Transcripts For CSPAN House Hearing On White Supremacy Infiltrating Police Departments 20240712

Good morning to all the wonderful members who have joined us and i want to take a moment to send a message to michigan, to our subcommittee, this is our first hearing with our subcommittee and we are delighted to have you join us. Want toe begin today, i play a video that will set the stage for the discussion we are about to have. Please play the video. [video clip] permeatesupremacy every order of society and every institution. Whomever is engaged in those groups, wherever that might outed a number of Law Enforcement officers who have connection to White Supremacy. Primarily, we have discovered that through social media accounts. It is a good day for a chokehold. Sise that this piece of dealt with quickly. Or, f these muslims. Bad in any situation. What if i told you that all those inflammatory words were posted by former or Current Police officers . They are just a sampling found ofthe plainview project, officers using social media woment muslims, blacks, in eight jurisdictions of various sizes and geographic areas. Found posts that appeared to endorse violence by officers or members of the public, show bias against minority groups, use dehumanizing language to call protesters or people of color animals or savages. The deeper dive into officers in philly, where a postwar flag one third have been subjects of civil rights and totality complaints, many settling for the plaintiffs. Ramfficers wanting to people with obama bumper stickers. Sexism, bigotry, threats of violence that call for threats of execution by protesters. Story,urn out of this Police Officers have been fired after a routine audit of a patrol camera that was uncovered that authorities describe as very racist comments against africanamericans. An internal probe to the Wilmington Police department shows heat fueled conversations between two veteran officers. Protests being told that the protests would soon lead to a civil war and he is ready. He goes on to say that he will buy a new Assault Rifle and as soon we are going to go out and start slaughtering them. He says that the civil war is needed to get rid of the expletive mess. Call, heing a phone refers to a woman he arrested as that shed, saying delivered a bullet in her head right then. Peopletalk about killing for generations. Officers blame their comments on the stress of todays climate in Law Enforcement. A veteran San Antonio Police officer fired over the treatment of a criminal trespass suspect last summer. That officer caught repeatedly using the nword and other profanities during the arrest of a black man. For what . [beep]. Eing a a a Police Officer uses racist slur. Rookieokie, a deep a troy Police Officer fired for his post on snapchat. The officer will be off the payroll effective tomorrow morning. Heres the quote. Another night to wrangle up these zoo animals, in reference to detroit residents. We do all that we possibly can do to root out officers on the problem of white supremacist violence in america. George floyd, Breonna Taylor we have also held separate free things on Police Brutality in communities of color and rampant violations of the First Amendment and civil rights protests. By the Trump Administration. Today, we will examine how these different threats to the american people, namely how White Supremacist Organization ideas and attitudes have come to infiltrate and target certain domains of Law Enforcement. The bloody trail of violent White Supremacy now splattered across america. Charleston, south carolina, where white supremacist slaughtered nine thecanamericans and in episcopal church. Virginia, where hundreds of neonazi and klansmen rioted and wounded several people, a terrible attack by automobile. Pittsburgh, pennsylvania, where a neonazi killed 11 people and wounded six at the tree of life synagogue. Er antisemiticth rampage. El paso, texas, where a white supremacist hiked up on antiimmigrant hate killed 23 people and wounded 23 others in a rampage at walmart. According to the antidefamation extremist of all related murders between 2009 in 2018 were committed by rightwing extremists. Of center for disease studies, which analyzed over 900 attacks in the u. S. Since 1994, found there have been nearly six times as many victims of violence from white wing groups as from others. In 2020, they found that over 90 of attacks were conducted by rightwing groups. These are the facts. Ofe covid19, this a virus violent White Supremacy is spreading. The Southern Poverty Law Center documented a 30 increase in the number of hate groups over the last several years, and hate crimes are trending up. That the with covid19 Trump Administration has decided to mislead the public eye downplaying the problem. The department of Homeland Security whistleblowers stated that they specifically modified draft language on White Supremacy to make the threat feel less severe. The spread of violent White Supremacy is a threat to everyone, but disproportionately a threat to black and brown wnmmunities black and bro communities. Ad are estimating this is problem to Police Officers. According to the antidefamation league, White Supremacists and far right extremist groups have killed 51 Police Officer since 1990. 80 3 of shootouts between police and extremists involve white running white wing extremists, with them being responsible for more than half. The unredacted memo we released from the fbi states that, White Supremacists presence among Law Enforcement is a concern to the access they may have for restricted areas, loanable and sabotage into elected officials, or protected persons that they could see as targets for violence. White supremacy is a deadly threat to the safety of Law Enforcement officers, as well as the Public Safety, generally. Farright extremists killed a Law Enforcement officer. One of the Boogaloo Boys is a former air force sergeant suspected in the murder of the santa cruz sheriff earlier this year. In february, a White Supremacists killed an officer in alabama. In 2006 the fbi released an whiteigence assessment, supremacists infiltration of Law Enforcement. The fbi identified two distinct problems. They noted the problem of white supremacist groups infiltrating lawenforcement. We have seen a lot of evidence of that in the 14 years since the fbis assessment as officers have been dismissed for active membership in the kkk, and other similar groups. Alsohear testimony identified a second problem. Law enforcement officers who have no formal affiliation with racist groups, but who sympathize with the racist ideology. This has been in plain view of this period of resurgence racists in the country. A journalist published the plainview project, which collected over 5000 postings displaying White Supremacists, andphobic, misogynistic violent facebook material from Police Officers in each different city. We invited the fbi to come today. He bureau refused to come they have no evidence that this is a widespread problem, demanding the fbis attention. Have attempted to disavow their own 2006 intelligence assessment, which is every sign of being an authentic document. They did provide us an unredacted version of that assessment, which i am releasing today to the public can better understand how the fbi understood the threat, and judged the subsequent actions, or lack there of accordingly. The redacted passages include warnings for the american people. The fbi warns, white supremacist infiltration of law have passivean tolerance of racism within communities. The fbi also cautioned that volunteercers might their professional resources to the white supremacist causes in which they racially sympathize. These are chilling conclusions. Rather than spell out the threat for the american people, the fbi has suppressed them forom public view for 13 years. For the first time we can see the fbi believed internally that White Supremacy and filtration Law Enforcement departments was a serious problem. A potential abuse of power and authorities on the street. A source