Allison Bricker

Users at the DailyPaul.com spark investigation into California based APPF/Michael Hilton by Montana’s Attorney General.

HARDIN, MONTANA – On the heels of new-media journalists James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles secretly filming employees at several ACORN offices advising the two on tax evasion and how to set up a prostitution ring, users at the DailyPaul.com successfully waged a campaign to expose a ruse by the mercenaries, American Private Police Force, to literally take over the town of Hardin, Montana.

Details posted at the Daily Paul outlined an agreement between the quasi-private, Two Rivers Authority (TRA) of Hardin, Montana and California based, American Private Police Force (APPF), a paramilitary force run by convicted felon, Michael Hilton. The 10-year agreement, with an additional 10-year option, sought to install APPF as the operating contractor of the unused $20 million Hardin Detention facility.

Old-media outlets finally began to look critically into the story  after APFF rolled into Hardin driving three  Mercedes sports utility vehicles emblazoned with “Hardin Police Department” decals. Suspicious not only in part as to the mercenary drivers of the vehicles, but also due to the fact that the city of just over 3,000 has no lawfully established police department of its own and instead cedes jurisdiction under contract to the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Department.

The danger of granting a private mercenary force police powers is of course self-evident, and as such, officials from Two Rivers Authority first attempted to brush off such claims as wild unsubstantiated rumor. In fact, Albert Peterson, Vice President of TRA, claimed he was completely unaware of any agreement whatsoever to bestow police duties upon APPF, stating:

“I have no idea. I really don’t because that’s not been a part of any of the discussions we’ve had with any of them.”

Albert Peterson
Vice-President
Two-Rivers Authority
September 24th, 2009

Unfortunately, for Mr. Peterson, typical of the type who weasel their way into pseudo-authority, the AGREEMENT between TRA and APPF, outlining the police department option found its way onto the internet. The AGREEMENT exposes Two Rivers Authority as nothing more than a gang of worthless bureaucrats far too willing to subject fellow residents of Hardin to the whims of a paramilitary mercenary force; birds of a feather.

Even more disturbing, delving further into the AGREEMENT between TRA and APPF, one subsequently discovers the creation of the position of a Hardin City “Police Chief” who at their own discretion, could utilize the main jail facility to detain individuals in their custody. This second revelation fully exposes at least in my mind, the true intentions of the demented felon, Michael Hilton

We are all sickeningly familiar with the atrocities committed by mercenary thugs, carelessly glossed over as “contractors” by the nightly news such as Blackwater/Xe. Imagine the potential for tyranny with a paramilitary group not sworn in any way to uphold either the Montana or federal Constitution setting up shop in a practically new $20 million detention center compound whilst also supplanting themselves as the czars of local law enforcement.

As additional details concerning Michael Hilton’s multiple counts of theft, fraud, and general swindling finally poured out into the open, bondholders became increasingly resistant to finalize any deal at all with APPF, who just weeks prior and in the actual AGREEMENT was then known as American Police Force (APF). One would be remiss in failing to point out that simple internet searches performed by regular everyday individuals managed to expose Mr. Hilton’s criminal past, a bit of due diligence apparently outside the intellectual capacity of officers at TRA.

The tireless onslaught of phone calls by new-media journalists and concerned individuals literally flooded the offices of public officials in both Hardin and Helena, the state capitol. The public outcry led to Steve Bullock, Montana’s Attorney General to issue a CIVIL INVESTIGATION DEMAND LETTER to both TRA and APPF seeking verification of the numerous representations stated publicly and on the APPF website throughout negotiations over the detention facility. A formal response to the letter is due from both parties no later than today. As of this morning however, only TRA had filed their answers with the Attorney General’s office.

Continuing pressure exerted by the new-media culminated this past Friday when APPF announced it was fully withdrawing from the Hardin Detention Center deal. According to the group’s spokeswoman, Becky Shay, the last she saw her boss, Michael Hilton and his entourage of paramilitary thugs, they were headed out of Hardin towards California in two of the now infamous black Mercedes SUV’s.

The sheer arrogant audacity continuing to be displayed by officials from TRA is entirely shameful. Removal of all of these pull-peddling scoundrels from their positions at TRA would be a much kinder form of public shaming than the punishments reserved for scoundrels such as this during the War for Independence, although the latter would perhaps be more appropriate. The only direct consequence suffered thus far by those at TRA has been the suspension of Gregory Smith, TRA’s Executive Director. The good people of Hardin, have been snookered one-time too many,in my opinion. Prudence indeed may guide them to find an appropriate use for the public snow job known as the Hardin Detention Center, perhaps as a facility to “detain” the pull peddlers at TRA who were willing to subject the people of Hardin to the likes of a group of paramilitary mercenaries.

