Funkhouser Defends Red Light Cameras As Ban Proposal Stalls

KANSAS CITY – Missouri put the red light on banning red light cameras in the state Friday. It’s the end of the legislative session and since the issue didn’t pass the House, the proposal is dead for now.

The local group opposed to red light cameras is now calling for Mayor Mark Funkhouser to meet with them and talk about their concerns, but the mayor said it’s an issue of public safety.

Gabe Grider with the Liberty Restoration Project says the red light camera system is flawed.

“They don’t actually ticket the person,” Grider said. “They ticket the vehicle, they ticket the owner of the vehicle, whether it’s the driver or not and there’s some legal problems with that especially when there’s multiple names on the vehicle registration.”

Grider said his group has heard complaints about people getting multiple tickets for one violation or turning right on red.

Since the mayor is in support of the cameras, the Liberty Restoration Project wrote a letter, requesting a sit-down with the mayor to go over the concerns.

“The city claims they installed them for safety, but they’re installed for revenue purposes,” Grider said.

Funkhouser says it’s not just about money. In the first quarter, Kansas City has seen 18,000 fewer red light violations and 67 percent fewer accidents involving someone running a red light .

“My own family was hit at 75th and Main where a lady ran through a red light and smashed our car and people were hurt,” Funkhouser said. “This is a safety deal.”

The mayor said he’s open to talking to the Liberty Restoration Project about its ideas like lengthening the timing of yellow lights, but he calls the red light cameras a clear winner.

“There’s a certain sensation of Big Brother and all that, but I think the way to stay out of trouble is to comply with the law,” Funkhouser said.

Liberty Restoration Project has also discussed the possibility of a ballot initiative, saying that any city where the issue has come to a vote of the people has been voted down.

This is the first in a series of open letters to Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser on behalf of the Missouri Citizens who support The Liberty Restoration Project.

We, The Liberty Restoration Project, have been public in our opposition to the red light photo-enforcement systems since January of 2009. We hold the belief that photo-enforcement systems are installed and implemented in conflict with Missouri State Law and we support the proposed state legislation, which would specifically ban the use of any photo enforcement against citizens of Missouri or citizens of any other state who operate vehicles in Missouri. We believe these systems encourage corruption, fuel and promote negative attitudes towards government and law enforcement, and abuse the rights of citizens. We also stand firmly on the belief that photo enforcement systems are not implemented for safety, but for a revenue source through force and coercion. While we recognize photo-enforcement systems are not unique to Kansas City in the state of Missouri, our organization is based in and receives the most support from the Kansas City area and its surrounding communities and, therefore, we ask you, Mayor Funkhouser, to publicly respond to the following:

1. There are several proven actions that can be implemented for little or no cost at all that reduce red light running and improve the safety of intersections.

Extending yellow light times by a minimum of 1 second
Adding a brief “all red” signal in the cycle stopping traffic in all directions
Increasing the size of stoplights
Clearing unnecessary obstructions that affect a driver’s view of either stoplights or traffic
Synchronizing stoplights to allow a more fluid flow of traffic and adjusting timing to allow sufficient time for vehicles making left turns
Painting chevrons on the surface of the road leading into intersections, which visually tricks drivers into slowing down and leaving larger gaps between vehicles

Why were none of these actions undertaken by the city before the implementation of the photo enforcement systems?

2. In reference to the intersections on 71 Highway, history has shown these intersections are not only dangerous for vehicles but also for pedestrians. A choice was made during the design/construction of this highway to include the three intersections instead of overpasses with pedestrian walkways. These three intersections are the primary source of traffic congestion and stoppages, which unfortunately promotes frustration and unsafe driving behaviors as drivers attempt to avoid stopping. Traffic congestion and stoppages decrease the air quality of the urban core as drivers sit through multiple stoplight cycles at each intersection during their commute.

Do you, Mayor Funkhouser, publicly support the decision that was made during the construction of 71 Highway to include stoplights at 55th St., 59th St. and Gregory Blvd?

Would you, Mayor Funkhouser, support changing the aforementioned intersections to overpasses?