of potential violence against the civilian population. , as we watched videos depicting the brutal and bad treatment of black lives matter, are videos of them treating white militia as allies. A groupe a warning to of armed a white man asking them to discreetly stay inside the buildings after curfew so it would not look like police were playing favorites when a tear gassed protesters. In outlook turkey, officers were caught referring to white vigilantes as armed friendlys. In kenosha, wisconsin, officers pushed protesters towards a group of armed a white civilians. Police officers offered water to se armed men, one of them and rittenhouse got away, despite walking up to police weapon, whiler onlookers identified him as the killer of two innocent americans. Depends oncontact fair and neutral enforcement of the law to protect the whole citizen jury of violence and state violence. Theust work to disentangle state from groups and individuals that subscribe to violent white supremacist ideology. Seeking things like harm on africanamerican, asian americans, jewish americans, lgbtq, anyone who stands in the way of a race war and a civil war that the extreme right is calling for in america today. Lawocal or state enforcement or being infiltrated by isis or al qaeda or any other terrorist group, we would consider it an immediate Public Safety. Infiltration by violent White Supremacy is no less of a threat. To confront it effectively we must understand it. That is the purpose of todays hearing. So, i now would like to recognize the distinguished Ranking Member for an Opening Statement. Soent a bit over my time, please feel free to take the equal amount of time you need. Thank you mr. Chairman as always you is gracious to make sure we have equal time i appreciate that. s as you know, this is the fourth in the series of White Supremacy we have had a number of good exchanges diving into the fax over the course of the previous three hearings as you remember i was moved and wanted to understand the situation of the virginia a graduate that hit close to home and talking to her mother who lost her daughter down home in charlottesville i used to go as a student to see these events unfold it was important to have that conversation i think its a friend for us to have this conversation. I would note and the chairman knows for us to have a hearing on Human Trafficking theres 40 Million People around the world and 20000 and the United States have Law Enforcement engagement and estimates estimates of three or 400,000. We should find time in our schedule such as that that is an important issue if you take a three or 400,000 people that are victims of Human Trafficking we can look at that. I question the motives but i would have to acknowledge it is obvious over the last x number of months that they really want to trade a narrative that lawenforcement is systemically on racist and i categorically reject that categorization of the almost 800,000 Law Enforcement personnel and as a former prosecutors firmly believe we can root out crime and we root out racism wherever we find it that is our job. I fully agree with that but it is a dangerous path that my colleagues are pursuing to define Law Enforcement personnel and systemically racist. That is what is happening thats where this focus is doing. By the way the hearing is just focused on Law Enforcement for my democratic colleagues have made it abundantly clear the United States of america is systemically we racist. Thats the position of the modern Democratic Party that our nation is systemically racist and that to me is fundamentally at odds with what the nation has stood for and actually has done. I come from a family my greatgreatgrandfather is a texas ranger in the county am sitting in right now. I am proud of that. My grandfather chief the case since the water texas. He died of cancer when my dad was seven he barely knew him. He had just come back from the war my grandfather was a good and faithful servant is not racist in any way what i understand is my grandfather and my grandmother was a single mom in west texas the first woman county clerk because my grandfather died of cancer. I stand by my grandfather and Law Enforcement officers as the assistant United States attorney working in the Attorneys Office the Eastern District of texas. When i was a First Assistant attorney general. Theres 4100 employees. Irrespective of race if 1 percent do anything crazy or insane or mean or illegal racist at any given moment, 1 percent that is 41 people. Its my job as the attorney general to track them down and have an investigation and figure out what is happening corporate part of the embrace and believe that. But when the institution of Congress Makes a blanket statement using viral videos to define a classic human being standing on the wall i am troubled by that. There is significant amount of evidence to suggest it is in structural bias, Chronic Behavior there are 70 million interactions roughly. 70million interactions between lawenforcement and civilians every year. Now if 1 million of those are troubling are problematic for Different Reasons one of which might be race and one almost certainly is race then we should note that out and if you categorically define those interactions with personnel and those as systemically racist and you undermine the entire rule of law and see this unfold right now in front of us the past few months sparked a resurgence on the left to be more violence in the streets and more place officers killed in the line of duty and those communities are suffering because they are in the hands of the wall a small they cannot go to the bus stop to get to work because somebody smashes it to pieces they can go to the corner store motors ransacked and they closed for good the owner in the shop has been there for years snuck off 45 percent of black businesses have been decimated since the virus and the unrest there are real consequences to a street. They cannot call the police for help in many cases just yesterday in austin running through foods downtown austin they called the police there is no place to get there because the city council slashed them by one third in the wisdom these false narratives Law Enforcement tends to be less aggressive to pursue traders of which are the victims include all bases and in those two weeks following more than 700 place officers were reported across 20 major cities 37 percent higher and the murder rate these are people, murders what about the Police Officer shootings with intent to kill like in louisville . One of them was black. Defending the police and encourages violence in our streets in the name of policy harms our communities you cannot defend the police. For example homicides year after year rank first at 64 percent and in the city of austin as i said before d funded one third of the Police Department. 