Chapter 46
“The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.”
“The beauty of the second amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.”
At the state capitol building in Austin, hundreds of reporters gathered for a news conference called by the governor to detail the findings of the Rash Sally investigation. Also on hand were Chuck Dixon and Steve Milford, who were prepared to make statements to the press and answer questions.
“Thank you for coming.” the governor began. “We are faced with the most outrageous form of tyranny our country has known in one hundred and fifty years.”
Gov. Cooper paused and took a long, slow look at the audience, allowing people to settle down as reporters and news crews were still filing in, finding space hard to come by.
“This administration knowingly used the Rash Sally assassination attempt on President Johnson to further a political agenda. That political agenda was to pin the attempt on the Tea Party, many of whom are citizens of Texas.
“This administration lied to the American people. It covered up the facts of the assassination. Because of the administration’s lies, people have died in the riots immediately following the assassination attempt, as have innocent Tea Party members at the hands of federal agents who acted in a criminal and unconstitutional manner.
“This administration has no regard for the United States Constitution. It is made up of former hippies, illicit drug users, terrorists, socialists and communists. As you saw two days ago, this administration tried to trample the truth with an unprecedented military operation against a state capitol and a state government not seen since 1860.
“An American hero named Tim Spilner, who worked on the Rash Sally investigation, was killed, along with his wife, in a highly suspicious car accident on the very same day he distributed this incredible cover-up evidence from the Department of Justice to Texas Atty. Gen. Jeff Weaver.
“One of the gentlemen sitting behind me was a friend and co-worker of Tim Spilner. Standing by him is Tim Spilner’s father. Also standing with me is Chuck Dixon, whose home was terrorized and whose best friend, Stan Mumford, was killed in an unprovoked shooting by federal agents.”
Cooper paused again and his serious look was replaced by a defiant scowl.
“Today, I call on Congress to appoint a special investigator, totally independent of the executive branch, to conduct a special investigation into the cover-up of information that resulted in the deaths of innocent Texans and Tim Spilner, who was also an innocent. Let me emphasize that this investigation must be conducted outside of the FBI, ATF or DHS. I also demand that the U.S. House of Representatives bring impeachment charges to the floor for a vote immediately, ultimately to be tried by the U.S. Senate.
“Let me state for the record, the citizens of Texas have let it be known to their elected officials, me included, that they will NOT stand for a federal leviathan in Washington, D.C., especially this administration that is corrupt and uses thug-like tactics to attempt to bring a sovereign state into line with a misguided and criminal notion of federal authority.
“Today, in a special session of the Texas legislature, we will adopt measures to deal with this issue. I have had many conversations with fellow governors across the country who are appalled at this administration’s criminal behavior and who back Texas one hundred percent.
“Let me remind those in the rest of the country a little about Texas history. In 1836, the tyrannical ruler of Mexico abandoned the spirit and intent of the Mexican Constitution of 1824. At the Alamo, a flag flew from inside the walls with the year 1824 on it, reflecting the Texians’ desire to return to that constitution, or else. They didn’t and Texas became a free republic because of it.
“We expect Congress to take appropriate and immediate action to return this country to our Constitution and to impeach the criminals who sit in our federal government, specifically this administration, including the president of the United States, Tyrell Johnson.”
The press conference continued with the personal testimonies of Chuck Dixon, Steve Milford and Tim Spilner’s father. All three were believable, personable and displayed a significant grasp of the facts surrounding the Tea Party raids. Steve Milford attested to the credibility of Tim Spilner.
Tim’s father had a hard time getting through the press conference, still visibly shaken by his son and daughter-in-law’s tragic deaths. He made no bones about the fact he believed the government was somehow involved. He also explained that his son and he were not of the same ideology and that Tim had voted for Johnson twice.
At the end of the press conference, Gov. Cooper, Lt. Gov. Foster, Texas Atty. Gen. Weaver, and Pops Younger stood at the podium for questions.
“Governor, you were accused of fanning the flames of secession a few years ago, which you walked back. Are you threatening secession again?” asked a liberal media reporter.
“Let me say this: I will always follow the will of the people of Texas, whom I serve.”
“Are you saying you believe the people of Texas want to secede?”
“What I’m saying is that the people of Texas will watch very closely how Congress acts, how the rest of the country responds, and what is done to bring the criminals in this administration to justice.”
“Are you going to turn yourself in?” yelled a reporter in the back.
“No, but I will accept President Johnson’s resignation,” said a defiant Cooper.
“What is the status of the arrested federal agents in Austin and in Houston?” asked a West Coast reporter.
“I will defer to Mr. Weaver, our attorney general,” said the governor. He stepped back momentarily to allow Weaver to get to the mic.
“Those agents arrested from both operations are making their way through the Texas justice system. Unlike the process Chuck Dixon and others from the Tea Party went through, these folks were read their rights, provided access to attorneys, and given normal due process. They have all had initial hearings in front of a judge; however, no judge has granted them bail.”
“Do you think the Department of Justice will try to arrest you again?” asked another reporter.
“I doubt it,” smiled the governor. Many in the audience laughed.
“Are the U.S. air bases still locked down?” asked a seasoned reporter from New York.
