Minutemen meltdown.
Minutemen meltdown.
The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC), the anti-immigration group “whose ‘civilian border watch’ operations generated widespread media coverage and a flood of donations, appears to be imploding.”
Chris Simcox, founder and president of what grew into the largest and most powerful Minuteman group in the country, in late May reportedly fired 14 of the MCDC’s 27 state chapter leaders, plus one regional leader and three national officers. The firings came after the leaders pressured Simcox to meet with them in person to discuss concerns about Simcox’s financial accountability and leadership style. [...]
Simcox has been under fire from MCDC chapter leaders and rank-and-file members since last summer, when he began refusing to account for the $1.6 million to $1.8 million in private donations he said MCDC had raised by the end of May 2006. That sum included $600,000 for the “Minuteman Border Fence,” which Simcox touted in a slick fundraising materials as a high-tech “Israeli-style” barrier, but which turned out to be little more than a barbed-wire cattle fence.
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Oh boy sounds like Simcox is just a con-artist and huckster. He probably stole some of the funds.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:40 amThe high-tech barrier wall that turns out to be a barbed-wire cattle fence is hilarious. Maybe he wanted to string barb-wire along the border and tie it into Claymore mines to blow up the illegals as they crossed over.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:46 amNo me digas, güey!
May 24th, 2007 at 3:30 amSounds like he went to the esteemed Bushit Graduate School of Business. Sure wish I could get me some of that high-falootin edumacation!!
May 24th, 2007 at 3:47 amKnew it. Mean people suck!
May 24th, 2007 at 3:53 amWhy am I not the least bit surprised?
May 24th, 2007 at 4:20 amAs far as I know, the Minutemen support *legal* immigration. So I don’t know how you can be intellectually honest and call them ‘nativist’. I see this sort of dishonest use of language a lot. Like when a group is referred to as pro-immigrant, when really they’re pro-illegal immigrant.
The problems with Mr. Simcox have been going on for months now. The sad truth is that not everyone has what it takes to be a leader. A lot of people, given a lot of responsibility, fame, and money are going to fall down. It’s just the nature of humanity. I’m sure he’s a sincere man and means well. I hope he wakes up to his failings and takes positive action soon.
Mean people do suck, SKdeA. It’s mean to demand a course of action that brings misery and hardship to your neighbors. If you want open borders or massive immigration, then you need to come up with solutions for all the problems doing those things create. Pretending the problems don’t exist, or shrugging and assuming people should just suck up the problems and deal with them is not kindness.
May 24th, 2007 at 4:54 am“it’s mean to demand a course of action that brings misery and hardship to your neighbors”.
Not allowing your neighbor to cross over for a better life is a course of action that brings misery and hardship to your neighbors Harrison.
As for the problem caused by illegal immigration i don’t pretend they don’t exist, i just don’t believe that vigilantism like the minutemen do is the answer to those problems.
May 24th, 2007 at 5:31 amAny serious effort to stop illegal immigration would cause the U.S. economy to implode. Like it or not, we are dependent on these people.
May 24th, 2007 at 6:47 amWhat is it with right-wing conservatives that prevents them from: 1) accepting responsibility for their actions and 2) not being able to resist pilfering funds put in their trust. I don’t understand why being right-wing means you must be a crook, but this case is yet another example of that statement. Have we mistakenly confused extreme narcissism with conservatism all these years?
May 24th, 2007 at 6:53 amYou don’t have to worry, people. There are many other legit and stable interest groups to combat the problem the majority of Americans want combated – illegal immigration. And no, the minutemen don’t appear to be permanantly imploding. It simply appears to be some personnel shifting and funding appropriation issues. (Ever hear of the RED CROSS!?!) Nice of thinkprogress.org to overblow this.
CompTroller V-1 is the revolutionary development of our time.
May 24th, 2007 at 7:30 amHahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahahaahahahaha
May 24th, 2007 at 7:32 amComment by PrahaPartizan
Or, you know, the man who sticks $90,000 in his freezer.
It’s just not possible for these nutty left-wingees to crap their pants, is it?
May 24th, 2007 at 7:33 am#8. “Not allowing your neighbor to cross over for a better life is a course of action that brings misery and hardship to your neighbors Harrison.”
May 24th, 2007 at 7:37 amOur “neighbors” are far wealthier than we are. I hate how pro-illegal immigration groups have depicted Mexico as being on the brink of destitution. No, Mexico is, pure and simple, sloughing off its poor, in order for the very, very wealthy to acquire even more wealth. Our representatives are up there on The Hill, shilling for extensive amnesty, and why not? With LaRaza on the left promising votes and corporations on the right promising campaign cash, those guys are in hog heaven. Their only obstacle is the American worker. I hope they get an earful when go home over recess (and I am a liberal. I just don’t follow the herd on every issue).
