THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS....August 26, 1998 Update
During the past fifteen months, much has been written about the Republic of Texas. However most Americans have not had the opportunity to hear the full story of what happened at Fort Davis, nor do they understand the history and purpose of the Republic.
One of the reasons for this is that during the siege of the Embassy at Fort Davis, freedom of the press was abridged in ways unprecedented in modern American history. For the first time since the Internet became a primary means of disseminating information, U.S. federal and State of Texas authorities closed down two private publishing houses--the Web Page of the Republic of Texas Embassy at Fort Davis, www.overland.net/~embthert, and its companion web page, www.The-Republic-of-Texas-org. This action was taken solely for political reasons and not because the contents of these websites violated any laws--a direct violation of First Amendment guarantees of free speech and freedom of the press.
Since the siege, and during subsequent trials, the mainstream press has failed to present the Republic of Texas case with balance and impartiality.
This update section is dedicated to those who are committed to correcting this injustice and to those who have been willing to take a stand to defend freedom.
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." Thomas Jefferson
* New August 26, 1998...Yesterday Richard Kieninger appeared for sentencing before Judge Joe A. Fish in U.S. District Court in Dallas. The judge acknowledged that Mr. Kieninger's motives for his involvement with the Republic of Texas were not essentially criminal; rather Mr. Kieninger's motives centered around his desire for better government.
Based on this and other factors, the court exercised its discretion and removed some of the eighteen "Special Offense Characteristic" points as defined by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines Manual. Mr. Kieninger was sentenced to serve the federally mandated minimum of 1 year and nine months for his April 14, 1998 conviction on bank and mail fraud charges. With credit for time served and reductions for good behavior, Mr. Kieninger could finish serving his sentence by late next year.
During the past week, additional evidence was submitted to the court which would indicate entrapment by government authorities (please refer to our August 16, 1998 posting below). This new evidence could soon win Mr. Kieninger bonded release during the appeal process.
* New August 16, 1998...U.S. OPPRESSION, PAST AND PRESENT--THE MATTER OF SOVEREIGNTY FOR HAWAII AND FOR THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS
The facts are not in dispute. Following their first contact with Western civilization in 1778, the native population of Hawaii dwindled, due to oppression and disease, from one million to approximately 50,000. During the first 100 years, Hawaiian lands came to be increasingly monopolized by American plantation owners, and missionaries sought to "save the heathens."
On January 17, 1893, the U.S. government sent in the Marines. The U.S. Minister to Hawaii, Harold Sewell, aided prominent plantation owners in their plan to overthrow the sovereign Hawaiian government. Military and business interests--"Manifest Destiny" and "dollar diplomacy"--joined forces to put Hawaii's resources in the service of a foreign power. Sitting Hawaiian monarch, Queen Liliuokalani was dethroned, and Sanford B. Dole (of "Dole Pineapple" fame) became president of an American-dominated provisional government.
Provisional President Dole actively sought annexation by the United States, and in 1896 he banned the Hawaiian language from classrooms and public life. In 1897, more than half the Hawaiian population signed a petition protesting annexation, yet they were not allowed to vote and had no choice in the final annexation decision.
On August 12, 1898, provisional President Sanford B. Dole and U.S. Minister Harold Sewall exchanged treaty ratifications. During a ceremony at Iolani Palace, the Hawaiian flag was lowered, and the U.S. flag replaced it; Hawaii became a U.S. "territory" (Americans tended to prefer the term "territory" to "colony"). Queen Liliuokalani and the Hawaiian people boycotted the ceremony.
By the end of the Second World War, colonialism had been discredited, and pressure built to give Hawaiian's a choice. But Hawaiians were not offered the choice of regaining their sovereignty; the only "choice" offered in 1959 was either to become the fiftieth State or remain, in United Nations terms, a "Nonself-Governing Territory."
The years following Hawaii's attainment of statehood brought unprecedented growth to the islands, and increasing dispossession of the native people. The Hawaiian rights movement simmered for years, and in 1993 a breakthrough came--the U.S. government acknowledged that the United States was wrong to have participated in Queen Liliuokalani's overthrow.
This year, just prior to the August 12, 1998 centennial of the overthrow, the U. N. Working Group on Indigenous Populations released a report that called the treaty of annexation between the United States and Hawaii "an unequal treaty that could be declared invalid...according to international law of the times." The U.N. report will go to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and to the General Assembly, which could recommend that Hawaii be put back on the list of "Nonself-Governing Territories." Finally, Hawaiians may be offered a real choice through a U. N.-sponsored plebiscite--remain a State, become a self-governing nation, or assume the status of a U.N. protectorate.
Attorney Mililani Trask, governor of Ka Lahui Hawaii and a candidate for trustee at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, stresses that the push for Hawaiian self-determination is not a matter of race--rather citizens of all races (indigenous Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Black and Caucasion) have come to identify themselves as "Hawaiians."
Representing indigenous Hawaiians in particular, on August 7, 1998, David Keanu Sai, Regent pro tempore of the Hawaiian Kingdom, filed a Complaint in the United States Supreme Court. This complaint asks that the Supreme Court consider the matter of "original jurisdiction" under various treaties and conventions--the 1849 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, the 1875 Commercial Reciprocity Convention, the 1884 Supplementary Convention--between the Hawaiian Kingdom and the United States of America.
With a real prospect of nationhood looming, 5,000 Hawaiians of all races gathered on August 12, 1998 to see the Hawaiian flag ceremonially raised over Iolani Palace. The crowd was joyful, tearful, and many were optimistic that they might finally regain their sovereignty. But suspicions remain that the U.S. desire for an economic and military foothold in the Pacific will, once again, rob Hawaiians of any real choice. And Hawaiians do not trust the U.S. government to play fair.
