The libertarian oriented Reason magazine is the latest to chime in on the fear of Right-wing Militias hysteria that the Obama administration is trying to spread far and wide. The case against the Hutaree isn't as well-founded as what it first appeared in the headlines two months ago, according to the federal judge overseeing the case. The Sixth U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati is now dragging it's feet about releasing the Hutaree defendants on bail at the behest of the US Atty, and which for them must be quite embarrassing. Or it would be if they had any shame.
But in the larger sense (e.g., the political sense), the damage has already been done. The well is poisoned as far as the Hutarees getting a fair trial and the "Beware of those Dangerous Right-wing Militias" trope has been put out there into the public mind from all headlines and news coverage. So, as with most things, the state wins no matter what the outcome is for the Hutarees.