43 percent of increase of murders those a statutory rape 5 percent increase in vandalism. They canceled the 144 to permit the most diverse class in history half of them were minority and they canceled it. All those people wanted to serve in a monstrous meant and help protect over half minority. That class is going. At least 46 Police Officers killed in the line of duty this year i would all of their names on the floor of the house last week where the hell is the nba wearing their names on the back of their jersey . Where is the outrage those officers who lost their line one lost her life and duty . Is 24 yearold happily married dragged by a car dead. Is officer killed with the Nuclear Assault and on the sergeant ambushed and shot and killed. Twentyfour yearold officer shot with an open fire. 50 percent increase of officers killed in the line of duty cities are defending Police Departments this committee in my opinion gives a very idea was a streets property man that should not be nonnegotiable is not negotiable to me as a member of congress mr. Chairman understand we are doing here in the conversation we are having but we should be mindful of the hundred thousand men and women suiting up today to stand on that line and ive always entertained by those out in the streets and if something happens and there is violence because they are out at a protest and then they say wheres the polic police . That is happen to members of this body. Look around. So we ask where is the place if we continue to grow and assault them implicate lee condemned them as racist and the institution of racism as opposed to doing a lawful duties to root out every single crime and action one case at a time. I yield back. Thank you for your thoughtful remarks senator and i hope you get a chance to respond. What i do want to say right now is there is nothing that i said nothing about this hearing which describes all Law Enforcement as racist. On the contrary my opening was how fighting white supremacist is a threat to the Public Interest including Law Enforcement itself that we can easily discuss this more with the witnesses as they come through the thank you for your remarks i recognize the chair of the committee for her Opening Statements. We are not hearing you. We have you now madam chair. First of all thank you to may and Sharon Raskin for having this hearing the subcommittee has already hold three hearings to fight violent White Supremacy and his leadership on this issue has been inspiring. As the chairman said it is not neutral america it is not new to black americans since the nations founding this has been used to treat black americans as secondclass citizens or no class citizens we must never forget policing in america started with slave trolls. They involved in two Police Department several decades have been used to ensure black americans could not exercise their full rights as citizens. We are dealing with that legacy today and with that continued infiltration of white supremacist into the ranks and as the fbi field was white supremacist extremist and those that is an extremist often identified active leaks to Law Enforcement officers,. We have seen millions of people in the streets asking for the end of state sanctioned killings calling for the dismantling of systemic injustice. The mission is straightforward and asking for the bare minimum that the nation be a place where the lives and deaths of black americans matter of those protest have been met with violence and in many instances like weight extremist groups is not good officers versus bad but making sure he as a nation acknowledge White Supremacy has no place in any Police Department the idiom is not a few bad apples put a few bad apples spoil the bunch we cannot let White Supremacy continue to spoil the bench. We should condemn the behavior that chairman raskin describes prime honored to attend this hearing it is absently shameful the fbi chose to ignore the committees request to attend and instead disavowed their own to findings about the pervasiveness of White Supremacy and Police Departments. I look forward to hearing from witnesses about their extremely important work and i hope you remember the wise words of chairman cummings that we are better than this and i yield back. Thank you very much want to introduce our witnesses the first witness today is the fellow at the center for thank you. Let the record to show the witnesses have answered in the affirmative. Thank you and without exception, the complete written statements will be made a part of the record you were given five minutes within which to give your oral presentation and all of the members of the committee who have arrived including the subcommittee are going to ask questions. With that, you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you for inviting me to testify about White Supremacy and activity with Law Enforcement. In 1992 when i was an fbi agent undercover in los angeles my colleagues warned White Supremacists often had relations with officers and i would have to maintain my identity. I worked closely and that all probation and the later investigation with militia in Washington State with officers from several different federal and local agencies that had more experience they might add. I wasnt surprised when the fbi released its 2006 intelligence assessment entitled white supremacist infiltration of Law Enforcement that alerted of them by organized groups and, quote, i felt the infiltration by Law Enforcement personnel as it was the same morning i had received decades earlier. The 2015 th 2015 the counterterm policy guide had the case more directly. It warned asians the fbi terrorism investigations focus on militia extremist White Supremacy citizen extremists often have active links with Law Enforcement officers. But when representative clay asked the chief whether the bureau remain concerned about White Supremacy infiltration of Law Enforcement since the publication of its assessment and the hearing of the subcommittee, he indicated he had not read it. Of their ideology was the First Amendment of the rights. The 2006 assessment addresses this concern, however, by summarizing the issue although the freedom of Association Provision protects individuals rights to join the white supremacist groups for the purpose of the activity of the government can limit the jobs including jobs within Law Enforcement when the membership would interfere with their duties. More importantly, the fbis 2015 counterterrorism policy which he was responsible for executing indicates not just that members of Law Enforcement might hold white supremacist views but the domestic terrorism investigation had often identified, quote, active links between the subjects of these investigations and Law Enforcement officials. Its proposed remedy is a stunningly inadequate. It instructs them to protect their investigation by using the silent future of the watchlist so that Police Officers cannot ascertain whether they were under the fbis scrutiny. Since 2000 the connection to wifes a pharmacist groups have been exposed in dozens of states around the country. Research organizations have state and local Law Enforcement officials participating in the social media activities which demonstrates that over bias is to common. Law enforcement officials actively affiliated with white supremacist groups quote of a serious threat to people of color, religious minorities and antiracist activists. But the Police Response protest following the murder of george floyd are flaunting their affiliation with the groups. Police officers with armed rights militia groups are confounding because many states including california, illinois and pennsylvania have the law that bar of the regulated activities. Far right militants often kill Police Officers as the chairman stated they reported they killed 51 Police Officers from 1990 to 2018. The killing of the Law Enforcement officers in oakland the insured of deputies in california by far right militants highlight the threats. My written testimony includes detailed recommendations for prosecutors and federal, state and local Law Enforcement and i look forward to your questions. Thank you. Thank you very much for your testimony. Professor johnson, you are now recognized. Thank you to the subcommittee members. Its an honor speaking with you today. Before i begin i want to make clear the vast majority of people for all the right reasons and sadly they need to be able to detect them t and serve evern the community [inaudible] 2014 and an alabama officer and 2171 of the most influential in the country. In 2009 [inaudible] in addition to these roots, some officers the department of justice referred and that the shareholding and its a problem nationwide. This is just the tip of the iceberg and and confidentiality many of these are on the floor. We care about this problem and we know the officers disproportionately. For over 100 africanamerican men and others and in officer in little rock arkansas attended a plan so would have been the solutions to this terrible followup of our expensive view [inaudible] the government must turn over any information and teaches the credibility. Information has been. Prosecutors would have to investigate their officers overuse of the trial and other solutions would include better background checks, searches of officer emails and keywords with digital animus and officers agree that should allow from one department to another. I would be happy to take any questions. