DadaOrwell2
Member
Wolfies, your thoughts on this?
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From NHfree.com
8/1/06
Concord, New Hampshire
Feds will hold "Outlaw Leafletter" for full month
"Quit your IRS job" flyer handout attempt triggers summary conviction
Still wearing the shorts and T-shirt he had on when Homeland Security agents came through his door, Keene resident Russell Kanning sat in front of his accusers Monday and built a paper airplane.
"He refused to cooperate," says his wife, Kat Dillon. "I'm so proud of him."
Appearing in Concord District Court Monday afternoon, Kanning faced five Federal charges for attempting to enter Keene's IRS office during business hours and hand out a "quit your job" flyer. But no one seemed thrilled to have him in the courtroom.
After refusing an attorney, the libertarian activist - who normally wears glasses - squinted at court officials and shivered in the cold chamber but otherwise appeared to be in good spirits.
"Government prosecutor was totally playing softball," writes one of one of the six NHfree.com activists who rushed to the courthouse after the arrest but asked not to be named in this article. "Palmer and the ICE guy (the arresting officers) seemed to like Russ. I know that will sound crass, since they did arrest him."
The Federal prosecutor asked Inspector Palmer, a Homeland Security agent, what Kanning was carrying while outside the IRS offices.
"A pitchfork," replied Palmer, triggering grins from Kanning's supporters and some of the officials.
Kanning, who had dropped the pitchfork before attempting to enter IRS offices, did not face charges related to the "weapon," or for leafleting outside. Charges instead centered on his attempt to physically enter the IRS office with his leaflet despite police warnings.
"I got the impression that the basic issue was that there was expected to be a 'disruption' of the business that day," continues the unnamed activist, who quizzed agents after the hearing.
In planning the event on the NHfree.com forums, Kanning had indicated he might indeed eventually go to the IRS and disrupt operations, but that he would not do so before August 3.
"The judge told Russ he had a constitutional right to question the witness," writes the activist. "Russ asked Palmer if he'd quit his job, which was a nice touch."
Halfway through the hearing a bailiff pointedly seized Kanning's paper airplane.
The judge eventually convicted Kanning on four of the five charges, and asked the 36-year-old when would be a good day for him to come in and face sentencing. Kanning replied that he would not come back on his own. The judge then ordered he be held without bail until sentencing on Sept. 6.
Kanning now sits in Strafford County Jail in Dover, New Hampshire. He is a member of the Free State Project (www.FreeStateProject.org), a movement aimed at recruiting libertarians to New Hampshire.
For additional late-breaking details, or to learn how you can support Russell, visit the NHfree.com forums at
http://forum.soulawakenings.com/index.php?topic=4640.0
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From NHfree.com
8/1/06
Concord, New Hampshire
Feds will hold "Outlaw Leafletter" for full month
"Quit your IRS job" flyer handout attempt triggers summary conviction
Still wearing the shorts and T-shirt he had on when Homeland Security agents came through his door, Keene resident Russell Kanning sat in front of his accusers Monday and built a paper airplane.
"He refused to cooperate," says his wife, Kat Dillon. "I'm so proud of him."
Appearing in Concord District Court Monday afternoon, Kanning faced five Federal charges for attempting to enter Keene's IRS office during business hours and hand out a "quit your job" flyer. But no one seemed thrilled to have him in the courtroom.
After refusing an attorney, the libertarian activist - who normally wears glasses - squinted at court officials and shivered in the cold chamber but otherwise appeared to be in good spirits.
"Government prosecutor was totally playing softball," writes one of one of the six NHfree.com activists who rushed to the courthouse after the arrest but asked not to be named in this article. "Palmer and the ICE guy (the arresting officers) seemed to like Russ. I know that will sound crass, since they did arrest him."
The Federal prosecutor asked Inspector Palmer, a Homeland Security agent, what Kanning was carrying while outside the IRS offices.
"A pitchfork," replied Palmer, triggering grins from Kanning's supporters and some of the officials.
Kanning, who had dropped the pitchfork before attempting to enter IRS offices, did not face charges related to the "weapon," or for leafleting outside. Charges instead centered on his attempt to physically enter the IRS office with his leaflet despite police warnings.
"I got the impression that the basic issue was that there was expected to be a 'disruption' of the business that day," continues the unnamed activist, who quizzed agents after the hearing.
In planning the event on the NHfree.com forums, Kanning had indicated he might indeed eventually go to the IRS and disrupt operations, but that he would not do so before August 3.
"The judge told Russ he had a constitutional right to question the witness," writes the activist. "Russ asked Palmer if he'd quit his job, which was a nice touch."
Halfway through the hearing a bailiff pointedly seized Kanning's paper airplane.
The judge eventually convicted Kanning on four of the five charges, and asked the 36-year-old when would be a good day for him to come in and face sentencing. Kanning replied that he would not come back on his own. The judge then ordered he be held without bail until sentencing on Sept. 6.
Kanning now sits in Strafford County Jail in Dover, New Hampshire. He is a member of the Free State Project (www.FreeStateProject.org), a movement aimed at recruiting libertarians to New Hampshire.
For additional late-breaking details, or to learn how you can support Russell, visit the NHfree.com forums at
http://forum.soulawakenings.com/index.php?topic=4640.0