Writ of Mandumbass Rides Again

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The Observer
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Writ of Mandumbass Rides Again

Post by The Observer »

Tax Notes is reporting that the Supreme Court denied petition for a writ of mandamus filed by one Richard Lowell Rosenquist. Apparently Mr. Rosenquist was convicted for a number of tax crimes, including evasion, failing to file, etc. The basis for Mr. Rosenquist's writ was, among other things, the failure of the government to produce the original assessment records at his trial. I know a number of you will be unbelievably shocked, shocked I tell ya, that the Supremes didn't find this pleading persuasive.

Here is Rosenquist's appeal from the 8th Circuit which predictably went down in flames:
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

Appeal from the United States
District Court for the
Southern District of Iowa.

[UNPUBLISHED]

Submitted: November 4, 2010

Filed: November 4, 2010

Before WOLLMAN, MELLOY, and GRUENDER, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM.

A jury convicted Richard Rosenquist of tax evasion, failure to file a tax return, and filing false tax returns, and the district court 1 sentenced him to 51 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Rosenquist filed this appeal in which his counsel has moved to withdraw pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967). In the Anders brief, counsel argues that the district court erred in imposing an enhancement for Rosenquist's role in managing and supervising a criminal activity. In a pro se supplemental brief, Rosenquist argues that his indictment was defective because the government failed to present the grand jury with tax assessment records. We reject these arguments.

First, the district court did not err in imposing a role enhancement under U.S.S.G. section 3B1.1(c) for leading, organizing, managing, or supervising a criminal activity. See United States v. Zimmer, 299 F.3d 710, 724 (8th Cir. 2002) (standard of review). Rosenquist's son and daughter testified at trial that Rosenquist directed them to file fraudulent liens against his residence, which the Internal Revenue Service had received permission to auction to satisfy his tax liabilities. See United States v. Bewig, 354 F.3d 731, 738 (8th Cir. 2003) (to justify leadership enhancement, defendant need only have supervised one other participant in criminal activity); United States v. Garrison, 168 F.3d 1089, 1096 (8th Cir. 1999) (enhancement may apply even if management activity was limited to single transaction).

Second, we reject Rosenquist's pro se challenge to his indictment. See Costello v. United States, 350 U.S. 359, 363-64 (1956) (defendant may not challenge indictment on grounds that there was inadequate or incompetent evidence before grand jury); United States v. Wilkinson, 124 F.3d 971, 977 (8th Cir. 1997) (grand jury may indict on whatever evidence is laid before it); see also United States v. Sanders, 341 F.3d 809, 818-19 (8th Cir. 2003) (except in cases involving racial discrimination in composition of grand jury, guilty verdict by petit jury excuses errors at grand jury level that are connected with charging decision).

Finally, after reviewing the record independently under Penson v. Ohio, 488 U.S. 75 (1988), we have found no nonfrivolous issues for appeal. Accordingly, we grant counsel's motion to withdraw, and we affirm the district court's judgment.

FOOTNOTES:

/1/ The Honorable Robert W. Pratt, Chief Judge, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa.
"I could be dead wrong on this" - Irwin Schiff

"Do you realize I may even be delusional with respect to my income tax beliefs? " - Irwin Schiff
Famspear
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Re: Writ of Mandumbass Rides Again

Post by Famspear »

In a prior case, Rosenquist sent letters to the judge and others, asserting that these people had committed "treason, sedition and insurrection" because of the federal tax collection actions against him. He made the usual wackadooster claims about "failure to respond" being an "admission" that he was right, that the government had "unlawfully stolen money" from him in violation of the Fourth Amendment. He also included the typical argument that "Title 26" was not positive law (a technically correct statement, but immaterial, as Title 26 is virtually identical to the Internal Revenue Code in the Statutes at Large, which is positive law) and that he had been deprived of a Fifth Amendment right because the government had taken $35,000 from him. See e.g., entry 69, United States v. Joan R. Rosenquist and Richard Rosenquist, case no. 4:05-cv-00609-RP-TJS, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

See also, generally, Richard Rosenquist v. Internal Revenue Service, case number 4:03-cv-40487-JEG, in the same Court.

He also filed a U.S. Tax Court case in 2003 - case number 021194-03.

Rosenquist is now inmate number 08949-030 at the Federal Correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Indiana. His projected release date is October 12, 2013.

That's where Irwin Schiff is located. Uncle Irwin is scheduled for release in October of 2016.
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