I know this is not directly y2k related, but because FEMA will be a big player come Jan 1, 2000 I thought you might be interested (as I am) in this story.

I was searching for a story that I saw the other day when I came across this 'strange' story in a small Lewiston, Idaho newspaper. Strange to me because it tells about a raid by FEMA on a County flood command center in Idaho. FEMA was looking for evidence of a "possible criminal intent to defraud the government.". Strange!

I'm a little confused. Since when did FEMA get involved with the IRS in raiding or investigating anybody? I thought their only function is to help out in times of disaster.

Maybe FEMA has been reinvented by Al Gore?

See this web site Vice President, Gore's "National Partnership for Reinventing Government" It is called the NRP for short.

Does anyone here know anything about FEMA's new found power to search and seize? Have not yet had time to check out the NRP website, but will let you know if I find anything.

Wish I would stop stumbling onto these weird things. Just makes me curiouser and curiouser.

Here is the story....

Judge to Grill IRS on Raid Tactics

Link to Story

Lewiston (Idaho) Morning Tribune Thursday, July 24, 1997

FEMA raid still talk of the town; Orofino residents puzzled over feds' tactics in seizure last week

Tara Tuchscherer

OROFINO -- Almost a week after federal agents raided Clearwater County's flood command center, the town is still talking about storm trooper tactics, bullet-proof vests and a power-drunk federal government.

"You just don't want to believe it," Neal Johnson said as he sat in J-2 Barber Shop on College Avenue. "You think the federal government wouldn't treat you that way.

"It awes me that they used those tactics when the county made all those records totally available."

Agents from the Federal Emergency Management Agency raided the command center early Friday morning, telling county commission Chairman Earl Pickett they were looking for "possible criminal intent to defraud the government."

The agents, sporting bulletproof vests, drove off with two vans and a station wagon full of documents.

FEMA's tactics aren't all the town is talking about.

"No one knows why they did it; no one has any idea," Johnson said.

Johnson and barber Jim Whidener expressed confidence in the county government that has recently found itself under a federal microscope.

"I really don't think they have anything," Johnson said of FEMA's investigation.

But rumors are running rampant about what happened while Orofino roads were being repaired with federal money.

No one, however, was willing to speak publicly.

County Prosecutor John Swayne said the commissioners would hold a news conference Friday at 10 a.m. to bring people up to date.

But, he warned, there's not much to tell.

"We still don't know what is going on," he said.

The county commission had scheduled a meeting in Boise with Gov. Phil Batt today, but Batt canceled the meeting, Julie Sneddon of the governor's office said.

It would be inappropriate to meet at this time because the county is under federal investigation, she said.

Swayne would not disclose whether the commissioners or Sheriff Nick Albers, who runs the command center, have been subpoenaed to a grand jury in August in Boise.

More than a dozen county employees have been ordered to appear in Boise Aug. 12.

-- flb (fben4077@yahoo.com), July 29, 1999

Answers

Good Story --- Thanks.

Obviously we don't know the details, but the point is how the US Govenment, in this case FEMA, can swoop down on any person or group and they are basically helpless. Not told what the charges are until later. And peoples reaction! Some fear and concern, but mostly "confidence" that things will be "OK".

If you get a chance, read Alexander Soltzinitzens "Gulag Achapeligo" (sp?). He describes the arrest/seizure process to a tee:

After arrest:

1 "Me, What for?"

2. "There must be some mistake"

3. "They'll soon set things to right."

4. "You don't understand"

Soltzinitzen ends up saying "No, my dear friend, its YOU who doesn't understand." ... "And it may be many years later, as you gaze from your cell window to the outside world, before you even begin to."

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), July 29, 1999.

Orofino is a very small town next to the Clearwater river. Maybe 1500 people max. It is located very close to where Bo Gritz started a patriot community near Kamiah, just 10 miles south of Orofino.

Bo no longer lives there since the Government sent a government plant to take his wife away from him. The best way to destroy a man is to take his woman. That is exactly what they have done. This guy is causing all kinds of problems in that community, that is why they believe he is a Government plant. The Gov. will stop at nothing to destroy a good man. Bo is the most decorated US solier in history!

Bo was so distraught about his divorce, that he tried to commit suicide with full militay uniform on a country rtoad near Orofino. The bullet bounce off his rib and came out of his side, missing his heart. Bo now lives in his old home in Sandy Valley, south of Las Vegas where he used to live and I understand he is now engaged to get married.

-- freddie (freddie@thefreeloader.com), July 29, 1999.

Well, it's been two years since that story ran, so I guess we should have heard something about it by now, right?

Or did you miss the fact that it was in 1997?

-- J (jart5@bellsouth.net), July 29, 1999.

Orofino is also a town that has a group of residents who have studied the law and the IRS Code and found out there is no law that requires Americans to file or pay income tax.

There is quite a group of people in Orofino who refuse to file or pay Income Tax. They have been quite vocal about that fact. That is why the Gov. does not like Orofinians!

-- freddie (freddie@thefreeloader.com), July 29, 1999.

J,

Yes, I did miss the fact that this happened two short years ago, but that is not the point.

-- flb (fben4077@yahoo.com), July 29, 1999.

A government plant took the guy's wife away? LOL!!!!!!!!!

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWAyne@aol.com), July 29, 1999.

My point is that someone could, as I did, scan the title pages [new questions or recent answers] and see the thread title and think it was a recent happening.

Some here are always looking for 'new' news, and when faced with this title,

"Raid by FEMA on a Country flood command center in Lewiston, Idaho: Looking for evidence of a possible criminal intenet to defraud the government,"

might jump to the conclusion that it is 'new' news.

Yes, the date is there plain to see, but not everyone sees what is in front of them. I felt that it should be pointed out.

IMHO, it would have been better if it had been included in the title.

-- J (jart5@bellsouth.net), July 29, 1999.

J,

I see your point. Guess I was so struck by the story that I missed seeing the date. Would not want to mislead anybody.

I still wonder why FEMA would be involved in a raid?

-- flb (fben4077@yahoo.com), July 29, 1999.

What I find interesting is FEMA's intent to take control of a "command center" flood or otherwise at this point in time. It's also kinda familiar since the same thing happened recently in Northern California (Willets or Eureka, I can't recall exactly) for the same reason. A SWAT Team raid on a flood response command center for possible financial management problems in disbursing flood aid monies.

Yep, really a crime calling for SWAT teams assaulting the place in combat gear. "Durned accountant or manager might have a sharp pencil or pen on their desk."

I wonder how long the FEMA representatives will be staying at these "command centers" and would they have any ideas for FEMA's own uses for such facilities? Especially in the next six months or so.

The official motto for Y2K: If you can't build it or buy it, STEAL IT." Works for looters and government agencies too.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), July 29, 1999.