Sarasota detective fired for trying to secede from U.S. (Declared himself a "sovereign citizen.")

Sarasota Herald Tribune ^ | 02/18/2011 | Anthony Cormier

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

SARASOTA - Last April, a veteran Sarasota Police homicide detective went to the courthouse and tried to secede from the United States of America.

The detective, Tom Laughlin, filed a convoluted document declaring himself a "sovereign citizen." The filing included a thumb print on each page and a photocopy of 21 silver pieces — the price to become a "freeman."

In doing so, Laughlin, 42, joined a small but growing group of U.S. citizens who claim they are not subject to federal law, that they no longer have to pay taxes and that their homes are their embassies.

Last week, he was fired for it.

[King Moonracer]

Billy Jack....Jr?

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

The FBI listed those calling themselves sovereign as a domestic terror threat following a series of violent attacks by members, including Terry Nichols of the Oklahoma City bombing, Joe Stack, who flew his plane into an IRS building in Austin, Texas, and Jerry and Joseph Kane, the father and son who fatally shot two Arkansas police officers last May.

The Southern Poverty Law Center estimates there are about 300,000 sovereign citizens in the U.S., and the radical movement has a huge presence online — from websites that provide the documents to file for sovereign status in court, to YouTube videos in which members openly threaten law enforcement officers.

He basically joined a group all cops view as public enemy number one.

[Above My Pay Grade]

Well, bbviously if he is a “sovreign citizen” of the one man nation of TomLaughlin (or is it the Person Republic of Tom Laughlin) he can’t meet the residency requirement for any police force in the US.

[mgstarr]

My ex father-in-law was one.

[Uncle Miltie]

There’s one of these guys out our way. He posts his yard as his embassy.

[Fred Hayek]

I ran into one of these in Minnesota. Kinda out there. He also spews some stuff that is awful close to Christian Identity nonsense.

[Blackyce]

I don’t know how nonsense like this attracts such large followings.

[cripplecreek]

I attribute it to childishness.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I have talked to a few of these misguided individuals. They have some belief that the federal government has declared that all people are more or less US government property and if you file some legal papers then you no longer have to pay taxes or are subject to federal law.

[Paladin2]

"He basically joined a group all cops view as public enemy number one. "

I though PE #1 was any Lab on private property.

[FlingWingFlyer]

How did Barry Hussein get away with it without getting fired? Isn’t he a Child of the Planet or the Globe or something?

[Tainan]

To be a country...I think you have to have some clearly marked borders, an organized (on paper at least) statement of incorporation/declaration), a baseball team and a beer.

Lacking these, its an iffy matter as far as international recognition goes.

[GreenLanternCorps]

[padre35]

At one time, this WAS legally valid sort or renouncing US Federal Citizenship, that was changed in the 90’s and now the only way to do so is while outside of the CONUS.

It is an interesting legal argument, however as anyone can tell TPTB are not exactly going to say “you got us”..lol!

[org.whodat]

Ok, turn everyone out of jail this loon help send there. Not all nuts are found under trees.

[paul51]

Dude, you can’t opt out of the system and then expect the system to pay you.

[AndrewB]

We are marching to...

[jmacusa]

So what currency does a ‘’sovereign citizen’’ use anyway? Do they make their own? And how many square miles does this ‘’sovereign citizen’’ encompass, what are the borders?

[scrabblehack]

Hey, he’s an illegal alien now. He can get scholarships in several states.