Attorney General Bill Barr tells federal prosecutors to consider sedition charges against rioters.

Attorney General Bill Barr. Government photo. 

Attorney General Bill Barr has told federal prosecutors to consider sedition charges against rioters. The Hill. Barr also told prosecutors to charge rioters with federal crimes even if local charges could apply. Sedition charges are quite serious and carry a 20 year sentence but also require evidence of a conspiracy and evidence that the people charged had planned attacks on the government or were trying to overthrow the government. Barr warned that violent riots would likely continue in the lead up to the election and beyond. Since riots began, over 200 people have drawn federal charges. 

My Comment:

Though this is a welcome move I wish that the US Government had moved against these radicals a long time ago. As far as I am concerned it should have been a day one priority to dismantle Antifa and the militant offshoots of Black Lives Matter. Unfortunately Jeff Sessions was more interested in charging legal marijuana sellers then doing his job. And for whatever reason the initial response to the 2020 riots were weak, likely due to election concerns. 

I think it's totally justified to target these rioters with sedition. Under federal law, it's pretty clear that the attacks on the federal buildings more than qualify for the charge. And given that Antifa is fairly well organized and has overthrowing the US government as a goal. If that isn't sedition nothing is. How difficult these charges will be to prove in court is another thing but if convicted it will take some of the worst actors out of the game.

Of course this wouldn't be necessary if local officials would do their jobs. In places like Portland and Seattle, rioters are just let out so they can continue to commit crimes. And it's clear that the officials in these cities are on the side of the rioters and won't punish them expect for all but the most egregious behavior.  

I think a crackdown will likely stop these riots fairly quick. Antifa might be willing to take a misdemeanor charge, but a federal felony is not something you can laugh off. Even defending against the charges successfully will drain their bank accounts. 

This should have a chilling effect on the worst actors. The worst of the worst will be in prison and the next tier after that will likely be too scared to continue. And the casual people won't even consider rioting if they understand that they could be in prison for as many as 20 years. 

However, it does seem that rioting has calmed down a bit regardless. I think part of that is due to the weather and fire conditions in the West Coast. People aren't going to riot if they can barely breath outside. And the firebugs are busy burning the wilderness and not random buildings. And as the weather cools it will likely deter more rioters who aren't going to be willing to brave the cold. 

That being said, I am expecting more riots as the year goes on. Regardless of the results of the election, Antifa is going to keep trying to get their revolution. And when President Trump wins, it's going to get a lot worse. Thankfully it seems that the government is finally taking things seriously and if we get lucky a whole lot of very bad people will be going to prison.