Today John Stacks, owner of Mountain Pure Water in Arkansas, gave me a call.
His company produced the youtube video, "Rampant INjustice," a reenactment and discussion of federal raids on two companies, Mountain Pure Water and Gibson Guitar (log onto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFALonjLay0).
Mr. Stacks is working with attorney Tim Dudley (Appellate Supreme Court...), to organize a class action lawsuit against the federal government. Since posting the "Rampant INjustice" video he has received dozens of calls from other business owners who believe their constitutional rights were violated by federal agents during raids. He asked me to join the class action lawsuit. Our goal would be to force the government to be accountable for its raids, forfeitures, and mistreatment of individuals in this country.
"Ninety percent of federal agents are good, upright people," Stacks said. "It's the other ten percent who are on a power trip."
"The government has been invested with too much power," I said. "Because of HIPAA and the Patriot Act, many of our rights can be overridden by government agents desperate to prove their worth, take back money for the national debt, and meet hefty FBI agency payrolls."
"We need to work together to protect our civil liberties," he said. "This is a way to do that."
Congressman Tim Griffin of Arkansas is also behind our cause, and said he'll raise the problem of overzealous raids and forfeitures against Americans with other leaders in Congress. Ruining local businesses affects our representatives' constituencies.
Yesterday I spoke with Ted Yoho, who is a large animal veterinarian and has been working in Central Florida for over 30 years. He replaces Cliff Stearns (incumbent for 24 years), having just been elected by Floridians to the U.S. House of Representatives, and will begin his first term in January.
He watched the youtube video listed above and told me he couldn't believe the government is using these large-scale paramilitary tactics against individuals and small businesses--people who don't pose an imminent threat to agents, and who would likely respond to a subpoena without delay.
"Their methods are wrong," Yoho said.
One piece of information from the web gives me pause: Ted Yoho may have instigated the federal government to investigate Planned Parenthood, as a way of promoting his extreme Christian values and appealing to right-wingers who don't mind mixing church and state, as a way of boosting his campaign base. If Ted can use the feds to damage a legitimate nonprofit, is he likely to be an advocate for me against the federal government?
I hope we can persuade Ted Yoho and Tim Griffin to join forces in Congress, and challenge existing legislation that gives government officials authority to attack and harm innocent citizens and businesses with impunity. Such methods were intended for terrorist attacks and the extremities of wartime. All I want is transparency: the government should tell me why it raided my clinic, what charges it thinks it has, and when my patients' charts and office funds will be returned. And it shouldn't take ten years to do it.c
It's been 18 months since the government's raid, on my clinic, and 30 months since federal prosecutors began an "investigation" on me. It's 16 months since the clinic and my personal bank accounts were forfeited. Not enough time, apparently--because not a peep has been heard from the government about why, wherefore, what...?
Why was I raided? What's going on? Who's in charge hear? What statutes support their action? What about my rights?
My lawyer, Gilbert Schaffnit, sent me an update. Here's what he emailed--("Corey" is the government prosecutor in charge of my case):
"No news from Corey [Smith]--which I believe is a good thing, as they usually try to make their 'numbers' by the end of the year."
Oh, yes--I almost forgot. The government registers me as a "number," not a person, not a taxpayer, not a business owner who has been stimulating the economy.
If you believe congressional representatives should be aware of the facts surrounding the raid on my clinic, as well as other rampant violations of citizens' rights, please call:
Ted Yoho, elected Congressman for the 3rd District, Florida, (352) 665-8223
You are one of his constituents, and can tell him to investigate this matter. The U.S. government needs to justify its actions against individuals like me, and businesses like mine, and Gibson Guitar, Midamor meatpacking, Mountain Pure Water, and many others.
If you do call, I thank you heartily for exercising your rights!
If you decide to do nothing, and sleep through the transformation of our government into a dictatorial force, remember: you could be next.
His company produced the youtube video, "Rampant INjustice," a reenactment and discussion of federal raids on two companies, Mountain Pure Water and Gibson Guitar (log onto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFALonjLay0).
Mr. Stacks is working with attorney Tim Dudley (Appellate Supreme Court...), to organize a class action lawsuit against the federal government. Since posting the "Rampant INjustice" video he has received dozens of calls from other business owners who believe their constitutional rights were violated by federal agents during raids. He asked me to join the class action lawsuit. Our goal would be to force the government to be accountable for its raids, forfeitures, and mistreatment of individuals in this country.
"Ninety percent of federal agents are good, upright people," Stacks said. "It's the other ten percent who are on a power trip."
"The government has been invested with too much power," I said. "Because of HIPAA and the Patriot Act, many of our rights can be overridden by government agents desperate to prove their worth, take back money for the national debt, and meet hefty FBI agency payrolls."