Hawaiians have every reason to be suspicious of U.S. intentions. Back on the "mainland," as Hawaiians like to call the continental U.S., a contemporary drama of illegal political oppression is still unfolding in Texas.
It began in Jeff Davis County, Texas, in 1994, with the establishment of the Davis Mountain Land Commission, which was formed to investigate land fraud at the Davis Mountain Retreat. Research into the original land titles revealed some remarkable facts:
Based on considerable legal research, on April 30, 1996 Davis Land Commission founder Richard McLaren reinstituted a provisional Republic of Texas government, whose goal is to bring these matters before the people of Texas. Mr. McLaren proposes a referendum that would allow Texans a choice--whether to affirm their status as an independent nation, The Republic of Texas, or whether to legalize their current identity as a de facto U.S. State.
During early 1996, Mr. McLaren pursued this matter in public hearings all over Texas. By mid-1996, some meetings were drawing more than 1,000 people, and television coverage by crews from Germany and Japan earned the Republic of Texas international coverage. Based on the still unresolved question from the May 9, 1868 Congressional Resolution (see above), an Eminent Domain Lien was filed establishing formal claim to the soil of Texas in the name of the people of Texas.
In large numbers, people who had always thought of Texas as a separate nation embraced the idea of choosing independence from the United States. In particular, many people of Native American extraction supported independence, as did Blacks, Latinos and Asians.
Yet just as the Hawaiians were denied a choice--both in 1898 and in 1959--during 1996 authorities moved to block free choice in Texas. Texas Governor George Bush Jr., who aspires to the U.S. Presidency, was not about to risk a referendum that might result in the loss of his state.
The Republic of Texas was falsely characterized as a "white separatist" organization, and people who supported independence were branded as "right-wing conspiracy nuts." In addition, the group came under Department of Justice surveillance through the FBI's "domestic terrorism" division. The people of Texas were not to be allowed a choice.
On August 24, 1996, Arthur Griesacker showed up at a Republic of Texas meeting in Tyler, Texas. Evidence is mounting that Griesacker was working undercover for the Department of Justice, and he proceeded to ingratiate himself with Richard McLaren and other Republic of Texas leaders who were impressed by his legal and financial knowledge.
Before long, Griesacker had convinced the Republic of Texas leaders that they needed to reinforce their status as an independent sovereign nation by using financial instruments called "warrants," which would be backed by the already-filed Eminent Domain Lien. Griesacker was very convincing in his argument that the warrants were entirely legal-- McLaren and other Republic leaders believed him. What the Republic of Texas leaders did not know is that Griesacker had already visited other groups in Kansas, in Montana, and in Missouri which had been targeted as "anti-government"--while the details differ, in each locale Griesacker remained free, yet group members were soon arrested by state or federal authorities on a variety of charges.
During the last quarter of 1996 , The Republic of Texas issued warrants prepared according to Griesacker's instructions. However, by late December, 1996, Republic of Texas leaders became alarmed by Griesacker's monitoring of incoming faxes and unauthorized late-night rifling through Republic of Texas files. Griesacker was asked to leave, and he disappeared shortly thereafter.
Police surveillance and harrassment of Republic of Texas supporters increased steadily during the next few months, culminating in a much-publicized standoff at The Republic of Texas embassy in Fort Davis, which ended with McLaren's arrest on May 3, 1997. During the next few months, many other Republic of Texas leaders were arrested on bank fraud and mail fraud charges, all stemming from the warrants Griesacker taught them to create.
In this case, as in other previous cases, Griesacker was not arrested, even though a videotape introduced into evidence by federal prosecutors during the March, 1998 trial shows Griesacker teaching Republic of Texas leaders how to prepare the warrants. In his opening statement, McLaren's attorney, Tom Mills, effectively argued that Griesacker was employed by authorities to entrap Republic of Texas leaders.
Griesacker himself appeared briefly during the trial, but he refused to testify without a grant of immunity from prosecution. Witnesses say his FBI file, which was presented to Judge Joe A. Fish, was over an inch thick. The judge ruled that Griesacker would not be granted immunity, and his FBI file was sealed. Neither defense attorneys nor defendants have been able to review Griesacker's file to determine his status, and the jury never got all the facts.
The negative publicity surrounding the case, as well as the April 14, 1998 conviction of several Republic of Texas leaders on charges stemming from the Griesacker warrants, has temporarily squelched any hope Texans might have to pursue realization of their status as an independent sovereign nation.
Yet, just as Hawaiians kept alive their dream of regaining national sovereignty, Texans continue today to nurture a similar dream of self-determination. Just as the long fight to regain national sovereignty in Hawaii has resulted in many "fallen warriors," Republic of Texas leaders have paid a high price for their stand against injustice.
On the Griesacker warrant charges, Richard McLaren has been sentenced to serve 151 months in federal prison. On separate charges related to the May, 1997 siege at Fort Davis, McLaren has been sentenced to serve 99 years.
On the Griesacker warrant charges, Evelyn McLaren has been sentenced to serve 27 months in federal prison.
On the Griesacker warrant charges, Jasper Baccus has been sentenced to serve 21 months in federal prison.
On the Griesacker warrant charges, Linh Ngoc Vu has been sentenced to serve 21 months in federal prison.
Richard Kieninger is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25, 1998. Steven Crear, Erwin Brown and Joe Reece are scheduled to be sentenced on September 1, 1998. All charges relate to the Griesacker warrants.
