Russell Rips Napolitano Indictment Of Vets

Senator Steve Russell, a retired Army Colonel and veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, has authored Senate Resolution 42 which demands that President Obama’s Administration retract a Department of Homeland Security report that suggests returning veterans could be a threat to the country.

Russell said the report should be withdrawn and an apology issued to America’s returning war veterans.

The department's office of intelligence and analysis distributed the report to state and local law enforcement agencies April 7. The office regularly publishes intelligence analyses of domestic and international threats to the nation's borders and infrastructure.

The report drew sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers, conservatives and veterans groups, who said it unfairly targets returning military veterans and gun rights advocates without citing specific threats.

The report said the return of military veterans facing challenges with reintegrating into their communities "could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks."

"To characterize men and women returning home after defending our country as potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable," House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement. "The Department of Homeland Security owes our veterans an apology."

A footnote in the report, "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," said that while there is no specific information that domestic right-wing terrorists are planning acts of violence, such acts could come from unnamed "rightwing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration, abortion, increasing federal power and restrictions on firearms -- and singled out returning war veterans as susceptible to recruitment.

“To suggest that we would terrorize the very nation we risked our lives for should give all Americans pause,” said Russell, Oklahoma City Republican.

“Yesterday afternoon I participated in a rally with thousands of good, law-abiding, God-fearing Oklahomans who voiced their concerns about the Federal government’s expenditures of our hard-earned dollars,” said Russell, referring to the Tea Party rally that was held on the steps of the State Capitol. “According to the Department of Homeland Security report, these people would also be considered threats to the national security.

“It is vital that we take a stand and express, in our constitutional right to peaceful assembly and our extreme displeasure and disagreement with the Administration on this important matter,” Russell continued.

“Taken at face value, this report from our Department of Homeland Security would qualify the vast majority of Oklahomans as threats to our national security,” Russell added. “If upholding traditional American values such as the sanctity of life, the right to bear arms and defending your country is extremist, then I stand so accused,” Russell concluded.

Senate Resolution 42 further states that the Oklahoma State Senate supports America’s military veterans, who have risked their lives preserving the nation instead of attacking it, and believes that the traditional American values under attack by the Obama Administration should be respected and revered by the federal government.

The resolution will likely be heard in the Senate on Wednesday.

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