SPLC: Jersey ranks fourth in hate groups

by: Scott Weingart

Wed Mar 03, 2010 at 01:23:28 PM EST

Yesterday, the Southern Poverty Law Center released its annual report on hate groups and extremism in America. The number of hate groups increased from 926 in 2008 to 932 in 2009. At the same time, the number and activity of nativist and so-called "patriot" groups increased sharply across the country.

New Jersey was home to 44 hate groups in 2009, more than every other state but California, Texas and Florida. More than half of hate groups in New Jersey are classified as racist skinhead organizations. There are also 7 black separatist groups, 6 neo-nazi groups, 3 white nationalist groups, 2 Klan groups, 2 racist music labels and a Christian identity group. Most of the state's hate groups are based in South Jersey. The state was also home to eight nativist groups and eight patriot movement groups.

The state's most famous racist, North Jersey resident and talk show host Hal Turner is currently on trial for threatening three very prominent appeals court judges.

Perhaps the most active hate group in New Jersey is the League of American Patriots, founded in 2008 for "adult heterosexual men and women who are entirely of European Christian ancestry." The group littered towns in North Jersey with racist anti-Obama fliers in the run-up to the 2008 election, and last March, they "brawled" with anti-fascist activists who had shown up to protest the group's meeting at a Clifton library.

Caption Contest: Gov on the Stand?

by: Jason Springer

Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 11:10:00 AM EST

Chris Christie subpoenaed before even taking office

by: Jason Springer

Tue Nov 24, 2009 at 09:57:44 PM EST

A subpoena has been issued for Gov.-elect Chris Christie to appear next month at the federal trial of North Bergen Internet radio host and blogger Hal Turner.

Michael Orozco, Turner's lawyer, said in an affadavit supporting the subpoena, that Christie, as the U.S. Attorney, knew that Turner was working with the FBI, Christie gave legal advice to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force regarding Turner, and issued a "Blanket Letter of Declination," refusing to prosecute Turner.

"Certainly any of the advice I gave as U.S. Attorney with regards to prosecutions, I'm not going to talk about publicly," he said.

Christie said it would be hard to testify because of the internal deliberations and other legal issues that go into the decision-making process.

"It's very difficult for a U.S. Attorney to testify," he said. "We'll see what happens during the road."

He said they include pay sheets showing the FBI budgeted $100,000 or more a year for Turner as part of its Joint Terrorism Task Force, as well as correspondence between then-U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Christopher Christie and the FBI detailing parameters of the project, dubbed "Vahalla."

Christie was elected governor of New Jersey this month; he takes office Jan. 19.

Randall Sanborne, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office for the northern district of Illinois, would not comment Thursday on Vahalla, Christie's alleged memos or any aspect of the Turner case.

It appears that a big part of Turner's defense is going to be that he had our new Governor's approval. And our new Governor doesn't seem very excited about discussing his role. The subpoena to testify for the defense on Dec 1.  

Hal Turner's deadly stash

by: Rosi Efthim

Fri Jun 26, 2009 at 01:11:29 PM EDT

Two hundred rounds of ammunition. And 150 illegal hollow-point bullets, were found at chez Turner in a post-arrest FBI raid.

Lat year, I remember Jay Lassiter asking, and Ken Bank answering - who this guy was, because he never heard of him. Struck me, because neither had I. Ah, but I had.

I listen to right-wing radio in the car. Sue me. I like knowing what they think. Mostly it boils down to extreme distaste for the rest of us. Hal Turner is Hal from North Bergen, the now-banned regular put-him-through-immediately caller to the Sean Hannity Show. I had to read Steve Hart to get that. An before then, Turner buddied up to the shouty Bob Grant; same time slot. I heard Turner spew a hundred times.

I'm not a native New Jerseyan. Sometimes I forget who people are. Hal Turner:  White supremacist. Habitual assasination-threatener. Anti-semite. Possible FBI informant. Veteran-threatener.

No, we're not linking you to his blog posts, or his short-wave radio site. Screw that.

Sean Hannity Gets His Swastika in a Twist Over Hal Turner

by: Steven Hart

Mon Mar 24, 2008 at 04:06:09 PM EDT

Cross posted at The Opinion Mill.

Bergen Neo-Nazi activist gets attention

by: ken bank

Sun Mar 23, 2008 at 09:52:10 PM EDT

For me, the real story isn't Turner's past relationship with Hannity but his current relationship with GOP Senate candidate Murray Sabrin.  I met Turner ten years ago when he was Sabrin's campaign manager as the Libertarian Party's candidate for governor.  I got the impression he was bouncing off the walls so I'm not surprised at the allegations against him.  However, if Sabrin looks like he's got a real chance to win the nomination, he may have some explaining to do about his relationship with Turner.