“Yes, but I can’t get into specifics on that issue,” said the governor.
“Has anyone in the administration tried to contact you in the last twenty-four hours?” asked the same reporter.
“Yes, I received a call from Benjamin Gould this morning. Basically, his call pertained to threats the administration was making to the people of Texas.”
Now the press crowd really clamored for more information about the Gould conversation. What threats could he possibly make? Was this going to escalate?
“Can you be more specific, Gov. Cooper? What were the threats?” asked a reporter as he pressed forward to try to get to the front where reporters were held back by DPS state troopers and a rope.
“I can’t go into specifics but let me just say that, instead of working with Texas to resolve the issues, this administration has once again resorted to Chicago thug-like tactics. I told Mr. Gould that, if the administration attempts to follow through with threats to isolate Texas, we will respond in kind.”
The reporters yelled and screamed for more information, to the point where the crowd was almost unruly.
“Sir, Mr. Governor, we notice the American flag is no longer flying on the capitol grounds nor is it displayed in the rotunda. Why is that?” asked a young woman reporter.
“No comment,” the governor said wryly. “I’m sorry. I have to go now and get ready for the special session of the legislature. I again call on Congress to start impeachment proceedings immediately. You should be asking Johnson and Tibbs for many answers regarding the Rash Sally information and the evidence of the cover-up this her, Tim Spilner, brought to light. Thank you.”
By the time the sergeant-at-arms called the special session of the Texas legislature, leading legislators were announcing they were going to pass a resolution supporting the governor and condemning the administration. It took less than forty-five minutes after the legislature convened to condemn the administration with a 91 percent yea vote:
TEXAS JOINT RESOLUTION No 2216
WHEREAS, the federal government of the United States has mislead the American public about the motives of presidential assassin Rashid Safly-Allah; and
WHEREAS, the administration has blamed the Tea Party for the assassination attempt although it had clear evidence that the motive for the assassination attempt was the U.S. government’s unconstitutional interdiction into Iran during Operation Python; and
WHEREAS, the Justice Department and President Johnson purposely withheld such evidence from the American people to pursue a political agenda; and
WHEREAS, the federal government has conducted unlawful search-and-seizure raids in the State of Texas, which caused material harm to Texas residents; and
WHEREAS, the federal government suspended habeas corpus and due process rights of Texas citizens in violation of the United States Constitution; and
WHEREAS, the administration ordered the illegal missions of federal agents acting under the authority of the Justice Department that resulted in the unwarranted deaths of certain Texas citizens, the destruction of personal property, the unlawful seizure of certain properties; and
WHEREAS, under orders from the administration, the federal government conducted illegal operations against and in the State of Texas, including military operations at the state capitol and Department of Public Safety headquarters; and
WHEREAS, illegal arrest warrants were issued for various Texas residents and government officials that were not signed by the appropriate authorities and were ultimately executed purely for political purposes; and
WHEREAS, the State of Texas demands the United States House Senate conduct immediate impeachment proceedings against the president of the United States, the vice president, the U.S. attorney general, the treasury secretary, the directors of the FBI, ATF and Homeland Security, the White House chief of staff; and
WHEREAS, the State of Texas demands that a criminal investigation be opened by an independent counsel not appointed by the executive branch of the current administration into the criminal conduct of the president of the United States, the vice president, the U.S. attorney general, the treasury secretary, the directors of the FBI, ATF and Homeland Security, the White House chief of staff, the Democratic National Committee chairperson, and various presidential advisors; and
WHEREAS, the State of Texas demands that a criminal investigation be opened by an independent investigator not appointed by the executive branch of the current administration into the death of Justice Department whistleblower Tim Spilner and his wife Mary Anne Spilner.
NOW, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Joint Texas Legislature, on behalf of the People of Texas, demands the recognition of the covenants of this Joint Resolution and that the federal government recognize the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the executive branch’s violation of the rights of Texas under the same Tenth Amendment.
After this resolution was made public, the mainstream media downplayed it as just theatre, with no real meaning or purpose. MSNBC went so far as to call it a “feel-good” piece from the Texas legislature to justify the unlawful acts by state leaders regarding the events at Ellington and in Austin.
The Democrat-controlled House and Senate made it clear they were not going to bring impeachment hearings for a full floor vote, despite the fact that several influential Democrats sided with Republicans that more investigation into the Sally documents was needed. The administration, as part of its stated game plan, put immense and unprecedented pressure on Democratic leadership as the Sunday talk show guests seemed to be repeating verbatim the talking points the White House team had drawn up. There were questions to be asked: With Justice controlling the law enforcement arm of the executive branch, who could act on any investigation? Was this an issue the founding fathers never foresaw? Who enforces laws when the executive branch is corrupt?
President Johnson wasted no time. The staff had mobilized quickly to respond to the leak of the Sally files and to the Texas legislature’s resolution. On a Friday afternoon, which was when the administration typically issued bad news to the country because of the reduced exposure, Johnson placed direct orders with the Treasury, Homeland Security, FAA, FCC, DOJ and various other federal agencies.
The executive branch was going to lock down Texas, force her to her knees to comply with federal authority and arrest Governor Brent Cooper.