Bob Stewart: Stop Government Tyranny
The Maadi Griffin maker - in his own words.
Stop Government Tyranny
By Bob Stewart
Posted: 07.16.00
Sometime in April ATF agent Bartlett of the Washington D.C. Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, received a Maadi-Griffin 50 Caliber rifle kit for examination. The purpose of this was for Mr. Bartlett to determine if the kit met the definition of a firearm as defined in Title 18, USC 921 (a)(3). And specifically under the part which says..." or can be readily converted to expel a projectile....". It was Mr. Bartlett's opinion that the kit did meet the definition of a firearm. Usually a letter from the BATF to the Maadi-Griffin Co. informing them of the Bureau's opinion about the kit would be in order. Maadi-Griffin Co. would then have had the opportunity to change anything in the kit to make it comply with regulations. There were no clear, set regulations available to anyone concerning kits. No policy, no statement or guidelines about the question; "at what point does a block of steel become a receiver?" has ever been published by the BATF. That leaves the definition of "READILY CONVERTED" up to whomever is in authority. Does such an opinion become law? Where is that law written?
Well, instead of getting a nice letter from the BATF, the Maadi-Griffin Co. got a BATF RAID, (as the result of a Search Warrant issued by Magistrate Morton Sitver.) On June 16, 2000 at about 7:30 am, 10 armed agents descended upon the Stewart residence at 2812 N. 34th Place, Mesa, AZ. Held at gunpoint, and handcuffed, Bob Stewart asked to see a search warrant, and none was presented until long after the raid was in progress. Mrs. Stewart was handcuffed in front of her three little boys and taken out of the house and the 7 year old boy was commanded to "Come out with your hands up!"
THIS IS TYRANNY!
Instead of being treated like criminals, a simple "letter" informing us that the BATF has a problem with our kits should have been the professional solution. The raid continued throughout the day and the agents confiscated all business records, invoices, computer files, computers, discs, Rolodex, customer lists, all kits, parts, and inventory worth over $250,000. CONFISCATED WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW. Neither Mrs. Stewart nor Bob Stewart was allowed to be present in any area as it was being searched. Bob Stewart was arrested and taken to the Madison Street County Jail 4:30 PM.
Thursday, June 22, 2000 Bob Stewart was released on his own recognizance by Magistrate Lawrence O. Anderson and set a hearing date for Monday `10 July, 2000.
I, as an American Citizen am appealing to all of you to consider this UNJUST ACTIVITY, THIS PREJUDICIAL HARSH TREATMENT BY THE BATF. WHY DIDN'T I EVEN GET THE COURTESY, (THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT,) A SIMPLE LETTER THAT WOULD HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THE BATF HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE KITS. WHY DID IT TAKE THREE YEARS FOR THEM TO ACT??? NO, THEY HAD TO DESTROY MY BUSINESS, STEAL ALL OF THE ASSETS. THIS IS TYRANNY.
The whole issue here is the validity of the Search Warrant. Does Mr. Bartlett's opinion create law? The BATF has no written guidelines defining the word "readily". It was left up to Mr. Bartlett's personal opinion on the "readily converted" part of Title 18 USC 921 (a)(3) that provided "Probable Cause, Affidavit " for the Search Warrant. THAT IS ILLEGAL! Rules and Regulations set by ad-hoc? How convenient! That term "readily" does not mean the same for all people. For example: a machinist can do the kit in about 3 hours (including the reading) whereas a housewife without any machine experience would never be able to complete the kit. Does that term only apply to machinists? I submit that it is a vague term and does not apply to any kit that requires machine work, welding, head spacing and assembly. The definition of "READILY" is: promptly, willingly, quickly, easily, without difficulty! (How can it mean from 3 hours to infinity? Most people cannot even make the kit.)
What the BATF doesn't want you to know is that if the search warrant is illegal, then anything that was discovered or "planted" cannot be entered as evidence in a court of law. And, the Federal Grand Jury has no punitive powers at all in the event of errors or illegal evidence submitted as probable cause for affidavit.
