By Dave Workman | Senior Editor
Maryland Democratic Party Secretary Robbie Leonard found himself in hot water for suggesting on social media that his followers should “dox” Second Amendment activists for appearing at a state House Judiciary Committee meeting wearing T-shirts that had the message “We Will Not Comply.”
It’s a message that rights activists all over the map have been transmitting, either with T-shirts, bumper stickers or signs at demonstrations.
But suggesting that activists should be “doxed” is what drew the heat for Leonard. According to Fox News, “Maryland’s criminal code prohibits doxing.” The news agency also noted that rights activists are protected by the First Amendment. Fox said the state Democratic Party had not responded to a request for comment.
According to an online definition of “doxing,” it is described as the act of searching for, and then publishing, “private or identifying information about (a particular individual) on the Internet, typically with malicious intent.”
Fox News also reported that Leonard published one message on Facebook that called gun rights activists “homegrown terrorists.”
Many if not most of the rights activists who attended the meeting were energized by the National Rifle Association. In response to Leonard’s messaging, the NRA recalled that last year, he ran for the Maryland State Senate, telling the Baltimore Sun in a questionnaire that he taught remedial math courses at a community college.
“Given that the University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D. appears ignorant as to the Bill of Rights,” the NRA stated, “he would do well to avail himself of a remedial course in U.S. civics.”
Fox News reported that Leonard had hoped the FBI “runs the name of every witness who is wearing a t-shirt…they’re a bunch of terrorists in the making.”
NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action stated in a message that, “The bizarre posts offer a glimpse into the fevered mind of the gun control advocate. Revealing a severe dearth of knowledge regarding the Bill of Rights, in Leonard’s view, federal law enforcement should be employed to intimidate his political enemies for conduct expressly protected under the First Amendment.”
It was not the only controversy engulfing the NRA. The Trace, supported by anti-gun billionaire Michael Bloomberg, reported that NRA was under Congressional scrutiny and that several investigations have been launched, especially since Democrats regained control of the US House of Representatives.
In addition, the New York Times reported that NRATV is at the center of some “internal debate” and “internal review.” The Times also raised questions about NRA’s long-time association with the firm that produces NRATV, Ackerman McQueen.
When The Trace reported about the congressional investigations, two other rights organizations came to NRA’s defense. The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and the Second Amendment Foundation issued a joint statement questioning the legitimacy of those probes.
“Are these investigations legitimate,” CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb wondered, “or are they a deliberately choreographed attempt to distract the NRA’s focus when it needs to be concentrating on the battle now developing on Capitol Hill?”
NRA members will gather for the association’s annual meetings and exhibits later this month in Indianapolis. The event is expected to attract tens of thousands of NRA members from across the country.
