Dean Clifford - A Tale of Two Gurus

[bmxninja357]

Freemen rep clashes with judge, tossed from court

By: Ian Hitchen

Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 | Comments: 0

Not guilty pleas have been entered on the part of a high-profile member of the Freemen on the Land movement who is accused of threatening law enforcement.

An appearance by Dean Christopher David Clifford in Brandon court on Thursday was marked by a confrontation with Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta.

http://www.brandonsun.com/local/freemen ... html?thx=y

anyone a subscriber who can post the full item?
peace,
ninj

i guess now im a subscriber.... i just had to know what it said.

Freemen rep clashes with judge, tossed from court

By: Ian Hitchen

Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 | Comments: 0

Not guilty pleas have been entered on the part of a high-profile member of the Freemen on the Land movement who is accused of threatening law enforcement.

An appearance by Dean Christopher David Clifford in Brandon court on Thursday was marked by a confrontation with Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta.

Following their exchange of words, Hewitt-Michta said the court won’t put up with vexatious claims and disrespect for court procedure and etiquette.

“This isn’t tolerable, it’s not going to be tolerated by the court,” Hewitt-Michta said.

Clifford, 39, is part of the Freemen on the Land movement and has hosted seminars and been featured in media interviews and YouTube posts.

He appeared in provincial court on Thursday on two counts of uttering threats.

It’s alleged that an inmate at the Brandon jail, being held there while pending on charges from another Manitoba jurisdiction, placed a phone call to his brother on May 27 and threatened to cause death or bodily harm to a Brandon sheriff.

It’s alleged that the same inmate phoned his brother again on June 18 and threatened to kill “all police officers.”

The allegations haven’t been proven in court and Clifford is presumed innocent.

In general, Freemen are known to claim that courts have no jurisdiction over them, and Clifford’s tense courtroom exchange with Hewitt-Michta on Thursday made it clear he questions the court’s authority.

It began when the judge asked him if he’d hired a lawyer.

“First of all, I refuse to plea into a fiction of law, (I) want to make that very clear,” Clifford stated from the prisoner’s dock.

Hewitt-Michta tried to ask her question again, but Clifford continued, adding “Excuse me, I’m speaking … Excuse me, I’m speaking,” when Hewitt-Michta tried to interrupt.

Hewitt-Michta warned that she would remove Clifford from the courtroom if he continued to be disruptive.

“Good for you. Do you think I want to be here? I’m in chains,” Clifford replied before Hewitt-Michta directed sheriffs to remove him from the room.

Crown attorney Deidre Badcock said she sent documents that outline the allegations to Clifford at the Brandon jail, but he refused them and sent a letter to Badcock telling her to “cease and desist.”

After Clifford was removed from the courtroom, Hewitt-Michta said, despite his position, she had an obligation to ensure the court procedure was fair to Clifford who is representing himself. Citing case law, she entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.

She then reserved Nov. 21 as a potential trial date, and supplied Badcock with other potential dates.

In the meantime, the case was put to Oct. 23 for confirmation to set a trial date, and for the Crown to provide Clifford with further disclosure that includes transcripts of audio recordings of phone calls.

The Freemen on the Land movement has received heightened media coverage in Canada in recent years.

According to the Freeman Movement Facebook page: “A Freeman on the Land is someone in a common law jurisdiction who lawfully refuses to give consent to be governed, therefore no statutory obligations or restrictions apply to that human being.”

For example, Clifford’s website states that he drives without a licence and insurance, and doesn’t pay property or income taxes.

The opposing views on the Freemen on the Land movement have been captured in various media reports.

Members of the movement say they’re peaceful.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service, on the other hand, has listed Freeman members among “domestic extremists” and stated that members have occasionally engaged in acts of violence against police.

In September 2012, an Alberta judge released a written decision in which he described the movement as a scam sold by “gurus” who tell followers they don’t have to fulfil such legal requirements as paying taxes.

In that decision, that judge referred to the members of such movements as Organized Pseudolegal Commercial Argument (OPCA) litigants.

“Such litigants engage in attacks on the inherent jurisdiction of the court,” Hewitt-Michta remarked in court after Clifford was removed. “No Canadian court has accepted an OPCA concept or approach as valid.”

now the funny part is how cheap his followers are. not a single comment or rating. quality through and through.

peace,
ninj

[Jeffrey]

The article seems to suggest that there will be a trial over the threats alone which is possible since uttering threats is an indictable offense under 264.1

Unless they lumped it in with the other charges and that's why there's two indictments?

[arayder]

Deaners have made out the "He's never going to get out of here" comment uttered by a sheriff at the jail house to mean the powers that be plan to keep Dean in the jail by and any nefarious means possible.

