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Rep. Deb Haaland has yet to be confirmed as President Joe Biden's new secretary of the interior, but already plenty of people want her old job assuming the senate gives her the OK.According to records filed with the Federal Election Commission, nine candidates eight Democrats and one Independent have indicated they are raising money to try to win her seat.Three of the candidates have reported receipts of about $333,000 combined. But the majority of these candidates will not actually appear on any ballot.Ultimately, a relatively small group of people both in the Democratic and Republican and Libertarian side are going to make the choice of who their nominee will be, KOAT political expert Brian Sanderoff said.So who is in this group?Each county's party sends people to represent them to the state central committee. They decide who gets to be put on the ballot for the special election. But it is only those members who live in the that are represented by Haaland's congressional seat who get to decide.That's as many as 200 Republicans and Democrats making the decision."Right now the primary objective is just to get the support of the central committee members of each party, Sanderoff said.That committee then decides whose name will appear on a ballot for a special election that is likely to happen a few months after Haaland is confirmed.So why are people trying to raise money now before we even know if there will be a special election?"Different candidates will use different approaches to demonstrate to the central committee members that they have the clout and strength among the party faithful to be considered for the nomination, Sanderoff said.Special elections dont happen often in the Land of Enchainment. The last time New Mexico had a special election was 24 years ago.

Rep. Deb Haaland has yet to be confirmed as President Joe Biden's new secretary of the interior, but already plenty of people want her old job assuming the senate gives her the OK.

According to records filed with the Federal Election Commission, nine candidates eight Democrats and one Independent have indicated they are raising money to try to win her seat.

Three of the candidates have reported receipts of about $333,000 combined. But the majority of these candidates will not actually appear on any ballot.

Ultimately, a relatively small group of people both in the Democratic and Republican and Libertarian side are going to make the choice of who their nominee will be, KOAT political expert Brian Sanderoff said.

So who is in this group?

Each county's party sends people to represent them to the state central committee. They decide who gets to be put on the ballot for the special election.

But it is only those members who live in the that are represented by Haaland's congressional seat who get to decide.

That's as many as 200 Republicans and Democrats making the decision.

"Right now the primary objective is just to get the support of the central committee members of each party, Sanderoff said.

That committee then decides whose name will appear on a ballot for a special election that is likely to happen a few months after Haaland is confirmed.

So why are people trying to raise money now before we even know if there will be a special election?

"Different candidates will use different approaches to demonstrate to the central committee members that they have the clout and strength among the party faithful to be considered for the nomination, Sanderoff said.

Special elections dont happen often in the Land of Enchainment. The last time New Mexico had a special election was 24 years ago.

More here:
Candidates are raising money to try to win Haaland's seat - KOAT New Mexico

AUSTIN (KXAN) A variety of groups from around Texas who mainly described themselves as libertarian held a demonstration outside the closed-off Texas Capitol on Sunday afternoon. The demonstration Sunday was not violent and consisted of dozens of people many openly carrying semiautomatic weapons, rifles, and knives standing outside the capitol grounds and talking with each other. Within four hours, everyone in the group left the demonstration.

On Saturday, a smaller group demonstrated outside the Texas Capitol as well. While the Texas Department of Public Safety has closed off the capitol grounds through Wednesday following concerns over violent extremists, a spokesperson for the department described the demonstration Sunday as uneventful and said there had been no arrests at the Texas Capitol all weekend.

On Friday, Texas DPS Director Steven McCraw said in a press release that the Texas Department of Public Safety is aware of armed protests planned at the Texas State Capitol this week and violent extremists who may seek to exploit constitutionally protected events to conduct criminal acts.

Individuals present at the demonstration at the Texas Capitol Sunday told KXAN they took these concerns from DPS into account, walking around the capitol grounds in plain clothes and with concealed weapons beforehand to see if any provocateurs had shown up to co-opt the event.

The big worry was we were gonna have tons of MAGA, QAnon people here to come and disrupt it but it hasnt been the case, said Stephen Hunt, who had traveled from the Abilene area to attend this event.

Hunt arrived to the event with a group, but said he didnt want to identify the group because its one of those things where people naturally come and find it.

He shared that he was not a Biden supporter or a Trump supporter in the presidential election and commented that hopefully this election has proven to people we need some change in our election laws.

Groups present on Sunday who spoke to KXAN said they came to Austin from different parts of the state. Several individuals present told KXAN that planning for the event Sunday began in October before the election happened as a rally to bring together libertarian groups express support for the protection of First and Second Amendment rights.

The gathering comes as all 50 state capitols are being watched for possible unrest leading up to the Inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

The possibility of violence comes on the heels of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 widely considered to be incited by President Donald Trump.

