About my arrest on Thurday evening; November 1

A message from Alan L. Maki concerning my arrest in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 1, 2012…

Political repression places a barrier to citizen civic participation in the decision-making process; civic participation is a hallmark of democracy.

Please distribute this widely:

By now many of you have heard about my arrest on Thursday evening November 1 and the outrageous, unconstitutional $10,000.00 bond that was placed on me by corrupt Newaygo County officials in Michigan who executed a TWENTY-ONE YEAR OLD warrant to arrest me for “using the telephone to threaten” a right-wing, racist bigot who punched and shoved my ten-year old son Jeremy because Jeremy was “fishing from his dock.”  

This vicious attack by an adult on my son, a child at the time, left his lip bleeding and swollen with a black eye and scraped bleeding knees and a badly bruised chest--- all of which was photographed by the police I called.

The Newaygo County Sheriff and Michigan State Police refused to arrest Scott Plants for this vicious and brutal attack on my ten year old son which he carried out against my son in retaliation for my political views. As Scott Plants viciously attacked my ten-year old son as he kicked our beagle dog who had tagged along on Jeremy’s fishing adventure, Scott Plants shouted for all neighbors within hearing distance--- “go fish in Russia.”

This was one of several vicious attacks on my children in which right-wing bigots attacked my children in retaliation for my political views expressed through speeches and writings with my two children having been targeted by shot-gun toting members of the right-wing hate group Michigan Militia whose members shot at them as they waited for their school bus--- with the Michigan State Police capturing these vile culprits only to let them go with the explanation that “they were only duck hunting.” Duck hunting in the nesting off-season; illegally duck hunting of spring without even being charged for that crime?

The State Police of the Newaygo Post laughed this vile attack on my children off as “right-wing versus left-wing violence” even thought there was no violence at all from the “left.”

A few years later one of the Michigan State cops who thought it was so funny my kids were shot at ended up getting killed in a shoot-out with one of the very same men they apprehended for shooting at my kids… this wasn’t so funny anymore as these bigoted cops mourned the death of one of their own ilk.

Grand Rapids, Michigan police arrested me on this bogus twenty-one year old warrant and I was immediately transferred to the hands and jail of the Newaygo County Sheriff in White Cloud, Michigan.

Newaygo County is home to some of the worst poverty in the United States while being a “wilderness” playground for the extremely wealthy--- many of whom own poverty wage-paying sweatshops in Newaygo County and around the Midwest.

At the present time a national defense committee is being established to try to prevent my imprisonment on these bogus charges.

This kind of political repression is on the increase all across the United States and is sure to intensify no matter if Obama is re-elected or Romney is elected.

Political repression is part and parcel of this corrupt and rotten system.

We have no national committee against political repression which is directed against those of us fighting for peace, social and economic injustice.

We have agreed to establish a “National Committee to defend Alan Maki and All Victims of Political Repression.”

We will mount not only a legal but educational campaign intended to expose how political repression is carried out by the police, the courts, the political establishment and employers all working in cahoots seeking to maintain poverty wages while driving down the standard of living of all working people while punishing anyone who dares to challenge this corruption intended to shore up this rotten system which enables the greedy, money-grubbing few to live off the labors of the many.

For many years, ever since its creation, the FBI has been used to spin a web of political repression--- attacking those who dare to struggle against imperialist wars, racism and for the rights of working people.

Politicians created the legislation and “special committees” to enable the FBI working through its “Red Squads”--- special units led by FBI “Special Agents” consisting of city, county and state police and now including private “detective agencies” like Altegrity/USIS and all kinds of union-busting outfits--- to carry out this political repression.

I, along with tens of thousands of other activists have been targeted by the FBI and their “Red Squads;” so called because the FBI continues to use the Communist Control Act as its cover to carry out these dirty deeds.

As my 50,000 plus page FBI dossier clearly shows, the perverted  Director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, personally assigned the FBI to attack me--- an attack that has been dutifully carried out by the police and the courts with the permission of both the Democrats and Republicans with the malicious attack from Minnesota State Representative Tony Cornish--- who admits to amassing his own personal file on me--- being the latest and most recent where he designated me in an e-mail he sent to thousands of politicians across the Midwest, including each and every state legislator in  Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan which obviously emboldened the FBI, Grand Rapids Police Department, Newaygo County Sheriff, a corrupt prosecutor and judge to execute this twenty-one year old warrant which was bogus from its very creation with no other intent than to use the “color of law” to carry out this political repression which is the government’s response to my outspoken views and activities for peace, against racism and for social and economic justice.