On Thursday, 13 July, 2000 Judge Lawrence O. Anderson used the case of US vs. Smith, a case in which it took a gunsmith 8 hours to convert a non-firing machine gun to operable status. That is really stretching the meaning of the word "readily". It would be impossible for many people to do that job. WHERE IS THE CONSISTENCY OF LAW! WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS OF LAW! Magistrate Anderson ruled in favor of the BATF, that my kits were firearms. (I think that was an inappropriate case to use) The laws are too vaguely written and too broadly interpreted. (What happened to the law of lenity?) And now I have lost my business without ever having been given the opportunity to change the kits. Now, as a result of the (illegal) search warrant, I have been indicted. THIS IS DOUBLE JEOPARDY. We apparently, do not have any Second Amendment Rights!
We have a major court battle coming up in September. Please rally around the Flag! I need your help. I have never committed a violent act with a firearm, ever! My business has been stolen, I have no income! I cannot defend myself alone. Please contribute to the BOB STEWART SECOND AMENDMENT DEFENSE FUND. (Upon winning this case, all funds will be replaced into a permanent 2nd Amendment Fund and I will match those funds used for an additional boost. God Bless)
(Please include the account # 2939-4429 and retain a Xerox copy of your checks.)
Send to:
Bob Stewart Account info. for Wire Transfers:
2812 N. 34th Place, Bank Routing# 122100024
Mesa, AZ 85213
or send to:
Account # 2939-4429
Bank One Arizona NA
Apache-Greenfield Office
4353 E. Main St.
Mesa, AZ 85205-8605
800-366-2265
Please feel free to redistribute or duplicate this letter (in it's entirety only - no snippets) to any appropriate parties or forums: The original is located at: http://www.maadigriffin.com/tyranny.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article was brought to you by: MADDI GRIFFIN
Special Thanks to Jeff Murray, Webmaster
PROSOUTH
------------------
To swallow and follow, whether old doctrine or new propaganda, is a weakness still dominating the human mind. (C.P.Gillman)
The Maadi Griffin maker - in his own words.
Stop Government Tyranny
By Bob Stewart
Posted: 07.16.00
Sometime in April ATF agent Bartlett of the Washington D.C. Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, received a Maadi-Griffin 50 Caliber rifle kit for examination. The purpose of this was for Mr. Bartlett to determine if the kit met the definition of a firearm as defined in Title 18, USC 921 (a)(3). And specifically under the part which says..." or can be readily converted to expel a projectile....". It was Mr. Bartlett's opinion that the kit did meet the definition of a firearm. Usually a letter from the BATF to the Maadi-Griffin Co. informing them of the Bureau's opinion about the kit would be in order. Maadi-Griffin Co. would then have had the opportunity to change anything in the kit to make it comply with regulations. There were no clear, set regulations available to anyone concerning kits. No policy, no statement or guidelines about the question; "at what point does a block of steel become a receiver?" has ever been published by the BATF. That leaves the definition of "READILY CONVERTED" up to whomever is in authority. Does such an opinion become law? Where is that law written?
Well, instead of getting a nice letter from the BATF, the Maadi-Griffin Co. got a BATF RAID, (as the result of a Search Warrant issued by Magistrate Morton Sitver.) On June 16, 2000 at about 7:30 am, 10 armed agents descended upon the Stewart residence at 2812 N. 34th Place, Mesa, AZ. Held at gunpoint, and handcuffed, Bob Stewart asked to see a search warrant, and none was presented until long after the raid was in progress. Mrs. Stewart was handcuffed in front of her three little boys and taken out of the house and the 7 year old boy was commanded to "Come out with your hands up!"
THIS IS TYRANNY!
Instead of being treated like criminals, a simple "letter" informing us that the BATF has a problem with our kits should have been the professional solution. The raid continued throughout the day and the agents confiscated all business records, invoices, computer files, computers, discs, Rolodex, customer lists, all kits, parts, and inventory worth over $250,000. CONFISCATED WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW. Neither Mrs. Stewart nor Bob Stewart was allowed to be present in any area as it was being searched. Bob Stewart was arrested and taken to the Madison Street County Jail 4:30 PM.