3. The selection of intersections for photo-enforcement is quite suspect. Nearly every intersection has a higher complexity of infrastructure and design than most standard intersections including highway on and off ramps, is part of a highly traveled commuter router or both, and in the case of 71 and 152 Highways, higher rates of speed approaching the stoplights. There is notably a lack of photo-enforced intersections in neighborhoods of higher affluence, i.e. Ward Parkway, Brookside Boulevard, Briarcliff or 64th Street north of the river.

Do you, Mayor Funkhouser, agree with our opinion that the photo-enforced intersections appear to be purposefully placed in fundamentally flawed intersections and in areas of lesser affluence to increase the volume of tickets while reducing the amount of challenges in court?

4. We have seen in the past few months of 2010, statistics published and quoted by city officials regarding the perceived increase in safety since the implementation of the photo-enforcement systems. However, no or very little data accompanies those statistics regarding how the data was collected, analyzed and how it was compared. For example, stating that a 20% drop in accidents occurred at a certain intersection because accident data for 2008 was 5 accidents and in 2009 was 4 accidents is not a statistically sound or accurate representation of what actually took place over those two years. What was the definition of an accident? Did the definition change between 2008 and 2009? What was the traffic volume? What is the ratio of accidents to volume of traffic? Were there extenuating circumstances in either year such as construction, weather or other factors that changed normal operating circumstances of these intersections? Who collected the data? How was the data collected? If in 2008, 200,000 vehicles passed through the intersection with only 5 accidents while in 2009 traffic was reduced and 100,000 vehicles passed through with 4 accidents, the 20% improvement goes away. You see Mayor Funkhouser, just a simple comparison of one year to another does not provide an accurate picture of whether or not photo enforcement systems are actually working.

In an effort to achieve more transparency and in keeping with the trust placed in your elected leadership by the citizens and voters of Kansas City to not mislead or misrepresent them, will you, Mayor Funkhouser publicly release the details of how and by whom the data was collected for the statistics city officials and area media outlets are using?

5. The most recently released monetary statistics state that the city has collected over $5 million dollars from citations mailed to homes of individuals listed as the owner of a vehicle that was photographed despite the fact there in no proof the owner was operating the vehicle. City officials have claimed that these systems are installed for “safety” purposes only. During testimony on March 17 of 2010 in the Missouri Senate Transportation Committee, individuals testifying in favor of photo enforcement on numerous times indicated that these systems both cost more to lease and operate than hiring human officers and also admitted the removal of such systems would cost municipalities large amounts of revenue. We at the Liberty Restoration Project and the citizens we represent believe that by leasing the camera systems from a private company encourages both the leaser and the lessee to engage in corrupt behavior to maintain the systems.

Mayor Funkhouser, if Kansas City’s one and only intention is safety, then why are the photo- enforcement systems leased from a company in Arizona and not purchased? If the intention is only safety, we feel that 100%of the profits collected from these systems should be donated to charities in the communities where the photo-enforced intersections are located. Could you share specifically what the profits from photo enforcement are used to fund?

6. Through our own observation of photo-enforced intersections, citizen testimony and actions taken by Kansas City to temporarily shut down photo enforced intersections due to errors, we have concluded the accuracy and reliability of the leased photo enforcement systems is not consistent with how they are being represented to the citizens of Kansas City by city officials and most media outlets. In addition to the accuracy concerns, we have greater concerns regarding the privacy policies of both the company in Arizona that operates the cameras and the company in Ohio that collects the money from citations. Kansas City is essentially selling the personal information of Missouri citizens for a profit to out of state companies.

What are the privacy policies for American Traffic Solutions and the collection agency in Ohio?

What are these companies authorized to do with the personal information provided to them?

Do these companies run background checks before hiring their employees?

It is our belief that citizens in both Kansas City and Missouri have not been provided with sufficient information to make an informed decision on the issue of photo-enforcement. In our research we have found that when photo-enforcement systems are put to a popular vote, they are defeated every time. In response to the concerns we have raised in this letter, we are requesting an immediate meeting to gain answers to our questions. As a matter of transparency, and public disclosure, we will record the meeting, in order to provide the citizens of Kansas City, Missouri and neighboring states with a more complete analysis on the issue of photo-enforcement. Such due diligence is both necessary, and required, in order provide the best service, while protecting civil liberties, for our citizenry.