The photos below show what the Texas Capitol has looked like this weekend:

On Friday, the Texas Department of Public Safety announced the Capitol would close through Wednesday, after the presidential Inauguration.

Texas DPS says it will have extra personnel and resources at the Capitol and is working with the FBI and the Austin Police Department in monitoring events.

The Capitol was closed after armed protesters showed up on Tuesday as state lawmakers returned for the first day of the legislative session.

Markie Martin, a NewsNation correspondent, reported receiving a courtesy letter from her hotel in downtown Austin on Saturday morning. The letter warned guests to use caution when leaving the hotel and regularly check the local news and official city sources.

Some armed demonstrators Sunday were wearing patches which referenced the Boogaloo movement which the Anti-Defamation League describes as an anti-government extremist group. But attendees emphasized they came from several different groups.

Kris Hunter, who traveled to Austin from McLennan County as part of the Centrex Quick Reactionary Force, described the demonstration as just an event for a lot of us to come together, meet each other.

A lot of us have been in correspondence for a long time, [we want to] show support for the First Amendment, Second amendment and on down the list, we are big advocates for the Bill of Rights, Hunter continued. He noted his group has marched alongside Black Lives Matter demonstrations and Anti-mask/anti-lockdown demonstrations.

Hunter added that this event was part of a larger, national effort organizing at capitols across the country.

We correspond with each other, there was a meeting of all of us that are involved in these groups in Kentucky, Hunter said, noting he drove fifteen hours to attend that two-hour meeting in Kentucky to plan Sundays event. The entire point of the event was to not attach any particular group to it, this was supposed to be a uniting type event, all of us that are worried about our rights being trampled on, like I said, First Amendment, Third Fourth Fifth, the Bill of Rights, we wanted everyone to come out together.

Many demonstrators wanted to make clear that they dont agree with the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol more than a week ago.

Unfortunately last week in Washington D.C. there were some things that happened that we absolutely disagree with, we condemned the actions of those who breached the Capitol and it seemed like, this event got lumped in or was being paralleled with what happened in D.C., thats not the case at all, said Kris Hunter, who was present at the Capitol Sunday. We are mostly libertarians, we dont care about Republican or Democratic politics.

As people left the event for the day, they told KXAN they dont plan to have any other events at the Capitol in the week to come.

A DPS spokesperson said as of Sunday afternoon, no arrests had been made at the Texas capitol the entire weekend.

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Mostly libertarian demonstration gathered outside of closed, guarded Texas Capitol Sunday - WJTV

ArkLaTex Homepage Saturday Afternoon Forecast 1-23Weather / 16 hours ago

ArkLaTex Homepage Friday Afternoon Forecast 1-22Weather / 2 days ago

Dense fog and mist Friday morning, dry Saturday, widespread rain and storms Sunday and MondayWeather / 2 days ago

Rain will continue into Friday morning followed by a few strong storms late Sunday into Monday morningWeather / 3 days ago

Rain and fog Thursday morning, rain becomes widespread this afternoon, a few strong storms possible late in the weekendWeather / 3 days ago

The first of three disturbances to bring heavy rain starting Thursday, the weekend ends with a few thunderstormsWeather / 4 days ago

Cool and cloudy Wednesday, heavy rain possible Thursday into early Friday, thunderstorms late in the weekendWeather / 4 days ago

Rain chances decrease Wednesday with more heavy rain possible in the week aheadWeather / 5 days ago

Cold front to bring rain showers Tuesday, heavy rain possible late this week and again late in the weekendWeather / 5 days ago

Rain returns Tuesday with off and on chances continuing for the next weekWeather / 6 days ago

Sunny and pleasant Monday, rain returns tonight and tomorrow and stays for much of the weekWeather / 6 days ago

ArkLaTex Homepage Sunday Afternoon Forecast 1-17Weather / 7 days ago

Read more from the original source:
Groups across Texas head to Texas Capitol for "mostly libertarian" demonstration - ArkLaTexHomepage

The Boogaloo Bois is a recently formed decentralized armed movement comprised of loosely knit cells scattered throughout the United States. Boogaloo participants have also been involved in several attacks and plots, including the attempted kidnapping of Michigans governor, an attempt to sell weapons to Hamas, and a deadly attack on a federal security officer in northern California. The movement is centered on participants belief that the U.S. government has become excessively tyrannical. Participants, therefore, have concluded that a second civil war is unfortunate, but inevitable, in order to obtain true liberty. The movement refers to this idealized second civil war as the Boogaloo (Spotify [Buck Johsnon], July 2020). Occasionally, the word Boogaloo is exchanged for slang terms, however, such as the big luau, the Bungalow, or the Big Igloo.