New evidence has just been uncovered linking Arthur Griesacker to the Department of Justice. Defense attorneys are hopeful they can prove entrapment and overturn the convictions on appeal.
* New July 9, 1998...Sentencing for Republic of Texas Citizens Richard Kieninger, Steve Crear, Jaspar Baccus, Erwin Brown, Joe Reece, and Linh Ngoc Vu has been delayed until July 28, 1998.
* New June 24, 1998...On June 23, 1998, Republic of Texas Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren and his wife, Evelyn McLaren, were sentenced following their April 14, 1998 conviction on bank and mail fraud charges. Ambassador McLaren was sentenced to 12 years, 7 months in federal prison, and Evelyn McLaren was sentenced to 2 years, 3 months.
During the sentencing procedure, Ambassador McLaren addressed the court for twenty minutes, protesting lack of federal jurisdiction and vowing to continue his efforts to assert the independent sovereignty of the Republic. Recent postings and filings appear in the "News of the Republic" section of the Republic of Texas Web page.
Republic of Texas Citizens Richard Kieninger, Steve Crear, Jaspar Baccus, Erwin Brown, Joe Reece, and Linh Ngoc Vu await sentencing on July 7, 1998.
* New May 4, 1998...On April 30, 1998, federal magistrate Boyle presided over a hearing in Dallas to determine whether Republic of Texas Citizens Steve Crear, Jaspar Baccus, Erwin Brown, Joe Reece, and Linh Ngoc Vu would be granted bonded release pending appeal of their April 14, 1998 convictions on conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud. Only Erwin Brown was granted bonded release. Federal magistrate Boyle cited their "pervasive anti-government attitude"as a major reason not to grant the others bonded release. Postal inspector John D. Butler earlier testified that those convicted had challenged the jurisdiction of the court, a legal move he claimed is seen only in trials involving "anti-government groups." One legal expert, a military veteran who gave decades of service to his country, expressed dismay at the obvious political nature of the detentions. "They got them for being anti-government, not for being criminals!" he exclaimed. (Editor's Note: Has it really become illegal to be "anti-government" in contemporary America? We might do well to remember that our Founding Fathers were clearly patriots who loved their country, yet they were "anti-government" with respect to George III. Indeed, most Founding Fathers remained "anti-government" to the core, accepting limited government only as a necessary evil.)
* New April 30, 1998...Yesterday brought disappointment to supporters of the Republic of Texas as federal magistrate Boyle waived rules of evidence and allowed an agent of the Internal Revenue Service broad latitude in his testimony to contest bonded release of Richard Kieninger and Evelyn McLaren. On April 14, 1998, a jury found Mr. Kieninger and Mrs. McLaren, along with six other defendants, guilty of multiple counts of conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud; they are appealing those convictions.
Two members of the Adelphi community near Dallas appeared as character witnesses for Mr. Kieninger, attesting to his dedication to the community and lack of flight risk. Family members appeared in support of Mrs. McLaren. In his testimony, the revenue agent played the "Waco Card," asserting that because Mr. Kieninger and Mrs. McLaren voiced distress at the FBI murder of 80 Branch Davidians, they could be considered "dangerous to the community." The revenue agent's testimony also included references to the "apocalyptic" world view of the Adelphi community and even attempts to disparage Mr. Kieninger's belief in reincarnation. Such extraneous testimony, none of which was relevant to whether or not bonded release might be appropriate, prompted Mr. Kieninger's attorney to ask at one point if a belief in reincarnation was against the law. Finally, the federal magistrate ruled against bonded release for both Mr. Kieninger and Mrs. McLaren.
Mr. Kieninger and Mrs. McLaren are scheduled for sentencing this June or July, with an appeal to follow, and friends hoped that they would not have to endure long incarceration before their appeal rights are exhausted. Incarceration has been a particular hardship for Mr. Kieninger, who is 70. And her prison stay has isolated Evelyn McLaren, 51, from both her husband and family members--including a daughter who will soon give birth to a new grandchild.
* New April 22, 1998...Since their April 14, 1998 conviction on various charges, eight Republic of Texas citizens have been incarcerated awaiting their sentencing this coming June or July. Most of those convicted have now been moved to a federal facility at Seagoville, Texas which is located just east of Dallas. All defendants are expected to appeal. Please refer to the following article for details regarding the trial and the appeal process.
* New April 2, 1998....Here is the latest Republic of Texas press release regarding the trial of nine Republic of Texas citizens in Judge A. Joe Fish's U.S. District Court. Day Fourteen.
* New March 21, 1998...On Friday, March 20, 1998, the prosecution rested its case against nine Republic of Texas citizens being tried in U.S.District Court in Dallas. The federal case appears weak at best, and the defense is scheduled to begin this coming Monday. For more information, please link to daily press releases prepared by the Republic of Texas.
With regard to this trial, we now have a transcript of Richard Kieninger's March 5, 1998 opening statement, which discusses the issues before the court from a historical perspective. Witnesses report that when he delivered his address, Mr. Kieninger captured the rapt attention of everyone in the courtroom.
* New March 12, 1998...The trial of nine Republic of Texas citizens in U.S. District Court resumed on Wednesday, March 11, 1998. One of the prosecution's key witnesses perjured himself on the witness stand, seriously harming his credibility and helping the defense. Please read the latest Trial Update issued by the Republic of Texas.
