Authorities storm Bryan VFW to photograph, fingerprint and DNA swab secessionist group

At a VFW hall in Bryan, reported Zeke MacCormack at the SA Express News (Feb. 19), the Kerr County Sheriff along with the "FBI, the Texas Attorney General’s office, Bryan police and Brazos County deputies" raided a VFW Hall where sixty members of the Republic of Texas were holding a meeting, ostensibly because two of them allegedly committed document fraud, though "No one was arrested and no charges have been filed."

Anyone who's followed the Republic of Texas' antics wouldn't doubt some of their members issued phony liens, writs or summonses. It's sort of their thing.

Rather than focus on the particular offenders, though, "officers photographed, fingerprinted and confiscated belongings of numerous members even though only two are accused of wrongdoing," and are "are examining computers, phones and other items seized" from the group. Here's a bit more detail on the search warrant:

A sworn affidavit filed by Kerr County deputy Jeff McCoy in support of the search warrant alleges that Cammack, 53, and Kroupa, 59, committed the misdemeanor of simulating legal process. ...

If charges are brought in the case, they could be filed in Kerr County or Brazos County, said Assistant Kerr County Attorney Ilse Bailey.

The search warrant issued Feb. 12 by state District Judge Keith Williams authorized collection of fingerprints, photos and DNA swabs from those at the VFW hall to prevent anyone from providing a false identity to authorities.

It also authorized officers to seize computers, cell phones and paper documents “relevant to, or which describe criminal conduct or suspected criminal activity.”

Detaining, photographing, fingerprinting and swabbing members of a political group because they attended a meeting is a lot different from investigating wrongdoing by individuals. I've no problems with investigating these misdemeanor document fraud cases (though I'm surprised it would require the FBI to do it), but as described that seems like an awfully sweeping warrant.

My advice to authorities would be: Don't overreach and make martyrs of a bunch of kooks. Prosecute the ones who commit crimes but leave the rest of them free to believe whatever false, nutty, nonsensical silliness they want. Judge Williams may be fed up with the Republic of Texas' courthouse antics, but he'll hand them an unintended public relations victory if the mailed fist of justice fails to distinguish suffciently between villains and fools.

Correction: This post originally said the VFW hall in question was in Kerrville. The search warrant affidavit was filed in Kerr County but the actual raid was in Bryan. Sorry for any confusion.