Southern Poverty Law Center - Kentucky

Extremism Headlines: Uganda anti-LGBTQ law, Eastman disbarred, Politician claimed 'white genocide'

creede.newton_3057 — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:01:48 +0000

Hatewatch

Every week, we highlight stories on extremism and the radical right from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project. Here are stories that caught our attention through April 5.

Extremism Headlines: Uganda anti-LGBTQ law, Eastman disbarred, Politician claimed 'white genocide'

Kentucky politician claimed Jewish people promote "white genocide"

TJ Roberts, a politician from Boone County, Kentucky, said he was "sick of [Jewish people] promoting white genocide” in a private 2017 chat that Hatewatch obtained. "White genocide," or the great replacement conspiracy theory, is the unfounded claim that elites are attempting to dilute white-majority nations with immigrants.
Roberts' political activism looks like it began in far-right libertarian circles. He was a contributor to the Liberty Hangout, a far-right libertarian outlet that used to collaborate with white nationalist Augustus Invictus' defunct website. He was also part of a university group that invited white nationalist Richard Spencer to speak at a conference in 2017. Roberts declined to comment. Hatewatch shared the conversation with Rep. Thomas Massie, who has supported Roberts. Massie responded that he would "double" his support for Roberts.
In a statement to the Lexington Herald-Leader, Roberts said he remembered the chat but that his comment was taken out of context. On X, he denied making antisemitic comments.

Texas Company paid over $20 million to antigovernment group to bus immigrants

Hatewatch obtained documents that show Wynne Transportation, the company the state of Texas contracts to bus immigrants from the U.S.-Mexico border as part of "Operation Lone Star," paid antigovernment extremist Mayhem Solutions Group (MSG) tens of millions of dollars. A subcontractor who worked for Mayhem has called the conditions on these buses "inhumane." The documents also reveal a tangled web of limited liability companies that conduct the busing on behalf of Wynne Transportation.
Hatewatch has previously reported on MSG's sometimes unlicensed activities as a private investigations and security firm across the U.S.

John Eastman disbarred over 'unethical' acts

Former Trump team attorney John Eastman has been disbarred over "unethical" actions in relation to his legal attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, Hatewatch reported. The California Bar's website listed him as "not eligible to practice law" as of April 2. Judge Yvette Roland recommended that "the serious and extensive nature of Eastman’s unethical actions, the most severe available professional sanction [disbarment] is warranted to protect the public and preserve the public confidence in the legal system." Eastman has appealed and it will be up to the California Supreme Court to issue a final order.

Professor 'hidden hand' behind far-right media platform

The Guardian has revealed that Scott Yenor, a professor at Boise State University and a scholar associated with the Claremont Institute, is the "hidden hand" behind Action Idaho, a far-right online media platform. The article reported that Action Idaho disseminated inflammatory right-wing commentary on Idaho politics, including attacks on LGBTQ individuals and Republicans deemed insufficiently right-wing. Notably, Yenor secured funding for Action Idaho from influential donors, including Thomas D. Klingenstein, the chair of the Claremont Institute board, according to The Guardian.

Uganda constitutional court upholds anti-LGBTQ law

Uganda’s constitutional court upheld an anti-LGBTQ law on April 3 that imposes severe penalties for consensual same-sex relations. Reuters reported. The law, signed into effect in May of last year, includes provisions such as life imprisonment for LGBTQ individuals engaged in consensual relationships. The court found that certain sections of the law violated the “right to health, privacy, and freedom of religion.” Despite this, the court declined to nullify the entire law. Additionally, the law prescribes the death penalty for cases of "aggravated homosexuality," which includes sexual relations involving people infected with HIV and minors. Petitioners against the law expressed disappointment, vowing to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Hatewatch previously reported on Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and first lady Janet Museveni's April meeting with Family Watch International (FWI) leader Sharon Slater and others from FWI. FWI is an anti-LGBTQ organization that works in legislation and policy across the world.

