http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHQGw9LLhoI
As TTAG has reported, the FBI’s case against the Hutaree militia is busy de-evolving. The [non] defining moment came back in April, when the FBI agent in charge of the case developed a sudden case of amnesia on the witness stand. This led to the eventual release of the Michigan militia men. At the time, the judge declared “Discussions about killing local law enforcement officers — and even discussions about killing members of the Judicial Branch of Government — do not translate to conspiring to overthrow, or levy war against, the United States Government.” And so the FBI are hedging their bets, adding 15 weapons-related charges to the “conspiracy to wage war” indictment lodged against the group . . .
According to Reuters, the new indictment claims that federal agents seized “machine guns, unregistered short-barreled rifles and over 148,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as ‘a variety of explosives and related items capable of being readily assembled to build several types of destructive devices.'” The feds filed the new charges against Hutaree leader David Stone, his son Joshua Stone and Hut member Joshua Clough.
This is what’s called “leverage” or “a fall back position”; the same sort of deal that put Chicago mobster Al Capone away for tax evasion. What’s the bet federal prosecutors have been negotiating a plea deal with the Huts’ brief for weeks?
The only problem: now that they’re out in the sunshine, I doubt the Hutaree are gonna crack. We shall see. But don’t expect much on the war waging front. Or a retraction from the national media re: connecting the Hutaree’s alleged anti-government conspiracy to the Tea Party, of all people.
