Ohio authorities stormed a farm house in LaGange Monday, December 1, to execute a search warrant, holding the Jacqueline and John Stowers and their son and young grandchildren at gunpoint for nine hours. During the raid the Ohio Department of Agriculture and police confiscated over ten thousand dollars worth of food, computers and cell phones. The Stowers’ crime? They run a private, members-only food co-op. While state authorities were looking for evidence of illegal activities, the family was not informed what crime they were suspected of, they were not read their rights or allowed to make a phone call. The children, some as young as toddlers, were traumatized by armed officers interrogating the adults with guns drawn.
The Morning Journal, a newspaper serving northern Ohio, reported that the Stowers were believed to be operating without a license. However, the Stowers claim that the food co-op they run does not engage in any activities that would require state licensing. Friends of the Stowers openly question why such aggressive tactics were necessary to investigate a licensing complaint. The Ohio Department of Agriculture has apparently been chastised by the courts in previous cases for over-reach, including entrapment of an Amish man to sell raw milk, which backfired, when it became known that the man gave milk instead of selling it to a state undercover agent, refusing to take money for what he believed to be a charitable act. The Amish literally interpret the Gospel of Matthew (5:42) to “give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”
This is all about the government not getting their “cut”, kinda like the mob thugs who shake down the liquor store owner on the corner. What is happening to our country?
wow this is nearby, i didnt hear this on the local news…. i need to poke around here………
We the People really should be up in arms over this type of thing====a fricking licensing issue? The Government really is acting like the Mafia.
OTOH–family should be happy no one got shot because law enforcement is such a dangerous job you know==AND they should be happy they didn’t have their farm, house, and property all confiscated as fruit of an illegal activity, all to be proven at some time in the future, and if the government loses then you can sue to have the property returned to you (this happened in California regarding suspected Pot Growers==no Pot found, prime real estate not returned), AND that that new Army Division dedicated to homeland security issues was not called out for a drill.
Its the sort of thing where I wish guns really could protect us—you know? Instead, only words and actions will protect us. IOW==we are all doomed.
ok the read the morning journal article, it didnt mention the swat team? there is some crackpot site that i came across that had stated the swat team was there. I call shenanigans on this story……..
sounds like the food co-opers are trying to gain some attention…
hhmmm
It is getting harder to say what’s right with this government operations…
I am looking at a Lady now that was injured on the job for the Government and they have denied any kind of care when she is in desperate need of major surgery… Not only to now fire her but, also charge her with fraud when they have not even paid her a dime…
There is no common sense any longer in this country… The root problem is that NO ONE respects anyone else, it’s all about how much money they can get and keep for themselves..! Especially POLITICIANS..!
#2 – Bobbo
>>We the People really should be up in arms
>>over this type of thing====a fricking
>>licensing issue?
You say this now, but wait until you see what the Jesus-loving, prayer saying, tithe-giving Bible-thumpers put on their web site (which is in LaGrange, OH, not LaGange) which can be found at mannastorehouse.com .
<bManna Storehouse
“For the bread of God is He which cometh down from Heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” John 6:33
and
““All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.” Numbers 18:12
and part of their subversive mission statement is “One of the reasons we began Manna Storehouse was to make it as affordable and convenient as possible for people to eat healthy. It is our belief that food is best as God intended nature to produce; no antibiotics, growth hormones, chemicals, food dyes or other man-made additives. That is why we began searching out the best sources for all natural and organic food ourselves. We have been encouraged to find many farmers who are researching and working towards restoring their soil to the proper vitamin & mineral balance, therefore enhancing the nutritional value of the foods they produce. ”
In any case, it’s refreshing to see you standing up for the rights of your avowed enemies, the true-believing sheeple! Keep up the good work, son.
What is happening to our country?
S-0-C-I-A-L-I-S-M.
If some self-important mucky-muck doesn’t know everything you are doing and approve in triplicate beforehand;
Well, then you can’t do it!
Remember, when detained by the police, ask if you are under arrest. If they say no, leave. If they say yes, demand a lawyer.
#7, Sean,
Don’t count on that. Police may detain you without arrest. You do not need to be given a lawyer as soon as asked for. Only they may not question you until you have received a lawyer.
Of course, you may always try to leave but then obstructing police can be a crime in most States.
#7 – Sean O’Hara
>>Remember, when detained by the police, ask if you
>>are under arrest. If they say no, leave. If they
>>say yes, demand a lawyer.
Naw, you’re thinking pre-Bush. Now that we know the Constitution is just a “goddamned piece of paper”, all that silliness is out the window. The authorities can detain you indefinitely (years and years, if they want) without arresting you. And if they DO arrest you, you don’t have the right to SHIT.
Barack O’Communist may bring back some of our rights, but in the meanwhile, it’s every citizen for himself.
I have difficulty accepting, as a credible source, whatreallyhappened.com.
Has this been reported by any other, preferably more credible news source, and, if so, link?
