Following the vote of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol to refer President Trump and others to the Department of Justice for prosecution, Western States Center’s Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Amy Herzfeld-Copple, issued the following statement:

In response to the conviction of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes on seditious conspiracy charges stemming from his involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol, Lindsay Schubiner, Momentum Program Director at Western States Center, issued the following statement.

Following the news of the mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs that left five dead and dozens injured, Western States Center’s Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Amy Herzfeld-Copple, issued the following statement

In response to Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s victory over Joe Kent’s in the race to fill Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, Western States Strategies’ Momentum Program Director Lindsay Schubiner issued the following statement

In response to Idaho Governor Brad Little’s victory over anti-democracy leader Ammon Bundy, Western States Strategies’ Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives Amy Herzfeld-Copple issued the following statement

In response to the election of Tina Kotek as Oregon’s next governor and the electoral defeat of incumbent Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, Western States Strategies’ Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives Amy Herzfeld-Copple issued the following statement

This resource guide from Western States Center is for anyone who supports democracy, rejects bigotry, and believes that every eligible voter should be able to vote safely and without intimidation. It covers some of the most prominent threats from bigoted and anti-democracy groups, makes projections for what we may expect in the coming weeks, and provides suggestions and resources for individuals and organizations to take action.

Today, Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, was assaulted in their home by suspected attacker David DePape. Initial reports have identified DePape as promoting antisemitic, misogynistic and racist language and conspiracy theories.

A coalition of elected leaders and civil society groups have sent an open letter to President Biden and Domestic Policy Advisor Susan E. Rice ahead of the September 15th United We Stand Summit on countering hate-fueled violence, urging the White House to treat the summit as an opportunity for action, not just ideation, to combat the growing threat of extremism and political violence.

In response to the conviction and sentencing of Susan Lang for charges related to disturbing the peace outside of the home of Central District Health board members in Boise, Idaho, Western States Center Deputy Director of Programs and Strategic Initiatives Amy Herzfeld-Copple issued the following statement.

In response to the conviction and sentencing of Patriot Prayer member Mackenzie Lewis of felony riot charges associated with several assaults that occurred during a brawl at a Portland bar in 2019, Western States Center deputy director of programs Amy Herzfeld-Copple issued the following statement.

In a letter sent yesterday to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, Western States Center and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law laid out evidence that Patriot Front, a white nationalist group founded in the wake of the 2017 deadly Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, should be investigated for criminal actions under federal law.

After five pivotal years of incredible growth and progress, the WSC Board of Directors announces that Executive Director Eric K. Ward has transitioned to Senior Advisor. The WSC Board is delighted that Eric will remain part of the organization and that it will continue to benefit from his visionary leadership.

This weekend 31 members of Patriot Front, a white nationalist paramilitary group, were arrested for allegedly preparing to riot at an LGBTQ Pride event in Coeur d'Alene. The group was created by Thomas Rousseau during the fallout of the “Unite the Right” rally, a deadly white supremacist event in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. Patriot Front operates nationwide, and Western States Center has tracked their escalating actions for years.

More than two dozen groups called on Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to investigate and respond to potentially illegal activity by paramilitary organizations on the United States’ southern border. In addition to threatening the safety and wellbeing of individuals in the border region, unauthorized paramilitary groups are using the area as a training ground in order to undermine the rule of law more broadly.

Yesterday in elections in Oregon and Idaho, anti-democracy candidates were defeated in several marquee races. Most notably Idaho gubernatorial hopeful Janice McGeachin, whose embrace of white nationalism and militias was soundly rejected by voters.

Portland was rocked by three attacks on houses of worship within the last seven days, beginning with a broken window at the Congregation Shir Tikvah, followed by antisemitic vandalism at the Congregation Beth Israel and most recently by attempted arson at the Muslim Community Center of Portland…

On Monday, leaders at Congregation Beth Israel, a synagogue located in Northwest Portland, reported that a fire had been lit outside the building and the walls had been defaced with antisemitic graffiti and violent threats…

A report last week issued by the Oregon Secretary of State laid out a series of recommendations for lawmakers to address the threat posed by anti-democracy movements…

“Ammon Bundy recklessly flouted the law when he entered the Idaho Capitol after being banned from the building in violation of a no-trespass order. Even more importantly…