Justice Antonin Scalia Reportedly Spent His Last Hours With Members Of A Secret Society

The controversy surrounding the unexpected death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has been pervasive. The 79-year-old Justice died on February 13 at the posh, exclusive West Texas Cibolo Creek Ranch sometime during the night. Initial reports indicated that he was found with a pillow over his head, although those claims were later challenged. Conspiracy theorists immediately tried to lay the blame on President Obama, the Inquisitr reported on February 14. According to innumerable social media posts and Alex Jones’ “gut feeling,” Justice Scalia was assassinated.

The reasoning behind these theories? Presumably, the death of Antonin Scalia could allow Obama to set up a liberal Supreme Court before leaving office, ensuring his politics and policies endure for decades to come. Alternatively, the GOP refusal to consider an Obama Supreme Court nominee in the wake of the death of Justice Scalia may just be what the Democrats need to become motivated and driven enough to win the 2016 Presidential election.

The facts that Justice Antonin Scalia’s death scene was never investigated or treated as a crime scene, and that his cause of death was listed as “natural causes” without the benefit of an autopsy, has only fueled these conspiracy theories.

Now, the Washington Post is reporting on another development that could fan the conspiracy flames even higher. The development? That Justice Antonin Scalia spent the last hours of his life with members of a super-secret, exclusive hunters’ fraternity known as the International Order of St. Hubertus. The secret Austrian society has been around since the 1600s.

Following the death of Justice Scalia, information about the other 35 guests who were staying at the resort along with him was kept quiet and remained, for the most part, unknown. However, in the last 12 days, a review of public record revealed that some of the men staying at the remote ranch at the time of Justice Antonin Scalia’s death are indeed connected through the secretive International Order of St. Hubertus. This isn’t the first time that members of the secret society have gathered at the ranch, either. It has been uncovered that the group met up at the Cibolo Creek Ranch at least once before the weekend of Scalia’s death.

What is currently unclear is what (if any) association Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia may have had with the secretive group. Speculation, though, is rampant.

While the secret society was founded in Austria in the 1600s, it has become a global organization. Its members are male-only, and they group is known to wear green robes embellished with a cross and the Latin motto “Deum Diligite Animalia Diligentes.” The motto translates (somewhat ironically, as it is a hunting society) to “Honoring God by honoring His creatures.”

According to the secret society’s website, one of the purpose of the group is to promote sportsmanlike conduct in hunting and fishing, among other things.

“The International Order of St. Hubertus is a true knightly order in the historical tradition. The Order is under the Royal Protection of His Majesty Juan Carlos of Spain, the Grand Master Emeritus His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Andreas Salvator of Austria and our Grand Master is His Imperial and Royal Highness Istvan von Habsburg Lothringen, Archduke of Austria, Prince of Hungary.”

In an email to the Washington Post, Cibolo Creek Ranch owner John Poindexter had little to add to the public speculation and queries about the secret society, or about Justice Antonin Scalia’s potential connection to the group.

“There is nothing I can add to your observation that among my many guests at Cibolo Creek Ranch over the years some members of the International Order of St. Hubertus have been numbered I am aware of no connection between that organization and Justice Scalia.”

It is noteworthy, however, that Justice Scalia and ranch owner John Poindexter are connected by a recent Supreme Court case. Newser reports that Poindexter is the owner of a manufacturing company, and the Justice Antonin Scalia, along with the Supreme Court, declined to hear an age discrimination case brought against that company just last year. Justice Scalia’s fateful trip to Poindexter’s Cibolo Creek Ranch was also free, comped by Poindexter, as is the ranch owner’s policy for all guests, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Something else to consider that adds some credibility (and more mystery) to the Justice Scalia/International Order of St. Hubertus connection is something Poindexter told reporters following his death. According to Poindexter, he met Antonin Scalia at a “sports group” gathering in Washington D.C.

The International Order of St. Hubertus’ U.S. chapter lists a suite on M Street NW in the District as its headquarters. That address, however, is not a physical address at all, but rather merely a mailbox at a UPS store.

While listing a Washington, D.C., address as its U.S. chapter headquarters, the International Order of St. Hubertus’ U.S. chapter actually launched in 1966 at the infamous Bohemian Club in San Francisco, California. The Bohemian Club is associated with Bohemian Grove, an all-male secret society that is one of the best known and most notorious in the United States.

The attorney for the family of Justice Antonin Scalia has refused to respond to requests for comment on this development.

[Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]