Related Material(s)
	MONTANA Legislative Services Division “HARDIN DETENTION CENTER CONTROVERSY” (PDF 322Kb) STATE of MONTANA “CIVIL DEMAND LETTER” to APPF (PDF 344Kb) Agreement between Two Rivers Authority and American Private Police Force (PDF 427Kb)

Allison Bricker

CNBC
Attention: Dennis Kneale, host
900 Sylvan Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632
(201) 735-2622 Office
(201) 735-3200 Fax

Re: The Blogosphere and the True State of the Economy

Dear Mr. Dennis Kneale:

Recently, you attempted to discredit the entire new-media/blogosphere based on several individual vitriolic blog posts criticizing your Keynesian analysis whereby you stated:

“the Great Recession is over.”

Dennis Kneale
CNBC
June 25th, 2009

In a subsequent display wholly unbecoming of a journalist, regardless of medium, and in lieu of offering further research to buttress your original statement, you opted to stoop to their logical fallacy of argumentum ad hominem and referred to your critics as “digital dickweeds”. Additionally, you then further attempted to construct a straw man by directing your ire towards the anonymity offered by the internet, when the crux of the matter is your analysis, not the benefit or detriment of anonymity.

Therefore, should you be open to an actual discussion regarding the causation, length, and the fundamental flaws of your economic philosophy, I would be happy to oblige. Moreover, my name and the legal names of all contributors to “The Smoking Argus Daily” have and shall remain in full view righteously pegged to their individual reports and editorials.

Admittedly, we may share a general dislike of anonymous blog posts; however, our nation has a rich history of pen names and anonymously penned editorials. One only need to think of the founding generation’s use during the time leading up to the ratification of the Constitution, as well as Mark Twain, to understand that anonymity is not solely the tool of those with low moral fortitude.

Respectfully,

Allison Bricker

P.S. If you would like me to fax over a copy of my driver’s license in order to prove the factualness of my name in order to avoid your condescending use of air quotes, just let me know.

Tarrin Lupo

JESUP, GEORGIA -  Coming upon a traffic accident involving a woman and law-enforcement officer, the officer seems to pay more attention to my filming of him and his fellow officers than the accident itself.

Jeff Lewis

I have been observing the Iranian election and subsequent eruption of events occurring there for the past week. Several astonishing things are happening on the world stage, currently centered in Tehran, the most significant of which is the world’s first, “Cyber Revolution”, a term I first saw coined on CNN’s coverage. At the initial outbreak of massive voter dissent on Sunday, the ruling theocracy of Iran wasted no time in shutting down all of the traditional media outlets, rounded up all the foreign press and media agents, unplugged and jammed as many venues to cyberspace as they could, but the world’s front row seat is still being viewed on every TV screen and monitor on the planet. The mullahs are not up to speed with the technology network that has proliferated throughout the globe and are learning that “mass media control” is a thing of the past.

Huge crowds assemble on short notice throughout Tehran and remain several steps ahead of Iran’s considerable domestic security apparatus. The demonstrators of Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989 did not have the technical high ground that their protesting counter parts have in Tehran. It remains to be seen, as of this writing, if Iranian security legions can corral and subdue the hundreds of thousands who are outraged at the voting sham that recently occurred in their country.

The ruling theocracy of Iran made a serious miscalculation in rigging this election. They obviously determined all they needed to do was give the appearance of electoral transparency. They permitted large partisan public candidate rallies, accompanied by a nationally televised debate to the voters and world stage. They also encouraged a large Election Day turnout, and then announce their predetermined choice of the victor in the election and hoped everybody would return to their own affairs and daily business. They are now reaping the whirlwind of an entire culture, intoxicated with the notion that their vote actually meant something.

How utterly foolish this theocratic regime has been. They announced, prior to Election Day in anticipation of a huge voter turnout, that they had 55 million paper ballots printed. The reported turnout was around 35 million with Ahmadinejad garnering 22 million and his nearest opponent, Mir-Hossein Moussavi, with 13 million. These results were announced within three hours of the polls closing, according to Richard Engle, veteran Middle East reporter for NBC. Three hours to tabulate 35 million paper ballot votes is preposterous by any previous standard known to mankind! What idiots these rulers must think of the people.