* New March 10, 1998...Opening statements began this past Thursday in the U.S. District Court trial of nine Republic of Texas citizens for alleged conspiracy to commit fraud. Assistant District Attorney Michael Uhl attempted to portray the defendants as common criminals. However, as each upstanding citizen spoke on his or her own behalf, and as attorneys for leaders of Dallas' black and latino communities spoke on behalf of their clients, a far different picture emerged.
Tom Mills, attorney for Richard McLaren, represented his client as a true patriot, concerned with the future of Texas and the welfare of its citizens.
Evelyn McLaren, wife of Richard McLaren, spoke on her own behalf as a mother and grandmother with no criminal record. Mrs. McLaren read into the record a recent letter from her husband attesting to the sincerity of his motives.
Attorney Joseph Shearin spoke of the many accomplishments of his client, Jaspar Baccus, a prominent leader in Dallas' black community.
Attorney Charles Banker III spoke on behalf of Mark Hernandez, a well-known leader in Dallas' latino community.
Attorney George Ashford III spoke on behalf of his client, Linh Ngoc Vu, a Dallas citizen of Vietnamese descent.
Finally the courtroom sat in stunned silence as senior citizen Richard Kieninger, founder of the peaceful Adelphi Community near Dallas, delivered an impassioned plea for support of the Republic's goal to reinstate Texas sovereignty. Mr. Kieninger called the trial of the nine Republic of Texas defendants "one of the most important in this century."
Steven Crear, a well-known religious leader and radio personality in the Dallas area, reserved the right to make a statement later in the trial, as did Joe Reece and Leo Brown. All three men are prominent citizens from Dallas' black community, and Steven Crear served as President of the Republic of Texas.
The trial before U.S. District Judge A. Joe Fish is expected to last one month and will resume on Wednesday, March 11, 1998.
Please refer to Bill Lodge's story in the March 6, 1998 edition of the Dallas Morning News, Separatists: Patriotism Fueled Cause.
* New March 5, 1998...Jury selection has begun in the trial of Chief Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren, his wife Evelyn, Head Trustee Richard Kieninger, and other Republic of Texas citizens who were charged last year with bank fraud and mail fraud. The Republic of Texas has issued a press release that expresses the outrage many people are feeling regarding obvious lack of due process as the court moves towards a politically pre-ordained outcome in the upcoming "trial."
* New March 2, 1998...The Republic of Texas had just published a brief history in order to bring readers up to date regarding the status of the republic in the context of current events.
* New February 7, 1998...Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren of the Republic of Texas issued a February 4, 1998 press release critical of the current U.S. war stance in the Middle East. Ambassador McLaren refers to a series of documents released June 23, 1997 known as The Republic of Texas Peace Initiative , and he appeals to the nations of the world, through their ambassadors to the United Nations, to honor the Peace Initiative's spirit of non-interference and resist the U.S. move towards war.
*New January 15, 1998...This is the most recent posting from Richard Lance McLaren. It is posted here without comment or editing, and it is quite lengthly so will take some time to download. The editors welcome your comments.
*New January 5, 1998...Federal and State of Texas authorities continue to attack all leaders of the Republic of Texas , both criminally and politically. Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren has now been imprisoned for 240 days, currently in the Federal Detention Center at Seagoville, Texas. Robert White-Eagle Otto has also been imprisoned for 240 days, currently at the Hughes Unit in Gatesville, Texas. Richard Kieninger, Lead Trustee of the Republic of Texas Trust, faces indictment on federal charges similar to those levied against other Republic of Texas leaders.
Despite these setbacks, Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren, his wife Evelyn Ann McLaren, Acting President Steve Crear, International Press Secretary Jeanette Kinman, Lead Trustee Richard Kieninger and others have pressed forward on behalf of the people of the Republic of Texas against the State of Texas International Trust, the United States, Inc. (dba the United States of America), the State of Texas, Jeff Davis County and others. Four new filings have been brought in the district court of the United States for the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C. in order to bring forth a remedy at law under the law of nations, enforce the provisions of the May 3, 1997 International Agreement and Terms of Cease Fire, present a brief and memorandum of points of authority, and provide political remedies for all the inhabitants of Texas.
* New October 2, 1997...On Monday, September 29, 1997, Robert White-Egle Otto, a Republic of Texas official, was place in the federal corrections holding facility of the Mansfield Corrections Center with no trial, no writ, and no explanation. White-Eagle fears for his safety and the safety of the other prisoners of war still being held in the Marfa jail, Chief Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren among them. Citizens are urged to contact the officials involved and to attend an open meeting to discuss corruption in the judicial system on October 4, 1997 in Athens, Republic of Texas. Please refer to the Republic of Texas October 1, 1997 press release for more details.
* New September 28, 1997....Three documents have been filed in the district court of the United States for the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C.:
The first, An International Judicial and Political Notice of Pronouncement by the Acts of State Doctrine , was filed in the district court of the United States for the District of Columbia Washington, D.C. by Chief Ambassador and Consul General Richard Lance McLaren and his wife, Evelyn Ann McLaren. This document puts various authorities on notice that the Republic of Texas intends to rely on the Acts of State Doctrine in the commencement of certain actions.
The second, A Civil Action in the Nature of a Complaint, was also filed in the district court of the United States for the District of Columbia Washington, D.C. This document puts various authorities on notice, enumerates eleven causes of action, and demands various forms of relief.
The third, A Notice of Removal and Transfer of Proceedings for Resolution of a Political Question , was attached to the above filed documents and addresses the Congress of the United States of America and demands that all actions be deemed removed and transferred as a political diplomatic question to the United States Congress Senate and House Judiciary Committees, in accord with diplomatic proceedings formally instituted on May 9, 1996.