In defense of the principles our Republic was founded upon,

The Liberty Restoration Project
P.O. Box 413953
Kansas City, MO 64141
816-213-1923

Saturday, April 24, 2010

3:00pm – 5:00pm

Outside the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City – Corner of Main and Grand Streets

Join us for our Bi-Annual End the Fed Rally.

Bring your signs, flags, bullhorns, video cameras and let’s rally!!

We will be meeting on the east side of the Federal Reserve Bank at the corner of Main and Grand Street.  Around 3:30, we will start marching down to the IRS building and then back to the Federal Reserve Bank!!

We hope to see you there!!

PRESS RELEASE:

Contact Information:
Kevin L. Kobe

http://www.libertyrestorationproject.org

kevin@libertyrestorationproject.org

http://www.endthefed.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 10/22/09

Local Group To Hold Fourth Rally To Raise Awareness Of Federal Reserve Role In Nation’s Debt

Kansas City, MO. –  Liberty Restoration Project is a group that has built a reputation for being Kansas City’s regional organizers of the nationwide rallies in support of Oversight and Abolition Legislation regarding the Federal Reserve Banking System.  We will be rallying at 12:00 pm at the corner of Memorial Drive and Main Street on November 22, 2009.

This will be our fourth rally in support of congressional oversight legislation.  Our previous Federal Reserve rallies were titled “Ben Bernanke Angry Mob to Audit The Fed KC” on July 26, 2009; “Monopoly March to End The Federal Reserve Banking Scheme KC” on April 25, 2009; and “End The Fed KC” on November 22, 2008.

The Federal Reserve was established in 1913 by the enactment of the “Federal Reserve Act” under the guise of a needed “Central Banking system”. We dispute the legalities of the enactment due to the fact that the “FED” is a private bank that is not overseen by any branch of the US government. The Feds’ sole purpose is to serve as the banker to the government, manage money supply, supervise and regulate a large share of the country’s banking and financial systems, and print money. The FED prints money for a fee in exchange for government bonds, the fee’s assessed from printing money is generated by charging the American people an Income tax. All of the listed elements above were deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in multiple rulings.

Our goal is to raise public awareness of the unconstitutional actions of the Federal Reserve in hopes that our nation’s willingness to build toward a complete and independent audit of all financial practices of the bank and all recipients of currency issued through such practices; and to raise awareness to support the following federal legislation:
S. 604 – also known as the “Federal Reserve Sunshine Act of 2009″
H.R. 1207 – also known as the “Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009″
H.R. 833 – also known as the “Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act”.
###

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation

407 S. Dearborn Street Suite 1170

Chicago, IL 60605

Contact: Sean Haugh

Phone: (919) 402-3489

Email: Sean@FreeAndEqual.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Gubernatorial Debate for 2010 Candidates to be held in Du Quoin on October 9th

September 28th, 2009 –The Free & Equal Elections Foundation announced today that a Gubernatorial debate featuring candidates for the 2010 Governor’s race will be held on October 9th.

The event will be sponsored by Free & Equal and will take place as part of the Midwest Liberty Fest in Du Quoin, IL.

ALL candidates who have an intention of running in the race are invited to participate.

The debate will include members of the Democratic and Republican parties as well as Third-Party candidates and Independents.

“Free & Equal is committed to giving all candidates a forum, regardless of political ideology or partisan affiliation,” said Founder and Chair Christina Tobin. “It is imperative that the voters have a chance to hear all the candidates, not just those who may appear in the headlines regularly.”

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is committed to ensuring that the ballot choices of the voters of Illinois are not limited. Several candidates are already confirmed for the debate, and we expect more in the coming days.

The Free & Equal Elections Foundation is a non partisan, non-profit  501 (c)4 public policy advocacy organization dedicated to eliminating restrictive ballot access laws that target Independent and Third-Party Candidates.

Free & Equal is committed to reforming restrictive ballot access laws across the nation, so that all candidates have a chance to be heard, regardless of political affiliation.

