Will Minnesota legislators revise comments about DHS ‘extremists’ report?

After the murder of Dr. George Tiller nearly two weeks ago and yesterday’s shootings at the Holocaust Museum by a man with white supremacist ties, some civil rights organizations — including the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League — say that a Homeland Security report on rightwing extremism was correct in its focus.

But have Minnesota lawmakers changed their stance on the then-controversial report?

Here are reactions from key legislators at the time of the report’s release. They have not come out with any statements on the topic since yesterday’s shootings.

Rep. Michele Bachmann:

“The Homeland Security secretary has redefined pro-life, gun-owning veterans, who like smaller government, and who believe America should secure our borders against invasion from illegal aliens, are labeled the domestic right-wing extremists.”

Rep. John Kline:

“Our country is indeed at risk from those who reject the American way of life and our ideals. Sadly, a report recently released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) suggests we are in danger from those that believe in issues such as pro-life legislation and limited government and should focus preventative efforts accordingly.”

Gov. Tim Pawlenty:

There is a — kind of a media perspective that, if you’re conservative, you’re somehow, you know, deranged, or you’re somehow deficient, that, if you were a rational, well-thought-of, intelligent person, that you — you couldn’t be a conservative.

So, that’s embedded, I think, as a bias in our media culture more broadly. And it’s insidious, and it’s unfair, and I think they should be called on it.

And I — I heard your report earlier that Secretary Napolitano at least partially apologized. They should fully apologize.”

The Minnesota Independent has sought comment from all three legislators; we’ll print whatever replies we get.