Trent Franks calls Homeland Security Report "Outrageous"

April 27, 2009 - Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02) gave the following statement in response to ongoing controversy over the Department of Homeland Security's recent report on rightwing extremists and potential domestic terrorism, as well as Secretary Napolitano's failure to appropriately apologize for the offensive assertions made in the report:



"The outrageous, unsubstantiated, politically-loaded DHS report on "Rightwing Extremism," shows a stunning lack of understanding of the real and imminent threats America is truly facing." Franks stated. "It is also a disgraceful insult to the true heroes of our country. If veterans, pro-life and states' rights advocates and those who seek to protect the Constitutional rights of themselves and their fellow Americans are at higher risk for becoming domestic terrorists, then over 80% of the people in my District can be categorized as a potential national security threat.



"I would also be very interested to see what taxpayer-funded resources went into producing this disgraceful report and what documents and evidence they are using to justify it. Using the resources of the Department of Homeland Security to target and ostracize political opposition, as it would appear is being done, sets an incredibly dangerous precedent and it's something America's federal government should have no part of.



Franks continued, "The report claims the election of an “African American president” and the downturn in the economy has caused “right-wing extremism” and could possibly even radicalize our veterans. To say that the noble and patriotic men and women who wear this nation's uniform and have laid their lives on the line to protect their country are now one of the greatest potential domestic security dangers to our country is so staggeringly irrational and insulting that I am unable to find the words to express it.



"President Obama and Secretary Napolitano owe it to our veterans and the rest of the American people to immediately and unequivocally disavow and repudiate the preposterous conclusions in this report, and they should also seriously consider firing those who wrote it. The President and Secretary have already waited far too long and the explanations and platitudes the American people have received thus far are understandably being perceived as half-hearted and insincere.



"Every day they continue to delay brings increasing encouragement and amusement to the real terrorist enemies of this nation."