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, i am a former white supremacist and gang member. After serving my time in prison in 1994 i decided to leave the movement now ive spent the last 25 years speaking out against racism and conducted hate crimes training for Homeland Security agency and by volunteer the Police Department as an announcer at the annual fundraiser and im an activist for black lives matter. Ive spoken out about the fact that white supremacist leaders encourage followers to join the police force as a means to cause harm to people of color. I was in the world where it happened. I grew up in a neighborhood in south philadelphia. I had a mother who was a drug addict and fear t feared going o much that some days i tried to get hit by a car. At the age of 13 i was kicked out and moved in with my dad who was in southwest philadelphia. I was a new kid. This is when my fear turned to hate. That summer i went to live with my cousin in Lancaster County pennsylvania and although my family wasnt all all mesh [inaudible] i would hear them make racist comments and when they heard where i went to school i became the innercity expert and began to feel i mattered. The day that i decided to join was the day that i saw other people fear my group of friends. Up until that might played, i was a little boy who feared everything. I wanted people to fear me. I joined the movement for survival which made me grasp onto everything said here is what i heard. In 1991 i attended a meeting at temple university. This is a monthly meeting of about 15 or 20 members. They were mostly college gu guyo they were career minded. We needed to grow out our hair, stop getting tattoos and go to the police. The two people at the meeting later on became cops. Without same year i attended a meeting in baltimore by the socialist movement. I heard the same rhetoric there. Giving felonies so they wouldnt be able to legally armed themselves and wouldnt be able to vote. Later i attended a Hitler Birthday Party which was put on by they were happy with our numbers but he said we needed to be better soldiers for the movement. We would gather inside military tents and in a backyard read the bible and prepared to destroy. It was meant to militarize us and push us to gain more professional training and Law Enforcement. In 1992 by attending the meeting of about 100 people in montgomery alabama. They urged us to join the military. But late 1992 i moved to a desert film in california and at the time i had a swastika tattoo on my neck. Many people made comments about me and that i needed to get rid of it. The fact that many contain cops mean there isnt something right in the process of Law Enforcement. I hope by speaking out today and with god gods help, we can at t stop just putting bandaids on it. Black lives matter. Thank you. Thank you very much for your compelling testimony. If you are now recognized for your fiveminute testimony. Good morning. I appreciate the opportunity to appear for the subcommittee this morning. My name is mark. Im the sheriff in arizona. The Law Enforcement profession shares the concern that any bad actors may have portrayed its ranks moreover we shared coming into the outrage of the conduct of a very few members when they act with violence and animus. However, these are the actions of a very few members of Law Enforcement. Every day in communities large and small, thousands of Law Enforcement officers make over a million contacts with the public that result in no use of force or give rise to the appearance of any racial bias. Most public contacts with Law Enforcement are the results of the service. The Law Enforcement profession makes the effort firing in the training process rigorous and we conduct comprehensive background investigations and interviews, polygraphs and written examinations. Today we scan social media looking for troubling posts and questionable associations. Successful candidates then go through extensive Academy Training that includes cultural awareness training, racial bias training and the use of force training. On the completion, new officers go through training where he or she is evaluated and at the conclusion, the new officers on a probationary period during which time his or her performance is reviewed. The officer is then evaluated for the duration of his or her career. We take every step possible to weed out the bad actors and bad candidates and professionally trained observe and evaluate our officers throughout the career. It would be dishonest to suggest a bad actors do not approve despite our best efforts, however this isnt unique to Law Enforcement. Every profession whisks the prospect of a bad actor infiltrating its ranks and tarnishing its standards. These isolated occurrences for any profession shouldnt be used as an indictment of its entire membership or as a catalyst to assert its evidence of systemic prevalence. As americans, we do not believe the bad actors are a few members of any group by the justification for bias, stereotype and discrimination against all members of that group. This is always wrong, even when its cast towards Law Enforcement officers. Ive been in officers since 1981 and like hold a bachelors degree in social psychology and criminal justice. I do understand the manifestations of both overt and implicit racial bias. Racism, discrimination of social economic inequality still exist in the country and constitute a serious problem. Racism has been a scar on the country since its founding, and i believe that its still alive today. Very much. I have not found any evidence to make me believe racism or White Supremacy is systemic coming into systemic is a very important word in our profession. The surgeons tassertions to thei believe to be false. Not out of naivete, ignorance or lack of personal exposure to the profession. Rather because ive simply not t been exposed to any evidence that would lead me to reasonably believe that the systemic racism and infiltration of White Supremacy into the profession which i dedicated nearly four decades of my life to his present in modernday Law Enforcement. Again i appreciate the opportunity to testify before the subcommittee this morning and i welcome any questions any members might have. A. Thank you for your testimony today and finally we will hear from the president of the ethical side police st. Louis missouri. Thank you for having me this morning. I would like to start off once again my name is Heather Taylor and i recently retired last friday. I was a 20 year veteran at the metropolitan Police Department. I was in the homicide section however nine speaking on behalf of the society of police. The Ethical Society of police was founded in 1972 we have members in the st. Louis city. Im here to give my perspective on the ideologies. The fbi report released in 2006 about why i white surprising infiltration and Law Enforcement which affected the Police Department greatly and has racist content by Police Officers and numerous other reports are clear examples. I want to provide my perspective by telling a true story. For nearly seven years i have repeatedly reported an officer for his racism. This officer had a he once stated black people were pathetic and he also you can take a man out of the ghetto but you cant take the ghetto out of him. Another time he made a racist statement about black people and welfare. This officer also reported a racial profiling by a citizen. Hes also a Field Training officer training hundreds of officers within our Police Department. He has neve is never been firede statements and complaints. These statements were not the worst. This officer and others killed a black man under questionable circumstances in 2012. I was the investigator on the case and that case haunts me to this day. Another officer, six times the officer violated