During the 2008 election, Free & Equal held an independent Presidential Debate in Washington, DC. The Free & Equal debate was the ONLY Presidential debate featuring Independent and Third-Party candidates held during the 2008 election to be broadcast to a national audience. The debate was broadcast Live by C-SPAN.

#####

http://www.midwestlibertyfest.com/node/78

(reposted from: http://www.midwestlibertyfest.com/node/68)

Liberty lovers,

Today I wrote a letter to the editor of my local paper about the upcoming Midwest Liberty Fest, an event I am working VERY hard on with a team of patriots to plan, organize and promote.  I could really use your help!

Would you submit a letter to the editor of YOUR local paper, you can even use mine as an example! (see pasted below).  I also submitted the event to be included in my local papers “entertainment” section.  If your paper has a section like that, please consider helping us spread the word by doing the same!

This is going to be the first ever event of its kind, a true spotlight on all the skill, talents, successes, and lessons learned by the REAL grassroots.  Keep your eye on the schedule on our website, the event is growing daily   www.midwestlibertyfest.com to purchase tickets or become a sponsor!

My letter to the Editor:

Dear Editor,

I am sure you have heard much about the growing grassroots movement to restore the Constitution to our beautiful country.  This nonpartisan movement, which I believe really took root during the Ron Paul campaign and is being carried by the Tea Party movement, has produced a class of activists like nothing our country has seen in recent times.  I wanted to let you know about a very exciting event happening driving distance from our community and I thought your readers might be interested.  It is called the Midwest Liberty Fest.

This event can only be described as a showcase of the afore mentioned grassroots movement.  Successful activists from across the political spectrum will be teaching their trade to attendees, liberty minded documentaries will be debuting (four total so far!), freedom loving musicians will be performing, big named movers and shakers will be give speeches and there will even be the opportunity for the crowd to get involved during an evening event called “Soap Box Idol” where attendees can sign up to give a three minute speech that will be judged much in the same fashion as American Idol.

The three day event only costs $20.00 and sounds like an amazing opportunity for folks in our community to learn about the various ways they can get involved.  Please consider letting your readers know about this event.  More details can be found at www.midwestlibertyfest.com

Hope to see you there!

Catherine Bleish

If you have any questions about the event, or would like to be  speaker, please shoot an email to team@midwestlibertyfest.com!

Catherine Bleish
executive director
Liberty Restoration Project
816-868-8806
Catherine@libertyrestorationproject.org
www.libertyrestorationproject.orgO

Blog:http://revolutionaryranting.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DontTreadOnMe
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DontTreadOnCat

Freedom reaches across party lines.

This piece was written for the Missouri Record.
by Catherine Bleish
September 6, 2009 The Missouri Informational Analysis Center (MIAC) is an organization that had relatively little name recognition before the public became aware of the since retracted “MIAC Strategic Report on the Modern Militia Movement” that was leaked in March of this year.  The report was issued to Missouri law enforcement personnel and identified many conservative and libertarian viewpoints as indicators of a “potential threat” to law enforcement officials.

The report specifically mentioned supporters of 2008 presidential candidates Ron Paul (Republican), Bob Barr (Libertarian), and Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party). Issues ranging from concerns about the Federal Reserve Banking System, to illegal immigration, to NAFTA, to RFID tracking technology were also listed as identifiers of a potential “dangerous militia member” for law enforcement.

(View a copy of the report here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/17782513/MIAC-Report-Modern-Militia-Movement)

The public outcry was both immediate and overwhelming. Missouri State Representative Brian Nieves was quoted as saying, “My office received more phone calls on this issue than any other issue EVER”. In response to this reaction, the Missouri Legislature put together the Interim Committee on State Intelligence Analysis Oversight, chaired by Representative Bob Dixon.

The committee has held three public hearings in Jefferson City, St. Charles and Grandview, Missouri. A fourth and final hearing will be held this September 9^th in Springfield, Missouri. The hearings have been an excellent opportunity for the public and our elected officials to learn about the current mindset our law enforcement community.

