Matthew Stoff/The Daily Sentinel
Posted on 03/12/2009 2:48:28 PM PDT by mnehring
An outspoken critic of government and advocate of personal liberty was arrested Wednesday and his Nacogdoches business seized by the state comptroller's officer for failing to collect and pay sales tax.
Five Nacogdoches police officers and several enforcement officers from the comptroller's office arrived at IT Freelancers on North Street Wednesday morning, announcing their intention to halt business there until $33,000 of unpaid taxes are remitted to the state. A local locksmith arrived to change the locks on the building, and a comptroller's employee posted a sign on the door warning everyone — including the business owner — to keep off the property.
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Matthew Stoff/The Daily Sentinel
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| Nacogdoches business owner Eddie Craig was arrested Wednesday on outstanding traffic warrants. Craig ideologically opposes drivers licenses, vehicle registration, sales tax and other elements of government regulation. |
Eddie Craig, who owns the business, readily acknowledged that he does not collect taxes at his business. His store was seized once before, in 2005, for the same offense, and Craig had been preparing for Wednesday's raid for weeks, assembling legal paperwork that he says will absolve him of wrongdoing and punish state and local officials for what he considers to be burglary and armed robbery.
In November of last year, Craig's contentious filings in municipal court over the question of traffic tickets were the subject of a front-page article in The Daily Sentinel. Craig's arrest Wednesday was for those outstanding traffic warrants, not tax issues, but the raid on his business was nonetheless a symbol of his defiant philosophy that informs his attitudes toward government in all its forms. Armed with 20 years of private research on the state and federal constitution, Craig has developed a strict reading of the law that finds error with the tax code, court system, transportation law and nearly every other facet of government. His traffic warrants stem from a failure to pay tickets for lacking a drivers license, license plate, motor vehicle registration and inspection. Craig says those requirements are illegal and denies that the municipal court would have the standing to enforce the laws, even if they are applicable to him.
On the tax question, Craig says the comptroller's office violates his 13th amendment right to be free from slavery and indentured servitude.
"They are forcing me to operate as an uncompensated tax collector," he said last month as he stood outside his business with a video camera, waiting for the convoy of "lawless public servants" to arrive. As he was escorted out of his store in handcuffs Wednesday, Craig asked the officers if they noticed a sign he had posted on the door warning they would face criminal trespass charges if they did not leave.
"I also informed them that because they removed the lock from the front door forcibly and without my consent, they are now guilty of aggravated burglary and armed robbery," he said by telephone after a brief appearance in municipal court. "They sort of just look at you like 'Yeah, OK, whatever.'"
Not surprisingly, the comptroller's office and the Nacogdoches police harbor a different opinion about the law, defended their actions Wednesday.
"As long as we're within the letter of the law, we're confident with what we're doing every time," NPD Lt. Dan Taravella said. Craig's threats of litigation and criminal charges during the arrest did not phase him. "His views are outside those of Texas laws, and we just do what we need to do."
The full seizure of businesses is a relatively rare occurrence in Texas, but it is the last resort when the state cannot reach an agreement with businesses, according to R.J. DeSilva, a spokesman for the comptroller's office. Though Craig disputes the point, DeSilva said the state tax code provides the authority for his office to require tax collection and to seize and sell off property if business owners do not comply. "This agency's job is to enforce those rules and regulations and work with taxpayers, getting money collected for the state," DeSilva said.
After being arrested and taken to municipal court, where he refused to enter a plea, Craig was released. He will now ready his affidavits and legal filings that he intends to bring before the grand jury, charging the Nacogdoches police and state tax officials — including Comptroller Susan Combs herself — with various offenses.
"They are committing felonies," Craig said. "My business is a lawful occupation. It cannot be subjugated by the government. They can't charge a license to do it. They can't charge me a fee to do it."