* New September 27, 1997...Bob Scheidt, commander of the Embassy Guard of The Republic of Texas, whose kidnap by de facto state officials on April 27, 1997 precipitated a declaration of war and the siege of the Embassy at Fort Davis, was released from prison this week.
* New September 10, 1997...Apparently there has been yet another split among these who associate themselves with the Republic of Texas. This happened at an August 23, 1997 Delegate Convention of the Johnson faction of the republic. At this convention, objections were raised with regard to a May 5, 1997 Criminal Complaint , supposedly filed in the Sanhedrin Rabbinic Court of Justice in Israel. (Note: It appears that this document, which called for the immediate execution of several public officials and which was first published on August 21, 1997, was never actually sent to the court. A Rabbi Gildner spoke at the convention; he condemned the language of the complaint and stated that had the complaint been sent to the Rabbinic Court, it would never have been accepted.) Objections were raised that neither the May 5, 1997 Criminal Complaint, nor other actions taken by leaders of the republic, had been referred to the people of the Republic of Texas for their approval. When challenged with removal from his office as president (of this faction at least), David Johnson left the meeting with thirty-three of his followers. Even though they may no longer have had a quorum, the remaining convention delegates proceeded to remove Johnson from office. It seems another delegate convention has been called for September 28, 1997; it remains unclear which subfaction of the Johnson faction called this meeting.
*New September 1, 1997...On August 28, 1997, the the Republic of Texas issued a press release charging that de facto State of Texas officials offered substantial financial bribes to Steve Crear, Jasper Baccus, Joe Reece and Leo Brown in exchange for their giving false testimony against co-defendant Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren. For more details please contact Jasper Baccus, Chairman of the Board of Pylon Salesmanship Club at (214) 428-5733.
*New August 28, 1997...On August 21, 1997, the Johnson faction of the Republic of Texas published a Criminal Complaint filed this past May 5, 1997, in the Sanhedrin Rabbinic Court of Justice in Israel against George Walker Bush, Jr., Dan Morales, and all agents of the de facto Stateof Texas. The current status of this complaint is unknown.
*New August 21, 1997...On August 4, 1997, Richard Lance McClaren issued an International Affidavit of Felonies in Progress which was served on officials of the United Nations, justices of the International Court of Justice, justices of the U.S. federal courts, members of the U.S. House and Senate Judiciary Committees, officials of the U.S. federal government, justices of the de facto State of Texas courts, and officials of the de facto State of Texas Government. The accompanying Republic of Texas press release clarifies the right of Citizens of Texas to make Citizen arrests with respect to these felonies in progress. In addition, this press release includes an Affidavit of Public Notice to Cease and Desist with respect to various claims of authority made by Carolyn Carney, Dave Carney, Thomas Ward, Thaddeus Quinn, Dr. Patrice Chairoff, Dave Hertner, Archie Lowe, Robert Kesterson, and others.
*New July 17, 1997....On July 10, 1997, de facto State of Texas Judge Kenneth DeHart ordered Chief Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren to submit to a psychiatric evaluation in a mental institution. For about a year now this has become an increasingly common tactic in the United States, used against anyone who challenges the jurisdiction of the defacto state and federal courts. Please refer to the June 13, 1997 and July 10, 1997 Republic of Texas press releases for more details.
Since persons of unsound mind are not permitted to plead cases in court, political collusion on the part of those charged with conducting psychiatric evaluations can easily prevent even educated Citizens from mounting an effective defense. This tactic was inaugorated in Nazi Germany, was used extensively in the former Soviet Union, and continues to be a mainstay in Communist China in a very successful effort to completely destroy the dissident democracy movement.
*New July 12, 1997....On June 27, 1997, the Tenth Congress of the Republic of Texas filed a petition with the United Nations protesting the continued illegal annexation of Texas by the United States and asserting that the United States continues to conceal Texas' status as a captive nation of war, thus violating its own laws and Constitution. The Republic of Texas has demanded that the U.S. comply with the May 3, 1997 International Agreement and Terms of Cease Fire , which guarantees that the question of Texas independence be put to a vote.
On July 9, 1997, the Republic of Texas and its Office of Foreign Affairs filed an International Sequestration Notice against all of the negotiable funds of the State of Texas and its political subdivisions. Accompanying this notice was a letter to all Texas Companies informing them of the sequestration and asking that they support the right of the People of Texas to decide their own future.
These documents have been filed with the United Nations in order to bring the United States to the negotiating table to find solutions and enter into coalition until elections are brought about to peacefully decide the issue of Texas independence.
*New July 11. 1997....Citizens of Texas met July 4, 1997, in Sherwood to draft a new constitution establishing the free and independent nation of Texas. All meetings are open to the public, and the next meeting will be on July 26, 1997, in Corsicana. Please see press release for more details.
*New July 9, 1997....TEXAS JUDGE UPHOLDS RIGHTS GUARANTEED BY THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. On June 26, 1997, Judge Joseph H. Hart of the 126th District Court of Travis County, Texas issued a letter upholding the privacy and freedom of association rights of Citizens of the Republic of Texas. Judge Hart ruled against further detention of Republic of Texas personnel who had refused to honor the order by de facto State Attorney General Dan Morales to turn over the Republic of Texas membership list.
* New July 4, 1997....Chief Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren has submitted a variety of documents , known collectively as The Texas Peace Initiative, intended to bring the governments of the United States and the de facto State of Texas to the conference table.