the policies and with this said one used the n word during the incident. Another stated victim arrest. All the statements relate and all questionable actions by the officer were placed in a Police Report and official documents. The report was turned over for the review for criminal charges or disciplines. I was told they returned to full duty. No charges were filed. I delivered a copy of the Police Report to the circuit Attorneys Office in 2013. Once after the case was finally done. I just couldnt believe that there were no charges, there was nothing. I dont know if the grand jury ever reviewed the case for any form of charges. I dont know the discipline of that case. In 2020, the same officer that used the chokehold made in insensitive Facebook Post about another black man. Athis time, george floyd about chokehold in his belief that George Floyd Murder was justified. I believe more extensive background checks are necessary with hiring. I believe the immediate termination and removal of Police Certifications of officers to support White Supremacy that are corrupt in any way that these officers should be removed immediately. And it is clear and anyone saying you can train away racism, they are wrong. You cannot train away racism. You need to weed i out and fire and the turf made them. I also believe that whistleblower protection needs to become a priority. I risk my life by reporting officers. Ive received Death Threats from officers. Its impossible to break the hold of silence if there are no protections in place that empowers the officers to come forward. I would also like to state that in 2017, a black officer grew up from the intercity divide and became an officer. He was shot in 2017 by a white officer. The undertone about that incident that was in 2017. Three months later brutally beaten by four Police Officers that have been thoroughly invited. I would also like to state that covid19 is the leading cause of death for Police Officers and suicide. The leading cause of death we are losing officers by covid19 and suicide. Weve had more officers this year unfortunately including who was shot and killed. I think it is important to address the sliding with White Supremacy [inaudible] if that is a reality and what we see i was speaking in my example that he is a Field Training officer, training others to become officers. There is no way he should have been able to continue in this field. I would also like to add that there was a recent study by the city group that 16 trillion is a result of racism in the country. 16 trillion. Thats what we have as a result of racism in the country and that includes Law Enforcement and the settlements that have been made. I would welcome any statements or questions. Thank you. Thank you very much, sergeant. With that we have completed witness testimony and we will enter upon question and label rick recognize myself as the chair for questioning. I want to start with professor johnson to address the First Amendment implications because i know there are Supreme Court decisions that essay you cant discriminate against people in public colliery based on what the political ideology is. Officers are letting their beliefs influence their actions on the job either towards citizens or fellow officers. I think its important to note its limited in a lot of ways and that is true for federal employees, judges and ways we limit the speech of public servants. There have been decisions by the Second Circuit to say when and officers speech is at odds with the Police Departments interest in having the trust of the community, its in the interest [inaudible] officers that have been expressing and [inaudible] thank you professor johnson. Dozens of officers have been killed by White Supremacists, as you point out. Of the unredacted document that we have released today mentions different threats of White Supremacists going out onto the Police Forces as he talked about being encouraged to do. They talk about the risk of sabotage, the risk of having access to officials and access to weaponry and opportunities to use it. What do you think are the biggest risks of infiltrating Law Enforcement blacks. Because the fbi already energizes the investigation will supremacist violence it is the work and effective fbi agents who work in these cases despite the fact they are not a priority at the number of cases and for the 17 random operation to identify to Corrections Officers involved in the kkk plan to kill an inmate i could go on but we dont want to have the fbi with is an agency trying to slow down the investigation like this where we already have and then you have that kind of attitude from your superiors. Let me go to you. Where could be some skepticism if you can train somebody out of the racism. That seems right the abstract but maybe your career or your own evolution is counter to that we know sarah spoke of the importance of racial cultural sensitivity. Do you think that is enough to make it work . How did you get out of that was publicist ideology you are so steeped in . Thank you for the question. That is what changed my life and then consistently with that spiritual path so what i know is i learned that the empathy equals humanity and i must be of service to people at all times and manage change my life dramatically for the better but the more important part of placing was we need to take this very serious and that im talking about events from 30 years ago and those that have done the same thing since then its a real problem were finding more and more story since my article came out and will continue to do that. s thats a great option we need more people to get involved with communities they once hated or are afraid of a lot of officers come into cities was suburban resources i looked in his face the man on george fords place and that is arrogant here. My time is a where i yield to the distinguished ranking membe member. I appreciate that thank you for your testimony from serving in Law Enforcement we appreciate your service and you are being here. Went into a record from the wall street journal has called watching is the hate watchers of the recent turmoil with the Southern Property Law Center video. Without objection. They have been making some reviews about racism and sexism that we have societal questions im quickly comfortable having these conversations that we should be looking across all organizations even as focusing so heavily. Can you describe the current difficulties you have and the process you go through with diversity and training . Clearly that is a challenge the Current National rhetoric especially trying to recruit socioeconomic disadvantage backgrounds is exceptionally hard if you have a systemic racism it seems unwelcoming to people of color and that disadvantage background its a challenge for all of us right now to hire and retain once people get into this profession its more difficult to retain them. My son is a Police Officer with the recent events he told me when he became a Police Officer i was willing to lay down my life for my community that is what i had signed up to do. But never signed up to be hunted like an animal and the execution of Law Enforcement officers has a disquieting and Chilling Effect recruiting lesion people it is an ongoing challenge. Its not Getting Better anytime soon there are some certain economic drivers not helping in our recruiting efforts. Sheriff do you find it troubling for the city of austin i represent it has cut its apartment by one third of 150 million now they have to reroute folks for example the drug units they have to go off of that firm regular patrol they canceled the entire recruiting class the most diverse in history. You see that as a problem . We are not asking lawenforcement to do that arguably is it is simple to asking officers to be Substance Abuse counselors and more and more the idea that you include funding at the time to asking more of Law Enforcement than you ever have should we have a Great Community dialogue of the redefining of our Law Enforcement does and where those are provided