New Hampshire Legislator Introduces Bill to Protect ‘Sovereign Citizen’ Claims
Well-known advocate for far-right ‘common law’ system sponsors legislation that would officially sanction pseudo-legal ‘contracts’ in state system.
New Hampshire has a long and unfortunate history of experience with sovereign citizens, dating back to the 1990s, when the radical antigovernment movement attracted a following in the state’s rural areas that culminated with a tragic shooting rampage.
The movement’s adherents, however, have lingered on the state’s fringes so long, and attracted enough followers in the intervening years, that now some of them not only have won election to the state’s Legislature, but are now introducing bills that would protect and enhance sovereign citizens’ extremist “constitutional” beliefs.
A sovereign citizen legislator from Hookset named Richard “Dick” Marple sponsored the bill, HB 1653, which would essentially protect such common activities by movement followers as filing phony liens against state and local government officials. If passed, not only would sovereign citizens have their imaginary “contracts” under which they file these liens recognized, but any municipality refusing to play along could be fined $10,000 by the state.
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