An official report to the Washington State House, released Thursday, concludes that Rep. Mike Shea (R) of Spokane helped plan the Malheur Wildlife Refuge takeover three years ago in Oregon. Ostensibly led by the Bundy family, the report charges that Shea played a primary role in this illegal occupation and two other armed conflicts against the federal government. He not only showed up at the standoffs, but recruited armed militia members to confront federal law enforcement officers. The report also says Shea took part in a group chat in 2017 where he “condoned violence and
intimidation” of his political opponents, and offered to conduct
background checks on them. This allegation was first reported by the Guardian and the story prompted an official investigation of Rep. Shea. The four month independent investigation was led by a former FBI agent and former law enforcement officer.
Shea's participation in violent action against the federal government is ideologically based. Shea wrote a manifesto entitled, "Biblical basis for War" in which he advocates for the overthrow of the national government to be replaced with a theocracy, in which dissenting males are to be killed. According to investigators Shea “authored and circulated an operations plan” for militia members to use during the Malheur occupation.
While the forty-one day Malheur occupation was well reported, Shea also participated in a lesser known conflict with federal authorities in 2015 at Priest River, Idaho. That confrontation involved blocking federal officials from seizing
firearms from an elderly veteran who was no longer legally eligible to
possess guns, according to the investigators’ report. The VA wanted to remove his weapons under regulations governing recipients of VA benefits. Shea summoned members of the Patriot Movement to block federal officials. The blockade of several hundred militia members, some of whom including Shea were heavily armed, succeeded in prevent the firearm removal. No one was injured in the standoff.
It seems not only Il Douche is currently eligible for impeachment: according to investigators Shea has committed acts of domestic terrorism. It is up to the stae House members to discipline Shea; a two-thirds vote of the chamber is required for removal. A member of the Washington legislature has only been kicked out once in the state's history, seventy-five years ago, after a representative was convicted of statutory rape. Shea has not yet been charged with committing a crime.