Originally published on Forbes.com.
Last year I wondered whether Kent Hovind would be that year’s Cliven Bundy, so I suppose that I should not be surprised that L’affaire Kent Hovind has surfaced as a factor in this year’s Bundy drama, in which Cliven’s son Ammon led a group occupying federal land in Oregon. A year ago Young Earth Creationist Kent Hovind nearing the end of a long prison sentence for tax related crimes was facing prosecution for actions that he had taken to affect the title to property seized by the government as a result of his 2006 conviction. Hovind avoided serving more time thanks to some conventional legal work by the United States Justice Foundation and a touch of juror nullification.
Pete Santilli – Hovindicator
His supporters, the Hovindicators, waged a fierce social media campaign that never quite broke out of the right wing conspiracy bubble, but managed to pretty well touch every base within it including Alex Jones. One of Kent’s most vociferous advocates was Pete Santilli. Here is Pete interviewing Kent a couple of months after Kent’s release
Pete Santilli really threw himself into the recent Ammon Bundy drama in Oregon. According to this story he was one of 11 defendants charged with federal conspiracy stemming from the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Santilli is not the only major Hovindicator to express sympathy with the Bundy group. Here is Coach Dave Daubenmire commenting on the death of LaVoy Finicum.
Effect On Release
Pete Santilli’s support of Kent Hovind is haunting him in the Bundy crisis though. Judge Stacie Beckerman has indicated that releasing Pete Santilli prior to trial was a close call. Among the factors to consider besides his lack of ties to Oregon is this one:
The US Marshals Service is investigating Santilli for threats made towards a federal judge in Florida, federal officials said. They are concerned over Santilli’s statements that could indicate federal agents might be shot if they raided his house.
Well, I doubt even Pete Santilli makes a hobby of threatening federal judges, so it is a pretty good bet that the US Marshals investigation is connected to the on-air phone call that Pete made to the office of Judge Margaret Casey Rodgers last February to demand the release of Kent Hovind. It starts around 4:14
I leave it to the experts as to whether there is an actionable threat in there or just heated rhetoric.
Ernie Land’s View
Kent Hovind has not had much to say about the Oregon affair barely mentioning it in his videos. I checked in with Ernie Land, who managed Kent’s defense and now manages, technically owns actually, Christian Science Evangelism for his thoughts on the matter.
I wish to keep Kent distant from this and focused on Creation, the Flood and the End Times. I think he and his followers are very wise as to how this Government is unconstitutional in its corruptness and evil. My comment on Pete is a question, “Was he just detained or is he charged?” What is the purpose of a reporter, who is on the scene to report detained or arrested, and on what drummed up charge?
My final comment is made from following the Bundy’s in Nevada, and the Hammonds in Oregon, as the Bundy’s came to their aid to draw Americas attention to this gross injustice and unconstitutionality of the actions by the BLM and the Federal Government. My proof it is both injustice and unconstitutional is based on what didn’t happen. What didn’t happen? The answer is Red River in Texas. The same saga was playing out in Texas, but didn’t happen. Why? Because Greg Abbott the Texas Governor, previously Texas Attorney General, very knowledgeable in both Law and Constitution, stopped it. Now ask how? He told the Federal government and BLM that if they pulled that unconstitutional act in Texas he would meet force with equal force. So it all got hushed up, and they pulled the unconstitutional acts in other States where they had State Officials with no backbone.
I’ve got to give Ernie credit. I had been totally unaware of the Texas dispute. Here is something on it. I don’t think it is very much like the affair in Oregon, but maybe that’s just me.
The Rutherford Institute is also challenging Santilli’s arrest on First Amendment grounds.
“The FBI’s prosecution of this radio shock jock is consistent with the government’s ongoing attempts to intimidate members of the press who portray the government in a less than favorable light,” said constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People.
Other Coverage
Bob Baty who follows the Kent Hovind narrative, if you will excuse the expression, religiously, was the first to note the connection between Santilli’s failure to be released prior to trial and his activities as a Hovindicator. You can read motions by Santilli’s attorney for his release here and here.
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