Judicial Watch Launches Investigation of Effort to Intimidate Conservatives
Threat Letters by Liberal Group May Violate Ku Klux Klan Act
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - August 8, 2008) - Judicial Watch, the public interest group
that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today
that it is launching an investigation into a nationwide effort by a liberal
activist group to intimidate supporters of Republican and conservative
causes. According the August 8 edition of The New
York Times, Accountable America, a liberal group, plans to send a
letter "to confront donors to conservative groups, hoping to create a
chilling effect that will dry up contributions... The warning letter is
intended as a first step, alerting donors who might be considering giving
to right-wing groups to a variety of potential dangers, including legal
trouble, public exposure and watchdog groups digging through their lives.
The group is also hoping to be able to respond if an outside conservative
group broadcasts a television advertisement attacking Senator Barack Obama,
or another Democratic candidate, by running commercials exposing the donors
behind the advertisements."
Attempts to intimidate individuals from participating in the presidential
campaign can be a violation of federal law. A key federal civil rights law
(42 U.S.C. § 1985(3)), popularly known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, may be
applicable if "two or more persons conspire to prevent by force,
intimidation, or threat, any citizen who is lawfully entitled to vote, from
giving his support or advocacy in a legal manner, toward or in favor of the
election of any lawfully qualified person as an elector for President or
Vice President, or as a Member of Congress of the United States; or to
injure any citizen in person or property on account of such support or
advocacy."
"Threats and intimidation have no place in our democratic elections and are
a violation of the law. This new front group, Accountable America, seems to
have crossed a legal line," stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.