Read last week's edition here: Extremism Headlines: Nazi imagery on Army Patch, Arizona braces for election threats

Above photo: A panel of five Constitutional Court Judges of Uganda led by the Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda Richard Buteera read their joint judgement at the Constitutional Court, where the Court upheld the anti-LGBTQ Law in Kampala, Uganda April 3, 2024. REUTERS/Abubaker Lubowa

Hatewatch Staff

April 05, 2024

Kentucky Politician Claimed Jewish People ‘Promote White Genocide’ in 2017 Private Chat

creede.newton_3057 — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 16:01:07 +0000

Hatewatch

TJ Roberts, a politician from Boone County, Kentucky, claimed Jewish people promote “white genocide” in a private chat from 2017 that Hatewatch obtained.

Kentucky Politician Claimed Jewish People ‘Promote White Genocide’ in 2017 Private Chat

Roberts' political activism appears to have begun in libertarian circles. From 2016-18, Roberts was a contributor to the Liberty Hangout, a far-right libertarian outlet. Roberts also was involved with a group that invited white nationalist Richard Spencer to a libertarian conference in 2017.

In 2020, Roberts was part of a lawsuit against Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear for COVID-19 restrictions. A court ordered Beshear to pay over $270,000 for the plaintiffs’ legal fees in April 2023.

Roberts declined to comment.

Roberts is now a candidate for Kentucky’s House of Representatives in District 66. Such prominent politicians as Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie and former Texas Rep. Ron Paul have endorsed him. Paul is a longtime icon of right-wing and far-right libertarians. In his endorsement, Massie lauded Roberts for suing Beshear. Hatewatch shared a screenshot of the conversation with Massie. Massie responded by saying this was a "hit piece" and that he "will double [his] support for TJ."

'One of the good ones'

In 2017, a user, who asked for anonymity due to their continued involvement in libertarian activism, posted something in the Liberty Hangout Facebook group. The user told Hatewatch that Roberts was a moderator and removed the post.

Shortly thereafter, Roberts sent the user a message: “I’m actually 25% (((them))) and am trying to not get the Zuck again,” according to a screenshot of the conversation the user shared with Hatewatch.

"The Zuck” is a reference social media companies removing offensive content, such as racist or antisemitic posts, and banning groups or users who posted the material. The term refers to Facebook/Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg. Putting words or names inside three parentheses is an antisemitic way of showing that someone is Jewish.

The user responded: “I did not know that. Are you on (((their))) side?”

“No,” Roberts replied. “I’m a religious Christian and quite frankly I’m sick of them promoting white genocide.”

Roberts has continued to speak about his faith on his website and social media.

The user replied: “Not sure I’ve ever seen a Jew acknowledge white genocide. You’re one of the good ones.”

“White genocide” is the unfounded antisemitic conspiracy theory that shadowy figures – often Jewish people – use immigration to dilute the population of majority-white countries. The conspiracy theory, also called the “great replacement,” has become a mainstream political talking point.

Spencer invitation

Roberts was part of the Hoppe Caucus, named for libertarian academic Hans-Herman Hoppe, in 2017. Hoppe is a far-right libertarian.

Hoppe wrote the foreword to white nationalist Christopher Chase Rachels’ 2018 book White, Right and Libertarian. The now-defunct Radical Capitalist, Rachels’ site, published the book. There was a controversy after Rachels presented the book’s cover mockup to a private Facebook group. The mockup featured helicopters and nooses that reminded viewers of Chilean far-right dictator Augusto Pinochet’s “death flights” that killed political dissidents and racist lynchings in the United States. Hoppe then asked for his foreword to be removed. Still, Hoppe favorably cited Radical Capitalist after the controversy.

One of the first articles Radical Capitalist published on its website was a racist pseudoscience screed about IQ levels between white and Black people.

Radical Capitalist also republished one of Roberts’ Liberty Hangout articles about a libertarian student group firing a Hoppe supporter for their far-right libertarian views.

Roberts was also an editor for The Revolutionary Conservative, white nationalist libertarian Augustus Invictus’ dead website. The website described Roberts as having “started his writing and activism with an endorsement piece for Augustus Invictus’s Senate run through Liberty Hangout,” to which The Revolutionary Conservative linked as a “confederate” site.

