Circus day at the Browns

[webhick]

WMUR is now threatening to air a "Special Investigation" into Ed's tax arguments tonight at 11PM. I'm not sure which I'd enjoy more: dipping into the lower channels and actually feeling the moment when my IQ drops (it feels a lot like a heavy gear slipping), or pounding an ice-pick through my eyeball.

[Demosthenes]

Anything about Jesuit Freemason Zionists, the coming race war, global warming, the Illuminati or "Body of the Lord"?

Of course, but in more limited doses than we've been hearing on the radio show.

[Demosthenes]

And Randy Weaver kept saying, "I'm an atheist but I'm curious about the afterlife now."

[Demosthenes]

Shaun Kranish, the idiot kid in Illinois who runs MaketheStand.com is calling for action / war on an audio blog just posted on the quest for whatever blog.

http://questforfairtrialinconcordnh.blogspot.com/

This is the guy who has been posting inflammatory lies about the situation, usually accompanies by dozens of exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Observer]

It's over now. Various tax cheats gave speeches. Press asked questions. Tax cheats lost their tempers in big ugly ways. Press was accused of being federal agents. Tax cheats lost their tempers some more and called the press bad names. Press conference ended.

Overall theme, no one has ever showed us the law. If they ever do, we'll cut the IRS a check right away.

And how is that different from what happens here on a daily basis?:

• Various tax cheats post their theories.
  
  The Quatlosians ask pertinent questions.
  
  Tax cheats lose their tempers in big ugly ways.
  
  Quatlosians are accused of being federal agents.
  
  Tax cheats lose their tempers some more and call the Quatlosians bad names.
  
  Thread ends.

[webhick]

If Ed keeps this up, my office may be able to decrease next year's budget for advertising.

[Demosthenes]

Browns Say They Won't Surrender
Ruby Ridge Survivor Weaver Speaks At Press Conference

POSTED: 11:46 am EDT June 18, 2007
UPDATED: 3:55 pm EDT June 18, 2007

PLAINFIELD, N.H. -- A Plainfield couple convicted of tax evasion held a press conference Monday in which they and their supporters reiterated their belief that they are not required to pay taxes.

"For many years, many thousands of people have been asking the (Internal Revenue Service) to show them the law requiring the average American to pay tax on the fruits of their labor," said Elaine Brown. "They have never done so."

Ed and Elaine Brown have been holed up in their Plainfield home since they were each sentenced to more than five years in prison in April on federal tax evasion charges. The press conference was held outside their home on their 110-acre property.

Elaine Brown said that there was no possibility that they would surrender.

"If they come in, we're dead. That's it," she said. "We will not be arrested. We will not volunteer to go into their prison for a non-crime. We have committed no crime."

The Browns were joined by Ruby Ridge survivor Randy Weaver, whose wife and son were killed along with a deputy U.S. marshal in the Idaho standoff in 1992. Weaver said that he was concerned that a similar event could occur in Plainfield.

"This is why I'm here," Weaver said. "Because if this gets out of control, it's going to happen here."

An emotional Weaver drew parallels between the Ruby Ridge standoff and law-enforcement activities in Plainfield earlier this month, when armored vehicles and bomb-disposal units arrived at the property while a warrant was served at a commercial property owned by the couple in Lebanon.

"This is serious stuff. Bring it on," Weaver said.

Ed Brown dismissed the police as "mercenaries" and the media gathered for the press conference as "order-takers." He said law enforcement officers were using the excuse of just following orders as they engaged in a waiting game with the Browns.

"All police officers today in this nation are mercenaries," he said. "They are all guns for hire."

U.S. Marshal Stephen Monier has stated that there were no plans to storm the property or attempt to take the Browns by force. He said that they are trying to encourage them to surrender, and officials last week cut power, phone and Internet service to the property.

In a press release issued Monday, the U.S. Marshals Service said that it is still trying to resolve the matter without violence.

"The U.S. Marshals Service is committed to resolving this peacefully," the statement read. "Edward and Elaine Brown can end this today by doing the right thing, which is to call us and make arrangements for their surrender."

Ed and Elaine Brown said Monday that they would be able to stay indefinitely in their house, which has solar and wind power sources.

In the meantime, Plainfield residents and officials said they are getting increasingly anxious about the situation. Selectmen recently sent a letter to federal officials stating that they believe the time has come for definitive action.

U.S. marshals recently held a stakeout near the Browns' property, and the letter expressed concern that no local officials knew about it, according to state Sen. Peter Burling.

"The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office knew nothing, and the Plainfield police chief, who is superb, had no warning at all," Burling said.

Laura Ward and her daughter live near the Browns, and she said the ongoing situation has become stressful.

"It does kind of make you worry because I am not sure how long they intend to have it go on," she said.

Several supporters of the Browns are staying with them, and many are thought to be armed, officials said. Some residents said that they hope that however it gets resolved, it happens soon.

"If you like celebrity, it's a good time to be in Plainfield, but most of us don't," resident Craig Wehde said.

[Demosthenes]

Statement From U.S. Marshals Service

Statement to the press from the U.S. Marshal District of New Hampshire released on June 18, 2007:

It has been five months since Edward and Elaine Browns' trial concluded in the United States District Court. They have been tried, convicted, and sentenced to a 63 month term of imprisonment in the United States Bureau of Prisons, and there are active warrants for their arrest.