it is a sensible dialogue but that was greater Law Enforcement not less. I approach my board of supervisors the Community Engagement specialist for Substance Abuse training responding to calls normally a deputy would respond to. You touched on a very important issue and the additive nature of Additional Resources is both why enforcement versus a bond lacking of Law Enforcement because of a reaction to issues undermining Law Enforcement and then i will yield back. Yes. The community is rightly concerned that we are better able to follow that with more resources, not less than with that cutting of the agency does very little to enhance Public Safety or why enforcement to respond to the needs and desires of the community service. I recognize the chair. Can you hear me now . Mr. Chairman i want to zero in on the august 2020 report the fbi has previously identified the main problem of White Supremacy as risking the integrity of the fbi investigations and the security of agents and informants. What do you mean by that . Thank you for the question. My concern is looking at the 2006 assessment counterterrorism guy the fbi identified the primary problem of white supremacist and Law Enforcement is the risk it poses to fbi investigations to lawenforcement personnel rather than recognizing it has mandate and i believe the primary problem with supremacy and Law Enforcement is a threat it poses to the community to the officers as police even with those reductions removed thats not the primary concern reflected in those documents. It seems the fbi disagrees with you and have refused to provide testimony repeatedly told us that the 2006 threat assessment is irrelevant dated document is it does not address the potential harm for ways to process for those communities of color what is the impact those that tolerate racism in their ranks . The criminal Justice System there is Racial Disparities to to get searched or arrested or how they are charged we have seen those disparities persist and as long as there is persistent supremacist with racist behavior that will color the perception the public has particularly in the communities that are most heavily placed and that disruption between Law Enforcement and the communities they serve undermines the security of all of us. With the 2006 assessment the fbi said that infiltration can result of authority and passive tolerance do you believe that observation has been borne out but weve been observing the last few months . I do its not a new problem fbi agents across the country who are doing good work on this topic. But because that is deep advertised within the fbi i would look like at civil rights violation. Is irresponsible of the fbi to continue to ignore this problem . Absolutely large enough for the fbi to warrant its own agents its important for the governor justice to cover National Strategy to protect the public for these officers and i agree there is a small minority of Police Officers engaged but as long as it persist it affects the system. It was an interview to the daily beast describing multiple members of your gaining infiltrated the Police Department. What would you say to those with a filtration of Law Enforcement is not a real threat . For the question. You know the facts. There are people used to run with who are not spiritually good people and racist to their core and i was a black person being held over knowing the people i know that were cop beef fall. Is there a real problem of white supremacist infiltration of the Police Department . Just to give you some experience i was a hockey coach and a bring that up because every hockey team has an agitator the matter what he does every person has to stand up for him if you have one racist cop in the precinct others may not know is believe but you have to back him up at all times no matter what and thats the trouble we are getting ourselves into thinking the blue line will protect one another with a Close Division so why worry about that they protect each other with the blue line like a hockey team. The gentle lady yields back your recognized for five minutes of questioning he is not there. Now we go to mr. Gomez you are recognized for five minutes. Thank you mr. Chairman. So with a firsthand account to betray lawenforcement and in 2006 the leaders and groups have historically shown interest of those lawenforcement communities and personnel. Can you tell us how this squares with your own personal experience . Spirit thank you for your question. Coming up in the neonazi worlds with the other further investigations we never had a full on hatred they were just the speedbump and that is the disturbing fact that i do see coming into the Police Department right now. And that and it was a great concern. And then to have these conversations and then to be irresponsible today discount the likelihood they go unreported or undetected. And with those not see police and then how to get around it becomes the goal of theirs with that extreme process that is talked about in the room. This group the voice supremacist how many are in a particular Police Department and in that station . I dont know how they do it at the time i dont want to speak out of turn i do not know is a fact. The reason im asking the question in l. A. County we have the Sheriff Department has had a long history and those that dominates to be terrys same background communities i went on right along. And it is called support apache. And so those that have been where the chairman rest on chairman raskin and with that white supremacist Law Enforcement. And that manifestation of the problem so when you see these instances with the civil rights lawsuit those journals that are uncovering these places and as the public scandal that they understood this was an issue as those abuses come forward. And it acknowledges there is a problem with that solution advises them to protect their cases and then to identify those officers that are known within their department and then to nip this in the bed proactively. I just want to knowledge the Sheriffs Department has clips or gains and that are multiethnic that there is a lot of the pressure. And that they will not be projected to be projected on the streets and then to have that pressure to join Law Enforcement should be committed not to the ideology but to protect those of the community and i yelled back. My question is geared toward the sheriff. And with that hiring process its important that we have the representation of minority Law Enforcement that would go a long way to solving the distressed that exist out there. One of those current challenges. And at this very hearing does not help that if you allege there is infiltration of white supremacist people especially biased ideology within the profession it is a welcoming to people of color and that is understandable. Personally going down innercity high schools in their software and freshman year of high school to recruit with the home of the family to establish those relationships early on. And those that are systemic infiltration and found that anecdotal evidence but as a practitioner for 39 years. I was going to ask you because it is among the democrats with a systematic racism that which by the way need Law Enforcement more than anyone. And with that White Supremacy and into can you give us an example of what it is like . So with those communities we struggled historically. It has been an ongoing struggle i think this is a purely partisan issue some partisan one some are concerned with people of color and that is what Law Enforcement needs to embrac embrace. But these things are not helping our relationship with people of color with the disenfranchised communities that we struggle with. I completely agree with the criminal Justice Reform with the sentencing and things like that in those sentences i believe we need more minority Law Enforcement officers but i do believe that the constant attacking has been heavily overweighted and the Law Enforcement so what challenges do you face weeding out those bad apples . There is tremendous to