But I suspect the sheriff really meant that between the obstruction of Dean's constant filings, his refusal to participate in courtroom proceedings and his commission of new crimes while in jail Dean has only adding to his woes.

From his family relations, to his construction business, to his career as freeman guru rage boy's made a hateful mess out of everything he's touched.

What makes anybody think it's going be different this time?

It seems that as early as tomorrow Dean's going to have another chance to further screw things up.

[notorial dissent]

So, at this point we now know that Dean DID get charged for the "threats" he made while in jail, and that charge, along with the others is going to make for a long laundry list. It looks like he is looking at two trial dates now, one for the threats, and one for the issues from before he was jailed, and that the Deaners are right to a degree, although for entirely the wrong reasons, he's not going to get out of jail anytime soon, by his own hand and efforts. Only Dean could turn what should probably have been a misdemeanor traffic stop in to a series of felony charges. Genius in action!!!

[arayder]

Only Dean could turn what should probably have been a misdemeanor traffic stop in to a series of felony charges. Genius in action!!!

Dean reminds me of bad kid in school who would rather be the most delinquent kid in town than be the scared little child who is three grade levels behind in reading and math. To this kid it's better to break the bookshelf, call the teacher a name and get sent to the principal's office than to get pulled out of class for remedial reading and get called a dummy by his class mates.

Dean couldn't cut it in western Canada, one of the most prosperous fair and kind societies in the western world. So he decided instead to be the toughest, most oppositional freeman in Canada.

He's going to play this hand to the end, because the alternative is to deal with being a 39 year-old loser.

[notorial dissent]

He's going to play this hand to the end, because the alternative is to deal with being a 39 year-old loser.

Let's not forget, and in jail loser, likely there to remain for quite some time. Actually, with/considering his anger management issues he's lucky he's not worse off than he is. I don't see those getting any better either.

[arayder]

He's going to play this hand to the end, because the alternative is to deal with being a 39 year-old loser.

Let's not forget, and in jail loser, likely there to remain for quite some time. Actually, with/considering his anger management issues he's lucky he's not worse off than he is. I don't see those getting any better either.

My experience is that this sort of psychological compensation doesn't spring out of the blue.

Many kids trapped in the bad kid example I used above eventually realize what they are doing and start focusing on working on their deficits, particularly if they are provided with a safe environment.

There have a few times during Dean's endless lectures, web casts, Youtubes and web radio interviews that his thoughts wandered by the idea that his anger problems were counterproductive.

Unfortunately for Dean nobody in his family or circle of friends urged him to follow up on the thought, maybe get some counciling and get his stuff together. Darren, his wife and the Deaner hangers on were too busy living their lives vicariously through Dean's adventures to be the real family and friends he needed.

Now Dean's all alone in a jail cell.

[Jeffrey]

Talk about bad timing.

Canadian jurors are not going to be sympathetic to an anti-government activist that's threatening to shoot cops after today's events in Ottawa.

[JamesVincent]

Talk about bad timing.

Canadian jurors are not going to be sympathetic to an anti-government activist that's threatening to shoot cops after today's events in Ottawa.

In case you haven't heard what Jeffrey is talking about:

A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was gunned down Wednesday morning, Ottawa police said.

“One shooting victim succumbed to injuries. He was a member of the Canadian Forces,” police said just before 2 p.m. in a release.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014 ... ttawa.html

edit: Just in case it's not clear the soldier was standing a ceremonial detail, therefore, IIRC, his weapon would have been unloaded and cleared. He would have been unable to fight back against an actual armed assailant.

[grixit]

And the shooter charged into the Capitol building. Three people are in the hospital, as of this morning, unidentified. However it was immediately confirmed that the PM was evacuated.

[Burnaby49]

And the shooter charged into the Capitol building. Three people are in the hospital, as of this morning, unidentified. However it was immediately confirmed that the PM was evacuated.

Up here it's not the Capitol building. It's the House of Parliament. Both the senate and house of commons are situated there.

[arayder]

Talk about bad timing.

Canadian jurors are not going to be sympathetic to an anti-government activist that's threatening to shoot cops after today's events in Ottawa.

Yeah, Dean is on tape threatening court officials. It's pretty certain he has an anger management problem. He's proudly admitted to assaulting cops, and he shows no remorse about it.

Worst of all upon his arrest he had a little arsenal of firearms hidden in his house, including a semi automatic rifle and a pocket pistol which was found loaded and ready for action.

Any prosecutor or judge dealing with Dean has to figure he's a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. The obvious threat to public safety which he represents aside, nobody with the power put him away in jail would want to have blood on their hands should he be released to carry through on his threats, or otherwise act out his anger.

