[Order David Horowitz’s new book, America Betrayed, HERE.]

FrontPage Mag readers may recall that back in December I wrote about Michael Cassidy, a conservative Christian and former Navy pilot who tore down a Satanic altar competing with a Christmas display of the Nativity in the Iowa State Capitol. Originally charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, Cassidy was subsequently hit with a hate crime charge by Polk County Democrat Attorney Kimberly Graham, a prosecutor funded by – surprise – left-wing billionaire financier George Soros. Cassidy is now looking at a possible five years in prison.

As reported by Ben Zeisloft at The Republic Sentinel, the far-left ideologue Graham has received over $300,000 in campaign contributions from the Justice and Public Safety PAC, a Soros-funded entity:

Graham campaigned on decreasing racial disparities in prosecution and has since introduced drug diversion programs during her first year in office. The official has voiced numerous leftist views on social media: she wished that George Floyd would “rest in power” on the day police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted, as well as claimed that crime prevention involves “tackling environmental racism” and said that “cash bail makes our communities less safe.”

“After accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from George Soros, Iowa prosecutor Kimberly Graham is now pushing what appears to be a politically motivated ‘hate crime’ enhancement in a conservative-leaning midwestern state,” stated Cassidy’s attorney Davis Younts, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, in an interview with The Sentinel.

“The addition of a hate crime enhancement means that our client is facing the possibility of a felony conviction,” Younts added. “We believe that the application of the enhancement is not appropriate in this case.”

In mid-April a hearing was scheduled to address a motion to dismiss the charge on the basis that the Satanic Temple of Iowa is neither a person nor a legitimate religion under Iowa law. The motion argued that the “violation of individual rights” statute in Iowa only “applies to human beings and is meant to protect human beings and their personal rights,” and the Satanic Temple of Iowa cannot be considered a legitimate religion since the group does not promote “a belief in a personal Satan” or “worship Satan.”

Cassidy had previously told The Sentinel that he destroyed the shrine to “awaken Christians to the anti-Christian acts promoted by our government.” He added, “The world may tell Christians to submissively accept the legitimization of Satan, but none of the founders would have considered government sanction of Satanic altars inside Capitol buildings as protected by the First Amendment.”

(For more on Cassidy and his courageous stand against the Satanic Temple, check out my interview with him on the Freedom Center podcast The Right Take.)

I asked a few questions of Ben Zeisloft and Cassidy’s lawyer Davis Younts in the wake of the recent judgment that came down in Cassidy’s case.

Mark Tapson: In mid-April a hearing was held to determine whether the hate crime charge against Michael would be dropped. What happened at that hearing?

Davis Younts: Unfortunately the judge at that hearing denied our motion to dismiss the hate crime charges, so our client still faces up to five years in prison. The prosecution repeatedly failed to produce any example of enhanced hate crime penalties being used when an organization rather than an individual is allegedly targeted. Yet our client was not targeting any person or organization; he was taking action out of a sincerely held religious conviction, which has long been recognized by our culture, that Satan is evil and a profane figure.

MT: Where does his case stand now? What’s next for Michael, legally speaking?

DY: We are moving into jury selection and we expect a trial in the coming weeks. That trial is currently scheduled for early June. We have filed additional motions but this case will ultimately be decided by an Iowa jury, which will likely be asked whether the Satanic Temple of Iowa should be considered a religion as defined for purposes of a hate crime.

MT: Ben, you revealed in your article at The Sentinel that D.A. Kimberly Graham has been funded to the tune of over $300,000 by leftwing billionaire financier George Soros, who is notable for his financial support for prosecutors and judges across the country who are leftist ideologues. What impact do you and Davis think that has had and may continue to have on Michael’s case?

BZ: We have definitely seen a pattern of progressive prosecutors funded by Soros throwing the book at conservatives and Christians while opting for a soft-on-crime approach toward brazenly violent offenders.

As our reporting at The Republic Sentinel indicates, Kimberly Graham has an extensive history of backing woke causes: she expressed hope that George Floyd would “rest in power,” spoke to the urgency of addressing “environmental racism,” and introduced drug diversion initiatives during her first year in office. This is not the behavior of an impartial prosecutor exercising the solemn duty to uphold the rule of law and execute justice. This is the behavior of a political operative making an example out of a conservative Christian.

MT: It was clear from my podcast interview with Michael that he’s a humble guy who wasn’t interested in seeking the spotlight or controversy, only in doing the right thing to protest the evil direction our culture has taken. How is he holding up under the pressure of all this lawfare targeting him?

DY: Our client has been doing well under the circumstances but is certainly feeling the heat. His career in the Navy and his future as a test pilot will be decided by the outcome. The hate crime charges significantly increased the stakes of his case, but he remains steadfast in his faith as he leans on the support of his family and his local church.

MT: What can people do to help his case?

DY: Keep praying for Michael and consider supporting Stand With Warriors, a new organization we started to help veterans and service members facing crackdowns on their liberties.

BZ: Watch our continued coverage at The Republic Sentinel. We are closely tracking the Michael Cassidy case and what his story means for Christians in America at this hour.

MT: Thanks, gentlemen. I’ll be following developments closely myself. Please let Michael know that I and FrontPage Mag readers are praying for him.

Note: The Republic Sentinel is hosting a fundraiser for Michael Cassidy’s legal defense.

Follow Mark Tapson at Culture Warrior.