To understand the nature of this injustice one only has to ask, and answer, the question:

How many other people in Michigan are arrested on twenty-one year old warrants alleging such petty offenses?

The terms of this outrageous ten-thousand dollar bond being used to enforce these fabricated bogus charges against me, restrict me to having to remain in the State of Michigan--- an obvious attempt to thwart our union organizing campaign in the Indian Gaming Industry--- which seeks to empower workers employed in the Indian Gaming Industry at poverty wages forced to work in unhealthy smoke-filled casinos--- and very conveniently under the terms of the racist “Compacts”--- intended to use racism to maintain the poverty on Indian Reservations creating huge pools of cheap labor are all telling.

The Indian Gaming Industry created by these “Compacts” arranged by corrupt tribal politicians, local, state and federal politicians and the mobsters who own the slot machines and table games and every other profitable venture associated with the Indian Gaming Industry, is every bosses dream come true: legislatively created poverty wages imposed on workers who have NO RIGHTS under state or federal labor laws.

These racist and anti-labor “Compacts” created by the Democrats with Republicans looking on smiling with their “bi-partisan” approval are now being enforced by the private and quasi-governmental detective agency which hires a bunch of thugs which include former FBI and CIA agents as well as state, county and local police with the FBI and other police agencies sharing their “information and files” with Altegrity/USIS and shared the other way around.

Why did these corrupt Newaygo County officials acting in collusion with the FBI and Grand Rapids Police Department decide to execute this twenty-one year old fabricated bogus warrant based on outright lies after twenty-one years?

Because the complainant whose story two Newaygo County Sheriff Deputies and the Newaygo County Prosecutor prompted by the FBI testimony could not have held up in court. Only weeks after the death of the complainant are these law-enforcement officials fully backed by the prosecutor and judge now executing these warrants claiming I used the telephone to intimidate these violent bigots.

How convenient; the police will now have free reign to further fabricate more lies without there being a living complainant or “witness” to these bogus charges--- another dream come true; this time for the FBI led “Red Squads,” and quite conveniently for the managements of the Indian Gaming Industry.

The terms and conditions of this outrageous ten-thousand dollar bond include prohibiting me from participating in demonstrations or entering any establishment serving alcoholic beverages which means I am prohibited from entering any casino.  

I hope all of you will consider participating in getting involved in our efforts defending me from these fabricated bogus charges based on lies in twenty-one year old warrants.

Think about this:

Why would any Judge establish a ten-thousand dollar bond for charges which carry a maximum penalty of six-months in prison and a $500.00 fine?

Why would any Judge even consider enforcing such twenty-one year old warrants which could have been served on me at any time over these past twenty-one years?  

Something to think about:

Newaygo County Judge Drake was the very prosecutor who authorized these bogus warrants faced on charges he helped to fabricate twenty-one years.

Does anyone think the execution of these warrants with a ten-thousand dollar bond being imposed with the undemocratic restrictions imposed by the terms of the bond has anything to do with “justice?”

Plain and simple: This is harassment and political repression taken to the extreme.

But, this is what political repression in this country looks like and what political repression has spun.

Like a snowball rolling down a steep long hill on a warm spring day the campaign of hate and harassment just keeps getting bigger and bigger--- the intent being to destroy the lives of living, breathing human beings as was demonstrated by the violent death of my good friend and fellow activist, Native American trade unionist and human rights activist, Greg Paquin, last spring.

Greg’s death was the direct result of where these campaigns of hate generated by the FBI’s “Red Squads” ultimately lead. The FBI and local law enforcement working together with the judiciary and reactionary politicians collaborated to make Greg Paquin’s life a living hell as they fabricated charges based on outright lies against him, too.

There is no legitimate reason why human beings should be subjected to these kinds of vicious hate campaigns instigated by the FBI.

We are going to see what we can do at a grassroots level to put an end to these kinds of politically motivated campaigns of hate.

I would also note that right-wing bigot Richard Mellon-Scaife has put his billions of dollars to work in creating several public front groups--- including KeyWiki staffed by, Trevor Loudon, a known pedophile working out of a cave in New Zealand  and Accuracy In Media staffed by a pervert in an expensive suit, Cliff Kinkaid--- being used to “expose” “Communists” and it is not coincidental that I have been singled out along with Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie whose “crime” is participating in meetings with Communists--- for outrageous and vicious attacks by both of these right-wing outfits funded by the nefarious right-wing bigot Richard Mellon-Scaife. Attacks that just happen to coincide with these recent attacks by politicians like Minnesota State Representative Tony Cornish who (retired from law enforcement), instead of apologizing to me for calling me “a very dangerous person” because I use my constitutionally protected rights to speak out, write and act in defense of worker’s rights and against racism which are human rights; Cornish has now proceeded to calling me “one of the most dangerous men in the world.” 

