Republic of Texas officials face charges in Kerr County

[sonias]

San Antonio Express News 5/21/10
Republic of Texas officials face charges in Kerr County

KERRVILLE — A local father and son facing criminal charges related to their status as Republic of Texas officials contend they're being illegally persecuted for their politics.

Prosecutors say they're merely upholding the laws of the state of Texas.

Charles Tiller IV, 41, is accused of falsely identifying himself as a peace officer for having an emblem on his vehicle that featured a star and the words "Bexar County Sheriff's Department" and "Republic of Texas."

Tiller said there's nothing illegal about the emblem or his role as deputy with the group that asserts Texas is an independent nation whose government was reactivated in 2005 after 163 years of dormancy.

"If it said ‘Sheriff's Department of Never Never Land' would they have arrested me?" he asked. "Probably not."

His father, Charles Tiller III, faces a felony charge of impersonating a public servant for identifying himself as a constable when trying to order a badge last September from a firm that supplies peace officers, according to the Feb. 12 indictment.

Tea party inspired craziness. :crazy:

[jobycom]

1. Kerrville--there must be something in the water.

I've heard of ROTers out there trying to get out of mortgages by claiming the deed of trust was invalid because the Texas government was invalid, even though the deed was held by a private bank. :rofl:

They're good for a laugh when they aren't shooting at helicopters.

[sonias]

2. Cherry picking

They want to cherry pick the things they like about society and ignore the things they don't like.

(the father Tiller in the story)

..."The organization that I'm associated with is a bunch of 69- and 70-year-old men who sit around and talk about the way things used to be, and bitch about today."

Ah the nostalgia for the way things used to be ... When Texas was segregated you know! :puke:

[ashling]

6. When the Republic of Texas thing hit the fanback in the 90s

they were filing liens in the county records and stuff along with other looney stuff. Sounds like just looney toons, but it caused problems in researching ans certifying the title to real property, I believe there were some criminal charges associated with that.

[sonias]

3. Some background on the Republic of Texas group

wikipedia entry Republic of Texas group
(snip)
The Republic of Texas is a group of individuals that claims that the annexation of Texas by the United States was illegal and that Texas remains an independent nation under occupation. The issue of the Legal status of Texas led the group to claim to reinstate a provisional government on December 13, 1995. Activists within the movement claim over 40,000 active supporters; however, there is no widespread popular support for an independent Texas.(1)

The movement for independence was started by the research of Richard Lance (Rick) McLaren. McLaren found that, in 1861, Texans voted four-to-one to leave the Union. According to McLaren's work, Texas met the qualifications, under international law, of a captive nation of war, since the end of the American Civil War in 1865. McLaren engaged in a protracted series of court and actual battles.

The movement split into three factions in 1996, one led by McLaren, one by David Johnson and Jesse Enloe, and the third by Archie Lowe and Daniel Miller. In 1997, McLaren and his followers kidnapped Joe and Margaret Ann Rowe, held them hostage at the Fort Davis Resort, and demanded the release of two movement members in exchange for the Rowes. McLaren's wife, Evelyn, convinced him to surrender peacefully after a week-long standoff with police and Texas Rangers. The McLarens and four other Republic of Texas members were sent to prison. This effectively destroyed the McLaren faction, and the Johnson-Enloe faction was discredited after two of its members, Jack Abbot Grebe Jr. and Johnie Wise, were convicted in 1998 of threatening to assassinate several government officials, including President Bill Clinton.

Oh yeah they sound like a real peaceful bunch. :eyes:

[mbperrin]

4. Good gawd. I thought that McLaren going to the pen after the Big Bend

kidnapings ended that ROT crap.

Well, as my old dad used to say, "It's hard to get ALL the shit off your shoe."

[sonias]

5. Maybe they should be added to the government terrorist database

Isn't he in jail now? McLaren, Grebe and Wise are listed as prisoners of war supposedly on their website.

And apparently they're not being watched by the government. Although this site may not be accurate on that.

http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=95">MIPT Terrorism database
(snip)
Many members of the Republic of Texas were upset by and openly critical of the criminal activities of McLaren, Grebe and Wise (although all three are listed as prisoners of war on the group's website). The group appears to have decreased in size and become more moderate since the late 90s . Chris Berlet, senior analyst at Political Research Associates, a Boston group that monitors the far right, says the group is no longer a threat to anyone. (Bragg, 11/5/2001) The RoT has demonstrated a willingness to support the government it despises, albeit in ways that government officials don't necessarily approve of. After September 11, its members drilled in preparation for assisting the government during a terrorist attack. The RoT has also been organizing border patrols to collect and forcibly deport Mexican immigrants illegally crossing the border, despite the fact that the INS strongly discourages private citizens from patrolling the border. President Daniel Miller told the Boston Globe, "The American people are our brothers...We extend a helping hand." (Kennedy, 9/25/2001) Despite its increased cooperation with the state and federal government, the RoT remains committed to its vision of Texas as an independent nation.

Date Formed: Late 1995
Strength: Greater than 300 members
Classification: Nationalist/Separatist, Right-Wing Reactionary
Last Attack: Unknown
Financial Sources:
Bank fraud; Donations

Financial sources - bank fraud! ROT what a very appropriate moniker for this group. :eyes: