On September 29, 2025, the Domestic Extremism and Mass Violence Task Force held its fifth meeting to advance its mission of creating a public health framework to prevent extremism and mass violence in our state, with a final report due to the legislature by December 1, 2026. Here at Conservative Ladies of Washington we are committed to constitutional principles and individual liberties and wanted to bring you a concise summary of the meeting and key points to watch, based on our shared values of limited government, free speech, and Second Amendment rights.
Meeting Overview
Led by a policy analyst with the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), the task force includes 27 members from diverse organizations like Planned Parenthood, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office. The meeting covered constitutional principles, subcommittee updates, and finalizing the task force’s charter. A key focus was ensuring the task force stays within its legislative mandate, avoiding surveillance or criminal justice overreach, which aligns with our preference for limited government intervention.
Key Discussions
- Constitutional Protections and Concerns
Mary McCord from the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection outlined First, Second, and Fourth Amendment principles:- Free Speech: The First Amendment protects speech but not “true threats” or incitement to imminent violence. However, defining threats, especially veiled ones online, can be subjective, raising concerns about potential overreach into protected speech.
- Gun Rights: The Second Amendment does not protect private paramilitary groups, which are banned in all 50 states. This could affect law-abiding gun owners if enforcement is overly broad, a point to monitor closely.
- ICE Raids: Discussions about ICE stops requiring reasonable suspicion highlighted tensions around immigration enforcement. Some members expressed fears about racial profiling, but strong enforcement supporters might worry about weakening border security.
- Public Health Approach to Extremism
The task force is developing prevention strategies across four levels (primordial, primary, secondary, tertiary), focusing on media literacy (which is a way to shape citizen views around propaganda and narratives across the media spectrum – from a leftist perspective) and community-based efforts to reduce violence. Sheriff Mark Crider emphasized targeting violence, not thoughts, due to the difficulty of defining “extremism” (e.g., the Berger definition: an “us vs. them” mindset justifying violence). While the task force avoids criminal justice recommendations, proposed campaigns like “hear someone, help someone” could lead to government-funded programs that some might see as infringing on personal freedoms. - Charter Finalization
The task force adopted a charter clarifying its limited role: creating policy recommendations without collecting data, surveilling individuals, or speaking for the Attorney General’s Office. This focus on advisory is good, but vigilance is needed to ensure recommendations stay within these bounds.
What to Keep an Eye On
Here are some critical areas that we encourage citizens to continue to monitor:
- Free Speech Risks: Ensure definitions of “extremism” or “threats” don’t encroach on protected speech, especially for controversial views on issues like immigration or gun rights.
- Second Amendment Protections: Watch for policies that might broadly target gun owners under the guise of regulating paramilitary activity, ensuring lawful exercise of rights isn’t curtailed.
- Government Overreach: Scrutinize proposed public health campaigns (e.g., media literacy programs) to prevent them from becoming tools for ideological control or excessive spending.
- Task Force Recommendations: Review the final report in December 2026 to confirm it respects individual liberties and avoids expanding government authority beyond its mandate.
Stay Engaged
This task force’s work affects our communities, and your voice matters. Public comments are accepted via the task force’s website portal—use it to share your concerns about preserving constitutional rights. The next meeting is not until January 9, 2026. You can learn more, explore previous meetings, and minutes on the task force portal here: Domestic Extremism and Mass Violence Task Force | Washington State
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