The Hoppe Caucus invited Richard Spencer, the former head of the defunct white nationalist National Policy Institute, to speak at the 2017 International Students for Liberty Conference. They claimed Spencer’s invitation was meant to foster “an important dialogue” and noted that “Hoppe invited him to his own Property and Freedom Society Conference several years ago for that very reason.”

The Hoppe Caucus sat Spencer at a bar In the hotel that hosted the event, saying that was his appearance, according to articles and a video from the time. The video of Spencer at the event shows Roberts shaking Spencer’s hand before sitting down at a table with Spencer and others.

Organizers eventually kicked Spencer out, according to articles and social media from the time.

Roberts’ social media at the time was not pro-fascism. Right-wing and far-right libertarians view totalitarian governments as a repulsive outcome.

However, Roberts’ social media posts did portray fascism as a left-wing ideology. This is an untrue characterization – fascism is a right-wing ideology – that many on the right make.

Despite far-right libertarians’ distaste for totalitarian governments, they can still hold white nationalist values. Hoppe has argued to maintain a white-male-dominated “natural order,” according to critics of his work. Hoppe has also called immigration to Europe “forced integration.”

Hoppe founded the Property and Freedom Society, which has repeatedly invited white nationalists to speak. Hatewatch reported in 2016 that the group’s “inaugural meeting featured Paul Gottfried, the American white nationalist who founded the H.L. Mencken Club” and “Tom Sunic, another white nationalist and an ex-Croatian diplomat who spends his time speaking at racist gatherings on both sides of the Atlantic.”

White nationalist Jared Taylor has also spoken at the Property and Freedom Society, the report noted.

Photo illustration by ��Ҵ�ý

Creede Newton

April 03, 2024

Nowak v. Foster

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:01:15 +0000

Kentucky Coal Case

Despite sitting on rich mineral deposits, Kentucky's Appalachian counties for years were among the poorest in the nation. A tax system virtually exempting un-mined coal from taxation ensured that miners working long, dangerous hours paid more taxes on their vehicles than out-of-state coal owners paid on coal reserves. Without tax revenues, schools and public facilities were some of the worst in the U.S.

Lawsuits filed by the Center in cooperation with Kentucky fair tax advocates helped change the financial landscape. The lawsuits forced the state to begin collecting a fair share of taxes from owners of valuable coal reserves by taxing un-mined coal in the same way as other real estate.

As a result, local schools began receiving over a million dollars annually in additional revenue. These taxes also were credited with making possible an industrial park that provides hundreds of local jobs.

Date Filed

February 17, 1984

Date(s) of Disposition

01/05/1988: Case dismissed by Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of finding a state remedy.

04/15/1988: Kentuckians for the Commonwealth v. Blanton filed in state court

Status

Dismissed

Court where filed

USDC Western District of Kentucky

Issue Area

Children's Rights

Plaintiffs

Agatha Nowak, class of Kentucky taxpayers

Defendants

Clayton Foster, Property Valuation Administrator of Christian County, other Kentucky county property valuators

Co-Counsel

Joe Childers

Landmark Case

Nowak v. Foster

Case Number

84-0057-P

Jordan Gruver v. Imperial Klans of America

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:51:45 +0000

Gruver v. IKA

On a hot July night in 2006, four members of the Imperial Klans of America prowled the brightly lit midway of the Meade County Fair in Brandenburg, Ky., on a recruiting mission. But after handing out information to prospective recruits, they turned their sights on 16-year-old Jordan Gruver, a U.S. citizen of Panamanian-Indian descent.

Unprovoked, the Klansmen started harassing Gruver. They threw whisky in his face, called him an "illegal s---" and beat him to the ground, kicking him with steel-toe boots as he curled into a fetal position and prayed for his survival. One of the Klansmen stood 6-foot-5 and weighed 300 pounds – towering over Gruver, who only stood 5-foot-3 and weighed 150 pounds.

Gruver suffered injuries that included a broken jaw, broken teeth and permanent nerve damage. Doctors also diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition that plagued the teen with nightmares and flashbacks.