Please consider joining with us to put an end to this officially promoted bigotry where corrupt politicians working in league with law enforcement, prosecutors and the judiciary and the nefariously heinous Indian Gaming Industry which has hired Altegrity/USS to stymie and thwart our union organizing campaign are trying to stifle and smother our struggles for peace, social and economic justice.  

Today, Newaygo County is a burial ground for democracy but as we have seen, this could be, and is, Anyplace, U.S.A.--- a country these reactionary sleaze-balls hiding their wicked reactionary agenda under the “color of law” proclaim to people everywhere to be “the world’s greatest bastion of democracy.”

A law suit against, and to halt, these ghastly charges and undemocratic, unconstitutional behavior is being prepared for the federal courts.

If you have been targeted for similar political persecution I would like to hear from you so we can document for the peoples of the world what is going on here in the United States.

My next court appearance has been scheduled for November 12, 2012 at 8:30 A.M. in Newaygo County District Court with Judge Drake presiding.

At the arraignment on November 12 I will be asking these charges be dropped based on the facts:

1.) The complaining witness is now dead;

2.) These warrants should have been dismissed long ago under statute of limitations;

3.) These warrants were knowingly bogus at the time based on lies fabricated by Drake, the police and Karen Plants (Scott Plants was her husband at the time); bogus from the very time these warrants were issued twenty-one years ago;

4.) The bond is reduced to personal recognizance with no draconian stipulations;

5.) Judge Drake removes himself from this case for obvious conflict of interest;

6.) All charges are dropped;

7.) I am fully and completely compensated for this injustice I am being subjected to.

The Michigan Supreme Court will be asked to intervene by investigating the judicial misconduct, malfeasance and misfeasance in this case of Judge H. Kevin Drake with the request that Judge Drake be permanently removed from “the bench” for participating in this wholly egregious, outrageous judicial misconduct intentionally carried out to deprive me of my most fundamental and basic constitutionally protected democratic and human rights.

Anyone who has ever read the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights along with the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights and then considering these bogus warrants can recognize the injustice in progress in this case.

My Defense Committee will make this case a focus of the upcoming December 10 Anniversary of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

The foundation-funded outfits whose finances are derived from the donations of the very “philanthropists” who profit from the injustices of working people refuse to take on these cases so grassroots efforts like ours are required.

Many people have called to ask me what they can do.

As a first step, please circulate and distribute this as widely as possible since education and informing a wide circle of friends is the first step.

Second write a letter to Judge H. Kevin Drake.

Your suggestions are encouraged and welcome.

We realize everyone is very busy on a variety of issues but we request you find a way to fit this into your busy schedule.

Thanking you in advance for you involvement and participation.

I appreciate the concern from everyone--- the calls, visits and e-mails.

While it is helpful for people to call Newaygo County District Court Judge Drake; it is even more important to place your thoughts in writing and send to:

Judge H. Kevin Drake

78^th District Court

1092 Newell St.

White Cloud, Michigan 49349

Telephone Number: 231-689-7257

The stated offense I am being accused of is:

“Telephone use for harassment.”

My case has been assigned Case Number: 9014391SM

Please document any phone calls by getting the name of the person spoken to, the date and time of the call and a description of what transpired in the conversation.

My next court appearance is scheduled for:

Monday, November 12, 2012 at 8:30 A.M. at the above address.

Please send a copy of any letters written to:

amaki000@centurytel.net

In my more than 45 years as an activist struggling for worker’s rights and in defense of worker’s livelihoods, for peace, against racism and poverty I have never used a telephone or any other method to “harass” anyone.

In fact, J. Edgar Hoover once lamented during a Congressional hearing that included investigating me that I am such a model citizen that it made “getting me” difficult. As a result, this is the kind of dirty deed these dirty birds have to stoop to in order to “get me.”

Republican Gerald Ford always referred to me as “a true gentleman” even though our discussions, often over breakfast, lunch or dinner, were often very heated with the two of us at odds on just about every single issue.

I challenge anyone to step forward claiming I ever “harassed” them.

The harassment obviously is the other way around as this present arrest on such frivolous allegations based on a warrant over twenty-one years old with the setting of a ten-thousand dollar bond proves.

A number of people have asked me what motivated this campaign against me and my family in Newaygo County.

Several things that I was involved in motivated this vicious and malicious vendetta:

First; I was the lead Plaintiff in a lawsuit in the federal courts in which the ACLU took the case.

This case was about getting Bible Clubs operated by a local group of right wing zealots out of our public elementary school.

