by Ian | Jul 16, 2013 |
Local man Matthew Phillips has filed a federal lawsuit against Judge Edward Burke, Keene District Court, and District Court Clerk Larry Kane. In an email to news@freekeene.com, he writes:
Monday I have filed a Federal Lawsuit against the 8th Circuit Court Keene District naming the Court, Judge Edward Burke, Court Clerk Larry S. Kane as Defendants. I feel they have violated the Americans with Disability Act and Rehabilitation Act by knowingly proceeding a pretrial hearing and trial date on two violations (noncriminal) offenses while I was on severe anti-seizure and anti-psychotic medication. I was even sent a handwritten order not to take my meds on trial date which I feel violates Federal Law. In my investigation into this court and into Edward Burke’s past exploits I have encountered disturbing info about how that rogue Judge operates. (more…)
by Ian | Jul 12, 2013 |
They just don’t know when to quit. They only know how to escalate. In a motion to amend the city’s original filed petition in the Robin Hood case, the city’s hired-gun (at who knows what cost to taxpayers) private attorneys have asked the judge to accept new language alleging that Robin Hooders are engaging in a “civil conspiracy” against the city and their parking enforcers.
What’s a “civil conspiracy”? The city attorneys’ filing claims:
“A civil conspiracy is a combination of two or more persons by concerted action to accomplish an unlawful purpose, or to accomplish some purpose not in itself unlawful by unlawful means.”
What were the unlawful purposes or means? They claim in the amended petition that the unlawful purpose was to cause “tortious interference” with the city’s employment contracts with the Parking Enforcement Officers.
But, the city already admitted in their initial following that they could not use the existing laws against the Robin Hooders – acknowledging that nothing we have done and are doing is illegal. So is our behavior unlawful or not? They can’t seem to decide. Not like the private attorneys care – they just want more billable hours to the city, which will of course be paid by taxpayers.
Essentially their argument is that basic constitutional activity, (speaking to and recording bureaucrats), should be banned because some employee’s feelings might get hurt.
Here’s what our heroic, pro-bono, free-speech-loving attorney Jon Meyer has to say to that nonsense: One day before the city’s filing, Jon filed his masterful response to their “Memorandum of Law“. In his response, Meyer tears up the city attorneys’ memo, standing on constitutional grounds as well as case law. He cites the First Amendment of the US constitution as well as Articles 8 and 22 of the NH constitution as well as various cases including Schenck, where the US Supreme Court found floating buffer zones, like the city wants on their parking enforcers, as unconstitutional. It’s worth a read.
Stay tuned here to Free Keene for the latest on the Robin Hood saga. Meanwhile, on the streets of Keene, Robin Hooding continues unabated, while the city has pulled 1/3 of their enforcers off the street. Alan Givetz is apparently on desk duty and has been for weeks.
by Ian | Jul 11, 2013 |
Does this scene look familiar? If you are a liberty activist living outside New Hampshire, it probably does. Chris Cantwell checks in from New York:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoMA3k9xbew
by Ian | Jul 11, 2013 |
![sad-dog[1]](https://i0.wp.com/freekeene.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/sad-dog1-238x300.jpg?resize=238%2C300)
Last night at the MSFI committee meeting at city hall the councilors voted 3-0 to send over 100 allegedly unlicensed dog owners in Keene “civil forfeitures” – a euphemism for threatening demand letters.
They claim they are just following state law, but they don’t have to. It’s wrong to threaten peaceful neighbors with fines and caging. These dogs are not dangerous – they are just unlicensed. Why should any free people have to beg the city for a permit to keep and love a furry friend? Why not license birds and cats too? Is this about revenue? What is it about? What happens if you don’t pay the fine? Do they lock you up or take your dog?
I encouraged the councilors to do the right thing and leave their neighbors alone. They ignored my advice and voted to threaten their neighbors instead. Sadly, I was the only one there to speak up for peaceful dog owners – and I don’t even own a dog.
Here’s the video – I come on at about six minutes in.
by Ian | Jul 9, 2013 |
Now over 70% of the way to their goal of 20,000 people pledging to move to New Hampshire and get active for liberty, the Free State Project has launched a beautiful new website!
It’s time to focus on wrapping up the 20,000 so the five year move window can begin – this new site takes the FSP to the next level on accomplishing that goal. It still has the useful features as it previously had, (like the 101 reasons to move to NH) but looks much better. Kudos to the volunteer team that put countless hours in designing the site.