As one of seventy-two Department of Homeland Security sanctioned “fusion centers”, the MIAC integrates intelligence data from local, state, national, and private intelligence gathering agencies with the goal of identifying and preventing terror threats before they happen. The MIAC has been in existence since 2005, receiving its DHS fusion center designation in 2007. The fusion center falls under the jurisdiction of the Missouri Department of Public Safety and employs two part time FBI analysts and one full time DHS analyst in addition to twenty-seven other employees. Twenty-eight percent of the MIAC is funded through the Department of Homeland Security.

During the first hearing held in Jefferson City, Missouri, the MIAC presented a PowerPoint presentation that highlighted the organization’s mission and current activities. What was revealed during this presentation is the fact that the MIAC center in function serves as an efficiency tool for Missouri law enforcement at traffic stops and while conducting warrant checks, but in function is not serving in an anti-terror capacity other than the authoring of such reports. In fact, according to their presentation, of the hundreds of examples of requests made to the fusion center, only Saint Louis Country requested any information related to terrorism.

One of the great concerns that developed from this hearing is the mindset of our law enforcement community. Greg White, Cole County Sheriff, came to the defense of the Strategic Report in question, “to think that we would not do strategic work within the fusion center is as if to say it is OK to commit certain acts of violence”. Citizen testimony came from three individuals and was all in opposition to strategic report in question.

Before the second hearing the Liberty Restoration Project obtained documents from the Missouri Department of Public Safety that underscore the concerning mentality currently found within our law enforcement community.

A March 14^th email between two DPS employees refers to the MIAC as, “Fort MIAC”, and yet an even more concerning email from the same date states, “ ..Cindy is manning the M60 nest on the roof of the building… haha.”. The same email defends the MIAC Strategic Report on the Modern Militia Movement stating, “There was nothing wrong or illegal about publishing this piece. There is nothing we can do about the distortion of the information by citizens wanting to twist the meaning of information to conform to their ‘view’ of the world.”. The same email highlights the fusion center’s direct tie to the Department of Homeland Security by stating, “DHS analytic components believed it to be a good piece”.

It was during the second hearing in St. Charles, Missouri, while over a dozen citizens testified their displeasure with the report and the fusion center, that the State Legislators began to express deep concern about the role of the federal government in our state law enforcement practices. Missouri State Representative Jason Smith commented that the report appears to be an attempt protect the government form citizens rebelling and Missouri State Representative Shane Schoeller also commented that legislators have been part of the problem and one solution is the let them know they won’t be reelected.

During the third hearing in Grandview, Missouri an officer from the Kansas City Police Department stated that his drug crime task force uses the fusion center, but the terror related components are completely irrelevant to his success. Representative Brian Nieves commented, “I am one of those people becoming more and more uncomfortable with federal government telling states how to do things” and asked if removing the federal government from the fusion center would impede local or state crime fighting, the KCPD officer responded that removing the federal government from their operations would in no way impede the local or state crime fight.

There are eleven such reports that are unclassified and address various social and political movements with one theme in common; they are all upset with the role of the Federal Government. Interestingly enough, the federal government, through the Department of Homeland Security, seems to have their hands in the development of these reports which profile such groups and people as “threats” all across the nation. At least eight instances of plagiarism have been found between these documents and the Anti Defamation League’s website. The committee will present suggestions to the Missouri Legislature when it is back in session.

Related documents can be found here: http://www.scribd.com/CatherineBleish

P R E S S R E L E A S E

For Immediate Release – August 5th, 2009

Contact: Catherine Bleish

Liberty Restoration Project

Telephone: 816.868.8806

HEADLINE: Announcing the Midwest Liberty Fest: Activism, Education and Celebration

August 5th, 2009: The DuQuoin (IL) State Fairgrounds will be brought to life by the Spirit of Liberty on October 9, 10 and 11 as grassroots activists from across the political spectrum and across the nation gather for the Midwest Liberty Fest.  Participants will have the opportunity to learn from successful activists, hear from current candidates and celebrate the growing movement toward freedom and constitutional government.

The planning committee, sponsored by the Liberty Restoration Project, consists of activists who decided to provide the public with an event centered around ideas that unite us instead of divide us.  The goal is to empower concerned citizens through the knowledge and real experiences of successful movers and shakers; everyone should be able to walk away with action items and project ideas in hand!

