Saturday, March 28, 2009

Missouri "Militia" report

There was a report put out by a group called the Missouri Information Analysis Center, that listed possible connections to "militias" that law enforcement should watch out for. The so-called warning flags this group listed would be items such as displaying a Gadsden flag (which I had up outside my front door until it got too tattered to keep up), displaying bumper stickers for third party candidates such as Ron Paul or Bob Barr, etc. From what I could see, it listed things that any America-loving conservative or libertarian might do. Biased? Yes. Glen Beck had a section on his show about it.

Reports like this, I sit on. And what I mean by that is I'm going to wait a few days for more information. I wasn't quite sure if this was some government report that was going to be put into immediate action, or if this was some group that just poppped off with this BS, or what the deal was. Got a couple of emails over it. My initial response was to print off a Gadsden flag, tape it to a pencil and hang it up at my personal rat cage at the office. Co-workers were asking what the deal was, and I told them about the report. Said I was forming the Militia of Dave. We're against higher taxes. We're against big government. And we're against the wearing of spandex by anyone over 200 pounds.

My co-workers all wanted to join. So I let 'em.

Anywho, just got this little tidbit in my inbox when I came home tonight:

The chief of the Missouri highway patrol is blasting a report issued by the Missouri Information Analysis Center that linked conservative groups to domestic terrorism, assuring that such reports no longer will be issued.

(.....)

He said the militia report was "created by a MIAC employee, reviewed by the MIAC director, and sent immediately to law enforcement agencies across Missouri. The militia report was never reviewed by me or by the Director of Public Safety, John Britt, at any point prior to its issuance. Had that report been reviewed by either my office or by leaders of the Department of Public Safety, it would never have been released to law enforcement agencies," wrote Keathley

The report simply "does not meet" the needed standard for "intelligence," he said.

"For that reason, I have ordered the MIAC to permanently cease distribution of the militia report. Further, I am creating a new process for oversight of reports drafted by the MIAC that will require leaders of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Department of Public Safety to review the content of these reports before they are shared with law enforcement. My office will also undertake a review of the origin of the report by MIAC," he ordered.

Now, that there is a massive, public slapdown by the top law enforcement official in Missouri.

I wonder if he's got a Gadsden flag tucked away somewhere?

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