* New July 4, 1997....Archie Lowe and Robert Kesterson, of the Lowe faction of the Republic, issued a declaration on July 2, 1997, purporting to release the February 5, 1996 Commercial Lien at Law, executed against the full faith and credit of the accounts, lands, and properties held or claimed on the soil of Texas by the said State of Texas. It is highly questionable whether the self-proclaimed officers of the Lowe faction have any authority to issue such a declaration.
* New June 30, 1997....With regard to the recent Resolution suspending the June 5, 1997 Resolution Ordinance, Chief Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren spoke from the Presidio County jail in Marfa, Republic of Texas, where he is currently being detained by the United States and the State of Texas, contrary to the terms of their May 3, 1997 Cease Fire Agreement.
"The Embassy staff and I are being held on trumped-up charges brought to conceal the political rights of the Republic of Texas under its laws and Constitution. Our diplomatic peace process must be exhausted to the very end. This is being done to stave off mounting Texas militia beliefs that armed conflict is the only remedy left to resolve the massive encroaching bureaucracy of federal and world governments now poised to take away the rights of all people in the Republic of Texas and in the other states. They've seen that no agreement made with United States or State of Texas agencies will be honored by those governments."
* Revised June 30, 1997....On June 20, 1997, at the request of Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren, the Tenth Congress of the Republic of Texas passed a Resolution suspending the June 5, 1997 Resolution Ordinance, except with regard to its approval of the May 3, 1997 Resolution and Ceasefire. This latest resolution has been adopted to allow more time to try to resolve by diplomatic and peaceful means the continued violations of the May 3, 1997 International Agreement and Terms of Cease Fire by agents of the United States and its political subdivision, the State of Texas. That Cease Fire Agreement set out under international law the right of the People of Texas to vote and decide the question of Texas' independence, which has been denied since the end of the Civil War through the illegal annexation of Texas by the United States, a violation of its own United Nations Charter.
* New June 24, 1997....On June 13, 1997, the Tenth Congress of the Republic of Texas passed a Resolution Ordinance applauding the efforts of the constitutional committee scheduled to meet in Sherwood, Republic of Texas on July 4, 1997. This resolution clarifies that at present, pursuant to the law of nations, a constitutional convention cannot have any lawful or binding effect.
* New June 19, 1997....An official June 18, 1997 Press Release discusses new details regarding the May 5, 1997 killing of Mike Matson. Mr.Matson was shot and killed near the Republic of Texas Embassy at Fort Davis by de facto State of Texas Department of Public Safety authorities after he shot at a pack of sixteen police dogs (two dogs were wounded, one died) to discourage them from attacking him. This most recent press release challenges significant discrepancies in the official version of the killing and alleges that Mr. Matson was murdered. No charges had been filed against Mr. Matson, nor had he been convicted of any crime. Mr. Matson's brother personally attended the autopsy of Mr. Matson's body and found evidence of foul play, specifically a small caliber shot fired directly into the heart at very close range. Mr. Matson's brother suspects he was murdered, not shot at a distance by authorities who felt their lives were in danger. No evidence has been presented which would confirm the offical story that Mr. Matson shot at a surveillance helicopter, thereby endangering the lives of its crew. The Republic of Texas demands a Grand Jury investigation.
* New June 18, 1997....Chief Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren has published an open letter addressed to the People of The Republic of Texas, America, and the world, which discusses the necessity of maintaining eternal human vigilance in order to sustain free self-government.
* New June 18, 1997....The "Editors Note" that appears below in response to the June 5, 1997 Republic of Texas Resolution Ordinance, has inspired an active discussion of what is meant by a "State of War" and what constitutes the appropriate use of force. At this time we would like to suggest that interested parties reference John Locke's Second Treatise on Government, 1690, which we know informed the thinking of the Framers during revolutionary times. While no part of Locke's discussion settles the issue, we would like to suggest in particular a review of Chapter 3, sections 17 to 20.
* New June 15, 1997....For the first time, a Republic of Texas Citizen, Dudley Edward Vandergriff, has been transferred to the Springfield, Missouri federal psychiatric facility simply because he declared his Republic of Texas citizenship and challenged the jurisdiction of a U.S. District Court. Another patriot, Montana's Leroy Schweitzer, was recently detained in the Springfield, Missouri facility. When Mr. Schweitzer's daughter visited him there, she reported that he had been mentally and physically abused, and that he was administered damaging psychotropic drugs against his will.
Word is out that Jeff Davis County's Sheriff Bailey is working with a producer to make a movie about the siege of the Republic of Texas Embassy at Fort Davis.
Embassy personnel, arrested on May 3, 1997 were transferred from the Presidio County Jail in Marfa to the Jeff Davis County Jail, thus interfering with preparation for their arraignment hearing scheduled for Monday, June 16, 1997.
These are disturbing events. In particular, the confinement of political prisoners in mental institutions is reminiscent of similar practices in Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and Communist China. Federal judges have a duty to uphold the Constitution, and these events signal a abandonment of that duty. Please refer to the June 13, 1997 Republic of Texas Press Release for more details.
* New June 8, 1997...On Saturday, June 7, 1997, the Tenth Congress of The Republic of Texas met at the Holiday Inn, in DeSoto, Republic of Texas. Submitted for final signature was Ambassador McLaren's June 5, 1997 Resolution Ordinance, which was approved by a majority of the Council Members at 12:00 noon (CST) on June 5, 1997. A June 5, 1997 Republic of Texas Press Release explains the purpose of this Resolution Ordinance.
