RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) - The Chesterfield Marine who claimed he was wrongfully detained over posts he made to Facebook has filed a civil rights lawsuit against Chesterfield Police officers and other government workers, according to his attorneys from The Rutherford Institute.
They claim Brandon Raub's First and Fourth Amendment Rights were violated when FBI agents appeared at Raub's Chesterfield home last summer.
Raub claims the agents questioned him about his Facebok postings on the government’s version of 9/11 and the role of the Federal Reserve. Based on that conversation, and Raub's actions, he said he was "forcibly detained in a psychiatric ward for a week."
Raub claimed the posts were simply song lyrics and political views.
"We're not going to comment on pending litigation," was the response from Chesterfield Police when CBS 6 reached out for a comment.
In the complaint filed in federal court in Richmond, Raub’s lawyers say his detention was part of a federal government program code-named “Operation Vigilant Eagle.” They claim the operation monitors military veterans who "express views critical of the government."
[Click here to read the full complaint]
“Brandon Raub’s case exposed the seedy underbelly of a governmental system that is targeting military veterans for expressing their discontent over America’s rapid transition to a police state,” John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute, said in a statement. “Brandon Raub is not the first veteran to be targeted for speaking out against the government. Hopefully, by holding officials accountable, we can ensure that Brandon is the last to suffer in this way.”
The complaint names two Chesterfield County police officers, two Chesterfield County social workers, one Chesterfield County psychotherapist and up to 10 unnamed people who may be FBI or Secret Service agents.
Developing...
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Chesterfield Marine veteran detained over Facebook posts
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- Lawyer: Va. system corrupt and Marine vet Raub was caught in it
- Detained Marine veteran now released, per judge’s order
- Brandon Raub to be transferred to Salem psych ward
- Full text, Brandon Raub’s proclamation: Take our Republic back
- Mother of detained Marine vet says he’s a patriot, not a threat
- Statement from attorneys on Brandon Raub detention
- Chesterfield police: Raub resisted officers, was taken for evaluation
- Chesterfield Marine veteran to remain detained over Facebook posts
- Chesterfield man, Marine veteran, detained over Facebook posts