Actually filing charges against the officials so he can confront them point-by-point in court may be more difficult than he would like. Craig says he has the right to file criminal charges on his own, but Nacogdoches District Attorney Nicole LoStracco said he does not have the right to bring a case before the grand jury, as he claims.
"He has the right to file a criminal charge with any law enforcement agency that will take the case, but the only way cases get to grand jury from this office is that I choose to send them to grand jury," LoStracco said. Occasionally, a grand jury may also choose to investigate on its own, but "you can't just show up on Friday morning of grand jury day and push your way into the room and present a case to them," she said.
Nonetheless, Craig is waiting for his day in court. Though he said he would rather be left alone by the government, he actually hoped for his arrest Wednesday, since it simply builds his case about the tyranny of government.
Tough talk aside, Craig is peaceable with the officials whose legitimacy he denies. Taravella, who wore a bulletproof vest while arresting Craig on Wednesday, said Craig offered no resistance and that the five armed officers present were a measure of safety to protect the state workers seizing the property.
Craig did not resist arrest or the seizure of his property Wednesday, but he is clearly ready to take action based on his principled, if unorthodox beliefs.
"I do what I do because I believe in what our country is supposed to be," Craig said.
Government, be warned.
"They're going to have to start looking at it a little bit different once they're standing in front of a grand jury trying to explain themselves," Craig said. "That's my personal opinion."
I hope the schlub sues the govt for equal protection under the law since Rangel and all those other libtard faggots dont get handcuffed when they dont pay their taxes.
Looks like a good candidate for the Obama cabinet!
Nah ... he’s upfront about it. 0bama’s libturd appointees tried to hide their tax evasions.
Valid point - he’s not deceitful enough to be a libturd!
And why not??? Grand juries do not belong to the DA's office.
nowadays.... I don’t know what side to take
>>Valid point - he’s not deceitful enough to be a libturd!
But he is nuts enough to be one:)
This is an interesting point. If his time is worth anything the government is prohibited from commandeering it under the takings provision of the 5th Amendment.
A little spark, some dry tinder and POOF a revolution may be born.
i believe this would be incorrect. law is law and no one can choose which people are allowed access to due recourse.
i think the fact that he was released (no bond?) when he offered no plea was interesting.
Craig's threats of litigation and criminal charges during the arrest did not phase him.
Zapped by the spell checker? Or dumbass writer? See, instead of "phase," Faze.
Anybody remember what happened to the Church a few years ago that refused to collect Social Security for the gov.? Weren’t they claiming that to do so made them an “agent” ie tax collector for the government?
Tell that to the summons for Jury Duty. And don't give me the "it's a duty" thing, aside from the defendant and the jury, everyone in that court room is getting paid.
He should become a registered Rat and send his resume to Zer0.
They are still looking for asst Treasury Secretaries. He would fit right in with Gethner and most of the rats in Congress.
“They are forcing me to operate as an uncompensated tax collector,”
I have to say that I can understand the frustration - every month I have to file and pay sales taxes, every quarter I file and pay payroll taxes, every quarter I file personal estimated income taxes, every year I file personal and corporate taxes - I’m sure I left something out, but the point is that I have to pay someone to comply with the City, State & federal obligations - that will make most anyone go nuts after awhile!
Now whatever is left over the Messiah would like to conficate and “spread around”
I don’t know the law. Who has to pay sales tax? Is it the buyer or the seller? I know that in NYS when I buy a used car, I have to go to the DMV and pay sales tax before I can register it. So he may have a point.
Eddie is a slow learner.
That would apply to every business owner who collects and remits payroll taxes on behalf of it’s employees.
I’ve always said I think the government should collect its own taxes, not get business owners to do it for them.
Small businesses are especially disadvanteged. They have to spend a lot of time figuring out the FICA codes or pay an accountant to do their payroll for them.
Why not just pay the employee and let the employee pay their own taxes and SS payments, etc.? This would save business owners millions of dollars that they could put into higher salaries or reinvest in their businesses.
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