The ��Ҵ�ý filed suit against the IKA and four Klansmen, contending that the IKA leadership should have known that its members, given their intense hatred of racial and ethnic minorities, would likely spark a violent confrontation at the fair. ��Ҵ�ý founder and chief trial counsel Morris Dees argued at the trial that IKA Imperial Wizard Ron Edwards added fuel to the fire by preaching hatred and encouraging violence.

"They were bombarded by images of hate," Dees told the jury during the 2008 trial.

Dees showed photos and video footage of Nordic Fest, an annual music festival that brought together Klansmen, skinheads, neo-Nazis and members of other violent hate groups at the IKA's 15-acre compound in Dawson Springs, Ky. Along with performances by hate rock bands, speakers at the gathering called for the deaths of Latinos and Jews.

Edwards claimed he always told his Klansmen to obey the law, but his defense was undermined by explosive testimony from former white supremacist Kale Kelly. Kelly testified that Edwards instructed him to kill Dees in 1999. (According to the testimony, Edwards wanted Dees dead because of an earlier ��Ҵ�ý lawsuit that forced the neo-Nazi Aryan Nations to give up its 20-acre compound in Idaho. The assassination plot was thwarted by an FBI undercover informant, and though Edwards was never charged, Kelly went to prison on weapons charges.)

The three-day trial in Kentucky ended with a victory for Gruver and the ��Ҵ�ý. The jury found Edwards and Klansman Jarred Hensley at fault for Gruver's injuries and awarded $2.5 million to the teen.

The jury also determined Klansman Andrew Watkins was at fault. Watkins reached a settlement before the trial and was not responsible for paying a portion of the $2.5 million award to Gruver. Watkins and Hensley served two years in prison for criminal charges stemming from the attack.

Joshua Cowles, the head of the IKA's national recruitment effort at the time, also settled before the case went to trial. Cowles testified at the trial that Edwards encouraged him to use violence.

The verdict decimated the IKA, which once claimed 16 chapters in eight states. Edwards resigned from his leadership position a week after the verdict, and the ��Ҵ�ý moved to seize Edwards' interest in the IKA headquarters to satisfy the judgment.

Date Filed

February 22, 2007

Date(s) of Disposition

07/25/2007: Complaint in case no. 07-CI-00294 Gruver v. IKA, et al.
09/06/2007: Order granting Motion to Consolidate 07-CI-00294 with 07-CI-00082
06/06/2008: 2nd Amended Complaint
01/14/2011: Kentucky Court of Appeals decision

Status

won

Court where filed

Commonwealth of KY, 46th Judicial District, Division 1, Meade Circuit Court

Issue Area

Hate & Extremism

Plaintiffs

Jordan Gruver

Defendants

Imperial Klans of America, Ron Edwards, Joshua Edward Cowles, Jarred R. Hensley and Andrew R. Watkins

Southern Poverty Law Center - Kentucky

Extremism Headlines: Uganda anti-LGBTQ law, Eastman disbarred, Politician claimed 'white genocide'

Extremism Headlines: Uganda anti-LGBTQ law, Eastman disbarred, Politician claimed 'white genocide'

Kentucky politician claimed Jewish people promote "white genocide"

Texas Company paid over $20 million to antigovernment group to bus immigrants

John Eastman disbarred over 'unethical' acts

Professor 'hidden hand' behind far-right media platform

Uganda constitutional court upholds anti-LGBTQ law

Kentucky Politician Claimed Jewish People ‘Promote White Genocide’ in 2017 Private Chat

Kentucky Politician Claimed Jewish People ‘Promote White Genocide’ in 2017 Private Chat

'One of the good ones'

Spencer invitation

Nowak v. Foster

Kentucky Coal Case

Date Filed

Date(s) of Disposition

Status

Court where filed

Issue Area

Plaintiffs

Defendants

Co-Counsel

Nowak v. Foster

Case Number

Jordan Gruver v. Imperial Klans of America

Gruver v. IKA

Date Filed

Date(s) of Disposition

Status

Court where filed

Issue Area

Plaintiffs

Defendants

Related Documents

Co-Counsel

Jordan Gruver v. Imperial Klans of America

Case Number