Boogaloo, Internet Culture, and Black Lives Matter

Boogaloo cells contain a mix of civilians and former military personnel. These participants call themselves boojahideen, a linguistic spin-off of mujahideen (Liberty Actual, Boojahideen Shop). They have also been forced to utilize secondary online public forums like Reddit, Gab, and Parler because mainstream platforms like Facebook and Twitter have prohibited their content. (Reddit [RealRhettEBoogie]; Parler [Boojahideen Outfitters]). Despite this deplatforming, they are still able to circulate their ideology and connect with boojahideen in different regions of the United States.

This internet culture plays a key role in amplifying Boogaloos ideology. Many Boogaloo participants accordingly first connect with one another online (Sofrep.com, December 24, 2020). Similarly, a fundamental component of Boogaloo internet culture is utilizing memes, which became a method of propagandizing Boogaloo perspectives of civil war. One Boogaloo flag even has meme-based insurgency inscribed on it (Onlyfeds.com, January 2021). Boogaloo propaganda also enables a more violent ideology to become palatable and communicable to both existing boojahideen and the general public.

The Boogaloo movement is not, however, racialist. Instead, Boogaloo cells congregate around a libertarian political ideology that deviates from traditional right and left positions. Boogaloo cells across the United States have participated in and supported leftist-led Black Lives Matter rallies since the death of George Floyd (Youtube/Black Lives Matter757, August 10, 2020). Boogaloo participants believe Black Lives Matters is Disneyfied and its supporters consist of some Marxists and white Karens who are not supported by Boogaloo, but Boogaloo participants hope to win them to Boogaloo ideology and have Blacks and whites walk arm-in-arm against the feds (Spotify [Buck Johsnon], July 2020).

In some instances, Boogaloo cells have provided security for protesters during Black Lives Matter events. (Twitter.com/ryanteeter98, August 27, 2020) In addition, a Boogaloo participant, Ivan Hunter, was arrested for contributing to the burning down of a Minneapolis police precinct after George Floyds death and screaming Justice for George Floyd (startribune.com, October 24, 2020). Hunter was also affiliated with Steve Carillo, another Boogaloo participant who killed a California federal protective security officer after George Floyds death (justice.gov, October 23, 2020). However, Boogaloo is also a vociferous proponent of the typically right-leaning view that Americans are entitled to an entirely unrestrained second amendment right to bear arms, open carry, and form well-regulated militias.

FBI Prevention of Boogaloo Attacks

Boojahideen insist they are not radicals, seek a peaceful revolution, and kick out any white supremacists on the margins of society if they try to participate (Spotify [Buck Johsnon], July 2020). However, multiple Boogaloo participants are facing serious charges following both attempted and executed attacks on law enforcement and public officials. The FBI has played a crucial role in deterring these boojahideen plots often through the use of inside informants and undercover officers infiltration of Boogaloo cells.

In September 2020, boojahideen Benjamin Teeter Michael Solomon, who were in the communication with Ivan Hunter, were charged with attempting to provide material weapons support to Hamas (justice.gov, September 4, 2020). Believing Hamas was a mutual enemy of the United States, these two boojahideen considered themselves to be in alignment with Hamas. They, therefore, offered to manufacture unmarked firearms and firearm accessories for Hamas.

Unbeknownst to Teeter and Harrison, they were, in fact, attempting to deal arms to one of the FBIs undercover informants. Following an initial meeting with the informant, these boojahideen later delivered five firearm suppressors and a drop in auto sear firearm converter to the undercover FBI agent who they believed to be a senior Hamas official. At that time, they even offered to provide automatic weapons to Hamas and work as Hamas mercenaries in the future. Their actions, however, resulted in prompt charges from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (justice.gov, September 4, 2020).

Multiple Boogaloo Bois are also facing charges in Michigan after plotting to kidnap the states Governor, Gretchen Whitmer, and lay siege to the state Capitol building (justice.gov, October 8, 2020; see Militant Leadership Monitor, January 5). While the militia responsible called itself Wolverine Watchmen, individuals within that militia referred to themselves as boojahideen. In addition, a leader of the Whitmer kidnapping plot, Joseph Morrison, used the online nickname Boogaloo Bunyan in digital forums (Michigan.gov, October 2020).

Morrison and other plot participants were interviewed by a local TV station prior to their arrest during a second amendment gun rights rally. In the interview, Morrison sported a trucker hat with the Boogaloo flag patch on the front. His co-conspirators also donned Hawaiian shirts, a fashion trademark of Boogaloo participants (Youtube/Target8News, October 9, 2020).