[Hanslune]

Folks you just don't see the incredibly clever trap that our man Dean has set for the TPTB.

He going to have the court dump on him so long and so hard that when he gets out of prison 15 years from now he'll do so after proving he was right and lawful. He'll then finally say the magic words and it will all be done away with, a full pardon, thanks from all (relatively speaking) and he'll get a zillion dollars and the praise of dozens.

Its the grand plan man!

No matter what the 'man' does Dean wins (in his alternative universe viewpoint)

[notorial dissent]

I think saying that Deano has anger issues, I was going to add management to that but I think there is no need to go further, is rather like saying the Titanic had a hole in her.

He has demonstrated that time and time again, both when he was at liberty and then later when he was in jail. I don’t think those episodes are put on either, I think they are right there and imminent, and I think they make him very dangerous as several other popel have pointed out. I would certainly hope that a prosecutor and judge would recognize that and take it in to consideration. His latest charges of threatening bodily harm to officers should go a long way towards bringing that home.

What I can’t figure out, and which really bothers me, is did he learn this at home, or is it something he acquired at school, or is he just broken to begin with? And is his brother having similar issues or is he just following in his big brother’s sorry footsteps because he is too dumb to do anything else?

My impression, and admittedly that is all it is, is that neither of the boys is bright enough to come in out of the rain, Dean has a huge chip on his shoulder, that he continually dares the world to knock off, short man/little man’s syndrome I’ve heard it called, and there seems to be an immense amount of rage burning inside him for some reason. I really don’t foresee a good end for either of them at this rate.

I would also say that today’s events will not further his standing with the courts in the slightest, if only by fall out.

[arayder]

As I said before I think Dean has decided to be the biggest, bad arse freeman in Canada rather than dealing with being a badly failed building contractor.

As has been pointed out his brother has generally the same problem. This is a telling detail.

I suspect both brothers learned in childhood to hide their failures and weaknesses by developing a compensating tough guy persona.

In Dean's case this compensation seems to be tragically over used. You see Dean is failing badly as a freeman guru. So far his response has been to "get tough" by threatening court officials and trying to shout down the judge.

As Dean gets closer and closer to his eventual conviction and his failure becomes more evident his only method of coping, becoming more oppositional and more violent, isn't going to bode well for him.

[The Observer]

As I said before I think Dean has decided to be the biggest, bad arse freeman in Canada rather than dealing with being a badly failed building contractor.

As has been pointed out his brother has generally the same problem. This is a telling detail.

I suspect both brothers learned in childhood to hide their failures and weaknesses by developing a compensating tough guy persona.

Most TPs and sovruns that we discusss here share a common problem: they are employed in jobs or own businesses that are not very financially rewarding or only marginal successful. As an example do a search in the archives for Richard/Dick Simkanin or Walter "Al":" Thompson. Both of these guys were operating specialty businesses that had to go out of their way to attract business. And the profit margins were not large, at least not large enough to satisfy the kind of life they wanted to live.

Many of these kinds of businesses function in the US and typically the owner can only hope to realize some sort of financial windfall by selling it to another person. That is usually at a time when they plan to retire and live off the proceeds. But for some, and I suspect that this entered into the minds of Simkanin and Thompson. that it isn't fair that they work so hard and are still not seeing their bank accounts increase fast enough. It doesn't take too much rationalization on their part to start blaming taxes as the main reason why they can't get ahead. Taxation is a nice easy target to aim at and you can get lots of moral support from friends and peers about how the government takes too much.

Not that this is what made Thompson and Simkanin tax protesters. Nor did the fact that they stopped paying over taxes - there are lots of sole proprietors out there that are padding their income with the money that should have been withheld from their employee's paychecks or for the company's direct liability. And they do it without resorting to using gibberish to justify their non-payment. They just do it.

So why persist in maintaining a business that could go under anyday, that cannot compete with oversea companies, is unable to upgrade or buy the equipment necessary to be competitive, or just cannot adjust to the current business climate? Whether they continue to run the company because they don't like having to let go of long-time employees (out of a sense of honor and/or responsibility) or because they hate to let go of a dream or to give up what they have spent so time at doing, it still boils down to pride.

And I think in the case of Simkanin, Thompson, and even Menard, that sense of pride was probably developed more than was healthy for them. Hence the decision to make this a personal battle.

[arayder]

As I said before I think Dean has decided to be the biggest, bad arse freeman in Canada rather than dealing with being a badly failed building contractor.

As has been pointed out his brother has generally the same problem. This is a telling detail.

I suspect both brothers learned in childhood to hide their failures and weaknesses by developing a compensating tough guy persona.