United States Federal District Court Judge Richard A. Enslen ruled these Bible unconstitutional and ordered them to end.

The case rose to national and international prominence with the like of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson attacking me.

Second; I signed and distributed a leaflet with the picture of Croton Township Supervisor/Assessor William R. Miller’s home--- a multi-million dollar estate on a prime piece of river front property which he under-assessed at around $30,000.00 asking the very simple question:

“How does your property tax assessment compare to this?”

I went on to suggest that this corruption amounted to gross misfeasance and malfeasance.

The Newaygo County Prosecutor refused to proceed with action against Miller.

I then took the issue to state officials.

State officials agreed with me and removed William R. Miller from his position as Assessor but not before William R. Miller “responded” to my accusations in the leaflet which were distributed to every single home-owner in Croton Township by running huge, expensive advertisements in newspapers declaring:

“I want everyone to know Alan L. Maki is a card-carrying communist.

Signed,

William R. Miller

Croton Township Supervisor”

These huge, expensive advertisements were later found to have been paid for out of tax-payer funds by the Croton Township Treasurer.

The leaflet brought out hundreds of people to the Annual Croton Township Meeting, the largest crowd in the history of Croton Township, who demanded the resignation of William R. Miller and when Miller refused to resign the majority of people present voted on my motion to reduce Miller’s salary to $1.00 a year and not pay any expenses associated with the Supervisor’s duties at which time Miller declared the assembled crowd to be “disorderly” and dozens of riot-equipped police were called in to shut the meeting down.

It would, quite literally, require writing a book of several hundred pages to describe the living hell right wing bigots, including the head of the Newaygo County Republican Party, a self-avowed member of the John Birch Society, Roger Geitzen, who ran the public relations department for Consumers Power Company who lived three houses up the road from us, subjected our family to as they focused on bringing physical harm to our two very young children and our two dogs and two cats.

Geitzen admitted in Newaygo County Court during a trial in which I was accused of assaulting him after I took his pellet gun away from him and smashed it against a cement retaining wall, that he shot our little beagle’s eye out with his pellet gun and then he shot me with it as he called me a “dirty Jew” and “Commie.”

The charges against me were later dropped after the Michigan Supreme court found the Newaygo County Judge to be “biased” and appointed a visiting judge to hear the case.

Our kids walked out the door to go to school one morning and found our cat lying dead in a pool of blood on the porch with a bullet through its head, a note attached: “Maki, you are next.”

The role of the FBI in making these right wing bigots and public officials along with law enforcement think they could get away with this kind of hate campaign was very sinister. FBI agents went door-to-door asking neighbors, “what can you tell us about Alan Maki’s dangerous Communist views?”

Is it coincidental that Minnesota Republican State Representative, today, has decided to issue a statement calling me “a dangerous man?” “Dangerous” based on what; letters to the editor I write, blog posts I write, speeches I make, the organizing of casino workers aimed at creating a safe and healthy workplace with real living wages accompanied with the same state and federal protections all other workers enjoy and a voice at work?

J. Edgar Hoover once placed my picture on a chart with about fifty other activists declaring me to be “dangerous.” When Senator Frank Church asked Hoover, “What makes this Alan Maki so dangerous?” Hoover responded, “Maki is a Communist. We believe he is the link to Moscow to the youth protesting the Vietnam War.” Senator Church asked Hoover to back up this characterization of me being some kind of link to Moscow. Hoover responded, “Our investigation is in progress.”

“Dangerous.” We see how this government deals with those it deems to be “dangerous.”

Anyone who questions poverty and the wars making all of us poor is conveniently deemed to be, “dangerous.”

Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelly proclaimed more than 55,000 people to be so “dangerous” because of their advocacy for peace, social and economic justice he kept “Red Squad Files” on them.

The time has come to determine how much this political repression is costing us in terms of dollars and wasted time as well as how this political repression has affected our democracy.

These chicken-shit, two-bit, half-assed fascist bastards don’t dare to publicly debate my views but instead choose the route of instigating these kinds of campaigns of hate using all these dirty forms of harassment--- and then these dirty birds have the unmitigated gall to call what they have created using intimidation and harassment a “democracy.”

I am willing to publicly debate Republican State Representative Tony Cornish--- or anyone else--- anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

Political repression places a barrier to citizen civic participation in the decision-making process; civic participation is a hallmark of democracy.

I need your help in getting this information out to thousands of people. Please consider passing this information along to family, friends and fellow activists.

Thanks for your support.

Yours in the struggle,

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council    

Contact info: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Address:

Alan L. Maki

1850 4^th Street N.W.

Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504