White supremacy threat in New Jersey increases from ‘Moderate’ to ‘High’

Members of New Jersey’s Congressional Delegation, led by U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and U.S. Congressman Tom Malinowski (NJ-7), have written to the FBI asking the agency to increase the federal response related to the hate group known as the Proud Boys, which has recently increased its activity across New Jersey.

A report from New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) increased the threat posed by white supremacist extremists from “moderate” to “high” in 2020, joining homegrown violent extremists as the most persistent hostile actors in New Jersey. The Proud Boys has been classified as a hate group by civil rights organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“While the FBI ‘does not police ideology,’ we believe the clear threat and pattern of violence demonstrated by members of groups like the Proud Boys merits increased scrutiny by the Bureau to protect public safety. This is abundantly necessary as these groups increasingly seek to organize and instigate violence,” the House members wrote in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We are also concerned that members of the Proud Boys or other unlawful militias or private paramilitary organizations may plan to target and disrupt rallies, polling places, or voter registration drives in the coming months.”

Questions

The members requested that the FBI answer the following:

Does the FBI currently consider violent extremist groups with ties to white nationalism like the Proud Boys to be a significant threat?

Is the FBI concerned by violence at rallies organized by these groups across jurisdictions, including in Portland, Seattle, New York, and other cities?

Has the FBI taken steps to disseminate critical information about the threats of violent extremism to law enforcement partners in New Jersey and around the country, via intelligence bulletins, Field Intelligence Groups, Joint Terrorism Task Forces, or other groups or memoranda?

What authority does the FBI have, if any, to address instances in which individuals gather in public places under the guise of an armed militia, wearing military-style weapons and uniforms to intimidate members of the public?

What is the FBI’s strategy to protect Americans from a surge in violent extremism and an uptick of attacks from individuals associated with these groups in the coming months?

“We believe we need a much more robust Federal response to the growing threat of violence posed by white nationalists, neo-Nazis, domestic terrorists, and other militias ,” the Congress members said.

The letter was signed by U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Tom Malinowski (NJ-7), Donald Norcross (NJ-1), Andy Kim (NJ-3), Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-6), Albio Sires (NJ-8), Bill Pascrell Jr. (NJ-9), Donald M. Payne Jr. (NJ-10), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).