A Federal Domestic Terrorism Law Could Threaten Civil Rights Groups Like BLM

In the wake of the insurrection on the nation’s Capitol, President-elect Joe Biden did not hesitate to refer to the far-right extremists who perpetrated the attack as domestic terrorists. "They weren't protesters. Don't dare call them protesters. They were a riotous mob, insurrectionists, domestic terrorists,” Biden said. “It's that basic. It's that simple.”

This is no light claim to make. Although US law defines domestic terrorism, it’s not a distinct crime that you can be charged with. That could change, as even before the attacks, Biden's transition team urged the...