Thursday, June 22, 2000 Bob Stewart was released on his own recognizance by Magistrate Lawrence O. Anderson and set a hearing date for Monday `10 July, 2000.
I, as an American Citizen am appealing to all of you to consider this UNJUST ACTIVITY, THIS PREJUDICIAL HARSH TREATMENT BY THE BATF. WHY DIDN'T I EVEN GET THE COURTESY, (THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT,) A SIMPLE LETTER THAT WOULD HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THE BATF HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE KITS. WHY DID IT TAKE THREE YEARS FOR THEM TO ACT??? NO, THEY HAD TO DESTROY MY BUSINESS, STEAL ALL OF THE ASSETS. THIS IS TYRANNY.
The whole issue here is the validity of the Search Warrant. Does Mr. Bartlett's opinion create law? The BATF has no written guidelines defining the word "readily". It was left up to Mr. Bartlett's personal opinion on the "readily converted" part of Title 18 USC 921 (a)(3) that provided "Probable Cause, Affidavit " for the Search Warrant. THAT IS ILLEGAL! Rules and Regulations set by ad-hoc? How convenient! That term "readily" does not mean the same for all people. For example: a machinist can do the kit in about 3 hours (including the reading) whereas a housewife without any machine experience would never be able to complete the kit. Does that term only apply to machinists? I submit that it is a vague term and does not apply to any kit that requires machine work, welding, head spacing and assembly. The definition of "READILY" is: promptly, willingly, quickly, easily, without difficulty! (How can it mean from 3 hours to infinity? Most people cannot even make the kit.)
What the BATF doesn't want you to know is that if the search warrant is illegal, then anything that was discovered or "planted" cannot be entered as evidence in a court of law. And, the Federal Grand Jury has no punitive powers at all in the event of errors or illegal evidence submitted as probable cause for affidavit.
On Thursday, 13 July, 2000 Judge Lawrence O. Anderson used the case of US vs. Smith, a case in which it took a gunsmith 8 hours to convert a non-firing machine gun to operable status. That is really stretching the meaning of the word "readily". It would be impossible for many people to do that job. WHERE IS THE CONSISTENCY OF LAW! WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS OF LAW! Magistrate Anderson ruled in favor of the BATF, that my kits were firearms. (I think that was an inappropriate case to use) The laws are too vaguely written and too broadly interpreted. (What happened to the law of lenity?) And now I have lost my business without ever having been given the opportunity to change the kits. Now, as a result of the (illegal) search warrant, I have been indicted. THIS IS DOUBLE JEOPARDY. We apparently, do not have any Second Amendment Rights!
We have a major court battle coming up in September. Please rally around the Flag! I need your help. I have never committed a violent act with a firearm, ever! My business has been stolen, I have no income! I cannot defend myself alone. Please contribute to the BOB STEWART SECOND AMENDMENT DEFENSE FUND. (Upon winning this case, all funds will be replaced into a permanent 2nd Amendment Fund and I will match those funds used for an additional boost. God Bless)
(Please include the account # 2939-4429 and retain a Xerox copy of your checks.)
Send to:
Bob Stewart Account info. for Wire Transfers:
2812 N. 34th Place, Bank Routing# 122100024
Mesa, AZ 85213
or send to:
Account # 2939-4429
Bank One Arizona NA
Apache-Greenfield Office
4353 E. Main St.
Mesa, AZ 85205-8605
800-366-2265
Please feel free to redistribute or duplicate this letter (in it's entirety only - no snippets) to any appropriate parties or forums: The original is located at: http://www.maadigriffin.com/tyranny.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article was brought to you by: MADDI GRIFFIN
Special Thanks to Jeff Murray, Webmaster
PROSOUTH
------------------
To swallow and follow, whether old doctrine or new propaganda, is a weakness still dominating the human mind. (C.P.Gillman)