Criminal minds

Politics | House votes to expand hate-crimes law—and put non-hating pastors in jeopardy | Jamie Dean

Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) says a bill passed by the House of Representatives this month has a strange plea for violent criminals: "If you are going to brutalize me, please make it a random, senseless act of violence."

Gohmert says that's the message of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a bill that expands federal hate-crime law to include violent acts based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. The House passed the bill on May 3, and the Senate is expected to pass similar legislation as early as this month.

The bill represents the first major expansion of federal hate-crime law since Congress first enacted the legislation in 1968. Current law allows federal authorities to investigate and prosecute certain crimes committed based on victims' race, color, religion, or national origin.