process to weed out the bad apples. They were those histories. That is an ongoing challenge. And then to be projected like any citizen in the employment environment but to some extent they have gone a little too far that this person might be better equipped to be in a better professions. I completely agree those up at their lives on the line every day. And with 14 seconds left i do believe in with a bipartisan opportunities and those to eliminate the barriers that let lawenforcement have to show that distinction to make it easier to get rid of the pad up pokemon for cement. Its very difficult to fire someone once they get tenure and become a civil servant. So with that i yield back. A recognize the Ranking Member five minutes. Spirit thank you for conducting this hearing. Let me also congratulate for your retirement and service to the community over the years. And that hispanic racism , phobia and trends phobia. Sergeant taylor our city, st. Louis was one of the cities exported by the project. Talk about how these races and attitudes translate offline . So the attitudes of how they translate you are more likely to be stopped and pullover if you are africanamerican compared to white drivers. Also how it translates is that africanamerican officers are 50 percent more likely to leave the pd within the first five to seven years africanamerican members and the Community Overwhelmingly applied to become Police Officers even in this environment. But sometimes it isnt fair with those systemic factors that are in play and then to expose the biases and as a systemic problem. Was 16 trillion and as a result of systemic racism i know how much st. Louis has paid out in wrongful death settlements . Do you have any idea about that quick. Millions. Millions we recently had an officer captain settled for over 1 million racism and discrimination one was brutally beaten by those Police Officers working with him undercover and those was shot by another weight colleague and an officer coming to the aid it is in the millions it is in the millions and in a disproportionate way. With that exclusionary list and to take certain cases and those that match up with the post and as the good officers and the whole thing about not being disciplined. It is very difficult. And in one sense you are happy that is they are refusing to take the cases and those that a good majority come to work to do the job we have to stand up black and white to see corruption and spirits are down a lot of times. Thank you for your service my time is expired. I yield back. The predator of White Supremacy is more dangerous than ever and then to counteract those threats from violent hate groups and so california Police Officers were found to be collaborating and attacking members of the Workers Party at a neonazi group. With the leader of a trip planned. It has not been to the community and for Fort Lauderdale Police Officers sent violently racist Text Messages leading to the dismissal against black defendants. Representative the intimate 91 undermine the nations promise. So can Law Enforcement responses be blunted by sympathetic officers and as professor johnson has advocated and as Sergeant Taylor has suggested those good officers with any racist behavior so to have the system that good officers are able to report the misconduct of their colleagues without themselves being targeted and the prosecutors to make sure that testimony is not being used in a way. Sergeant taylor and noticed a different tell your colleagues are opposed to those of other groups like individuals protesting George Floyds murder . Those that believe that george floyd was murdered and those that stated they were justified and where justifiable and my Opening Statement that he is not the only one in that once again that we are at opposite ends along those racial lines and then to do the job effectively. And with those rightwing militia members for those and then your experience going undercover with a supremacist and to be more aligned with their worldviews. And my frustration is on lawenforcement it in the Santa Cruz County sheriffs deputies attacked by far right militants and i think that poses a threat to the Police Officers themselves. But the time we acknowledge the dangers of the skull culture even if by a small minority. We tackle them in the Public Confidence is is voted i appreciate the opportunity to have this hearing today and i yield back. Thank you so much chairman raskin and our panelist. So before we begin to ask a consensus with the report the date crimes. And the cnn article that summarizes the report. Without objection. With the infiltration and placing wondering of the problem exist at all. We have known for generations and how we have allowed that to sustain for so long. And that has allowed for more violence and in the communities in connection with race and why do we keep talking about this . And then to make it very clear was systemic racism it is and the individual attitude we are all the existing and racist systems in order to participate in these systems. And systemic racism so how many officers are designated to some communities more than others. And the Racial Disparity in their outcome. It doesnt have to be each and every individual officer one of the things i wanted to discuss how that policing exist and figure out how we better determine the scale of the problem and how big is the issue . In your report and with that involvement right up to the present day. But only then they get criminal charges why is that quick. Thank you for the question. It is difficult to question Police Officers partly because of the way the civil rights laws are written also how the fbi investigates with the alleged Police Mortality much the way they do hate crimes and the civil rights in this case rather than looking comprehensively to know if that bias in the vast majority with the conduct as a matter manager in this out. And those who have been enacted White Supremacy the responsible for their actions . Rarely do we have an officer with covid19 to make a statement about chineseamericans and then to be disciplined for 30 days for using the and word on the nword. We do have testimony this is a problem and systemically not addressed. Is important to talk about the Legal Mechanism of this issue. Talk about qualified immunity how does the legal system in general including qualified immunity protect racist Law Enforcement officers from accountability and how do i hope to evaluate the problem given those barriers . It is a barrier to holding because of the prosecutors depend on the this officers that they are not being held responsible and prosecutors are not being held responsible. I now recognize you for five minutes of questioning. And with that wed to the establishment of the allwhite Police Department and placed permits and local governments with kkk members and refused to intervene and in the early 2h century the kkk had over 1 million members and with those white supremacist groups do you think contemporary organizations will continue the campaign to influence Law Enforcement . With those groups allow it up on a lot of those are filling with Police Officers falling the cop flag. Used to be in that is gearing up on Law Enforcement they see the damage that you doing get away with it. And the war on drugs and that arouses the cops to search us when we are the citizens. I yield my time. Thank you. It is clear from historical record to rely on training to address the problem with official and unofficial place training so as in the minneapolis band warrior training and then offer to train Minneapolis Police for free and this summer in the wake of George Floyds murder,. Then the ex fbi agent is described as notorious providing Law Enforcement trainings so have you heard ever had any experiences with these kinds of violent training. And then to use them to train other officers and with that violent ideology towards other officers that is very much present that is allowed to fester and they allow that and they allow that i appreciate the enthusiastic