Most TPs and sovruns that we discusss here share a common problem: they are employed in jobs or own businesses that are not very financially rewarding or only marginal successful. . .

Many of these kinds of businesses function in the US and typically the owner can only hope to realize some sort of financial windfall by selling it to another person. That is usually at a time when they plan to retire and live off the proceeds. . . . It doesn't take too much rationalization on their part to start blaming taxes as the main reason why they can't get ahead. Taxation is a nice easy target to aim at and you can get lots of moral support from friends and peers about how the government takes too much.

Not that this is what ma[kes] tax protesters. Nor did the fact that they stopped paying over taxes - there are lots of sole proprietors out there that are padding their income with the money that should have been withheld from their employee's paychecks or for the company's direct liability. And they do it without resorting to using gibberish to justify their non-payment. They just do it. . .

Those are some great observations about American tax protesters/deniers. Some of these folks got the short end of the stick before they decided to go all detax.

But Dean was a young, fit worker in the what I am told, was a part of Canada with a vital construction industry. As far as anyone can tell he met every business challenge with a cry of victimization and an internet threat against the powers that be.

Then he decided to act out those threats.

[bmxninja357]

In case you haven't heard what Jeffrey is talking about:

A soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial was gunned down Wednesday morning, Ottawa police said.

“One shooting victim succumbed to injuries. He was a member of the Canadian Forces,” police said just before 2 p.m. in a release.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014 ... ttawa.html

edit: Just in case it's not clear the soldier was standing a ceremonial detail, therefore, IIRC, his weapon would have been unloaded and cleared. He would have been unable to fight back against an actual armed assailant.

the sad part of that is.....

Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, Ottawa gunman, asked B.C. judge to send him to jail
'If you can't keep me in, I'm going to do something ... just to be put in,' Zehaf-Bibeau said in 2011

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.2810683

peace,
ninj

[The Observer]

But Dean was a young, fit worker in the what I am told, was a part of Canada with a vital construction industry. As far as anyone can tell he met every business challenge with a cry of victimization and an internet threat against the powers that be.

I didn't say that Simkanin and Thompson ever got the short end of the stick. They just chose to operate businesses that in the end produced either niche-type products or were in a field where there was too much competition for a small company to survive. I am sure what made both Simkanin and Thompson jump into the koolade barrel was arrogance which fed their perception that they too were being victimized by the "system."

Being a young and fit worker doesn't guarantee that you can run and manage a business. Being in a vibrant and growing industry doesn't mean that you can keep up with your competitors. Dean may have known how to do construction in terms of how to nail, saw and measure, but that didn't mean he knew how to run a company, manage employees, equipment and assets, do long-term planning for the financial health of the company, and how to deal with setbacks that inevitably strike.

I have encountered a number of professionals in the medical, business, engineering and legal fields who were experts in their industry, but could not run the financial and daily operation of their business to save their lives. As one tearful wife explained to me about her husband, who had designed a system for banks to back up electronic data (years before anyone had thought of designing such a system), "He is a genius when it comes to computers.But he is an idiot when it comes to managing the checkbook."

Of course, what counts at the end of the day is how these individuals decide to deal with their failure. Most will pack it in, realize they were not cut out be the captain of the ship and are better off being a rower. Others will persist and keep trying, only because they suffer from acute optimism. But then you get the outliers like Menard, Simkanin and Thompson who cannot accept that their failure had to do with their inability to see the forest for the trees. Their pride will not let them do anything but blame others for their problems.

[arayder]

Of course, what counts at the end of the day is how these individuals decide to deal with their failure. Most will pack it in, realize they were not cut out be the captain of the ship and are better off being a rower. Others will persist and keep trying, only because they suffer from acute optimism. But then you get the outliers like Menard, Simkanin and Thompson who cannot accept that their failure had to do with their inability to see the forest for the trees. Their pride will not let them do anything but blame others for their problems.

Well said.

As time goes on we are more and more appreciative of family and friends who encouraged us when a dreamed died.. . when our fathers let us know we'd do just fine if we never played shortstop for the Dodgers. . .when our spouses told us we didn't have to be at the very pinnacle of our professions to do valuable work. . .when a friend said our golf score was "pretty darn good", even though we didn't win the club trophy.

There are times when I wonder if the gurus we are talking never had anybody tell them they could be worthwhile individuals without having lived the freeman/detaxer dream. Indeed i suspect just the opposite happened. Somewhere along the line these guys got the idea that paying one's taxes and getting the occasional traffic ticket was tantamount to being sent to Siberia. . a fate no freeman can endure.

In the end these guys just don't get it. All people need is a sense of hope for the future, a chance to meaningfully participate in something and somebody who cares about them.