Sheriff orders Feds out of Colorado.

M

Meat-Hook

New member
COURTESY OF THE SIERRA TIMES
www.sierratimes.com

SHERIFFS PUT FEDS ON CHOKE CHAINS
By V.N.S. Edited for Publication by Sierra Times- Posted: 07.24.00


VNS - County sheriffs in Wyoming are insisting that all federal law enforcement
officers and personnel from federal regulatory agencies must clear all their
activities in a Wyoming county with the Sheriff's Office.
Speaking at a press conference following the recent US District Court decision
(case No 2:96-cv-099-J) Bighorn County Sheriff Dave Mattis stated that all
federal officials are forbidden to enter his county without his prior approval.

"If a sheriff doesn't want the Feds in his county he has the constitutional
power and right to keep them out or ask them to leave or retain them in
custody."

The court decision came about after Mattis & other members of the Wyoming
Sheriffs' Association brought a suit against both the BATF and the IRS in the
Wyoming federal court district seeking restoration of the protections enshrined
in the United States Constitution and the Wyoming Constitution.
The District Court ruled in favor of the sheriffs, stating that, "Wyoming is a
sovereign state and the duly elected sheriff of a county is the highest law
enforcement official within a county and has law enforcement powers
exceeding that of any other state or federal official."

The Wyoming sheriffs are demanding access to all BATF files to verify that the
agency is not violating provisions of Wyoming law that prohibit the registration
of firearms or the keeping of a registry of firearm owners. The sheriffs are also
demanding that federal agencies immediately cease the seizure of private
property and the impoundment of private bank accounts without regard to due
process in state courts.

Sheriff Mattis stated, "I am reacting to the actions of federal employees who
have attempted to deprive citizens of my county of their privacy, their liberty,
and their property without regard to constitutional safeguards. I hope that
more sheriffs all across America will join us in protecting their citizens from the
illegal activities of the IRS, EPA, BATF, FBI, or any other federal agency that is
operating outside the confines of constitutional law.

Employees of the IRS and the EPA are no longer welcome in Bighorn County
unless they intend to operate in conformance to constitutional law."

This case is evidence that the Tenth Amendment is not yet dead in the United
States. It may also be interpreted to mean that political subdivisions of a State
are included within the meaning of the amendment, or that the powers
exercised by a sheriff are an extension of those common law powers which the

Tenth Amendment explicitly reserves to the People, if they are not granted to
the federal government and specifically prohibited to the States.
 
For the time being anyway, if a Wyoming Sheriff wants to order the feds out of Colorado that's just fine by me.
 
Wyoming is now Dick Cheney's state. Wonder how this will pan out?

And I say the phrase 'sovreign state' should mean something!
 
As a former federal LEO I checked this story out when it appeared in CND some months ago. A lot of things about it did not make sense. The more I looked, the less plausible it was. I finally e-mailed the author and challenged the whole story. I offered to research the court documents that allegedly support this in Basin and Cheyenne. It purportedly relates to Big Horn co. in Basin, WY. I never heard back from him. I also ran this story out through the US Attorney's office in Cheyenne and talked to people who would definitely have reason to know if there was any truth to it.

I have no particular axe to grind as I am hardly in favor of federalizing everything under WJC or anyone else--but this particular story is just a legend about the brave sheriff defying the feds somewhere out west. Believe it if you want to, but the evidence doesn't seem to be there.

I suppose I could always drive over and ask...

------------------
 
This has been brought up several times, mostly in Legal.

It's real. I called Sheriff Mattis' office myself and verified that 1) ALL federal LEOs must check in with the Sheriff before executing ANY operation in Bighorn County, and 2) the Sheriff has retained the authority to disapprove any operation as he sees fit.

Makes me want to check out the employment scene up in WY. ;)
 
oops, I said Colorado instead of Wyoming! my apologies
to the folks in Colorado.

I wonder how old this information is?

MH.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Coinneach:
This has been brought up several times, mostly in Legal.

It's real. I called Sheriff Mattis' office myself and verified that 1) ALL federal LEOs must check in with the Sheriff before executing ANY operation in Bighorn County, and 2) the Sheriff has retained the authority to disapprove any operation as he sees fit.

Makes me want to check out the employment scene up in WY. ;)[/quote] In another thread you said you called Sherif Mattis' office. Could you post the phone number or email me?



------------------
"A knifeless man is a lifeless man"
-Nordic proverb
 
(307) 568-2324

If you call, be nice. The lady I spoke with (named Deb) sounded tired of giving out the same info all the time. ;)
 
Be still, my heart. If it weren't so far from where my heart is (the Heart of Dixie, that is), I'd plan to move. If this is legit, then it seems that SOMEBODY out there understands the Constitution. I hope it's catching....
 
Anybody can say anything--especially to get attention or get re-elected, but getting it to stand up in a court case is something entirely different. No one seems to be altering their operations one way or another.

As I pointed out, I can see both sides of the equation. There are questionable LEOs at all levels, some of whom are elected because they are good old boys and play to the crowd. I have dealt with them and you do what needs to be done circumspectly--meaning that you don't call ahead or say much while there and let evolution work. Sooner or later something changes and the 'problem' is no longer a problem.

This 'local law enforcement' can work both ways. A small town in Wyoming not far from there had a bully and pervert as the sole cop for a decade and a half, and he did whatever he wanted without interference. It finally caught up with him and he is in the pen; but it took way too long and too many people looked the other way in the meantime. Sometimes I think it would make one hell of a book, but I doubt you would ever get much of the truth.

Tyranny can sometimes be home grown--just because you went to high school with the guy doesn't mean he won't oppress you or your kids. Some of the worst Nazis were small town bully boys who saw their chance to lean on their erstwhile neighbors and did.

Enough said. I'm retired from this stuff. Just remember that you tend to get the kind of law enforcement (government?) you deserve...

Out.

------------------
 
If the story is true, and I'm NOT in a position to say that it is, or isn't, it does seem interesting.

Can you just imagine Frau Reno or perhaps Herr Freah having temper tantrums, lying on the floor, kicking and screaming, holding their breath's. Better than that, what about all the little bureaucratic worms, crawling in and our of their warrens at various White House offices.

Oh me, Oh my but such an image might well be a thing of beauty, mighten it?
 
Robert you just said a mouthfull.Grew up with a couple of jokers that became LEO's.They where liars and worse in school and they didn't get any better with age.

------------------
Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
 
I live down the road from Bighorn County, and it is true. It has been true for a few years. This is not urban legend, this is not just talk. The sheriff is the highest ranking leo in any county. My sheriff was involved in a law suit against the ATF with other sheriffs in Wyoming. I have met Sheriff Mattis. Great guy. He investigated the occurence of ten thousand pounds of steel falling on me when I worked in the oilfield. Bighorn County is beautiflul country. But not much work.

------------------
"Vote with a Bullet."
 
Well couldnt that be applied to ALL states??? And should be, as it would put an end to the federal police :)

------------------
-AoW[t]-Dead [Black Ops]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top