry.