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WE THE PEOPLE
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002
Bob Schulz, Rep. Bartlett Square Off Over Tax
Hearing
Bob Schulz's hunger strike prompted Congress and
the Department of Justice to agree to a hearing on the constitutionality of the
federal income tax. Now Schulz, chairman of We The People Foundation for
Constitutional Education, is fighting the decision Thursday of Rep. Roscoe
Bartlett, R-Md., to withdraw from the hearing.
Schulz e-mailed us today: "The chronology of events
shows that soon after Schulz ended his hunger fast both IRS and DOJ began to
renege on their formal commitments.
"Although the Foundation's ongoing 'Wait to File'
campaign is undoubtedly troublesome to the government, the real reason Bartlett
cancelled the hearings appears to be the communications Bartlett received months
ago from DOJ and IRS (which were not disclosed to Schulz), telling Bartlett that
DOJ and IRS would not show at the hearing, leaving Bartlett alone to face the
expectations of the People.
"A constitutional crisis has now developed.
"The constitutional requirement for the government
to answer proper petitions from the People for redress of grievances is so clear
and unambiguous that it leaves no room for interpretation. Congressman Bartlett,
in his own words, has acknowledged that written responses to our particular
inquiries would not suffice and would result in obfuscation and confusion and
would lead the People's petition to ruin.
"A preliminary list of 299 questions is being
provided to DOJ and IRS and is being released to the public. The People now
demand, not request that the IRS and DOJ officials answer the questions in
public. Their presence is demanded at the hearing, which will take place in
Washington, DC as planned on Feb. 27 and 28."
Schulz wrote to Bartlett that "due to the
seriousness of the decision by DOJ and IRS," the foundation planned a
"non-violent mass movement."
The group plans to "proceed with a recorded public
hearing on February 27 and 28, using the Marriott Hotel if the Science and
Technology Committee Hearing Room is no longer available because neither
Congressman Bartlett nor any other congressman is willing to reserve the room
for the hearing."
The foundation hopes for representation at the
hearing from "every organization that is concerned about the protection,
preservation and enhancement of human liberty, and that is interested in limited
government."
It urges "all patriots to demand that DOJ and IRS
attend the February hearing, wait to file their tax returns until February 27
and if DOJ and the IRS fail to appear, to defer filing their tax returns and
suspend employee withholding, and stand together at the mall in Washington on
Sunday, March 31 and peacefully protest the unlawful income tax by filing their
blank 1040 forms in metal waste drums."
Congressman's Response
On his Web site, Bartlett says he "canceled" the
tax forum because he was "quite dismayed by Operation 'Wait to File until the
Trial.'�
"I will not be a party to advocating the
non-payment of federal income taxes,� said Bartlett.
He wrote that Schulz's "rhetoric has made it
impossible for the forum to take place because the Internal Revenue Service and
Department of Justice will not participate.�
The Maryland Republican said he remained committed
to ensuring the right of Schulz and other citizens to exercise their
constitutional rights to get answers to their tax questions from the government.
Bartlett offered to forward Schulz�s questions to
the DOJ and IRS and to post the questions and responses on his congressional Web
site.
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"The defense of the nation begins with the defense
of its borders."
http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020123-98656374.htm Archibald
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