Anti-Gay, anti-Muslim, anti-federal govt, ‘birther’, & N.H. Trump for President co-chair arrested
Candidate for Sheriff had “desire and willingness” to shoot police and “used guns and threats of violence to intimidate and interfere with federal law enforcement officers,” Feds say
By Nate Thayer
March 3, 2016
The New Hampshire co-chair for Veterans for Trump, an extremist anti-Muslim, anti-gay, ‘Birther’ who believes President Obama is Kenyan born Muslim, was arrested today on federal charges for his role in the 2014 standoff between anti-government armed extremists in Nevada against federal agents at the Bundy ranch. Jerry DeLemus was also a prominent figure at the occupation of the federal wildlife refuge in Oregon that ended last month.
Jerry DeLemus, 61, is a former Tea Party activist, a “Birther”, a former candidate for sheriff, a former candidate for Mayor of Rochester, New Hampshire, and the husband of Susan DeLemus, who is an elected member of the New Hampshire legislature.
Jerry DeLemus at the armed occupation of the Federal Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in January
Delemus was arrested after being indicted for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States; threatening federal law enforcement officers; obstruction of justice; attempting to impede or injure a federal law enforcement officer; and firearms charges.
DeLemus also was behind a “Draw Muhammad” art contest in 2015 which he proposed in the wake of two gunmen being killed and a security guard injured outside another anti-Muslim “art contest” in Texas sponsored by far right anti Muslim groups which was designed to incite Muslim Americans. Both contests were planned immediately after the terrorist attack which killed 12 people at the offices of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo which had published cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. DeLemus was the chief organizer for the “9/12 Project” “Draw Muhammad” art contest in Rochester, New Hampshire. “I’m not worried about taking a risk,” he said. “It’s more important to defend our way of life in this country, our constitutional rights, for everybody,” he said. “If they (Muslims) are offended, welcome to America,” he said.
He describes himself as a born-again Christian who would not want to see vulgar depictions of Jesus, but acknowledged that drawings of Mohammed would be seen as crude and blasphemous by Muslims.
Jerry DeLemus at Bundy Ranch in Nevada 2014
Delemus led the breakaway from his New Hampshire Episcopal Church after the New Hampshire Bishop, Gene Robinson, openly declared himself as Gay.
His St. Michael’s Church joined the Anglican Communion Network “ a national group of churches that came together earlier this year to oppose Robinson’s consecration.”
Church “Senior Warden” Jerry Delemus said his parish no longer recognized the authority of the Episcopal Church USA. “They support the consecration of Robinson, which we don’t. And when they take an unbiblical stance, not because of Gene as person, but because of unbiblical stance, we can’t recognize them as having authority over us. That is why we’re here celebrating at Baptist church. Thank god for Baptists.” Delemus said he “couldn’t answer to God and to Bishop Robinson at the same time.”
Delemus’ wife, State Representative Susan Delemus said she was glad to be free of “wrong teaching. Some of the pastors that they put up on the pulpit for us during our bad time were absolutely blasphemous. How do you say that? You pick one part where it’s wrong and the rest is right? I was confused and Satan is the father of confusion so we’ve been waiting and now it’s time to bring people back to Jesus.”
Jerry Delemus and his wife at a ‘citizens forum’ in New Hampshire on CNN in early 2016
In a widely distributed video shown on You Tube, Susan Delemus is seen berating New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Matt Mavrogeorge after the New Hampshire legislature threw out legislation which accused President Obama of being a Muslim born in Kenya. In the end Mavrogeorge and Assistant Secretary of State Karen Ladd had to lock themselves in an office “out of fear for their safety due to the aggressive behavior of the crowd that included several legislators.”
Thursday’s indictment said Jerry DeLemus “organized and led armed patrols and security checkpoints” in Nevada and federal prosecutors requested no bail citing his “desire and willingness” to shoot law enforcement officers. “DeLemus used guns and threats of violence to intimidate and interfere with federal law enforcement officers,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Zuckerman told the court.
In 2014, DeLemus was among supporters of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy who held an armed standoff with federal authorities and set up checkpoints and patrols to “prevent and deter law enforcement actions against the conspirators, including recovering the extorted cattle,” who were grazing on federal land.
Jerry Delemus at the Bundy Ranch 2014
DeLemus, who says he is a former U.S. Marine and was running a second time for Strafford County sheriff at the time of his arrest, was a high-profile figure in the personal security team of Cliven Bundy at the Nevada Bundy Ranch occupation in 2014. Cliven Bundy was arrested on federal charges in January after arriving in Oregon to support the occupation of the federal wildlife refuge—a movement which gained national attention which was led by two of Bundy’s sons.
During the 2014 standoff in Nevada, Delemus expelled two Bundy Ranch supporters from the Nevada occupation site, Jerad and Amanda Miller, who later went on a shooting rampage in a Las Vegas restaurant that killed two police officers and another man. “We ended up talking to a guy who was pretty excited, just a highly excitable guy,” Delemus said at the time. “It happened to be Jerad, which I didn’t even put this together to be honest with you.”
“Believe me, if I would have been in that restaurant, armed, and I’d have seen them shooting at those police, I’d have shot them myself,” Delemus said. “I’d have dropped them as sure as we’re sitting here.”
“I am more than willing to believe that unhinged birther lunatic Susan DeLemus and her Bundy-loving gun-toting potentially gubbermint-murdering husband are the true face of the Donald Trump ‘movement,’” wrote one New Hampshire commentator. “I just wonder if everyone involved recognizes the implications of that.”
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