Long Standoff Ends for Tax-Protesting Couple

[babylonsister]

Long Standoff Ends for Tax-Protesting Couple

By Paul Lewis
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 6, 2007; Page A03

PLAINFIELD, N.H. -- The fugitive couple had been waiting on their porch for nearly eight months for law enforcement officials to make their move. "The word is 'poised,' " Ed Brown said recently, handgun wedged in his jeans, AK-47 assault rifle behind the door, as he stared at a yard of cut grass and bags of explosives hanging from trees. His wife, Elaine, kept her pistol inside a pouch with her reading glasses.

Ed Brown, 65, a retired exterminator who was involved in the "patriot" militia in the 1990s, and Elaine, 67, a dentist, do not believe that the federal government has the authority to tax income. In January, after a decade of not paying tax on nearly $1.9 million in earnings, a judge found them guilty of tax evasion and, four months later, they were sentenced in absentia to 63 months in prison.

Convicted tax evaders Ed and Elaine Brown, who had been anticipating a visit from law enforcement for months, were arrested late Thursday by U.S. marshals posing as supporters at the couple's home in rural New Hampshire.

Refusing to "surrender," in February they barricaded themselves in their estate in this New Hampshire town of 2,200, warning that any attempts to arrest them would end in bloodshed. They said they could sustain themselves "indefinitely" with solar and wind electricity generators, after federal agents cut their power and phone lines.

But, in the end the authorities got them, not by a full frontal assault but by trickery.

Late Thursday, U.S. marshals posing as supporters entered the Browns' property and arrested them on their porch without incident. "They invited us in, and we escorted them out," U.S. Marshal Stephen Monier told the Associated Press.

At a news conference, Monier said officials found booby traps in the woods on the 100-plus-acre property and weapons, ammunition and homemade bombs inside and outside the house. He said more charges are likely.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/05/AR2007100501164.html

[blondeatlast]

1. Cue the "income tax is unConstitutional" crowd here.

I'm glad to hear this ended peacefully as it seemed the Browns were itching for violence.

I've gotta add, if this is the thing that did them in, they were none too bright in the first place.

[lonestarnot]

5. Yeah and who collected their garbage, gave them running water,

electricity, heating oil/gas, enforced the laws etc. Did they forget this stuff, or maybe they didn't use any of it. :shrug:

[Bluerthanblue]

12. actually they

live in a neighboring town, and there isn't garbage collection around here, out water comes mostly from individual wells, and the browns were off the grid with solar panels etc.

BUT ! they can't expect to live within a community and not contribute at least financially to the welfare of everyone- These are the dues you pay for living in a society. (in my belief)

They were fools, looking for an audience, and for a way to feel 'important'-. I really have to say the patience and wisdom of the fed-marshall was outstanding. I tend to be very critical of 'authority'- but they did an excellent job of ending this fiasco with no one getting hurt- and I applaud them.


Glad it is finally over.


:hi:

[lonestarnot]

15. Yes dues should entitle one to a voice within that community's

framework too.

[Ron Green]

2. No representation without taxation.

It works both ways.

[blondeatlast]

6. Good point! nt

[cali]

3. Here's an example of how to deal with

nutcases without violence. Good job by the feds.

[gratuitous]

19. Astonishing, isn't it?

Violence as a means to resolve differences is really an admission that a person or a faction or a nation has run out of ideas. A little thought, a little creativity, and suddenly two fugitives are in custody without firing a shot. Should Bush get credit for this? Well, if anyone thinks that the feds actually used the advice and tactics demonstrated by this administration, then, yes, Bush should get credit for the calm resolution of this stand-off. If, however, the feds used imagination and independent judgment to take these two into custody, then Bush doesn't deserve any credit for this.

[NoPasaran]

4. Bags of explosives hanging from trees?

I guess their homeowners' association is pretty lax.

[VP505]

8. Naw,

it was just a "Dynomite Piñata", ya know, just to start the party off with a bang!

[MrCoffee]

7. that's good police work..."Hey, your shoe's untied!"

this could have gone badly. nice work Marshals.

[annabanana]

9. A good example.

MUCH better than so many other ways to deal. . .

[momster]

10. They Were Willing to Kill

over their taxes...that's nuts. A good lawyer could have kept the situation tied up for just as long without explosives, guns in the knitting bag, and head-banging stupidity. A friend of mine -- also anti-tax -- managed to avoid paying for almost 9 yrs and had to pay less in the long run because of the way his attorney handled the case.

[blondeatlast]

11. If it is unConstitutional, why not spend all those resources and time on

getting it to the SCOTUS?

The "income tax is unConstitutional" crows are all bluster--but no guts. If it matters, they can engineer a lawsuit to get it all the way to the top.

Somthing tells me the stupid, greedy bastards know they are wrong.

[cgrindley]

13. Tax protestors are probably the dumbest form of life

in the entire country... hurr durr the 16th amendment isn't valid, hurr durr.... taxation is a slavery... hurr durr it's a reptoid plot

[Toots]

14. If another Ruby Ridge had occured would Bush* have gotten the blame

Should Bush* be given any credit for this? I would say these federal marshals did an outstanding job in spite of our current Administration not because of it but :shrug:

[wildbilln864]

16. They must find it difficult.........

Those why have taken authority as the truth,
rather than truth as the authority!


Tom Cryer was aquitted for not filing Fed. Income taxes
estoppel against the IRS
short video

[wildbilln864]

17. and one more for your.......

viewing pleasure!
10 minute video

[blondeatlast]

21. Tell. It. To. The. Supreme. Court. Thank you. nt

[wildbilln864]

18. kick! n/t

[wildbilln864]

20. Why an Income Tax is not needed to fund the Federal Government...

snip/
"Contrary to the sound bites issued by the two mainstream political parties, the reality of how the system actually works will not only open your eyes, but hopefully stimulate the American people to demand that the thievery underway come to an end.

Where do your "income" tax dollars go?

The best place to look for an answer to this question would be a government report, so let's take just one at random......"

continued here. :patriot:

[Kansas Wyatt]

22. FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO IMMEDIATELY SIDE WITH THE GOV'T ON TAXES

The 'New Deal' has been effectively reversed within the last thirty years, and a regressive tax system has been enslaving the working class to benefit the wealthy elite. Your government has turned every citizen into a subject of the government to fund it's bloated obscene wealthy elite serving interests. Once you can come to terms with that fact, you will realize why people challenge the government and go off the deep end.

Was it right for this couple to do what they did? Well, their end actions indicate they were very wrong. However, to accept the government's claim that the government is always right about everything, including taxes, is a very dangerous road to embark on. After all, how many other agencies have wronged and damaged people for years, because people just gave the government a free pass?