TP supports open borders?
What a surprise.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:01 amAh, another ring-wing “charitable” organization scandal. Reminds me of DeLay and Abramoff’s rip-off “charities” that were nothing more than fronts for expensive golf trips.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:12 amMillions upon millions of mexicans, crossing everyday (seemingly) into this continent. Yet, we’re not supposed to see anything wrong with that! Extremist Iraqis crossing our borders? No problemo! It’s the American culture, and it’s a healthy culture. If we remove them, it will “fracture” our society. Geez, have we ever thought of the consequences of keeping them here?
Immigration reform won’t work, simply because Democrats/cheap labor Repubs consider “comprehensive reform” to be that catered to their language only. Mexico is poor, and changing that will be the only effective solution.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:12 am“TP supports open borders?”
Huh….I didn’t see that in the post….could you kindly point out where you read that?
May 24th, 2007 at 8:16 am“Extremist Iraqis crossing our borders?”
Oh, for the love of God. Please point out a single instance of an “extremist Iraqi” crossing our border from Mexico.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:18 am17,
Extremist Iraqis are kindof busy in Iraq at the moment. Did you notice, or do they not show that on Fox?
And are you also not aware that the US does not, by itself, constitute a continent?
And as for a single, unified, American culture… it simply doesn’t exist. Even within ethnic groups there are tremendous diversities of culture- compare east/west coast african american culture, or contrast mass. liberals with texans, or again with midwesterners.
Read Madison’s Federalist 10, the whole point of the American political system is to cater for just such a diversity. Madison emphasises that one of the strengths of his constitution is the fact that it is so broad based and capable of expanding to incorporate as many interest groups as possible. A direct democracy cannot have anything like the flexibility or the stability.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:27 am“refusing to account for the $1.6 million to $1.8 million in private donations”
that’s vintage bush-style leadership
May 24th, 2007 at 8:44 amQuestions to wingnuts -
What is it with you guys and hucksters? How come you keep on turning over your hard-earned dollars to crooks?
Doesn’t this pattern of being conned start to, what’s the word, bother you? At what point to you ask why it’s always you who getting suckered?
Heck, I know how much handing over tax dollars to teh gubmint is a drag, but isn’t this worse? You know, getting bilked by people you worship, literally in some cases?
May 24th, 2007 at 8:49 amComment by am
I never said Iraqis were crossing the border. Reactionary.
Next:
Comment by Prince Myshkin
If extremist Iraqis are all in Iraq (which they’re not, they’re right here in this country, too), then why shouldn’t we be there wiping them out?
Your extremist definitions, by the way, don’t sit well with most of the American people. I don’t believe you’re given the right to define a developed country you probably never helped bring into the here-and-now. A single, unified american culture should exist, because that’s the only way America is going to survive. You don’t get to choose what exists because you not part of the revolution. America is a not continent, learn your geography. All of a sudden it’s not because you want it invaded? Loon.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:50 amComment by Prince Myshkin
This one supports those 1 in 4 muslims (probably more) sitting in the U.S. who support extremism. Yet, this one believes that he gets to redefine the U.S. Hey, pal, try that in some other developed country and you would be IMPRISONED.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:53 amThis is hysterical, Wingnut Welfare 101… check this out from the full article:
“The May 8 letter to Simcox also demanded that he explain the exact nature of the relationship between MCDC and the Declaration Alliance, a right-wing consortium established by conservative politician Alan Keyes in 1996 to oppose legalized abortion and civil rights for gays and lesbians. The MCDC webpage identifies the MCDC as “a project of the Declaration Alliance,” prompting suspicions among many Simcox followers that the Declaration Alliance may be taking a large cut of MCDC donations and spending it on issues that have nothing to do with illegal immigration and border security.”
My little hope this morning – that Simcox flees to Mexico to escape the reach of the IRS. And the Mexican govt then deports him.
May 24th, 2007 at 8:53 am“Bush-style” leadership. You guys are 100% correct on that. Considering Bush’s first oil company was funded by his father’s friends, Bush put almost no money of his own into the company, yet when he declared bankruptcy he walked away with something like $800,000.
Republican Business Leaders: making money the old fashioned way — by stealing it.
May 24th, 2007 at 9:00 am24,
You are aware that these ‘extremist definitions’ were formulated by James Madison, known as THE FATHER OF THE CONSTITUTION? Not by me, by him. Read them, the Federalist Papers are available at Project Gutenburg.
May 24th, 2007 at 9:02 amConsumer Report:
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May 24th, 2007 at 9:03 amIn addition, the motor windings are not wrapped very tight.
