Congressman Don Young Associated To Militia Leader Francis Schaeffer Cox

By Kathleen

Bill Morlin of The Southern Poverty Law Center wrote yesterday on the SPLC blog that Republican Congressman Don Young of Alaska is attempting to disassociate himself from Francis Schaeffer Cox who was arrested in Fairbanks on the 10th March, 2011. Cox and five associates are accused of plotting to kidnap and murder a U.S district Court Judge and State Troopers. He has also been charged with stockpiling weapons. Cox has a history involving violent acts but I have not been able to find any charges relating to his present arrest in the Alaska court records. Perhaps they have yet to be filed as the arraignment was held yesterday. I will update the post when they become available.

Bill Morlin goes on to report that shortly after the arrests a video showing Rep Don Young and Francis Schaeffer Cox emerged on the blog of Political Correction, a project of Media Matters Action Network:

In April 2009, with a video camera rolling, Rep. Don Young signed a “Letter of Declaration” being circulated by the Second Amendment Task Force/Alaska Peacemakers Militia, led by Francis Schaeffer Cox. The “declaration” called on “sovereign Americans” to “alter or abolish” any government that tries to “further tax, restrict or register firearms” or prevents individuals from exercising their “God-given right to self-defense [that] precedes all human legislation.”

The following screen shots were taken by me today from the video. They clearly show Young signing the "letter of declaration" in the presence of Cox.

Don Young signing the letter.

Don Young sits across from Francis Schaeffer Cox

In the video, Cox makes it clear that he drafted the "letter of declaration". Despite this, Morlin informs that Young's Press secretary, Meredith Kenney, claimed that "The Congressman has absolutely no affiliation with Mr. Cox."

According to Kenney,

"Congressman Young attended solely as a staunch defender of the Second Amendment. The letter the Congressman signed expresses the view that we should elect those who will defend the Constitution, and in turn the Second Amendment, as written, or vote them out of power."

Here is a screenshot taken from the video of the "letter of declaration" that Cox drafted. Click on the image to enlarge.

By signing Cox's "letter of declaration" Young has declared that he is prepared to use violence against the US government. In doing so he has violated his oath to defend it. Crooks and Liars writes that the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence has drawn up a petition that you can sign here calling on Don Young to reswear his oath to the Constitution and repudiate the letter drafted by the militia leader Cox.

The following is a copy of the oath that a US House of Representatives takes. According to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Young has taken it numerous times. In it Young affirms that he will defend the Constitution of the United States, which is the supreme law of the land, against all enemies, foreign and domestic

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

CSGV further confirms that "the Constitution does not support insurrection or violence against the Government" and that "one of the express powers of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8) is the ability of Congress to call out the Militia to suppress insurrections, not forment them."

Let Don Young know that you expect him to stand by his oath to the US Government.
Please sign the petition.

The full video can be viewed here.

UPDATE:

Bandit Basheert sent me the following link to an article published yesterday in the Fairbanks Daily news which reveals that a further person has been indicted in association with those charged of plotting to kidnap or kill state troopers and court officials in Alaska.

Rachel A Barney is the wife of one of the accused, Coleman L Barney. She has been accused of harbouring Francis Schaeffer Cox on various dates. Read more here.