The June 5, 1997 Resolution Ordinance demands that U.S. federal and de facto State of Texas authorities honor the terms of the May 3, 1997 Cease Fire Agreement and pay reparations for damage caused by violations of its provisions. In addition, the resolution calls for rescission of the Cease Fire Agreement within sixty (60) hours if federal and de facto state officials fail to meet this demand. If the Cease Fire Agreement is rescinded, the resolution calls for "all men and women on Texas soil" to act on their own behalf, either independently or in groups, to immediately plan and execute the seizure of all federal and state government installations, as well as the seizure of any property held by any government agent or officer who has not resigned. Finally, the resolution calls upon "all unorganized militia units of the free states of America" to plan and execute the seizure of the United Nations' facility in New York.
EDITOR'S NOTE: When Ambassador McLaren submitted his Resolution Ordinance for adoption by the Tenth Congress, an Open Letter to Council Members of the Tenth Congress was posted on this page which objected to various aspects of the resolution as proposed. Although we continue to support the efforts of The Republic of Texas to pursue every legal remedy to reinstate legitimate government on the soil of Texas, we must object to various aspects of the adopted Resolution Ordinance on the following grounds:
1./ By encouraging the "seizure" of all federal and state government installations, the Council may inspire some individuals to resort to the use of extralegal means to affect seizure. In addition, the resolution serves as an open invitation to agents provacateurs to promote (or government agents to secretly commit) random terrorist acts. Either scenario could result in violence that might harm innocent people, and such casualties would discredit the Republic of Texas.
2./ The resolution adopts a "shotgun" approach (police stations, sheriff's offices, banks, radio stations, power plants, substations, refineries, natural gas and oil terminals, embassies and consulates of foreign countries), thus targeting many people who are innocent of any wrongdoing. This approach is bound to alienate anyone so targeted--some of whom may presently be in sympathy with the general aims of the Republic of Texas--and further discredit the Republic.
3./ The resolution calls for the seizure of all personal property owned by any govenment agent or officer who does not resign. This is contrary to common law and due process rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The wholesale seizure of personal property owned by political opponents would bring the Republic of Texas to a level below that of the current federal and de facto state governments.
4./ Although the U.S. federal government has, through adoption of the General Agreement on Tarriffs and Trade, signaled its willingness to participate in an incipient world government under the auspices of the World Trade Organization, encouraging the militias to seize the United Nations facility in New York seems at best counterproductive. Once again, innocent casualties would certainly discredit the Republic of Texas as well as the militia movement in general.
We appeal to Ambassador McLaren and to the Council Members of the Tenth Congress of the Republic of Texas to revise and amend the Resolution Ordinance as adopted.
"The contest is not between Us and Them, but between Good and Evil, and if those who would fight Evil adopt the ways of Evil, Evil wins." Thomas Jefferson
* New June 8, 1997....Eleven pages of federal charges have been filed against Richard Lance McLaren, Evelyn Ann McLaren, Jasper Baccus, Joe Reece, Steve Crear, Leo Brown, and Mark Hernandez in the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. These charges allege violations of 18 U.S.C. 5 371, Conspiracy; 18 U.S.C. 5 1344, Bank Fraud; 18 U.S.C. 5 1341, Mail Fraud; and 18 U.S.C. 5 2, Aiding and Abetting.
* New June 9, 1997....On Tuesday, June 3, 1997, Evelyn McLaren, wife of Chief Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren, appeared in federal court for a pre-trial hearing. Mrs. McLaren walked out of the Embassy at Fort Davis on May 1, 1997, at which time she was arrested and charged with the same blanket of mail fraud , bank fraud, and conspiracy charges as her husband. She was released on her own recognizance on May 12, 1997.
When Judge Joe Fish requested her plea, Mrs. McLaren responded, "Sir, I need to read this statement into the record so that I can perfect it for writ of habeas corpus proceedings or writ of appellate review." Although Judge Fish did not allow her to read her plea into the record, she did get it filed into the record of the case.
Referring to the May 3, 1997 Cease Fire Agreement, which is incorporated in her plea, Mrs. McLaren stated, "We continue to push to get this issue before the people of Texas so that they have the opportunity to decide the future of Texas. We must have a vote and referendum." This preserves her status as a Texian national, not a United States citizen, and reflects her continued support of her husband, who is still being held in the Presidio County jail in Marfa, Texas.
* Timothy Charles Perkins, Senior District Judge, has published an open letter objecting to the continued incarceration of Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren and his aides.
* Evelyn McLaren, wife of Chief Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren, held a press conference at the Holiday Inn in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday, May 29, 1997, at 10:00 a.m. Jeanette Kinman introduced Mrs. McLaren to a large audience of individuals and media representatives. Mrs. McLaren's speech explained what occurred at the Embassy in Ft. Davis during the recent siege and what has subsequently transpired. A question and answer period followed, which was lively and informative.
* Recently a major victory was won, with de facto State Attorney General Dan Morales backing down from his court order demanding that ten Internet service providers surrender Republic of Texas Citizens' billing and communications records. Only two of the ten Internet service providers resisted Morales' order, Overland Network and Internet Texoma, however acting on legal advice, de facto state authorities have kept all boxes of records shipped to them sealed and unexamined. Now Overland Network has joined Internet Texoma in filing a suit against de facto Attorney General Morales because his order violated privacy laws.
Equally serious was Morales' order to shut down two web sites during the recent siege of the Embassy at Fort Davis. The Overland and Internet Texoma suit vigorously protests this illegal abridgement of freedom of speech and press rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. According to Overland owner Todd Jagger, the move by de facto state officials to shut down Republic of Texas Web sites drew protest from around the world, and he has received overwhelming international support for his decision to pursue the suit against Morales.
