Topic: Sovereign Citizens

A Department of Homeland Security-supported report surveyed law enforcement perceptions of domestic threats. The survey ranked various groups, including Islamic extremists and black nationalists, but identified a different group as the primary concern.

Law enforcement agencies now rank "Sovereign Citizens" as the number one domestic extremist threat. The Southern Poverty Law Center provides training materials for officers to identify these individuals through license plates and bumper stickers.

The concept of signing documents "without prejudice" under UCC 1-308 is discussed as a method for individuals to reserve their rights. The hosts consider the practical utility of this disclaimer in legal and contractual situations.

The current focus on "homegrown extremists" is compared to the McCarthy era and the Red Scare of the 1950s. The discussion references historical standoffs at Ruby Ridge and Waco as foundational events for modern anti-government sentiment.

The hosts critique the theories of Jordan Maxwell, a lecturer who claims the United States is a corporation owned by foreign interests under maritime law. Maxwell's assertions regarding the Act of 1871 and the idea that individuals are traded on the stock exchange are dismissed as illogical. The discussion emphasizes that these "sovereign citizen" tropes often cause more confusion than clarity.

Claims circulating online suggest the United States became a corporation via the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871. This theory often asserts that individuals' names in capital letters represent corporate entities owned by the government. Legal analysis refutes these claims, noting that the 1871 Act was largely repealed in 1874 and does not fundamentally alter the nature of American citizenship or governance.

A new White House interagency working group is tasked with countering "online radicalization to violence." The initiative targets groups including Al-Qaeda adherents, white supremacists, and "sovereign citizens." The hosts express concern that the broad definitions of "division" and "anti-government extremism" could eventually be used to target independent media and political dissenters.

The hosts critique a 60 Minutes segment on "Sovereign Citizens," featuring expert J.J. McNab. The report links the movement to the Posse Comitatus, Terry Nichols, and Wesley Snipes. The hosts argue that the media is attempting to demonize the concept of individual sovereignty and link it to domestic terrorism and tax evasion.

A new movement of "sovereign citizens" is reportedly squatting in foreclosed homes and filing bogus deeds. Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center explains the history of the movement, while the hosts suggest the trend is driven by banks' inability to prove ownership of sliced-and-diced mortgage securities.

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair resigns, with the hosts speculating on a connection to the police shootout involving anti-government activists Jerry Kane and his son in Arkansas. They discuss the formation of the High Value Detainee Interrogation Group (HIG), a mobile team led by the FBI. The discussion focuses on the potential for targeted assassinations of US citizens labeled as militants.

The DHS lexicon includes a wide range of groups, from "green anarchists" and "hacktivists" to the "Patriot Movement." The document defines the Patriot Movement as right-wing extremists who link their beliefs to the American Revolution and reject federal authority. The hosts express concern that mainstream political views, such as anti-globalism and support for states' rights, are being criminalized as extremist.