Federal Court Recommends Significant Monetary Sanctions — and Potential Arrest — of Neo-Nazi Defendant in IFA Charlottesville Suit
By: Integrity First For America Press Releases
Elliott Kline (aka Eli Mosley) Has Willfully Defied 7 Court Orders, Failing to Comply with Discovery Obligations in the Landmark Federal Suit Backed by Integrity First for America
Court Orders Kline to Appear for Contempt Hearing on November 25
CHARLOTTESVILLE - A federal court just recommended significant monetary sanctions and the possible arrest of neo-Nazi defendant Elliott Kline (aka Eli Mosley) in Sines v. Kessler—the landmark federal lawsuit backed by Integrity First for America against the neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and hate groups responsible for the Unite the Right violence. Kline was also ordered to appear in court in November 25th for a contempt hearing on the matter. Click here to read the full order.
Kline was a primary organizer of the Unite the Right violence in Charlottesville over August 11 and 12, 2017 and a former leader of the white supremacist hate group, Identity Evropa—another defendant in Sines v. Kessler. The lawsuit details how Kline and his fellow defendants meticulously planned the violence for months in advance, including via the online chat platform Discord.
The plaintiffs have repeatedly sought to hold Kline accountable for his actions and discovery obligations. In August 2019, the court issued monetary sanctions against Kline for his failure to cooperate with discovery. In that decision, the court also left the door open to even harsher sanctions depending on the defendants’ future compliance with their discovery obligations.
Kline continued to willfully defy the court, complying with virtually none of his discovery obligations. Plaintiffs filed this sanctions motion against Kline on September 26th.
The order reads in part, “Most of Kline’s answers during the August 7 deposition were evasive, internally inconsistent, or simply not believable... Kline admitted that he had responsive information and documents in his possession, he understood his obligation to produce those materials to Plaintiffs, and his former counsel had explained that he must preserve potentially relevant evidence for discovery. Kline never took any steps to preserve this information, such as backing up his emails or the contents of his phones.”
It continues, “The facts certified above, in my opinion, show that Kline disobeyed seven court orders requiring him to provide or permit discovery of relevant materials and information for Plaintiffs’ use in this litigation.... Based on my familiarity with the protracted pretrial discovery in this case generally, and Kline’s “[c]ontinued contumacious behavior” in particular, I respectfully recommend that the presiding district judge grant in part Plaintiffs’ motion.”
“The defendants in this suit orchestrated the violence in Charlottesville two years ago - and have been trying to run from accountability ever since. Sanctions like these send a clear message that there will be real financial penalties—and even arrest—for flagrantly flouting court orders. Our brave plaintiffs will continue to fight to ensure these neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and hate groups are fully brought to justice for the violence they caused,” said Integrity First for America Executive Director Amy Spitalnick.
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Integrity First for America (IFA) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to holding those accountable who threaten longstanding principles of our democracy—including our country's commitment to civil rights and equal justice. IFA is backing the landmark federal lawsuit against the two dozen neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and hate groups responsible for the August 2017 violence in Charlottesville. To learn more about the case, click here.