In this episode, we discuss the Palmer, Mass. win, Rich Paul’s sentencing, Keene’s new city budget and government funded man caves. Jay Freeville joins us. I found him a big ole Papa bear chair off the side of the road that was just right.
The first hearing of the civil action filed by the “city of Keene” against myself and five others, alleged to be associated with Robin Hood of Keene, commenced earlier this afternoon. (Full video here) Despite the city’s numerous written pleadings for urgent action to be taken by the court, the issue of whether a preliminary injunction would be granted was not entertained. Instead, the judge requested optional positions from both sides on the constitutionality surrounding the proceedings, granting twenty days to file additional paperwork before a full evidentiary hearing would be scheduled. The city’s attorney Tom Mullins did not make much effort to obtain the emergency injunction he had sought after Ian Freeman’s motion to dismiss became the primary subject of today’s hearing. Ian is the only individual of the six named to have filed additional motions with the court, the five others only having responded as was obligated of them through answers to the city’s initial filings. Sought by the nebulous “city of Keene” through Mr. Mullins is a fifty-foot barrier between those who participate in Robin Hooding (or in Pete Eyre’s case, are somehow vaguely associated with Robin Hooding) and the city’s three parking enforcers.
Handed to the defendants by Mullins upon entry to the court was a new memorandum repeating the city’s position and dated June 11. Attached to the back of this new memorandum, which Judge John Kissinger asked not be considered before defendants have ample time to respond, was a faux-order from the court presumably penned by Mullins, which leaves a blank space for a signature if the court were to issue it.
During today’s hearing Judge Kissinger rightly asserted that at the full hearing, evidence would need to be brought forward supporting claims against each of the six individuals, prompting Mr. Mullins to allege that the defendants were not just “any group of individuals”, but a, “collective group”. Mr. Mullins reiterated his assertions that the intention of participants in Robin Hooding is the elimination of the city’s parking department by means of “harassing and intimidating” parking enforcement officers, which presumably constitutes a criminal act under NH RSA 642:1, Obstructing Government Operations. (more…)
It’s that time of year again when the great and wise city planners of our lives bring out the new year’s budget. It of course is an increase from the previous year. It always is. It doesn’t matter where you live. And that is the nature of any successful parasite. They feed and then subsequently grow larger. Until either the hosts dies or finds a way to remove the parasite. Either way the end is often messy and unpleasant.
This year in Keene the city manager, Prince John, has proposed a budget increase of a whopping 3.37% and the wise city planners will most likely swallow that pill without any fight whatsoever. After all, these people have a plan for a majestic city on the hill and it requires Your money to see it through. How do they get away with this year after year? Easy. No one cares. At least no one cares until it is too late. These meetings are painfully boring and ripe with legalese. The only people who really ever attend these events are the lobbyists seeking handouts from the city. Out of a population of 23,000 only around 20 people showed up to this event. 6 of them were activists. This is how they get away with it year after year.
The entire meeting can be seen here.
Matt Simon has the story at the Concord Patch about how the supposedly medical cannabis-friendly governor Maggie Hassan demanded the medical bill be gutted. He discusses the awful provisions in the bill and then what happens next as it goes back to the house:
As the “therapeutic use of cannabis” bill (a.k.a. the medical marijuana bill) heads back to the House of Representatives after being gutted by the Senate, many state representatives, patients, and medical professionals have been contacting me, all asking the same question: “What the heck happened?!?!” (more…)
More from Ridley’s recent visit to Concord where he encounters a rude protest organizer who silences the protesters and ignores Ridley:
Derrick J Freeman’s Peace News Now broadcast for Monday, May 27 covered the mostly victorious trial result of Vernon Hershberger, an Amish farmer accused of unlawful distribution of raw cow milk in Wisconsin. The trial lasted a full week, and ended with not guilty findings on three of the four charges against Vernon. Also covered in PNN’s episode #122 is Medea Benjamin’s successful interruption of an Obama event to speak out against the terrorism of drone warfare.
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