Feds raid ‘Liberty Dollar’ operations in Idaho and Indiana
Posted by AWB in UncategorizedCOEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Federal agents have raided sites in Idaho and Indiana linked to the “Liberty Dollar,” a silver coin used by groups that oppose the Federal Reserve System and the federal income tax, a newspaper reported.
FBI agents seized records and dies for casting the coins at three locations Thursday in this north Idaho resort town, and FBI and Secret Service agents also raided the headquarters of the National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve Act & Internal Revenue Code, known as NORFED, in Evansville, Ind.
[...]
NORFED has produced an estimated $20 million its own paper currency in the past decade, claiming the $1, $5 and $10 bills were backed by silver coins stored in Coeur d’Alene. The raids were the first direct federal challenge to that operation, the newspaper reported.
NotHaus, a self-described “monetary architect” and Federal Reserve System critic, started NORFED while he lived in Hawaii in the late 1990s as a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization.
“We never refer to the American Liberty as a coin,” von NotHaus told The Spokesman-Review in 1999. “The word ‘coin’ is a government-controlled term. This is currency that is free from government control.”
Since 1998 the coins have been made at Sunshine Minting, which also produces a variety of precious metal products.
“When the people own the money, they control the government,” von NotHaus said. “When the government owns the money, it controls the people.”
The organization reportedly was preparing to sell and distribute “Ron Paul” dollars to support the Texas congressman in his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Paul previously ran for president as a Libertarian.
These whackos actually have a Ron Paul dollar, seen below.
Kootenai County sheriff’s deputies said they were unaware of the raids. Federal authorities in Idaho referred inquiries to the U.S. attorney’s office in the Charlotte, N.C., which could not be reached for comment late Thursday.
Nothing like keeping local law enforcement informed, eh?
[...]
The Web notice, purportedly issued Thursday by von NotHaus, said, “I sincerely regret to inform you that about 8 this morning a dozen FBI and Secret Service agents raided the Liberty Dollar office in Evansville.
“For approximately six hours they took all the gold, all the silver, all the platinum, and almost two tons of Ron Paul Dollars that were just delivered last Friday. They also took all the files and computers and froze our bank accounts.”
Purchasers with pending orders were asked to be patient.
The U.S. Mint recently issued a statement saying “prosecutors with the Department of Justice have determined that the use of these gold and silver NORFED ‘Liberty Dollar’ medallions as circulating money is a federal crime.”
“Consumers who are considering the purchase or use of these items should be aware that they are not genuine United States Mint bullion coins and they are not legal tender.”
But every peace-nik hippie (Robert?) should have one of these.
I guess it would be more likely to be accepted than Monopoly money 
DT
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This is why I like you, Dan…
Without this post, I would have NEVER seen a “Tree-Huggers CHALLENGE COIN”….
ROFLMAO!
(does that look like Hillary Clinton?)
B.G.
This is not good, but eventually, it had to happen. The government will not stand for this direct threat against the federal control of the money supply. Even if it is legal. This exact situation occurred back in the early sixties when Texas was contemplating issuing it’s own currency, J.B. Hunt being one of the principals. The situation was quelled in 1961. Today’s action pretty well ended the Liberty dollar. You can bet these folks are never, never going to get their gold, silver, and equipment back. The feds have way to much to lose here.
Aside from the Ron Paul coin,these Liberty guys guys were not that looney. They created a private barter system, using real gold and silver. They made the above entities out of the REAL metal. If you notice the back of the coin, it says 1 ounce .999 silver. That is what is in the piece. It has REAL value. There was a consortium of vendors who agreed to take these, priced their products against, and used liberty dollars. Nothing illegal. True, it was not “legal tender” but the only meaning of that is what the government will accept for taxes. If you agree to trade 20 chickens for one mule, it’s a trade. If you agree to swap 20 chickens for a chunk of silver, it’s a trade. If you agree to swap 20 chickens for a piece of silver with a picture of Ron Paul on it, it’s a trade. But this puts trade outside the taxation control of the government, and does not allow the government to pump the money supply to it’s benefit. The feds will absolutely not allow this to happen.
Ken
Did anyone else get the email that asked to join a class action suit with this company?
Aha! Another Ron Paul kook fringe group. I guess that by now he has assembled all of the demented and dangerous to support his candidacy. Check out the American Thinker:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/11/the_ron_paul_campaign_and_its.html
How are these different from Krugerrands or Gold Soverigns? Is the issue legal tender? The value of precious metals is realized when they are converted to currency, what about the inherrent value of precious metals?
I sort of like the idea. How does the government just convert a companies property without due process? That is the worrisome part.
http://www.queermusicheritage.us/HOMASSET/RUPAUL.JPG
Ru Paul for President!
How about printing up some paper money, with Roach on the front, and “what me worry?”- maybe a 99 cent denomination? or a million.
btw- have you noticed that our coina arent worth the money theyre minted from? pennys- copper plated zinc. nickels, quarters, dimes, same.
the only cash that doesnt have all the security features is the $1- so whats to stop someone from printing off 10 dollars, all with different serial numbers, and using them all over town- strip joints, bars, gas stations, fast food, etc- anywhere where a purchase is less than $10, and no more than that at any one plaec? How long could an organized band of counterfeiters do this and get away with it, before the authorities would notice.
disclaimer-I am not encoruaging, nor would I personally do this, because its illegal, and I’m the first one the sheriff would be banging on my door. I’ve had enough trouble with the authorities, but I’m just pointing out this loophole. This will cost the govt plenty to keep checking up on, as it is. and I dont own a color copy laser printer, anyway..
http://www.cyberindian.net/wp-content/uploads/samsung-clp-300-printer-opened.jpg
Roach,
They already did that last year. A couple of guys from Marion were here in Fort Wayne passing counterfeit bills. Evidently, they stayed too long in one area of town (Wells St, I believe). I think someone gave a description of the car and they were stopped by local cops. They had a shoe box full of the bills in their car.