Wow.

Hal Turner is behind bars.

Today, FBI agents went to the New Jersey home of white supremacist blogger/radio host Hal Turner and arrested him “on a federal complaint filed in Chicago alleging that he made internet postings threatening to assault and murder three federal appeals court judges in Chicago in retaliation for their recent ruling upholding handgun bans in Chicago and a suburb,” according to a statement released by the Justice Department. A summary of Turner’s dangerous tirade against the judges:

Internet postings on June 2 and 3 proclaimed “outrage” over the June 2, 2009, handgun decision by Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook and Judges Richard Posner and William Bauer, of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, further stating, among other things: “Let me be the first to say this plainly: These Judges deserve to be killed.” The postings included photographs, phone numbers, work address and room numbers of these judges, along with a photo of the building in which they work and a map of its location.

Honestly, I have to say I'm shocked that someone is finally being held responsible for threats and calls to violence. I was kind of expecting a lot of wingnut shrieking about the First Amendment and that evil boogeyman The Fairness Doctrine, but they're probably too busy distancing themselves from him.

As the Nation has pointed out, Turner has ties to Fox News’ Sean Hannity. In fact, Hannity has “offered his top-rated radio show as a regular forum for Turner’s occasionally racist, always over-the-top rants.” Hannity would also reportedly offer Turner “encouragement” to overcome his cocaine habit and “homosexual leanings.”

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UPDATE: In 2008, Hannity tried to claim that he had never heard of Turner, but eventually said that he had "banned" him from his show 10 years ago.

Perhaps we can start holding others responsible when they incite violence, hmm?

I realize it's much more media-friendly to arrest a white supremacist than it is a prominent pundit, but what's it going to take?