Minuteman's time may be up, monitor says
Friday, May 25th 2007, 4:00 AM
The anti-immigrant Minuteman Civil Defense Corps is "imploding" over allegations that money raised to build an elaborate border fence has done a vanishing act, a hate-group monitor said yesterday.
The ruckus began when several MCDC leaders were fired after trying to confront President Chris Simcox about the whereabouts of as much as $1.8 million raised to build the fence and provide radios and night-vision scopes for border vigilantes.
"By now you have probably heard rumors ... about a massive purge of your National and State Leaders. These rumors are true," ousted Deputy Executive Director Bob Wright wrote Monday in a mass e-mail to MCDC members. The e-mail was obtained by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremist groups.
He and 13 other rebels vowed to go to the media unless they are reinstated today.
Minuteman spokesman Bryan Rudnick blamed what he called a minor flap on members "who are mad that they don't get to be Chris Simcox" and want to get on TV.
"All the money is accounted for," he said.
The SPLC said the infighting was taking an enormous toll on the anti-immigrant group, which it said "seems to be imploding."
Rudnick denied the organization was in the midst of a meltdown. "In fact, I would say it's strengthening. Our focus is strictly on the legislation," he said.
Helen Kennedy