Some of the most well-known names in the liberty movement will be paired with up-and-coming leaders.  From Adam Kokesh, the Iraq veteran and anti-war activist turned Congressional Candidate, to Michael Badnarik, the 2004 Libertarian candidate for President and Constitutional Scholar, to Sheriff Richard Mack, the man educating our nation’s law enforcement on their Constitutional role, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from some serious movers and shakers.

Interested speakers, musicians or sponsors should send a letter of request to the planning team at the following email address: team@midwestlibertyfest.com.

Donations will provide transportation for speakers, location rental and insurance costs, and promotional materials such as radio and television ads.  Keep your eyes on www.midwestlibertyfest.com for an up-to-the-minute confirmed speakers list and the upcoming announcement of our commemorative ticket.

####

Candidates

Adam Kokesh (US Congressional Candidate for NM District 3)
http://kokeshforcongress.com/

RJ Harris (US Congressional Candidate for OK District 4)
http://www.rjharris2010.com/

Ed Martin (potential US Congressional Candidate for MO District 3)
http://edmartinforcongress.com

Rosanna Pulido (US Congressional Candidate for IL District 5)
http://www.rosannapulido2009.com/

Adam Andrzejewski (Gubernatorial Candidate for IL)
http://www.adamforillinois.com/

Randy Stufflebeam (Gubernatorial Candidate for IL)
http://www.runrandyrun.com/

Dr. Tim Nerenz (US Congressional Candidate for WI District 2)
http://timnerenz.com/

Educators

Michael Badnarik (former Libertarian Presidential Candidate, Constitutional Scholar)
http://www.constitutionpreservation.org/

Valinda Rowe (2nd amendment activist)
IllinoisCarry.org

Dr. Carl Estabrook (Visiting Professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
http://www.counterpunch.org/estabrook05222003.html

Dr. Michael Coffman (President of Environmental Perspectives, Inc. (EPI), and Executive Director of Sovereignty International.)
http://www.discerningtoday.org/dr__michael_coffman.htm

Grassroots Activists

Gary Franchi (National Director / Managing Editor for Restore the Republic and Republic Magazine)

www.restoretherepublic.com

Sheriff Richard Mack (Author, Speaker and Advocate of State and individual rights.)
http://www.sheriffmack.com/

Jan Stover (Founder and Director of The Mothers Institute)
http://www.themothersinstitute.org

Sandra Crosnoe (Oklahoma grassroots activist, blogger, and social networking)
http://www.r3publican.com

Brooke Kelly (video blogger for Restore the Republic)
www.restoretherepublic.com

Catherine Bleish (Missouri grassroots activist, executive director of the Liberty Restoration Project)
http://www.libertyrestorationproject.org/

Martin Johnson (Illinois local activist and Jury Nullification Advocate)

Solo Acts and Bands

P O K E R   F A C E
http://www.pokerface.com/

Jordan Page
http://www.jordanpagemusic.com/

Farid Ahmed

Pending speaking confirmation from
Cindy Sheehan
Rand Paul
Ron Paul
Randy Brogdon
Charles Key
Shelly Roche
Judge Andrew Napolitano
Robert X Johnson
Tracy Brewer
Ian Freeman

Catherine Bleish
executive director
Liberty Restoration Project
816-868-8806
Catherine@libertyrestorationproject.org
www.libertyrestorationproject.org

Freedom reaches across party lines.
==========================
Sandra Crosnoe
918.440.6876
sandiec99@hotmail.com
http://www.r3publican.com

Realpeople Restoring the Republic #R3s

Please tune in TODAY at www.rtrradio.com to hear Adam make this announcement on Catherine’s show!  Adam will be on for an entire hour.  (podcast will be available.)

