 OCTOBER 8 • 2020 | 25

general for consti-
tutional and civil 
rights, explains 
that the lawsuit’
s 
premise is that 
the plaintiffs were 
deprived of “their 
constitutional 
rights of engaging in peaceful 
acts of expression. The plain-
tiffs will have to prove that 
the defendants conspired to 
deprive them of their rights. 
As a civil case, damages could 
be awarded for interference 
with the plaintiffs’
 constitu-
tional rights.
”
Spitalnick says defendants 
tried unsuccessfully to have 
the case dismissed and some 
have declared bankruptcy and 
destroyed evidence to avoid 
accountability. Several defen-
dants have been sanctioned 
and fined for violating court 
orders. Two have faced court 
arrests, which is, she said, 
“fairly unheard of in a civil 
suit.
” 
One of the defendants, Jeff 
Schoep, former command-
er of the National Socialist 
Movement, who lives in the 
Detroit area, claims that his 
phone fell in the toilet so that 
he can’
t provide evidence, 
says Spitalnick. (Schoep has 
claimed that he renounced his 
extremist views as described in 
the JN, May 21, 2020.)
According to Spitalnick, 
Integrity First for America 
is funded by individuals and 
foundations with many small 
donations. In addition, the 
Anti-Defamation League 
(ADL), a nonprofit organi-
zation established in 1913 to 
fight hate against Jewish and 
other individuals, has con-

tributed $100,000 to this legal 
effort. 
A FINANCIAL IMPACT
“Integrity First for America’
s 
case presents a unique 
opportunity to have a direct 
financial, legal and operational 
impact on these 
hate groups,
” 
says Carolyn 
Normandin, 
regional director 
for the Michigan 
ADL. 
“It’
s already 
done so even before trial, 
as has been acknowledged 
directly by some of the 
individual defendants … 
Moreover, once a monetary 
judgment is rendered, it can 
reach future income and 
assets of these groups and 
individuals. It could hobble 
them indefinitely.
” 
While the jury trial has 
been postponed until April 
2021 due to COVID-19, final 
depositions and other trial 
preparations continue. 
“
ADL invested in this case 
by making a grant and offering 
other support because it’
s 
having — and will continue 
to have — a concrete, tangible 
impact in disrupting these 
extremist organizations,
” says 
Normandin. 
“However, the ADL believes 
other tactics are important in 
the fight against extremism — 
including closely monitoring 
hate groups, advocacy for laws 
to prevent cyber-harassment 
and encouraging technology 
leaders to disrupt hate online.
” 

For updates about the trial, visit 

integrityfirstforamerica.org.

“ADL invested in this case
by making a grant and
off
 ering other support.”

— ADL’
S CAROLYN NORMANDIN

Carolyn 
Normandin

Robert 
Sedler

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