@LPNational - Libertarian Party
@RepThomasMassie Republicans shocked to learn the gay Libertarian was more conservative than Trump https://t.co/LJUiS1YYxa
@LPNational - Libertarian Party
In January 2016 Daniel Shaver was in Mesa, Arizona for work. His pest control job required a pellet gun. A hotel patron, thinking he had a rifle, called the police. Mesa police arrived at the hotel and called Shaver into the hotel hallway. Shaver was not armed. (1/5) https://t.co/vgUJDE7SDo
@LPNational - Libertarian Party
The officers on the scene yelled conflicting orders at Shaver and made NO attempt to deescalate the situation. Shaver, clearly terrified, said “please don’t shoot me” right before police shot and killed him. Once again, he was unarmed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBUUx0jUKxc (2/5)
@LPNational - Libertarian Party
The officer shouting orders, Charles Langley, retired and moved out of the country shortly after the incident. The shooter, Philip Brailsford, was tried and acquitted of 2nd degree murder in 2017. The full bodycam footage was not released until after the trail was over. (3/5)
@LPNational - Libertarian Party
In 2018 Brailsford filed for bankruptcy. The Mesa PD rehired him long enough to apply for a disability pension. The reason for disability? PTSD from killing Shaver. He now gets $30K/yr from the city. Meanwhile, the city still hasn’t settled with Shaver’s family. (4/5)
@LPNational - Libertarian Party
Laney Sweet still seeks justice for her husband Daniel. It’s been 5 years and the civil case is still awaiting trial. You can help by listening to her story. (Interview with @ThaddeusRussell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_z0o_QVhBc) #JusticeForDanielShaver (5/5)
@LPNational - Libertarian Party
@VivekGRamaswamy The bloody battle that nearly ended the republic on January 6, caught on film: https://t.co/PsSjrxxhza
@LPNational - Libertarian Party
Like Javier Milei, we aren't here to reform this criminal regime that rules over us—we're here to abolish it. https://t.co/18xqSgjtFb
@LPNational - Libertarian Party
August 21, 1992. U.S. marshals invade and attack a rural homestead in Boundary county, Idaho. Randy Weaver had decided ten years earlier that he'd had enough of society in general, opting to move his family somewhere where they might homeschool their kids and escape what he and his wife Vicki perceived as a corrupt world. The Weavers bought 20 acres on Ruby Ridge, a hillside just up from Ruby Creek, where they built a cabin and other improvements, and set about living a peaceful, primitive yet comfortable life. After three years there, in 1984, Weaver and his neighbor Terry Kinnison had a dispute over a land deal. Kinnison lost the ensuing lawsuit and was ordered to pay Weaver court costs and damages. Kinnison, seething from the loss, wrote letters to the FBI, the Secret Service, and the county sheriff alleging that Weaver had threatened to kill President Reagan and other notable public figures. In 1985, the FBI and Secret Service began an investigation of allegations that Weaver had made threats against Reagan and other government and law enforcement officials. On February 12, the Weavers were interviewed by two FBI agents, two Secret Service agents, and the Boundary County sheriff and his chief investigator. The Secret Service had been told that Weaver was a member of Aryan Nations and that he had a large weapons cache at his residence. Weaver denied these allegations, and no charges were filed. The next month, Randy and Vicki Weaver both filed an affidavit with the county courthouse alleging that their personal enemies were conspiring in order to provoke the FBI into attacking and killing the Weaver family. In 1989, Weaver allegedly sold two too-much-sawed-off shotguns to someone who had led him to believe he was a weapons dealer. The "dealer" was actually an informant for the ATF. Weaver was instructed that he, too, must become an informant or face charges. When he refused, the ATF made good on their threat; the ATF alleged in their filings that Weaver was a bank robber with criminal convictions. These claims were later proven false. Still, a federal grand jury indicted Weaver in December 1990 for making and possessing illegal weapons. Concluding it would be too dangerous to arrest Weaver at his home, ATF agents posed as broken-down motorists and arrested Weaver when he and Vicki stopped to assist. Weaver was informed of the charges against him, released on bail, and told that his trial would begin on February 19, 1991. Sometime over the next year, the actual date of the trial was pushed back to February 20th - one day after the original date. Attempting to notify Weaver of this change, the probation office mistakenly wrote March 20th in their letter instead of February 20th, and Weaver of course missed his trial. Weaver having failed to appear, the court wrote out a bench warrant for his arrest. Due to the charges being weapons related, a federal grand jury indicted Weaver and the U.S. Marshal Service was tasked with arresting. On August 21st, 1992, federal marshals, all heavily-armed, entered the property on foot. Randy Weaver's 14-year-old son Sammy Weaver was outside with his dog, along with Kevin Harris, a family friend. As the marshals crept up the ravine, the dog attacked them and was shot dead. Sammy, seeing the dog shot by strangers in the trees, opened fire. He too was shot and killed. Harris, after witnessing this, fired his own gun, killing one of the marshals. Back at the cabin, Weaver, having now been told conflicting information about court dates, combined with the way the ATF had operated to open the investigation, and realizing the violence enacted against his family by federal agents, declared he would not surrender, alleging there was a conspiracy afoot. Having lost one of their own, the marshals retreated but returned to make the climb the next day, this time accompanied by agents of the FBI, with one FBI sniper taking a position of just over 200 yards from the cabin. When Weaver and Harris opened the front door and walked out to visit Sammy's body, the sniper fired, striking Weaver in the arm. As Weaver and Harris fled back inside the cabin, the sniper fired another shot, meant for Harris. The bullet wounded Harris, but then traveled through the doorway and struck Vicki Weaver in the face as she held her infant daughter. Mrs. Weaver fell to the floor, dead. Her body would remain inside the cabin while the standoff continued. The siege ended after eleven days, after civilian negotiators were brought in. Weaver and Harris finally surrendered and were arrested, both now facing a host of charges, including murder, conspiracy, and assault. An Idaho jury would acquit Harris of all charges. Weaver was convicted of failing to appear for the original firearms charge. He was fined $10,000 and sentenced to eighteen months in prison, credited with time served plus an additional three months, and released after sixteen months. The FBI sniper who murdered Mrs. Weaver was charged with involuntary manslaughter but this charge was dismissed on the grounds of qualified immunity. The ATF and the FBI were both reprimanded by the Justice Department, however, the Department subsequently issued a formal statement that the officers of both agencies acted within their duties. Remember this when you call for gun control. Think it can't happen here? It already has 31 years ago.