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American Legion Removes Escondido Post Commander From National Leadership Over Proud Boys Affiliation

Demonstrators wearing clothes linked to the far-right extremist group  Proud Boys attend a pro-Trump rally in Washington last month.
Luis M. Alvarez AP
Demonstrators wearing clothes linked to the far-right extremist group Proud Boys attend a pro-Trump rally in Washington last month.
Boasting on social media about joining the racist group The Proud Boys and his involvement in injuring a anti-Trump protester in Yorba Linda prompted the American Legion to remove Michael Sobczak from national leadership positions.

Michael Sobczak, American Legion Commander of J. B. Clark Post 149 in Escondido, has been removed from positions in the national leadership of the fraternal organization, according to Ed Grimsley, commander of the California American Legion.

Sobczak was removed when he posted photos of himself on Parler wearing a Proud Boys jacket at a Dec. 12 Trump rally and a video to his Facebook account describing injuring an anti-Trump activist in Yorba Linda.

The Proud Boys are classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

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In addition to leading the Escondido Post, Sobczak was dean of the American Legion College and had a seat on the national board of the American Legion Riders, the group's motorcycle club. The national group does not have the authority to remove him from his Escondido leadership positions.

Andrew Dyer, reporter for The San Diego Union-Tribune, joined KPBS Midday Edition Tuesday to talk about Sobczek, who is also affiliated with the group Defend East County.

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