Judge refuses to toss charges against Coast Guard lieutenant accused in domestic terror plot

by Rachel Frazin - 09/21/19 10:41 PM ET

A federal judge on Wednesday reportedly declined to drop any of the four charges against a U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant who has been accused of plotting domestic terrorism.

Attorneys representing Lt. Christopher Hasson had asked Judge George J. Hazel to drop two counts of unlawful possession of firearm silencers against Hasson as well as a drug count against him, according to The Washington Post. They reportedly argued that the gun charges violate his Second Amendment rights.

Federal prosecutors said in court records that Hasson has called for the use of violence to “establish a white homeland” and had a hit list of prominent Democrats and journalists. {mosads}

He was not facing any terrorism-linked charges.

The Post reported that he has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, which also include possession of firearms by an unlawful drug user. He is expected to go to trial Oct. 21.

Hazel, an Obama appointee, wrote in his opinion that a silencer is not protected by the Second Amendment because it is not a weapon, according to The Post.

“A silencer is not itself used ‘to cast at or strike another,’ it does not contain, feed, or project ammunition, and it does not serve any intrinsic self-defense purpose,” he wrote.

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Tags Crime White supremacy