affirmation have introduced a bill to do that with that disregard the black and brown lives there could should be no accountability with that doctrine. Even with implicit bias training that is the most comprehensive antiracism those that specifically avoid explicit racism of Law Enforcement and that is a bigger part of the problem by willingly turning a blind eye to this problem we allowed it to fester rather than taking it head on to make sure we understand we cannot stop the correct the implicit bias and unconscious bias if we dont address the implicit bias. Because history is so important of the evolution as a protector and ally . The first Place Department being organized with those lynchings that took place for any of those in Law Enforcement in los angeles this is can consolidate in power. I turn out to the representative. Can you hear me . This is a very important hearing but despite identifying the problem and going back 2006 i do know those witnesses did come before. And with that testimony they use the word White Supremacy wants so even more concerning the recent whistleblower report that they are attempting to suppress that predicted that elevated threat but that is word i mean the it is denied by the fbi because i am concerned the fbi has released a report of what they call black identity extremism. Does any such movement or what does it mean to you what that black identity otherwise of premised and believes . It is a example systemic fight one bias it is over overwhelmingly white so when the guidelines are altered to allow them to investigate that evidence of criminality and wrongdoing its rather than focusing on evidence. Thank you. Professor johnson talk about inside federal Law Enforcement with the issue of White Supremacy. We lost the political world. There is a poll and then to imagine the number of Law Enforcement officers. And then to address that issue. And then for the federal government. Thats what we have to focus on here. I think that them seeking to a very people. In the field at all these different extreme views and then with the views views with the systems as well if you dont have them present everything cannot be white and male we have to have diversity. And for most of her perspective. Thank you ms. Norton for your questioning. But then to take a moment and then continuing after retirement we appreciate especially in my community i so appreciate the issue we are discussing but is some kind of theory out there. And with those and what it is pleading in our communities so i want to start with you should we be concerned the right wing groups. Yes absolutely. So the detroit Police Department heavily armed neonazi group with this plastic armbands and the aftermath the Detroit Police chief that he gave to arm twice of pharmacy that said both sides are wrong. And with tear gas and pleadings and then to get at all jobs that they have to stop using batons and tear gas on the protesters. How does this help protection for the neonazi. That one thing that is concerned to me and in warned for the testimony today leading to that tolerance of racism so as i hear your testimony are you there . I am. And of course concerned with the a lot of things with policing in that but looking at what happened in the district, last november 1 officer was caught on camera. And under the leadership. So im wondering if that is the case and some of those concerns i truly believe in what was the held accountable . And then to present that matter to the county Attorneys Office. Is that people morning that involves criminal activity. It was deemed not to be criminal activity. I studied psychology adn i and im still ill prepared for it, even with empathy and these ideologies about Law Enforcement are accurate in the sense that we have a problem with addressing our internal problems, first off, and we have a problem with how we respond to these calls. Places,put forth in its not necessary. This is what were taught. Were taught we should be warriors and guardians. Ill as warriors, were prepared for that. When we talk about reallocating these resources, its necessary. We lap have a lack of deescalation. People that have these fouryear degrees, which most of us do not have, you bring those people in who have these specialties and skills, it can offset responding and shooting a 13yearold in the back, who has autism. So its important with these people in these jobs and most of the time, most Law Enforcement officers will agree that they dont necessarily want to respond on these calls anyway because we are illprepared for. Thats exactly what im here. Thank you so much. I will pray for Sergeant Taylor, not extremely difficult it is for her to come up and speak the truth about this and really so much respect for you today. Thank you so much. Thank you. In closing, i want to thank not just sergeant kelly, but all of our panelists today for their extraordinary participation, michael german, sergeant kelly, professor johnson, mr. Meeink, sheriff napier from arizona, thank you all for coming and participating so intelligently in this important conversation. The question of the neutrality and the fairness of Law Enforcement all across america goes right to the question of our social contract. You know, if you read any of the social contract terrorists, john locke or tom assads or russo, all of them said that we enter into society because well be safer inside the social contract than outside of it, which hobbs said was a state of nature, a state of war, and violence, nasty brutish and short. So, we enter the social contract but we expect that the police , who we pay to protect us, will act with neutrality and fairness and respect for everyone in the community. And we know that the vast majority of officers enter with that idea. So the infiltration of White Supremacists members, activists, ideas, and attitudes is a threat to Public Security and Public Safety, and is a threat to the repetition of the Law Enforcement function, which i think all of us agree. It is, when you consider it a few bad apples or a lot of bad apples, not those bad apples can spoil the reputation of the whole barrel. So, we hope the fbi will stand up and take credit for the things that it is saying and doing to identify the problem, and come up with a National Strategy for making sure that we dont have that kind of infiltration ands effusion of ands effusion of white supremacist attitudes and ideas, and action Law Enforcement. With that, without objection all members will have five legislative days within which to submit additional written questions for the witnesses to the chair, and we we will forward them to the witnesses for their prompt response. I ask all of our witnesses to please get it back as soon as you can. And with that, i thank you all for your participation. This hearing is now adjourned. 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But the administration is trying to do here is narrow their protection for content moderation so that websites would no longer be protected if they tried to remove content that they thought was false or perhaps racist. Im no fan of big tech platforms and how theyve abused their workers and how they abused the privacy right of their users. But frankly, going after section 230 is not the right approach to the very real problems that were seeing with online platforms. Baron socha and Jessica Gonzales monday friday, the house overwhelmingly passed the reservation condemning qanon. This comes after several members of congress were threatened by some of the memberships. The measure passed 37118 with one member voting present. Getting great reports from the doctors at walter reed. The work they do is amazing and i want to thank them all. The nurses, doctors, everyone here. I got to meet some of the soldiers and first responders. What a group. I also think we will pay a little surprise to some of the great patriots we have out on the street. They have been out a long time. They love our country. I am not telling anyone but you, but i am about to make a little surprise is it