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Update: On May 3, 2019. 56 Democrats in the Washington state House sent Republican leader J.T. Wilcox a letter informing him they are launching an independent investigation into whether action beyond a public reprimand and Shea’s removal as the ranking Republican on the House Environment & Energy Committee is warranted by his actions. The letter cited reports of Shea’s participation in an online chat including Anthony Bosworth, who participated in the 2016 armed occupation of a wildlife refuge in Oregon, and Jack Robertson, host of a far-right radio show called Radio Free Redoubt. During the chat, the two extremist leaders advocated the use of political violence and Shea failed to rebuff them. Shea also offered to conduct background checks on opponents of the two extremists. Rep. Wilcox said the House Republican Caucus is also planning an investigation into Shea.
At the request of Spokane Valley Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, the FBI is currently investigating a manifesto titled “Biblical Basis for War” that was distributed to local residents by Washington state Representative Matt Shea. The manifesto has been described as “a how-to manual consistent with the ideology and operating philosophy of the Christian Identity/Aryan Nations movement and the Redoubt movement of the 1990s.” Shea has known ties to such groups.
The manifesto urges Christians to organize “Holy Armies” to “kill all males” who support same-sex marriage, safe abortion, “occultism,” and “communism.” Military units are to include men (only) age 18 and over who are “single-minded in battle” and come from a “stable home.” Shea declares “assassination to remove tyrants is just, not murder” and advocates “armed resistance and guerrilla war” against goverment officials who will not adhere to “Biblical law.”
When confronted by the media about the manifesto, Shea showed no remorse. He boasted he had “talked about portions of [the] document publicly and talked about ‘just war’ theory.” Remarkably, Shea has yet to be arrested by Sheriff Knezovich.
Please contact Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and District Attorney Larry Haskell through one of the channels below and give them the following message (personalized to your liking):
I thank Sheriff Knezovich for passing on information to the FBI about Washington state representative Matt Shea’s violent manifesto, “Biblical Basis for War.” I am glad the eyes of federal authorities are now on Mr. Shea. That said, I am deeply concerned that you allowed him to walk free without arresting him and charging him with criminal conspiracy, making a terroristic threat, or a similar crime. This man has written and distributed a detailed plan to organize Christian “armies” to “kill all males” who will not submit to “Biblical law.” The manifesto is quite detailed, describing things like tactics and officer structure. Would you be hesitating to arrest a state government leader and recommend bail if he was organizing armies to kill non-Muslims? You must apply the law equally and protect the community of Spokane Valley. Human beings will be killed or injured as a result of this deranged man’s “war” if he is not stopped soon. Please act immediately. I will be watching your actions closely.
Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich
Phone: (509) 477-2240
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpokaneCountySheriffsOffice/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/spokanesheriff
District Attorney Larry Haskell
Phone: (509) 477-3662
Email via webform: https://www.spokanecounty.org/formcenter/157/157
Twitter: https://twitter.com/spokanecounty
Once you have contacted Sheriff Knezovich and and DA Haskell, fill out the three fields below and click the orange banner to report taking action!