"We need to work together to protect our civil liberties," he said. "This is a way to do that."
Congressman Tim Griffin of Arkansas is also behind our cause, and said he'll raise the problem of overzealous raids and forfeitures against Americans with other leaders in Congress. Ruining local businesses affects our representatives' constituencies.
Yesterday I spoke with Ted Yoho, who is a large animal veterinarian and has been working in Central Florida for over 30 years. He replaces Cliff Stearns (incumbent for 24 years), having just been elected by Floridians to the U.S. House of Representatives, and will begin his first term in January.
He watched the youtube video listed above and told me he couldn't believe the government is using these large-scale paramilitary tactics against individuals and small businesses--people who don't pose an imminent threat to agents, and who would likely respond to a subpoena without delay.
"Their methods are wrong," Yoho said.
One piece of information from the web gives me pause: Ted Yoho may have instigated the federal government to investigate Planned Parenthood, as a way of promoting his extreme Christian values and appealing to right-wingers who don't mind mixing church and state, as a way of boosting his campaign base. If Ted can use the feds to damage a legitimate nonprofit, is he likely to be an advocate for me against the federal government?
I hope we can persuade Ted Yoho and Tim Griffin to join forces in Congress, and challenge existing legislation that gives government officials authority to attack and harm innocent citizens and businesses with impunity. Such methods were intended for terrorist attacks and the extremities of wartime. All I want is transparency: the government should tell me why it raided my clinic, what charges it thinks it has, and when my patients' charts and office funds will be returned. And it shouldn't take ten years to do it.c
It's been 18 months since the government's raid, on my clinic, and 30 months since federal prosecutors began an "investigation" on me. It's 16 months since the clinic and my personal bank accounts were forfeited. Not enough time, apparently--because not a peep has been heard from the government about why, wherefore, what...?
Why was I raided? What's going on? Who's in charge hear? What statutes support their action? What about my rights?
My lawyer, Gilbert Schaffnit, sent me an update. Here's what he emailed--("Corey" is the government prosecutor in charge of my case):
"No news from Corey [Smith]--which I believe is a good thing, as they usually try to make their 'numbers' by the end of the year."
Oh, yes--I almost forgot. The government registers me as a "number," not a person, not a taxpayer, not a business owner who has been stimulating the economy.
If you believe congressional representatives should be aware of the facts surrounding the raid on my clinic, as well as other rampant violations of citizens' rights, please call:
Ted Yoho, elected Congressman for the 3rd District, Florida, (352) 665-8223
You are one of his constituents, and can tell him to investigate this matter. The U.S. government needs to justify its actions against individuals like me, and businesses like mine, and Gibson Guitar, Midamor meatpacking, Mountain Pure Water, and many others.
If you do call, I thank you heartily for exercising your rights!
If you decide to do nothing, and sleep through the transformation of our government into a dictatorial force, remember: you could be next.
I WILL MOST CERTAINLY CALL.
ReplyDeleteTHANX
You may want to correct the reference from Ted Yahoo to Ted Yoho in Paragraph 7
ReplyDeleteStay the course....FIGHT THE POWER....be a public enemy
I am so sorry for you and all the others who suffer such injustices.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard enough just to earn a living, but you, as a doctor, and having a business to run and patients who rely on you , it is so much more devastating.
We all know that the the monster "frankengov" is now turning on its master and the FEDERAL MAFIA (to use Irwin Schiff"s term) is out of control.
I am offering an idea, it's not a 'new idea', but it is a 're-awakening' to an old idea that needs a commitment to it in order for it t succeed - I will be writing you and others about it very soon.
The American Constitution and Bill of Rights were written with full awareness that people with government power are likely to abuse that power. King George III was our negative example during the Revolutionary War. This country would be fine if longstanding and intentional limitations on executive and judicial power hadn't been ignored through inventions like HIPAA and the Patriot Act. Government power-mongers gain control by engendering fear.
ReplyDeletePlanned parent hood should be investigated. If you wait until someone who wants to help agrees with you on everything. You will be waiting a long time.
ReplyDeleteWill the call do ant good if I am not in his district?
ReplyDeleteYes, but sometimes it depends on the representative. Calls are always accepted, but emails are blocked by some representatives if you don't live in a zip code included in the district. I will provide names and email links for representatives in an upcoming post. You could call Ted Yoho, Congressman for the district in which Colasante Clinic operated, and tell him you want him to do something about the FBI raid on the clinic. His phone numbers: 352-505-0838, and 352-665-8223. His Washington number is: 202-225-5744. His email: yoho.house.gov. He accepts calls and petitions from citizens outside his district. It would help me. Thanks!
ReplyDelete