By Douglas J. Hagmann
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Arizona House of Representative Kyrsten Sinema (District 15, Phoenix) is proposing legislation thatwould revise an Arizona criminal statute that would make felons out ofpatriots, and classify groups such as the Minutemen, Guardian Angels oranyone daring to voluntarily identify and report illegal activity in herstate as "domestic terrorists" and worthy of a 6-month minimumstint in prison.
Sinema, who has failed to return my calls for comments about her proposedlegislation, is sponsoring HB 2286, that would amend Arizona Title13, Chapter 23,section 13-2301 and adding section 13-2320 that states, in part:
"An individual or group of individuals commits domestic terrorism ifthe individual or group of individuals are not affiliated with a local,state or federal law enforcement entity and associate with anotherindividual or group of individuals as an organization, group, corporation orcompany for the purpose of patrolling to detect alleged illegal activityor to individually patrol for the purpose of detecting alleged illegalactivity and if the individual or group of individuals is armed with afirearm or other weapon."
And to make certain that no good deeds remain unpunished, Sinema and herco-sponsors are mandating that anyone who is convicted under this revisedstatute spends a minimum of six-(6) months in jail, even if the courtsentences the defendant to probation. The intent of this revision is anobviously transparent attempt to make criminals out U.S. citizens. If Sinemahas her way, U.S. citizens concerned about the threat posed by illegalaliens, drug smugglers, and illegal border incursions and dares tovoluntarily assist law enforcement by identifying and reporting such illegalactivity at the U.S.-Mexican border, will be guilty of a class 5 felony, berequired to spend 6 months in jail, and be further classified as a "domesticterrorists."
Sinema has a consistent track record of voting against legislationintroduced in the Arizona State Legislature that fights illegal immigration,even to the extent of introducing legislation that would exclude illegalaliens - including drug smugglers -crossing into the U.S. from Mexico frombeing prosecuted under a 2005 anti-smuggling law.
Additional information is outlined in the most recent Homeland Security WeeklyPODCAST.
Kyrsten Sinema13-2320. Domestic terrorism; classification
A. An individual or group of individuals commits domestic terrorism if theindividual or group of individuals are not affiliated with a local, state orfederal law enforcement entity and associate with another individual orgroup of individuals as an organization, group, corporation or company forthe purpose of patrolling to detect alleged illegal activity or toindividually patrol for the purpose of detecting alleged illegal activityand if the individual or group of individuals is armed with a firearm orother weapon.
B. Any city, town or county that suffers injury arising out of a violationof this section may maintain an action in superior court for the recovery ofdamages or for an injunction, or both. the court may award the successfulparty reasonable attorney fees.
C. If the court sentences the defendant to a term of probation, the courtshall order that as an initial condition of probation the defendant beimprisoned in the county jail for a period of not less than six months.This jail term of incarceration shall not be deferred, deleted or otherwisesuspended and shall commence on the date of sentencing. THis subsectiondoes not apply to persons who are sentenced to serve a period ofincarceration in the state department of corrections.
D. A violation of this section is a class 5 felony.
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