Feds Seize Fake Coins Featuring Ron Paul

(AP)  Federal agents raided the headquarters of a group that produces illegal currency and puts it in circulation, seizing gold, silver and two tons of copper coins featuring Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Agents also took records, computers and froze the bank accounts at the "Liberty Dollar" headquarters during the Thursday raid, Bernard von NotHaus, founder of the National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve Act & Internal Revenue Code, said in an interview.

The organization, which is critical of the Federal Reserve, has repeatedly clashed with the federal government, which contends that the gold, silver and copper coins it produces are illegal. NORFED claims its Liberty Dollars are inflation free and can restore stability to financial markets by allowing commerce based on a currency that does not fluctuate in value like the U.S. dollar.

"They're running scared right now and they had to do something," von NotHaus told The Associated Press Friday. "I'm volunteering to meet the agents and get arrested so we can thrash this out in court."

Wendy Osborne, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Indianapolis office, declined to comment and referred all questions to the U.S. attorney's office for the Western District of North Carolina. Suellen Pierce, a spokeswoman for that office, also declined to comment.

In a federal seizure warrant given to the AP by von NotHaus, federal agents allege the money and other properties seized in the raid were linked to money laundering, mail fraud and wire fraud.

The raid comes eight months after von NotHaus filed a lawsuit in federal court in Evansville seeking a permanent injunction to stop the federal government from labeling the Liberty Dollar an illegal currency.

The U.S. Mint issued a warning this year that the Liberty Dollar violated the Constitution and warned consumers against using them unsuspectingly.

Paul's campaign said it had not authorized production of the Ron Paul dollars.

"We have no connection with that," said Jesse Benton, a campaign spokesman for Paul. "He was using Ron as a marketing technique. We didn't have anything to do with that or sanction it or give permission in any way."

[gunownerdan]

Ron Paul silver dollars are now selling for $400+ on ebay.
There is no proof that those coins were illegal in any way.

[forthepeopl1]

SENATOR LINSEY GRAHM, TO ALL AMERICANS, ON MONEY FOR TROOPS

"To vote for it would violate our oath of office, in which we solemnly swear to support and defend the BUSH/CHENEY DOCTRIN he said in a floor speech this week.

***

[forthepeopl1]

SENATOR LINSEY GRAHM, TO ALL AMERICANS, ON MONEY FOR TROOPS

"To vote for it would violate our oath of office, in which we solemnly swear to support and defend the BUSH/CHENEY DOCTRIN he said in a floor speech this week.

***

[hwy71so]

I think Ron Paul thinks the presidency is all a big joke. He needs to drop out.

[ponderosa95]

As someone who wrote news copy for newspapers and radio for 15 years, I know that when someone is suspected or accused of a crime, a reporter needs to be careful to use words like "alleged."

Yet, CBS says that the FBI seized "fake coins" and reports (AS A STATEMENT OF FACT), that "Federal agents raided the headquarters of a group that produces illegal currency and puts it in circulation ..."

If I were one of the parties who had my property seized, and a news agency printed a story that basically stated, as a fact, I engaged a criminal activity--before I was even formally charged with a crime--I would be inclined to take that news agency to law over that accusation.

The real story here is why some people choose to invest in gold and silver and use the receipts for that gold and silver as a currency instead of Federal Reserve notes. Unfortunately, CBS''s story just villainizes the issue.

And couldn''t you have found a better photo of Ron Paul? Or perhaps you intentionally posted a photo that is unflattering?

I love freedom of the press, but it comes with responsibilities. CBS would do well to read the AP stories as they come through and edit them as needed to report facts as facts and allegations as such, and to at least try to report on the real issues.

[ponderosa95]

As someone who wrote news copy for newspapers and radio for 15 years, I know that when someone is suspected or accused of a crime, a reporter needs to be careful to use words like "alleged."

Yet, CBS says that the FBI seized "fake coins" and reports (AS A STATEMENT OF FACT), that "Federal agents raided the headquarters of a group that produces illegal currency and puts it in circulation ..."

If I were one of the parties who had my property seized, and a news agency printed a story that basically stated, as a fact, I engaged a criminal activity--before I was even formally charged with a crime--I would be inclined to take that news agency to law over that accusation.

The real story here is why some people choose to invest in gold and silver and use the receipts for that gold and silver as a currency instead of Federal Reserve notes. Unfortunately, CBS''s story just villainizes the issue.

