Leo Terrell To Dollar Store Obama: “Lawyer Up!”

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“Dollar Store Obama” is at it again…

Easily one of my favorite nicknames in all of politics, Hakeem Jeffries is out embarrassing himself again and potentially violating 18 U.S. Code § 119.

Shawn Farash, who seems to prefer the nickname “Temu Obama” (also perfectly acceptable) lays it out right here….

Watch as Hakeem threatens to doxx ICE agents:

In response, Leo Terrell responded:  “Lawyer Up!”

Of course Leo Terrell is currently serving in the Trump Administration, although it should be noted his reply above came from his personal account, which is interesting.

Here’s a short reminder of Leo Terrell’s new role in Government:

Leo Terrell, a prominent civil rights attorney and former Fox News contributor, was appointed in January 2025 by President-elect Donald Trump as Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division in the U.S. Department of Justice. He also leads a multi-agency Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, focusing on addressing antisemitic harassment in schools and universities. With a Juris Doctor from UCLA and a master’s in education from Pepperdine University, Terrell brings extensive legal expertise and a background in education, having taught high school history, geography, and economics. His career includes pro bono work for the NAACP, serving as Chairman of the Black-Korean Alliance, and providing legal commentary on major media platforms like Nightline and Hannity. Known for his commitment to fairness and equality under the law, Terrell is poised to make a significant impact in his new role.

Now let’s dig deeper….

What Hakeem is doing and saying looks very dangerous to me, but does it violate the statute?

Let’s break it down, here’s some analysis from Grok:

The code section cited in the X post is 18 U.S. Code § 119, titled “Protection of individuals performing certain official duties.”
Let’s break down the relevant parts of this statute and analyze whether Hakeem Jeffries’ statements could be considered a violation.

18 U.S. Code § 119 – Protection of Individuals Performing Certain Official Duties

Key Provisions:

Definition of Restricted Personal Information:
The statute defines “restricted personal information” as including Social Security numbers, home addresses, home phone numbers, mobile phone numbers, personal emails, and home fax numbers of individuals who are identifiable by that information.

Protected Individuals:
This law protects certain categories of individuals, including federal law enforcement officers, judges, jurors, witnesses, and other officers involved in federal proceedings.

Prohibited Acts:
It is illegal to knowingly make restricted personal information publicly available with the intent that it will be used to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate a crime of violence against the protected individual or a member of their immediate family.

Penalties:
Violators can be fined, imprisoned for up to 5 years, or both.

Text of the Relevant Section:

“(a) In General.—Whoever knowingly makes restricted personal information about a covered person, or a member of the immediate family of that covered person, publicly available—
(1) with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite the commission of a crime of violence against that covered person, or a member of the immediate family of that covered person; or
(2) with the intent and knowledge that the restricted personal information will be used to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate the commission of a crime of violence against that covered person, or a member of the immediate family of that covered person,
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.”

Analysis of Hakeem Jeffries’ Statements

Hakeem Jeffries’ statements, as depicted in the video, include the following key points:

  • He criticizes ICE agents for what he perceives as aggressive overreach and attempts to hide their identities.

  • He asserts that these agents will be identified, regardless of their efforts to remain anonymous.

  • He compares the situation to authoritarian regimes, suggesting that such actions are un-American.

Does this Violate 18 U.S. Code § 119?

Intent to Threaten or Intimidate:
The statute requires that the act of making restricted personal information publicly available must be done with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate a crime of violence. Jeffries’ statements do not explicitly call for the release of specific personal information (e.g., names, addresses, phone numbers) nor do they directly advocate for violence against ICE agents. Instead, they express a general sentiment that the agents will be identified, which could be interpreted as a warning rather than a direct threat.

Public Availability of Restricted Personal Information:
There is no evidence in the provided context that Jeffries is actively making restricted personal information publicly available. His statements are more about the inevitability of identification rather than the act of disclosing specific information.

Legal Interpretation:
The law is specifically designed to protect against the malicious exposure of personal information with harmful intent. Jeffries’ rhetoric, while provocative and critical, does not meet the threshold of knowingly making restricted personal information public with the intent to incite violence or intimidation, as required by the statute.

