Of Nighttime Agent Visits, Phone Tapes, and Secret Wires: Raw Milk Dairy Is Target of Grand Jury

The Complete Patient ^ | March 20, 2008 | David E. Gumpert

[davidgumpert]

Mark McAfee had just a few hours to celebrate yesterday’s issuance of a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of AB 1735--what he called “a big win for California raw milk and producers”—before he learned about the next phase of the government’s campaign against Organic Pastures Dairy Co.

[davidgumpert]

Literally hours after Organic Pastures obtained a temporary restraining order against restrictive legislation, two of its employees were questioned in their homes by government agents. The intensity of the new investigation seems more than a little suspicious.

[blackdog]

I don't know about you, but I for one feel so much safer thanks to my government's vigorous enforcement of milk laws.

Now you'll have to excuse me while I go out and milk our nubian dairy goat before I go to work tonite.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Since it is obviously a set up to destroy their operation, they should take all appropriate means to insulate themselves.

In the days of the Spanish Inquisition, when Inquisitors were openly trying to steal land and money from the well to do, the defense was to put a low level monk in your employ, to testify that you were good Catholics. Though he would gorge himself on your food and harass the servant girls, you were generally protected from the Inquisition.

Today, we have lawyers. It will cost a pretty penny to have them available on retainer, but all employees have to do if approached by a menacing government figure is to speed dial the attorney on their cell phone, say that they are being confronted, and ask the agent to direct ALL questions AND statements to their attorney. Then hand the cell phone to the agent.

If the agent refuses to talk to the attorney, then they should be asked to leave immediately. If they hang up the phone, then the employee speed dials the attorney again and advises them that there is an unwelcome intruder in their home or office, who refuses to leave, and request that they contact the police.

Attorneys actually live for conflict situations like this, because it gives them lots of ammunition for future court fights. No matter what the government agent does at that point, he has probably lost.

[nina0113]

I just started drinking grassfed pasteurized milk and will be looking to buy a share of a cow so I can get raw milk. I was appalled to find out that it’s actually against the law to sell milk the way it’s been sold for the whole of human history.