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May 24th, 2007 at 9:09 amFunny that a vigilante group of people born in the mistrust of the government to manage the immigration issue, and in hating to pay taxes, gives his money to a bigot, based only in that he’s the one that hates the most the illegal immigrants. What a thrustable person.
You reap what you sow. Now, their money has been robbed by a WASP republican racist, not a mexican illegal immigrant wanting to work hard in some sweat shop for producing cheap goods for USA “legal” inhabitants. If this isn’t irony…
May 24th, 2007 at 9:10 amThese republican idiots are so stuck on destroying the left that the’ll excuse and defend those who are robbing them blind. What a hoot! Usually, this kind of dysfunction is found in familes with deep histories of physical/sexual abuse, and the self-hatred that accompanies such flawed group dynamics.
Then again, maybe they like being ass-raped (as long as the rapist is a family member).
Just sayin’.
May 24th, 2007 at 9:34 amSo by “Israeli-style” barrier, do they mean it will cut deep into Mexican territory? I call dibs on Chihuahua!
May 24th, 2007 at 9:43 amOr, you know, the man who sticks $90,000 in his freezer.
It’s just not possible for these nutty left-wingees to crap their pants, is it?
Comment by CompTROLLER V-1 — May 24, 2007 @ 7:33 am
You ARE aware, right, that the loudest howls of protest when William “Cold Cash” Jefferson’s office was searched came from the GOP House Leadership?
They had no problems with warrantless spying on the US public, but a legally issued search warrant suddenly constituted a Constitutional Crisis for these bastards, who loudly caterwauled about the dire need for a clear “separation of powers” between the Executive and Legislative branch
In fact, current House MINORITY Leader John Boehner-the House MAJORITY Leader at the time-actually said that the FBI raid on Jefferson’s office would end up in the Supreme Court because of the supposed implications of such a raid
The only way to avoid getting smacked around when attempting to derail threads is to not attempt to derail threads
May 24th, 2007 at 9:46 amComment by smafdy
Please Thinkprogress.org, delete that man’s post! Contains foul and obscene language!
May 24th, 2007 at 9:46 amMy guess is that 1.6 to 1.8 million in donations is somewhere on the other side of what little fence these a-holes built. Stupid suckers got what they deserved.
May 24th, 2007 at 10:03 am“America is a not continent, learn your geography.”
actually it is 2 continents. there’s north america and south america. which is why it is called the ‘united states of america.’
May 24th, 2007 at 10:05 amThanks Dumb Fox for that added info on MCDC and where their monies may be going.
Too much digibitching going on here for any substantive discussion on border patrol and the MCDC.
May 24th, 2007 at 10:10 amComment by KingCranky
Sorry. No matter what you say after my posting, it doesn’t delete the fact that there is substantial evidence of Mr. Jefferson’s guilt. He had $90,000 in his freezer. You think an innocent man does that? Defending criminals, that’s the democratic way. It’s perfectly relevant, so don’t try to spin it as if it’s all of a sudden a non-issue, because the “truthiness” of it makes your stomach churn. Inconvenient? Get over it. Telling you what you don’t want to hear is in no way “derailing a thread.”
May 24th, 2007 at 10:16 amBush snorted cocaine while he was in the military. That’s something you don’t want to hear but it happened. But it also is derailing a thread.
May 24th, 2007 at 10:28 amSimcox must be under consideration for appointment to the World Bank by prezident bush. . . thus the need to demonstrate his ability to financially be greedy and screw lots of people.
May 24th, 2007 at 10:31 am$90,000 in a freezer is shady as hell. however, “refusing to account for the $1.6 million to $1.8 million” is, mathematically, 17 times shadier.
May 24th, 2007 at 10:32 amAwww, poor lil’ trooper, all upset because he got smacked around
Sorry. No matter what you say after my posting, it doesn’t delete the fact that there is substantial evidence of Mr. Jefferson’s guilt. He had $90,000 in his freezer. You think an innocent man does that? Defending criminals, that’s the democratic way. It’s perfectly relevant, so don’t try to spin it as if it’s all of a sudden a non-issue, because the “truthiness†of it makes your stomach churn. Inconvenient? Get over it. Telling you what you don’t want to hear is in no way “derailing a thread.â€
Comment by CompTROLLER V-1 — May 24, 2007 @ 10:16 am
Actually, I have a big problem with Jefferson, as I ranted about last year when the GOP whined about the FBI’s searching his office, as in he hasn’t been indicted like yesterday, so once again, you spout off with absolutely NO knowledge of what you’re talking about and make yourself the most blithering of easily-debunked idiots
And just to rub your nose in it, all the entries dealing with the GOP’s hypocrisy in rallying around Jefferson are in the May 2006 archives of my blog
So go ahead, read those and tell me just how much I like “Cold Cash” Jefferson. BTW-the fact that I used the term “Cold Cash” to describe Jefferson in my original smackdown of your blather indicates that I look at Jefferson as being an absolutely corrupt parasite
As I said, the only way to not get smacked around in trying to derail a thread is not to try and derail a thread
Do try to keep up, it’s not THAT difficult
At least for most people it’s not
May 24th, 2007 at 11:16 amIs this any surprise? It is all about power and money. The initial power of making ’safe borders’ (what a joke) becomes about money which suddenly disappears, and, ooooh noooo, there is infighting (control again for ‘power’), and lucky for us, the Minutemen ‘project’ collapses. Watch for an HBO special.
