Revealed: Republican lawmaker Matt Shea and ally urged crowd to prepare for civil unrest

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Revealed: Republican lawmaker and ally urged crowd to prepare for civil unrest

Audio obtained by the Guardian shows Matt Shea said ‘communists are lying in wait’ and associate told audience to collect ‘an AR-15’ and ‘rounds of ammo’

Jason Wilson in Portland
Wed 1 May 2019 06.00 BST Last modified on Wed 1 May 2019 14.36 BST

Washington state Republican representative Matt Shea and several associates regaled an audience with conspiracy theories, separatist visions and exhortations for listeners to arm themselves ahead of a looming civil war, at a gathering at a remote religious compound in the north-east of the state last year.

In recordings obtained by the Guardian, Shea and Jack Robertson, also known as radio personality John Jacob Schmidt, invoked their visions and fears of a violent leftist revolt in speeches at the 2018 God and Country event in Marble.

The Guardian last week published leaked chat records in which Shea and Robertson were revealed to have discussed the use of surveillance, “psyops” and violence against liberal and leftist activists.

Robertson – who aired fantasies of extreme violence against liberal activists in the leaked chats – told the audience at the 2018 event that they should be prepared for civil war.

In his speech at God and Country last June, which immediately followed Shea’s speech, Robertson said: “Of course, you all know that you should have an AR-15 and a thousand rounds of ammo, right? Because Antifa is kicking up and getting ready to defend, right?”

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/01/republican-matt-shea-rightwing-rally-guns

Note: The following audio has been edited

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[mopinko]

1. is fomenting civil war considered treason?

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Sure sounds like it. This kind of talk from an elected member of Congress (WA) is ...

Last edited Wed May 1, 2019, 12:57 PM - Edit history (1)

not a laughing matter.

[jmowreader]

5. He's not an "elected member of Congress"

He’s a Washington state legislator from Spokane Valley, which split off from Spokane a few years ago. It is seriously right wing.

[SWBTATTReg]

6. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to mislead...corrected. nt

[sdfernando]

3. I think this is more accurately described as sedition.

Once you actually take up arms against the US, that is treason.

[mopinko]

4. i could be convinced that the shootin war has already started.

i'm sure someone here could provide the body count, but even if you start at heather heyer we are beyond fort sumter.