New York, December 3 . . . The recent arrests of nearly one hundred New York City employees who allegedly failed to pay city, state, and federal taxes, has focused attention on a national movement of anti-government zealots, some calling themselves "freemen," who claim to not recognize the authority of the United States government. They assert that the tax laws are unconstitutional. These arrests follow on the heels of tax evasion charges filed in November against more than a dozen New York City correction officers who claimed to belong to an "independent republic." In 1996, seventeen New York City Housing Authority police, who were not paying taxes and who claimed that they were not citizens, were arrested and charged with tax evasion.

Many of the people in this anti-government movement follow an ideology reminiscent of the philosophy of the extremist group, the "Freemen" of Montana. In 1996, the Freemen holed themselves up in a ranch and held the Federal Bureau of Investigation at bay for 81 days before surrendering to authorities. The Freemen declared that they were exempt from the laws of this country, and used bogus liens and money orders as part of a psuedo-legal system of so-called "common law" to defy the authority of actual courts and harass government officials. Subsequent to their arrest, the Freemen were indicted on 40 counts, including fraud and conspiracy. One of their leaders was sentenced to 27 months in prison.

The anti-government militancy of the Montana "Freemen" has inspired like-minded activists in at least 23 states to file bogus liens, pass phony checks and deny the legitimacy of the U.S. Government. Other anti-government extremists, unconnected to the Freemen have committed fraud against private citizens and institutions. Some are now using the Internet to teach people how to avoid paying taxes, drop out of the Social Security system, and defraud federal and state governments. One such group, whose followers include some of those arrested in New York City, advertises a publication called "The Organic Sovereign American Freeman Compendium" on their Web site. The chapter headings of this anti-government "bible" allude to conspiracy theories and make use of well-recognized anti-Semitic code words.

Publications such as these attempt to convince Americans that their government is illegitimate. In the case of the New York City employees, it is ironic that people who earn their living working for the government have declared war against it.

EDITORS NOTE: For material on the Freeman movement, including Danger: Extremism and The Freeman Network, and to arrange interviews with ADL experts contact the ADL Media Relations Department.

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