We applaud Mr. Jagger's courage. After being shut down completely during the siege of the Embassy at Fort Davis, the Embassy Web Page, http://www.overland.net/~embthert , has for the past several weeks functioned as a historical piece only, with all updates subsequent to March 3, 1997 deleted. It has now been restored to near normal function. Its companion web page, http://www.The-Republic-of-Texas.org, has finally been restored as well.
* Steven Crear, Acting President, has issued a May 25, 1997, Writ of Election to fill two vacant positions on the General Council of the Republic of Texas, McLaren faction.
* Ambassador Richard Lance McLaren has issued a May 18, 1997 Diplomatic Notice of Protest and Demand .
* On Saturday, May 24, 1997, a search was organized for Richard Keyes, one of the two men who decided to take their chances in the mountains near Fort Davis rather than allow themselves to be captured by de facto state officials. The other man, Michael Matson, was killed by state officials on May 5, 1997 (see below). Mr. Keyes has not been apprehended, and his family is distraught that he remains missing.
* On Tuesday, May 20, 1997, the following defendants attended a pre-trial hearing in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, Judge Joe Fish presiding:
The courtroom was packed beyond its official capacity, and many people were turned away.
All five defendants were presented with eleven pages of charges, among them mail fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy, and have been threatened with 30 year sentences and fines of $1 million each.
Several defendants attempted to argue that the District Court lacks jurisdiction in this matter, citing their status as indigenous people of the Washitaw Nation, however the judge cut this argument short. Steve Crear's adviser was holding the American flag; Judge Fish objected to the American flag being displayed in his courtroom, allowing only the Admiralty flag with gold fringe, which signifies the military status of his court.
Several of the defendants corrected the spelling of their names, rejecting the upper case (S, T, E, V, E...) and insisting on the correct spelling (upper case S, lower case t, e, v, e....). This is an important point with regard to jurisdiction, as the defendants are rejecting the District Court's use of upper case spelling to designate artificial "persons," instead insisting on being recognized as natural human beings with rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Judge Fish would not allow the defendants to have civilian advisors in court and ordered them to be represented by bar attorneys, who are sworn officers of the court and thus subject to his control.
Judge Fish refused to explain the charges to the defendants when they protested that they did not understand the charges against them. Instead he merely ordered the U.S. attorney to read the charges out loud in court.
Judge Fish refused to consider a judicial notice challenging the federal court's jurisdiction in case number 3-97CH-128-G. This judicial notice was filed under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in the federal court at the Earl Cabell building. By refusing to consider it, Judge Fish may have obstructed justice.
In addition Judge Fish's office refused to honor a request by the defendants' advisors to see his oath of office, even though federal regulations require that this oath of office be produced on demand.
Although the defendants attempted to exercise their rights as accused Citizens by proclaimed their innocence, they refused to enter pleas because the court lacks jurisdiction. Despite their refusal, Judge Fish ordered that a "not guilty" plea be entered for each defendant.
The defendants have been released on their own recognizance until the trial, which will be set sometime after July 7, 1997.
Several people have noted that ALL of the defendants in this pre-trial hearing come from minority backgrounds, with four black men and one latino. Suspicions have been raised that this is an attempt by de facto state officials to undermine very successful efforts on the part of the Republic of Texas to connect with Black and Latino communities throughout Texas.
* The Office of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Texas is working through their Counsel to update existing treaties with regard to communications and aviation issues. The Republic of Texas maintains treaties with the United States, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Mexico, Germany and six Indian nations. Only the United States has abrogated the terms of its treaty with the Republic of Texas. We will be posting treaties and letters of exchange as they become available.
* Robert Kesterson , Secretary of State of the Lowe faction of the Republic was taken into custody on a "writ of attachment ." Although Mr. Kesterson was told he could be held indefinitely unless he releases the names of all Citizens of the Republic and all the names and addresses on his e-mail list, he has since arrived at an agreement with the de facto state authorities limiting their access to his records.. Mr. Kesterson has pled "not guilty" to a contempt charge and has been released on his own recognizance until his trial later this month in Austin.
* Donald Varnell, constitutional expert currently working with the Johnson faction, was taken into custody. He has pled "no contest" to a contempt charge and was released on his own recognizance until his trial later this month, also in Austin.
* Warrants have been issued for Archie Lowe, Darrell Franks, Carolyn Carney and many other leaders of the Republic relating to a common blanket of mail fraud and conspiracy charges..
* Richard McLaren was arrested May 3, 1997, and is being held at the Presidio County jail in Marfa, Republic of Texas on the same blanket of mail fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy charges that have been brought against several other Citizens of the Republic. Mr. McLaren's attorney, Terrence O'Rourke, is working in Washington D.C. to enforce the terms of the Cease Fire Agreement signed by de facto state officials on May 3, 1997. Mr. McLaren continues to protest the involvement of federal troops during the siege of the Republic of Texas Embassy at Fort Davis, as well as wholesale violation of the terms of the ceasefire agreement, including confiscation and destruction of Republic of Texas property.
* A legal defense fund has been established through the Republic of Texas Trust. At present this trust is not able to use standard banking facilities, so donations to the defense fund may be sent to:Republic of Texas Trust
P.O. Box 1332
Greenville, Texas 75403
At present we prefer to accept only cash or blank money orders.
If you must send a check, please make it payable to Richard Kieninger,
original Trustee of the Republic of Texas Trust.
If you wish to offer legal assistance, please write or e-mail us.
Your prayers are urgently requested for all those unjustly charged and incarcerated.