Biden admin cracks down on Black socialists, invokes Espionage Act

This article was written by Brodyn Funderburk on April 22, 2023.

April 18, 2023 - the United States Department of Justice released a federal indictment for four Black American socialists in Florida, citing the Espionage Act of 1917 and accusing their organization, the African People's Socialist Party (APSP), of collusion with Russia.

Based in Florida, the African People's Socialist Party is a Black nationalist political party that has repeatedly made vocal its support for socialism, reparations for slavery, and anti-imperialism. The organization has expressed support for Russia against the Maidan junta in Ukraine. The APSP is part of a larger international movement known as the Uhuru Movement, which it simultaneously serves as the leading body of. The leader of the organization and broader Uhuru Movement is a Black American socialist by the  name of Omali Yeshitela, who currently serves under the title of Chairman.

The Biden administration has long been waging a campaign to crackdown on the African People's Socialist Party over its opposition to the Maidan junta governing Ukraine and its support for Russia. Last August, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Florida police launched a military operation against the APSP in order to cease control of their headquarters and scatter the stability of the movement. Afterwards, the APSP joined with the Center for Political Innovation (CPI) to attend a Chicago conference entitled "Unite Against the Imperialists." Following the indictment of Donald Trump on March 30, 2023, many Americans were left shocked as to what this meant for democracy and the First Amendment. It seemed only a matter of time until more political dissidents came victim to an indictment.

The indictment finally came on April 18, 2023, with a public statement by the Department of Justice. According to the department's press release, four members of the APSP were guilty of electoral fraud and espionage on behalf of the Russian government. No evidence has been provided for these claims. The four individuals in question are APSP Chairman Omali Yeshitela, APSP leader Penny Joanne Hess, APSP leader Jesse Nevel, and APSP/Black Hammer Party (BHP) leader Augustus C. Romain, Jr.

Mainstream media in the United States has stood as largely complicit in the indictment of the APSP's leading figures. BHP, which risks broader legal consequences due to the indictment of Romain, Jr., has been repeatedly attacked and slandered by prominemt leftists. This includes the self-proclaimed "Marxist" breadtuber known as "The Flame of Liberation." On the other hand, Tucker Carlson of Fox News covered the story rather sympathetically towards the APSP, pointing out the usage of the Espionage Act in this manner violated the First Amendment. Furthermore, the Center for Political Innovation, Maoist Communist Party USA, and Communist League of Forsyth have all made statements in support of the APSP and BHP.