PRESS EMBARGO: For Release 7 a.m. MST, May 1, 2009

Press Release

Contact: Tina Richards
Media Relations
Phone : 573.247.8059
Email: Tina@TinaRichards.us

Adam Kokesh Announces Exploratory Committee for New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District
Santa Fe, NM, May 1, 2009: Adam Kokesh announced that he will form an exploratory committee to consider the race for Congress in New Mexico’s Third Congressional District in response to a national grassroots movement calling themselves “Draft Kokesh”. Adam Kokesh served in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq during 2004. He received the Navy Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Commendation Medal in addition to others. After returning from Iraq, Kokesh resumed his studies and completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Claremont McKenna College. In February 2007, Kokesh became an active participant in Iraq Veterans Against the War. He quickly became a leading voice in the Anti-War Movement and has gained tens of thousands of supporters from the Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty Movement. Upon his graduation, he returned to Santa Fe, New Mexico. (Additional biographical information available at the following site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Kokesh)
““When I got out of the Marine Corps, I joined the monumental fight to end the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, bring the troops home to defend America, and restore a Constitutional foreign policy. Having won the public to our side, it is time we take the fight to the capitol,” Kokesh stated. “Over the next couple of months, I look forward to meeting supporters all across the district as we make our decision on whether or not to run for Congress,” continued Kokesh. “I have been blessed with standing shoulder to shoulder with citizens across the nation, but now I return back to my roots of New Mexico in the desire to represent the citizens of New Mexico’s 3rd district. Now is the time to decide if running for Congress is the best way to continue my service to my country and to the constituents of New Mexico’s 3rd district.”
Adam Kokesh is drawing support from both the left and the right of the political spectrum. This wide appeal of Kokesh supporters will make a real challenge for the freshman congressman currently serving the 3rd district.. In the upcoming 2010 elections, this will be a congressional race to watch.

Letter sent to Draft Kokesh Supporters:

My fellow patriots,

Thank you for all you have done to help me in my journey over the past years. It has been an honor to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Slowly but surely, in our struggle for freedom from authoritarianism, we are making progress. As long as we continue to hang together, we will not hang separately!

When I got out of the Marine Corps, I joined the monumental fight to end the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, bring the troops home to defend America, and restore a Constitutional foreign policy. Having won the public to our side, it is time we take the fight to the capitol, to the real enemies of the Constitution. Posturing against war while voting to fund it is unacceptable! Tragically, we still have a government that behaves like it owns us, rather than serves us.

Since I was first politically active, people have been encouraging me to run for Congress, including a recent effort to “draft” me to run (draftkokesh.com). We need rallying points to keep our movement invigorated and growing, and if running for Congress from my home town of Santa Fe can serve as one, I will gladly step up. In that effort, I am excited to announce the formation of the Kokesh for Congress Exploratory Committee.

While I am asking for your financial support in this effort, I want to make it clear that I am willing to make the personal sacrifices necessary to raise the standard of our national leadership. If elected, I will not accept the Congressional salary of approximately $170,000, but only the national average income. It is not enough in these difficult economic times, for Congress to tell the American people what is best for us economically, while they vote themselves another pay raise and burden our children with impossible debt. Enough is enough!

There is a temporary website up now at kokeshforcongress.com. Please sign up and donate there as we prepare for the launch of a complete site on June 1st.

It is time once again to draw the line between patriots and loyalists. I am a patriot because I am committed to the ideals of liberty and equality this country is destined to achieve, loyal to no false authority. I know that much more than political resistance is required to achieve a paradigm shift, but we can do no wrong standing up for what we know to be morally right. Regardless of my decision, I remain eternally committed to the cause of liberty.

Love, faith, respect,

Adam Kokesh

The Liberty Restoration Project, a grassroots organization based out of Kansas City, is undertaking an important project for the liberty movement. They plan on opening up the first of its kind Liberty Work House to provide room and board for full time activists working to restore liberty to our nation. The plan is to retake our country city by city, starting in the heartland.

They have placed a bid on a house that is perfect for this project and need your help! Today (4/27) final bidding is occurring, and there are several other bids on the house. In order not to lose it they are going to have to place a larger offer.

It would truly be a shame to lose this house, so if you could help please make your best donation today and help LRP.

For more info and pictures of the house please go to www.libertyrestorationpro…

To help today please go to www.libertyrestorationpro…

When we all work together we can make a difference and retake this nation for liberty!

Thank you!!