During those five months, the United States Marshals Service has made every effort to convince the Browns to turn themselves in and to stop threatening the use of violence towards law enforcement officers. We have communicated regularly with them since they first failed to appear in court after the trial began; we sent them a letter following their sentencing on April 24th, 2007; and we sent another letter on Friday, June 15, 2007, again urging them to peacefully surrender.

On June 7, 2007, we executed a seizure order on the commercial property in W. Lebanon, and we have shut off utilities to the property in Plainfield. These additional steps were taken to have the Browns understand the need to turn themselves in.

The U.S. Marshals Service is committed to resolving this peacefully. Edward and Elaine Brown can end this today by doing the right thing, which is to call us and make arrangements for their surrender.

[Imalawman]

Well, with more nuts coming to aid the Browns, influential people pressuring the "feds" to move in, this is indeed as Demo put it, "a perfect storm". What could have been a neat little night operation, has turned into a powder keg situation. I'm not sure a neat and clean way out is possible now.

[ErsatzAnatchist]

Well, with more nuts coming to aid the Browns, influential people pressuring the "feds" to move in, this is indeed as Demo put it, "a perfect storm". What could have been a neat little night operation, has turned into a powder keg situation. I'm not sure a neat and clean way out is possible now.

I'm not sure there has ever been a time when this could have been a neat operation. Ed Brown has been holed up with his followers since he walked out of the trial.

With the benefit of hindsight, it was a huge mistake to release Ed Brown on bail.

This needs some time to cool off. I wonder how well Ed's solar panels and windmill will work in February. It gets darn cold here in NH in February.

[webhick]

With the benefit of hindsight, it was a huge mistake to release Ed Brown on bail.

And now he's ruined it for the TPs who wouldn't pull this crap. Good job, Ed! Bring everyone else down with you!

This needs some time to cool off. I wonder how well Ed's solar panels and windmill will work in February. It gets darn cold here in NH in February.

Shoot out the solar panels and the windmill and see how Ed likes to sweat without his A/C. And, he's got to be downwind from somewhere, might I suggest the alternating the aromatic delicacies of skunk, cow manure, and catalytic converter? First we'd have to move the neighbors out. Wouldn't want any casualties to that mess.

Eventually, some of the locals will probably get totally fed up and just raid the property.

[Joey Smith]

Might be the perfect time to deploy certain non-lethal crowd control devices.

These are tax protestors you're talking about. The quickest way to disperse a crowd of tax protestors is to have a white van pull up with the words on the side, "Child Support Enforcement Division".

[Demosthenes]

Well, with more nuts coming to aid the Browns, influential people pressuring the "feds" to move in, this is indeed as Demo put it, "a perfect storm". What could have been a neat little night operation, has turned into a powder keg situation. I'm not sure a neat and clean way out is possible now.

There's another factor that could make this even worse. Aaron Russo is apparently on his death bed.

[Demosthenes]

Shoot out the solar panels and the windmill and see how Ed likes to sweat without his A/C.

It turns out the Brown house doesn't even have AC. It probably stays pretty cool with nine inch poured concrete walls.

[webhick]

Shoot out the solar panels and the windmill and see how Ed likes to sweat without his A/C.

It turns out the Brown house doesn't even have AC. It probably stays pretty cool with nine inch poured concrete walls.

Damn! Foiled again!

[Demosthenes]

A must see video:

http://www.wmur.com/news/13521122/detail.html

The top five videos are all from today, but the one labeled "Browns Say Surrender Not an Option" gives a good flavor for what went on today.

[grixit]

Might be the perfect time to deploy certain non-lethal crowd control devices.

One uses a big panel to project microwaves at a crowd and gives those in the crowd the sensation their skin is on fire. No actual damage is done, but it is damned tough to do anything if you feel as if you are on fire.

Another uses sound waves and harmonics to make people feel like they are going to puke, or actually puke. Again, it is tough to cause meyhem when you are on your knees puking.

A third uses a standard 40mm grenade launcher to release a large net which entangles a person. Hard to cause mischief when you are netted like a tuna.

Imagine the active ingredient in police-grade pepper spray in a paintball pellet. Now imagine a paintball gun, with hopper, loaded up with these pepperballs. Now imagine a trouble maker being hit in the chest with a half dozen of these pepperballs. Again, tough to cause mischief when you are gasping for air and wanting to claw out your eyes from all the pepper spray.

Fun times await!

As a staunch, unflinching liberal democrat, i am proud to agree with this post. Non lethal weapons are the way to go.

Albeit, i suspect that if a real assault team were to show up, most of the wannabes would faint, thus accomplishing the same goal.

[TheSaint]

Ruby Ridge Survivor Weaver Speaks At Press Conference

(...)

The well dressed, professional looking man in the suit with green shirt and green tie is John Stadtmiller who was active with the Militia of Michigan.

Let me get this straight; the marshals are letting the Browns have free access to people like Randy Weaver and John Stadtmiller?

[Judge Roy Bean]

Interesting measurement of the will of enforcement officials as to what is an applicable use of force.

There are parts of the country where the Browns would already be incarcerated, and not summarily executed or mortally wounded.

And none of the mythological "non-lethal" weapons are required.

Someone should have called the Brown's bluff a long time ago.

[LPC]

Let me get this straight; the marshals are letting the Browns have free access to people like Randy Weaver and John Stadtmiller?

It's all part of the government's plan - you set up the Browns to draw in all these other kooks and nutjobs and then let them do something stupid and round them all up at once.

I understand that this is an attempt at humor, but even by tp standards, the excuse/rationale is rather pathetic.

[Edited to add a note: I intended for the above to be a criticism of the government's inaction, not the Captain's attempt at humor.]