The kidnapping plot was launched in response to what the participants called government tyranny stemming from Whitmers COVID-19 lockdown orders. The cell had been developing detailed plans to kidnap Whitmer, try her for crimes, and lay siege to the Michigan state capitol building. Confidential FBI informants were able to leak plot information, meeting audios, and chat room conversations with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (Michigan.gov, October 2020). This collaboration led to the arrest of everyone involved in the plot.

Boogaloo Responses to the Biden Administration

With the Joseph R. Biden-Kamala Harris administration transitioning into the White House, new dynamics will emerge between the Boogaloo movement and the U.S. government. Some Boogaloo cells have a history of seeking unity and offering aid to peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters (Youtube/Black Lives Matter757, August 10, 2020; Youtube/UnicornRiot, August 26, 2020). The Biden-Harris administrations criminal justice policy is expected to address Black Lives Matter protesters demands (joebiden.com/justice, January 2021). Thus, it is likely the Boogaloo movement will support these agenda items.

However, Boogaloo participants still have a rigid stance that U.S. citizens must maintain unimpeded constitutional second amendment rights, including the right to carry firearms in all capacities (Youtube/MatthewRodier, October 17, 2020). The Biden-Harris administration, however, aims to eliminate the sale and import of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines (joebiden.com/gunsafety, January 2021). It is highly likely the Boogaloo movement will push back against these changes.

In the past, boojahideen have voiced their discontent with firearm restrictions. On August 18, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia, for example, a large group of Boogaloo participants marched in full tactical gear while open-carrying weapons. During the event, Boogaloo participant Mike Dunn read an open letter that stated any gun legislation proposed and passed will be seen as a direct act of war against the free people of Virginia. This includes any firearms ban and magazine capacity limitations (Youtube/News2Share, August 18, 2020). It is highly likely that the Biden administrations gun control laws will be viewed as a direct act of war in the eyes of the Boogaloo movement.

While the rallies Boogaloo militias have attended in 2020 remained peaceful, it is impossible to ignore the multiple terrorism-related incidents in which its participants have planned and participated. The attempted kidnapping of Governor Whitmer, attempt to provide material support to Hamas, and attack on federal building personnel display the willingness of boojahideen to attack government officials to advance their political agenda. While it is likely Boogaloo cells will support Joe Bidens decision to reform policing operations, the Biden administrations restrictions on select firearms will likely trigger rebellious activity from boojahideen nationwide.

More here:
American 'Boojahideen': The Boogaloo Bois' Blueprint for Extreme Libertarianism and Response to the Biden Administration - The Jamestown Foundation

Journal-Courier staff, dbauer@myjournalcourier.com

Letter to the editor: There are options to political dissatisfaction

To the editor:

The Non-Aggression Principle is a central philosophy of Libertarianism. It is defined that any aggression initiated by force, threats or coercion to make any forceful interference with either a person or their property is inherently wrong. It does not forbid forceful defense.

There are several arguments around the principles definitions and philosophy, which is encapsulated within each of the different caucuses of the Libertarian Party. Like both major parties, we have many competing ideologies. It can sometimes lead to the frustrations we commonly see in the world of politics and to the gridlock that slows down the machinations of government. We are not a perfect party, but we do have a large tent to welcome all who wish to join.

Like the rioting and burning that took place in several major cities across the country this past summer, the Morgan County Libertarians condemn any and all acts of violence and destruction, especially those that occurred in our nations capital this week. We are against the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals. There are real grievances on both sides of the political spectrum that need to be earnestly and honestly addressed in the highest echelons of our government. Both sides have exploited the government to their own benefit and have disregarded and disenfranchised others. Those loopholes and deficiencies in our laws must be stopped and things must be changed. Libertarians wish to see a very different government and set of public policies that listen to all grievances and petitions with equality and fairness. Libertarians are committed to achieving that end peacefully by persuasion, peaceful protest and demonstration, and through winning elections at all levels of government.

It is time for you, dear reader, to decide if you wish to continue the madness of voting against your own self-interests through re-electing Democrats and Republicans or if you are willing to try something more principled.

If you are a Republican that is shocked and angered by your party giving succor to an authoritative, seditious tyrant wishing to overthrow the general tenants of our democracy, inciting a cult-mob to acts of violence to retain power, or are a Democrat that feels that socialism is a failed economic philosophy that will only take more of your money and expand the size of government and debt your grandchildren will owe or are simply a common citizen that is tired by the response from both parties saying more government is the solution to all of the nations ills, there is another way. If you want a party that follows the Constitution and wants to leave you alone to live your life as you see fit as long as you are not hurting anybody else, please reach out to the Morgan County Libertarians or the Illinois Libertarian Party.

Even if you are not convinced, simply ask questions you may be surprised by the answers.

Ben Cox

Jacksonville

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Letter to the editor: There are options to political dissatisfaction - Jacksonville Journal-Courier