Texas and federal law enforcement arrested 28-year-old Coleman Thomas Blevins last Friday accusing him of preparing to launch a mass shooting at a Walmart.
According of the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office a search of Blevins’ Kerrville apartment turned up firearms, ammunition and material officials described as “radical ideology paraphernalia.”
Investigators said they intercepted an online message from Blevins on indicating he was “preparing to proceed with a mass shooting.” It hasn’t been made know which Walmart was the possible target.
Blevins has a significant online trail that snakes through some of the darkest corners of the internet where Nazi death cult propaganda is freely exchanged, according to Alexander Reid Ross who tracks violent white nationalists online at the Center for Analysis on the Radical Right.
He said Blevins fits a profile of past right wing mass shooters.
Q-vention
At least three prominent Texas GOP officials took part in Qanon conference in Dallas last weekend. Qanon is a conspiracy theory movement linked to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
At the event a former Trump administration official advocated for a military coup to overthrow President Biden.
Also participating at the Q-vention were Texas GOP Chairman Allen West, who abruptly resigned on Friday, Congressman Louie Gohmert and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.
Freelance journalist Steven Monacelli was able to attend incognito.
Monacelli writes for the Daily Beast, the Dallas Observer and others. He is also the editor in chief of Protean magazine.
Democracy Warning
100 experts on Democracy have signed a new public statement of principles that has a clear and jarring message — if action is not taken to save it — you can kiss our democracy goodbye.
Texas is just the latest example of a Republican controlled state using the lie of significant voter fraud to limiting voting and other freedoms that should exist in a legitimate democracy.
Johns Hopkins University professor and Washington Post Monkey Cage editor-in-chief Henry Farrell says it's part of the effort sounding the alarm. He says the threats to democracy in America are real and there needs to be national voting standards and a grassroots effort to save the political system.
TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. If you value our commitment to the highest standards of responsible journalism and are able to do so, please consider making your gift of support today.