May 24th, 2007 at 11:24 amMan, conservative RWer’s are so easy to defraud. Cater to their phobia and you’ll get well rewarded. Just ask the recently departed Jerry Falwell (burn bright Jer!). IIRC, they were also using immigrant labor to build the fence…talk about having it both ways.
Too bad for Mexico we didn’t invade and occupy them in 2003. We could have done all that nation building there and the Mexican government could have employed the immigrants as insurgents.
Until we address the core issues about why Mexicans have to leave their country to survive (and we do have a large responsibility in that issue), we ought not be surprised that they come here to literally live.
When Republicans stop playing both sides of the issue (cheap labor and pandering to the far right xenophobes, maybe we can get fair reform for us and the Mexicans who desperately want to make a better life for themselves.
In the meantime, enjoy the show! Simcox ought to consider running for office as a Republican…he’s got the right tools to succeed in self- enriching himself, just like the rest of the national Sysndicate.
May 24th, 2007 at 11:48 am8: There are billions of people worse off than Mexicans; where’s your compassion for those who don’t share a border with us? And, of course, your idea is completely simplistic, failing to note all the other implications of allowing people to cross at will. Such as the fact that it would make things easier for the leaders of the sending countries, make the sending countries worse off, and cause hundreds of millions to come here.
9: Some people said the same things about slavery and child labor. That alone doesn’t mean you’re wrong; you’re wrong because the industries most illegal aliens work in are not in any vital.
Let me know when strawberries become a vital industry.
May 24th, 2007 at 12:26 pmI remember mocking the minutemen movement when they first came out and the actually ended up being quite a bit less vigilant than I had thought they would be.
As far as the leader being a potential crook, hey, power corrupts and if that’s the case then they should throw him out and move on. I don’t have a problem with the minutemen. The remarks about the claymores and them being racist are just absurd. Everyone who doesn’t support illegal immigration isn’t a racist. Just like everyone who didn’t support the war in Iraq isn’t a terrorist or anti-American. The left is doing the same thing as over illegal immigration as the neocons did over the war on terror and the war in Iraq. I don’t support illegal immigration and I think if they came over illegally they should have to leave.
Big business, who recruited the illegals in the first place, is getting a complete pass on paying for them in the latest proposed legislation (which, thank God, won’t pass) and frankly, 230 years ago we had nowhere to run and had to turn and face an corrupt government (Some would argue that it’s time to do that again) and if we allow Mexico to export their poor then what motivation is there for them to stand up for themselves and deal with their own corrupt government. Why can’t Mexico be made to deal with their own poverty?
May 24th, 2007 at 12:27 pmI’m for reinforcing the border too. Too much USA criminals cross the frontier to Mexico to avoid Justice, and benefit of the higher freedom that exists in Mexico.
Oh, and don’t forget the USA retirees, that after having lived all their productive life in the USA, and payed there their taxes, go to Mexico to live like kings thanks to the lower prices, and free healthcare, without having payed taxes in Mexico.
I’m all against all these abuses of the USA lowlifers, yeah!
/Curious, how perspective changes crossing the border.
May 24th, 2007 at 1:02 pmAnd if you read an informed source he’ll sound like something different. And you’ll sound informed.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:09 pmhttp://dneiwert.blogspot.com/search?q=Simcox
I’ve talked to the Minutemen and I can see the problems that they are experiencing. It seems the state chapters should be generating funds through donations, but many are wanting to have money funneled to them from the national level. The expenses for which each chapter claims, has never been indicated anywhere as a reimburseable and valid expense!
For instance……
If a volunteer in Nebraska decides to pull a weekend of border watch duty in Arizona, he/she does that at their own expense! What’s happening, is that certain chapters are attempting to recover expenses for ANYONE in their state that attends a border watch in other states.
That is so bogus…..and one would have to agree with Chris Simcox, that certain chapter leaders need to go! There is no meeting on the finances of what the national level should do or not do, when it comes to reimbursements! Each state operates independently, and Chris Simcox does not have to explain that to them…but unfortunately, the media and those that do not understand exactly what the Minutemen do, will spin it anyway they want to.
May 24th, 2007 at 2:29 pm