Montana state lawmakers considered designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization Thursday, but the lead proponent of the effort faced more scrutiny than support during a hearing in Helena.
State Rep. Braxton Mitchell, a Republican elected to the legislature in November, said his bill would make clear Montana condemns the actions of Antifa, a far-left movement short for anti-fascist.
“I could speak all day of events where Antifa was involved in vandalism, crimes, destruction and murders,” Mr. Mitchell, 20, said during a hearing of the Montana state House Judiciary Committee.
“While there is no specific crime called domestic terrorism, applying such a designation allows law enforcement to look into suspects, known associates and affiliations,” Mr. Mitchell explained.
No one else spoke in support of the resolution during the hearing, however, and instead Mr. Murphy faced several questions from Democratic colleagues over his decision to single out solely Antifa.
State Rep. Ed Stafman, a Democrat, said a report about domestic extremism released by the U.S Department of Homeland Security recently made no mention of Antifa but warned about white supremacists.
And state Rep. Robert Farris-Olsen, another Democrat, said that far-right groups including the Oath Keepers militia have made themselves apparent in Montana recently but members of Antifa have not.
Indeed, Mr. Mitchell acknowledged under further questioning that he was unaware of any “Antifa incidents” taking place within Montana and said that his resolution was more of a deterrence mechanism.
“The intent is to send a message that we as a state won’t tolerate a group like this coming into our state or being involved in such actions in our state,” Mr. Mitchell said in support of his bill.
Mr. Mitchell said his bill to designate Antifa a terrorist organization has over 50 co-sponsors in the Montana state House of Representatives, though the legislature’s website currently lists none.
Mr. Mitchell also said during the hearing that his bill has “bipartisan” support. Asked later by Mr. Farris-Olsen to elaborate, the first-year Republican said that he was “was making a joke.”
“Representative, we don’t necessarily think that this is a joking matter,” reacted Montana state House Judiciary Committee Chairman Barr Usher, a Republican. Mr. Farris-Olsen agreed.
Former President Trump repeatedly said while in office that he planned to designate Antifa as a terrorist organization. His administration ended in January without him doing so, however.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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