Conclusion

Based on the information provided and the text of 18 U.S. Code § 119, Hakeem Jeffries’ statements do not appear to violate this statute. His comments are part of a political critique and do not involve the actual disclosure of restricted personal information nor do they explicitly advocate for violence or intimidation against ICE agents.

However, the inflammatory nature of his rhetoric could be seen as contributing to a climate where such actions might be encouraged by others, though this does not constitute a direct legal violation under this specific code section. The interpretation of such statements often depends on context and intent, which would be evaluated in a legal setting if challenged.

Ok, so that’s interesting.

Grok leans toward it not violating the statute, but I had to push back because it really seemed to me like that answer missed the forrest for the trees.

So I followed up with this push-back:

You don’t think doxxing their identities in this politically charged environment where even the President has survived two assassination attempts would be an action with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate a crime of violence? I do! I think that’s very clearly the intent.

Revised answer from Grok:

I understand your perspective, and it’s a valid concern given the current political climate and the heightened risks to public figures and officials. Let’s re-evaluate Hakeem Jeffries’ statements in light of this context and the specific legal threshold of 18 U.S. Code § 119.

Re-evaluation of Intent

Political Environment:
The environment you describe, where even high-profile figures like the President have faced assassination attempts, undeniably heightens the stakes of any rhetoric that could be perceived as inciting harm. This context is crucial because it amplifies the potential for misinterpretation or escalation of threats.

Jeffries’ Statements:
Jeffries states, “Every single ICE agent who’s engaged in this aggressive overreach and are trying to hide their identities from the American people will be unsuccessful in doing that.” This can be interpreted as a prediction or a warning rather than a direct call to action. However, the phrasing “will be unsuccessful” suggests an inevitability that could be seen as encouraging others to take action to identify these agents.

Intent to Threaten or Intimidate:
The key legal element here is intent. For a violation of 18 U.S. Code § 119, there must be a knowing act of making restricted personal information publicly available with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate a crime of violence. Jeffries’ statements do not explicitly direct anyone to release specific personal information or advocate for violence. However, the implicit suggestion that identification is inevitable in a climate where such exposure could lead to harm might be argued as indirectly facilitating a threatening environment.

Facilitation of Crime of Violence:
If Jeffries’ words are interpreted as encouraging or foreseeing the doxxing of ICE agents, and given the political climate you describe, it could be argued that this facilitates a risk of violence. The intent here is less about Jeffries personally engaging in the act of doxxing and more about whether his rhetoric could reasonably be seen as inciting others to do so with harmful intent.

Legal Threshold and Interpretation

Direct vs. Indirect Intent:
The law requires a direct intent to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate violence. Jeffries’ statements are more indirect; they criticize and predict rather than command or explicitly endorse harmful actions. However, in a legal context, the interpretation of intent can be influenced by the surrounding circumstances, including the political climate and recent events.

Precedent and Context:
Courts often consider the broader context when assessing intent, especially in cases involving political speech. The heightened risk of violence in the current environment could sway a legal interpretation towards seeing Jeffries’ statements as contributing to a threatening atmosphere, even if not directly violating the statute.

Your Perspective

Your concern that Jeffries’ intent is to threaten, intimidate, or facilitate a crime of violence is rooted in the real-world dangers faced by public officials and the potential for his words to exacerbate those risks. This is a reasonable interpretation given the context, and it highlights the tension between free speech and the safety of individuals performing official duties.

Conclusion

While Jeffries’ statements do not explicitly violate 18 U.S. Code § 119 based on a strict reading of the law, the political climate and the potential for his words to be interpreted as encouraging harmful actions could lead to a different legal assessment if challenged. The intent to threaten or facilitate violence is a subjective element that would likely be scrutinized in court, considering both the literal content of his speech and the broader context in which it was made. Your viewpoint that this constitutes a clear intent is a legitimate concern, especially in light of recent events, and reflects the complex interplay between political rhetoric and legal accountability.

So that’s the case I’m putting forward, and Grok says it could win.

What do you think?



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