Posted on 05/01/2012 4:18:44 PM PDT by JohnKinAK
As Congressional representatives overwhelming approved the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act in February of this year, few Americans were paying attention. When President Obama signed the Act into law, he did so in secret, without any of the fanfare that came with his signing of universal health care two years prior – and for good reason. This is one of those laws the government doesn’t want you to know exists until it’s too late to do anything about it.
For many, awareness of the existence of the new law will only become apparent when they are arrested and charged under new Federal trespassing guidelines as they attempt to protest, display signs or disrupt any person or event of national significance. An event of national significance is any activity where Secret Service agents are responsible for security. With several thousand agents in the field at any given time, events involving the President, Congressional members, staff or individuals running for Federal office are all fair game.
Simply standing with a bullhorn, holding up a sign, promoting a contentious message or even being on the grounds of a Secret Service secured event will now make it possible for the government to detain, arrest and charge those involved in these “disruptions” (even if you just happen to be passing through) with a felonious criminal act.
Excerpt from HR 347:
Whoever attempts or conspires to knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, engages in disorderly or disruptive conduct in, or within such proximity to, any restricted building or grounds when, or so that, such conduct, in fact, impedes or disrupts the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions;
OR
knowingly, and with the intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of Government business or official functions, obstructs or impedes ingress or egress to or from any restricted building or grounds
…
The punishment for a violation is—
(1) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, if—
(A) the person, during and in relation to the offense, uses or carries a deadly or dangerous weapon or firearm;
(*editor’s note: did you want to show your support for the 2nd Amendment by carrying your rifle or gun to a protest or march like so many have done in the past? Do it as of now and you’re facing ten years in prison)
or
‘(B) the offense results in significant bodily injury as defined by section 2118(e)(3); and
(2) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both, in any other case.
The law is very clear in who has authority over these events, but as is generally the case, very broad in what can or cannot be deemed a disruption.
Judge Andrew Napolitano weighs in on Fox News:
“This is not like a traffic ticket – for standing and protesting.
The type of thing that for 230 years Americans took for granted because it was protected by the First Amendment. Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech has actually been abridged.
…
[The law] basically allows Secret Service agents to decide where there are ‘NO Free Speech Zones’, not ‘Free Speech Zones’… ‘NO Free Speech Zones.’
Anybody protected by the Secret Service can ask those agents to ban protests wherever they are. I can think of three violations – speech violations, association violations, and the right to petition the government for redress of your grievances.
What good is free speech if the people in the government are so far away from you that they can’t hear you.
…
It is a part of American history since day one that we have the right to speak freely to, about and against those in the government.
Video via Jeff Rense
With Red Zones and large-scale detention facilities in the process of being implemented in Chicago ahead of the May 20-21 NATO summit, there’s a strong likelihood that any protests disseminating a message in opposition to those attending this event of national significance will be met with strong-arm tactics of the new American police state.
The government is preparing to send a message to the proles, and their intention is to strike fear into the hearts and minds of every one of us.
All OWS and other Obama supporters are exempt.
Ayn Rand was right about them passing so many laws making the avg citizen a criminal.
Slowly swirling down the drain, we are.
“What good is free speech if the people in the government are so far away from you that they can’t hear you.”
It’s fine, really, because you can still ask your spotter for wind, range estimate, trace, and correction and your spotter will be free to answer you.
A republican house passed this. My wife says “Because they’re afraid.”
I never thought I’d live to see the day when a law like this would come to exist. I never thought I’d see the day when MayDay celebrations are going on all over the country. We are now truly a socialist/dictatorship.
Let the litigation begin, and I hope we can get a good case before a court an on to the appellate level before the election so it can be part of the public debate in November.
The law itself is a criminal act. Each one of those who voted for it broke their oath to defend the Constitution and should be tossed off the Hill.
Agreed. Our Government is fast losing legitimacy under the Constitution. A correction is fast coming as tensions build... tensions created by the questionable actions of the Government.
The legislators responsible for bringing this legislative excrement to life are Representative Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) in the House of Representatives and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT.) leading the Senate version.
Rep. Thomas Rooney--HR 347 Sponsor...
Rep. Rooney, the proud sponsor of HR 347 has served in the Army as a JAG Corps attorney. Since 2002 he has taught law at West Point with his specialty being Criminal Law and--Constitutional Law. Ironically, this 'constitutional law' professor has no qualms criminalizing protest and free speech.
H.R. 347 & Senate Companion Bill S. 1794--Criminalizing protest and free speech...
This bill makes protest of any type potentially a federal offense with anywhere from a year to 10 years in federal prison, providing it occurs in the presence of elites brandishing Secret Service protection, or during an officially defined 'National Special Security Event' (NSSE). NSSE's ,( an invention of Bill Clinton's) are events which have been deemed worthy of Secret Service protection, which previously received no such treatment. Justified through part of 'Presidential Decision Directive 62 in 1998; Bill Clinton created an additional class of special events explicitly under the authority of the US Secret Service.
Past NSSE Events Such as ...SuperBowl XXXVI....
Past NSSE events included the funerals of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, and the national security concern that was--Superbowl XXXVI. Other NSSE protected events include the Academy Awards and the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions. I suppose presidential candidates, no matter how insane they may be are deserving as much security protection and Brad and Angelina's sex life.
The dangerous part of this 'executive order' lies not in the triviality of a SuperBowl receiving taxpayer funded Secret Service protection--but in the convenience manufactured for any President desperate to hide deliberations of groups like the G-8, the G-20 and the World Trade Organization. The classification of such events as NSSE--insures the rich and powerful against any pesky accountability or transparency to the unwashed minions--namely the US public. HR 347 & S. 1794 insulates such events as the G-8, WTO and presidential conventions against tough questions and politically justified protests.
3 Sole Dissenters Against HR 347...
The House vote tally which took place 02/28/12, was 338 for and 3 against.
The three dissenters were Rep.Paul Broun R-Georgia, Rep. Justin Amash R-Michigan and Rep. Keith Ellison D-Minnesota. Rep. Ron Paul was reported earlier as having voted against the bill, but that was based on the original vote conducted 02/28/11. Rep. Ron Paul ABSTAINED on the final vote
Along with whoever is the GOP Presidential nominee.
Just another Constitution shredding day at mudslime spy central!
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