SOURCE: http://freedomabovefortune.com/

Thanks to Dave Champion and James Shackelford for the note about and letter to Joe Banister, former IRS Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent, forced to resign after having the courage to embrace the truth and confront his "superiors" with it. Please visit Joe's Web site and download his 98 page "Report to the Nation". Should you ever be faced with criminal prosecution by the IRS, remember Joe's name as perhaps the most devastating "expert witness" you could possibly wish to call on your behalf! For ICE's impressions click here.

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From: Dave Champion <djranch@earthlink.net Bcc:

Subject: An IRS cop switches sides.

Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999

Mr. Joe Banister is an IRS Special Agent with the IRS' Criminal Investigation Division (CID).

Several months ago, he came across some "Patriot" literature and thought it would be fun to read what us "tax protesters" (also commonly referred to as "idiots") have to say. After reading the literature, he thought it would be fun to research the legal claims contained in the literature and laugh at the lunacy of those crazy Patriots. Big mistake!!!!

As Joe followed the research, he was shocked to find that it was factual and that, when held side-by-side with what he'd been taught by the IRS, the IRS representations crumbled before the actual laws and Supreme Court rulings. Being a man of integrity, Joe spent his personal time (off the government clock) putting together a brief regarding his findings and the apparent disturbing misrepresentations made by his employer. When it was complete, he submitted it to the head of CID for the district in which he works (located in Northern California). After reviewing his brief, his supervisor suspended him for a week without pay saying that he needed time to consider his attitude. Joe informed his supervisor that the matter was not about "attitude", but rather about "legal facts". He told the supervisor that he did not want to be adversarial with his employer, but would just like them to correct him in the areas where he might be off-base. "After all", Joe informed his supervisor, "I am putting people in jail based on what I have been taught". Joe is just now returning to work after his suspension and the IRS has said that it will not dignify his brief with a reply. He is still committed to getting the answers out of them.

It's rather ironic. The IRS (and the media) say that Patriots are "nuts" and misrepresent the law. However, I have written to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, the Secretary of the Treasury, and various elected officials. Although I am supposedly way off-base, not one of them will respond to even the most simplistic of questions. Now Joe Banister is financially punished for simply asking a his employer if what he has found it legally correct.

Anyway, the letter that appears below was written to Joe for encouragement. I found it to be a heartfelt meaningful letter, so I thought I'd forward it to you.

Dave

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"Mr. Banister, I just wanted to briefly thank you for taking the time to learn the truth.

Your story coming to me over the net was one of the most uplifting moments of my week. I started this fight at the ripe old age of 21, a real puppy age for this movement. Nine years later I find it easier to be discouraged than not at the prospects of my 3 children ever getting to live in a country where they are left alone to live their own lives in unfettered prosperity and peace with a government that obeys the Law and "rewards good and punishes evil" (Rom13).

Instead I wonder what it will be like for them to spend a length of time apart from their father when he inevitable gets an extended vacation at the nearest club Fed, or reeducation camp (depends on your perspective). I truly expect that because my resolve in my position is concrete, and what most good Marxist regimes can' t stand is for people to have thoughts in their head that do not jibe with the party line.

Anyway, I had been thinking all day, as I considered the likelihood of a coming state battle for my professional license that I need to employ my education to feed my family (resulting from my lack of old age survivors benefits scheme number - SSN). My thoughts had centered on the fact that it would be so much easier and safer to operate in ignorance of the law and just be a filer. But I know the truth, and I would have to go to bed knowing that my children's father has to squat to pee, and is to big a coward to do anything to fight for their future. And that my children's father had forsaken his faith, and lost his grip on the truth, which only comes from God, and had betrayed his very risen Lord. What a sour state to be in.

So I'm locked into doing what is right, no matter the cost. So we are never going to win. So the public is to dumb and lazy and stupid. Patrick Henry, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Locke, Burke, Ethan Allen, George Rogers Clark, Jeff Davis and all the rest are dead and gone, and nobody alive is bright enough to understand them if they weren't. The government as a whole is bent on doing what is wrong, all of the time.

And I'm just sitting out here with my cap pistol waiting to be overrun for being a good man, that got a college education, that carries my children to church every Sunday, reads them bed time stories every night and works hard to earn enough money to get the leaks in the roof fixed for them. I am sad and frustrated, But I fall asleep quickly at night because nothing about ME troubles me, the rest of the world is up to God to deal with.

Then I got this e-mail that said that some nut over at CID lost enough of his mind to actually pick up a code book and thumb through it. Then he went a step further and was willing to entertain the notion that his benefactor was a lying, thieving cheat. What, were you stoned? Even if you were, God bless you for it. I'll be a lot more enjoyable person to be around this week. You made my day.

Because of what you have done to yourself, you'll never be able to close your eyes in peace at night again if you stay in the other side of the street. You have only two choices, stay on their side in eternal, 24 hr a day misery, or come over to our side and join our happy throng of patriots, a motley crew we may be. I'm content with either alternative.

Anyway, a word of encouragement. The more you know the easier it is to be content with your decision to do the right thing. It is not without risk, and offers NO rewards other than a clear conscience and the ability to go to sleep at night knowing that your children's father can in fact stand up and hit the commode with pride.

I welcome your response if you are inclined, and I hope a hearty welcome aboard is in order."

James Shackelford

Father and Patriot