What kind of precedent did they think they were setting for a country of 78 million people, two thirds of whom are under 30 years old and were not alive when the last revolution took place 30 years previously? This youthful population segment is well educated and acculturated to Western customs and politics, as a result of their interaction via cyberspace since they began substantive cognition. In their reporting of election results they said that Ahmadinejad defeated Moussavi by almost two to one in his hometown, which would be like reporting McCain defeated Obama in Chicago by that margin.

For their part, Republicans have wasted no time in advocating a “get tough” approach to Iran. An approach that has been bereft of any positive results with Iran, to date, along with other disastrous Middle East policy initiatives of theirs. Instead, President Obama has adopted a posture of keeping his powder dry until the smoke clears; at least. Today, the Guardian Council of Iran has announced it will review allegations of any voting infractions and irregularities. My bet is they may determine the vote margin was not as great as first reported, but there will be no new election or recounts that would jeopardize their predetermined choice of the winner.

The situation in Iran represents the first great clash of a pre-cyberspace authoritarian leadership style and the youthful disciples of emerging technology’s informational applications to international politics and governance. The prophetic theme in Marshall McLuhan’s, “Medium Is the Massage”, of 1967, where he predicted the inexorable emergence of the, “Global Village,” is manifest in this current struggle. Stay tuned.

Tarrin Lupo

The 1st Amendment right to a free and open press is under attack at an ever-alarming rate. The stories of two new-media journalists, Sam Dodson¹ and Dave Ridley², jailed in New Hampshire coupled with the arrest of Adam Mueller from the Motorhome Diaries in Mississippi have circulated both the internet and old-media enclaves proving more now than ever, that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Thus, it is our duty to both understand and implement Judge Andrew Napolitano’s sentiment³ that “The Camera, is the new Gun”. Public officials must be held accountable and we must keep our cameras rolling in order to counterbalance the unchecked and growing power of the state.

Source(s): • ¹Carlos Miller’s Photography is Not a Crime “Newly released video of Sam Dodson’s arrest reveal painful screams”, published may 6th, 2009 • ²Happily Oblivious “Freedom Activist Dave Ridley Arrested” published March 3rd, 2009 • ³Freedomwatch with Andrew Napolitano – originally aired May 27th, 2009

Allison Bricker

Dear Readers:

This week past, some readers of “The Smoking Argus Daily” took offense and expressed outrage at two of our recent articles. The articles in question, “President Obama’s Secret Goon Squad Still Torturing Prisoners in Gitmo” and “Jekyll Island Project Media Blackout; Bob Schulz Refuses Press Coverage” stirred up controversy over our criteria for publishing and some questioned “our” loyalty to the liberty movement.

Our criterion for publishing content is based on our determination as to the reliability and overall credibility of the original source. Thus, in reference to the President Obama article we stand behind the reputations of award winning journalists Amy Goodman and Jeremy Scahill.

This is why when we launched SmArgus one of our main goals was to combat the tabloid stereotype of online blogs by offering sources and hyperlinks back to the original sources. Nevertheless, we nor any other journalist is not above reproach, and as such, if a previously stated claim within a post is found to be wholly unreliable, inaccurate, or needs further clarification, we shall, issue a statement of retraction or clarity.

Additionally, if you came to SmArgus with the misconception that this blog would shirk from its responsibility to report critically on one particular viewpoint solely because a contributor or contributors possess a certain ideology, then we suggest you look elsewhere. The internet is replete with blogs who shill endlessly for their point of view, operating under the assumption that their philosophy or leaders are akin to gospel. The Smoking Argus Daily” is not one of them. There are no sacred cows.

“Therefore, we at The Smoking Argus, will not pander or seek the approval of any particular ideology, character trait, politician, political party, religious persuasion, ethnicity, etcetera, etcetera. We welcome everyone irrelevant of their label, both as contributors and those who add to the conversation via the post comment forms.”

‘About’
The Smoking Argus Daily

In closing, the style in which my reporting and editorial is based upon, is in part an homage to the old Chicago style muckrake journalists who contrary to today, refused to let the subject of an interview slither their way out of answering a question. Like it or not we and all the other bloggers, YouTubers, etc, are the new-media, and we have a duty to provide answers and opinion to our readers. You may not like the answers or opinion you read, and are free to voice your opposition in the comment section below each and every post. However, sometimes getting to the bottom of a story can be messy business.

Respectfully,

Allison Bricker
Editor & Publisher