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Proud Boys organizer Joseph Biggs has charged with rioting in Capitol
A self-described leader of the Proud Boys is charged with his role in the riots in Capitol; authorities said Joseph Biggs encouraged other extremists.
Staff Video, USA TODAY
Jeremy “Spike” Cohen: The government of Biden calls the terrorists of the Libertans.
PolitiFact’s rating: untrue
This is why: Jeremy “Spike” Cohen, the vice president of the Libertarian Party in 2020, unleashed outrage against President Joe Biden on social media with allegations that his government labeled Libertarians terrorists.
“A silver lining for the Biden government that labels Libertarians terrorists is that the CIA is likely to start giving money and weapons now,” Cohen wrote in a Facebook post on January 22.
The post was marked as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its news feed.
There is no evidence that Biden’s government labeled Libertarian Party members or people with libertarian views as terrorists.
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What Joe Biden said about the riots in the Capitol
While Biden refers to the rioters who attacked the Capitol on January 6 as ‘domestic terrorists’, he did not single out libertarians in the 20-minute speech he delivered on January 7.
In his inaugural address, Biden singled out domestic terrorism and white surprises as threats that the nation “must” confront and “defeat.” He did not mention libertarians in that speech, or insinuated libertarians were terrorists.
Cohen told PolitiFact that he based his post – which he describes as ‘pretty tongue-in-cheek’ – on a statement made by former CIA director John Brennan during an MSNBC interview.
Cohen claims that Brennan, who served under President Barack Obama, said the new government would investigate domestic terrorists – including Libertarians.
In another Facebook post, Cohen referred directly to the MSNBC video.
“It’s less than 24 hours in the new administration, and the former head of the CIA is already on national TV and says the Biden government will move with ‘laser-like focus’ on … libertarians,” Cohen wrote .
More: At least 25 people investigating terrorism in connection with Capitol riots
But the video does not substantiate what Cohen claimed.
Here’s what Brennan said:
‘I know I’m looking forward to the members of the Biden team, who have been nominated or appointed, now moving in a laser-like manner to try to discover as much as possible about what many resemble rebel movements we’ve seen overseas. Where they germinate in different parts of the country, and they gain power, and this brings together an unholy alliance, often of religious extremists, authoritarianists, fascists, adults, racists, nativists – even libertarians. ”
Brennan did not say the Biden administration would target libertarians. Brennan does not hold a position within the Biden administration.
Nick Shapiro, former deputy chief of staff for Brennan at the CIA, told PolitiFact that Brennan’s comments in the interview referred to the government’s efforts to track down people involved in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and to to complain. ” He said ‘even libertarians,’ ‘as many self-identified libertarians have acknowledged their participation in the January 6 scandalous events. “He did not refer to the Libertarian Party,” Shapiro said.
Cohen told PolitiFact that he had no evidence that Biden himself labeled Libertarians as terrorists.
More: Feds investigate whether police officers in Austin took part in the US Capitol riot
Our verdict
Cohen claims the Biden government described the Libertarians as “terrorists”.
There is no evidence of this. The claim was based on a misinterpretation of a statement by a former CIA director who held no official position in the Biden administration.
We consider this claim to be untrue.
Sources
Facebook post, 22 January 2021
Facebook post, 21 January 2021
Email Interview with Spike Cohen, January 22, 2021
NBC News, “Biden calls Capitol rioters ‘domestic terrorists’: ‘Do not dare call protesters’, January 7, 2021
NPR, “Biden Says Capitol Attack Was ‘Culmination’ of Trump’s Attacks on Democracy,” January 7, 2021
WhiteHouse.gov, “Inaugural Address by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,” January 20, 2021
Ballotpedia, “Spike Cohen,” Visits January 22, 2021