A key organizer in 2017's deadly Unite the Right rally was hit with a civil contempt holding Monday by a federal judge in Charlottesville. Hawes Spencer has this report on the judge's demand that Elliott Kline, who uses the alias "Eli Mosley," to answer questions, hand over his telephones, and turn over social media passwords in the civil case attempting to disrupt white nationalist organizing.
Transcript:
Hawes Spencer: Despite serving as the rally's communications director, Kline claimed in court Monday that an inability to access email accounts stopped him from supplying court-ordered information. Legal analyst Scott Goodman.
Scott Goodman: "Some judges would have already put him in jail."
Spencer: Goodman suspects that Kline's high profile has prevented stronger measures.
Goodman: "The judge doesn't really want to make this man a hero or, again, a martyr so to speak so the groups can complain that the courts are engaged in political prosecution."
Spencer: The judge set a deadline of December 2, with a warning that jail is an option if Kline hasn't complied by then.
In Charlottesville, Hawes Spencer for VPM News.
Case is Sines v. Kessler; judge is Norman Moon.