And couldn''t you have found a better photo of Ron Paul? Or perhaps you intentionally posted a photo that is unflattering?

I love freedom of the press, but it comes with responsibilities. CBS would do well to read the AP stories as they come through and edit them as needed to report facts as facts and allegations as such, and to at least try to report on the real issues.

[ponderosa95]

As someone who wrote news copy for newspapers and radio for 15 years, I know that when someone is suspected or accused of a crime, a reporter needs to be careful to use words like "alleged."

Yet, CBS says that the FBI seized "fake coins" and reports (AS A STATEMENT OF FACT), that "Federal agents raided the headquarters of a group that produces illegal currency and puts it in circulation ..."

If I were one of the parties who had my property seized, and a news agency printed a story that basically stated, as a fact, I engaged a criminal activity--before I was even formally charged with a crime--I would be inclined to take that news agency to law over that accusation.

The real story here is why some people choose to invest in gold and silver and use the receipts for that gold and silver as a currency instead of Federal Reserve notes. Unfortunately, CBS''s story just villainizes the issue.

And couldn''t you have found a better photo of Ron Paul? Or perhaps you intentionally posted a photo that is unflattering?

I love freedom of the press, but it comes with responsibilities. CBS would do well to read the AP stories as they come through and edit them as needed to report facts as facts and allegations as such, and to at least try to report on the real issues.

[ponderosa95]

As someone who wrote news copy for newspapers and radio for 15 years, I know that when someone is suspected or accused of a crime, a reporter needs to be careful to use words like "alleged."

Yet, CBS says that the FBI seized "fake coins" and reports (AS A STATEMENT OF FACT), that "Federal agents raided the headquarters of a group that produces illegal currency and puts it in circulation ..."

If I were one of the parties who had my property seized, and a news agency printed a story that basically stated, as a fact, I engaged a criminal activity--before I was even formally charged with a crime--I would be inclined to take that news agency to law over that accusation.

The real story here is why some people choose to invest in gold and silver and use the receipts for that gold and silver as a currency instead of Federal Reserve notes. Unfortunately, CBS''s story just villainizes the issue.

And couldn''t you have found a better photo of Ron Paul? Or perhaps you intentionally posted a photo that is unflattering?

I love freedom of the press, but it comes with responsibilities. CBS would do well to read the AP stories as they come through and edit them as needed to report facts as facts and allegations as such, and to at least try to report on the real issues.

[ponderosa95]

As someone who wrote news copy for newspapers and radio for 15 years, I know that when someone is suspected or accused of a crime, a reporter needs to be careful to use words like "alleged."

Yet, CBS says that the FBI seized "fake coins" and reports (AS A STATEMENT OF FACT), that "Federal agents raided the headquarters of a group that produces illegal currency and puts it in circulation ..."

If I were one of the parties who had my property seized, and a news agency printed a story that basically stated, as a fact, I engaged a criminal activity--before I was even formally charged with a crime--I would be inclined to take that news agency to law over that accusation.

The real story here is why some people choose to invest in gold and silver and use the receipts for that gold and silver as a currency instead of Federal Reserve notes. Unfortunately, CBS''s story just villainizes the issue.

And couldn''t you have found a better photo of Ron Paul? Or perhaps you intentionally posted a photo that is unflattering?

I love freedom of the press, but it comes with responsibilities. CBS would do well to read the AP stories as they come through and edit them as needed to report facts as facts and allegations as such, and to at least try to report on the real issues.

[ponderosa95]

As someone who wrote news copy for newspapers and radio for 15 years, I know that when someone is suspected or accused of a crime, a reporter needs to be careful to use words like "alleged."

Yet, CBS says that the FBI seized "fake coins" and reports (AS A STATEMENT OF FACT), that "Federal agents raided the headquarters of a group that produces illegal currency and puts it in circulation ..."

If I were one of the parties who had my property seized, and a news agency printed a story that basically stated, as a fact, I engaged a criminal activity--before I was even formally charged with a crime--I would be inclined to take that news agency to law over that accusation.

The real story here is why some people choose to invest in gold and silver and use the receipts for that gold and silver as a currency instead of Federal Reserve notes. Unfortunately, CBS''s story just villainizes the issue.

And couldn''t you have found a better photo of Ron Paul? Or perhaps you intentionally posted a photo that is unflattering?

I love freedom of the press, but it comes with responsibilities. CBS would do well to read the AP stories as they come through and edit them as needed to report facts as facts and allegations as such, and to at least try to report on the real issues.