#10 – Mr. Fusion
Their website states:
NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT
Members agree that by joining Manna Storehouse you state that you are not an employee of any federal, state or local government agency. Any transaction, communication or observations by you and/or anyone with you cannot be reported or communicated in any way to any federal, state or local government agency; nor used in a court of law against Manna Storehouse or any member of the Stowers family.
And
c. Manna Storehouse is not licensed or approved by any federal, state or local agency and it does not have any plans to do so in the future.
I like ’em already.
It’s stories like this – totally true or not – that give credence to conspiracist (are you listening Alex Jones?) nutballs. Until I hear that armed farmers were chasing away the “revenooers”, a co-op licensing issue should have been handled by a Wally Cox-like clerk and maybe a deputy sheriff to execute a search warrant.
Hmmm…. armed standoffs against American citizens. It sounds like the Democrats are coming back to power again. Looks like the return of the Clinton years are starting off with a BANG! I hope we can all get through this alive.
Bush?!?!?!?
Ohio is run by Democrats.
You know, your heroes. The same wonderful people who tried to destroy Joe the plumber.
I detest government. Stocking up these days. Not food.
#15 – RSweeney
>>Ohio is run by Democrats.
wtf? Except for the governor (and lt. governor), just about every reigning politician in Ohio is a Repub. Eleven of the 18 congressmen are Republicans.The Republicans control both houses of the Ohio General Assembly and all seats on the Ohio Supreme Court. The Ohio Republicans gave Dumbya the presidency in 2004. This is being “run by Democrats”???
>>The same wonderful people who tried to
>>destroy Joe the plumber.
Joe the “plumber” was a douche bag. If anyone destroyed him, it was Joe himself, with his lips planted on McBush’s ass, whining about how as a “plumber” [koff, koff], he would have to pay more taxes under Obama, once he bought out the business he worked for as a gypsy handyman. “Destroy” Joe the “plumber”. Pfffft.
I’ll feel much safer when it’s the Citizen Security Force conducting these raids.
#6
I think you got it wrong. Sounds more like F-A-S-C-I-S-M to me.
Welcome to Gitmo nation central.
It wouldn’t surprise me if it happened as McCullough noted.
Between the tossing out of the constitution, King George, illegal but hidden activities at the DOD, CIA, NSA, FBI …. what do you expect.
Americans spend more money to equip and arm cops then we do our solders.
Who do you think the government really fears and wants to attack, Americans or radical Muslims?
Wake up people, you are no longer Americans living in a Constitutional democracy where elected representatives care about their constituents!
How’s that police state working out for you? Ready to protest yet, or do people have to be deported to death-camps first for trying to buy food?
McCullough asked, “What is happening to our country?”
This is the same state that went into overdrive to illegally search and turn over private info of “Joe the Plumber” to the media and see if they could get dirt to arrest him.
Why are you surprised?
Who’d a thunk it- in the state that gave us the Kent State shootings? Is Rhodes still in charge?
What a bunch of sheeple running at a cliff. You idiots must love a new conspiracy.
First, the only evidence that there were guns used is coming from ONE effen, biased source that apparently has no writer. It is understandable that a search of a hostile place would have armed personnel.
Second, it is illegal to sell un-inspected food.
Third, it is illegal for ANY food processor to refuse inspection by a health inspector.
Fourth, (for Mustard) any pact or agreement is irrelevant as a defense and may end up being used as evidence to form a conspiracy. Common consent can not be a defense to a criminal activity. Discrimination based upon employment or the preclusion of a criminal act would void that whole agreement anyway.
Fifth, the local health inspector had tried to inspect the premises and had been ordered off the property by the owners.
Sixth, if the county and State officials had not done anything and an e. coli outbreak occurred then there would by screaming from all the sheeple here about the failure of government.
#24 – Paddy O’Pinocchio
>>This is the same state that went into
>>overdrive to illegally search and turn over
>>private info of “Joe the Plumber” to the
>>media and see if they could get dirt to
>>arrest him.
Haw, O’Pinocchio. Your NOSE GROWTH is going into overdrive today. “Joe” (not his real name) the “plumber” (not his real occupation) was a flash in the toilet bowl; a media creation whose only raison d’être was to try and dig McBush out of that “7-house, billionaire beer baroness trophy-wife” hole he had dug himself into.
Nobody went into “overdrive”. A couple of nosey Parkers took a peekie-boo into Joe the Plumber’s (also known by his real name, Same the Handyman) files, and were punished for their curiosity. Turns out Sam the Handyman DID have some things to hide, though, doesn’t it? I guess that’s why he went from being McCain’s pajama pal to being a pathetic joke of an infomercials, trying to pimp his ghostwritten book and his pay-as-you-post “blog” and all the other scams he’s got set up to try and milk enough money out of his 15 minutes to buy a couple of six-packs of Bud Lite.
#10 I could care less what silly laws are on the books. It does not make it right none the less. Here you are basically saying that given they belong to some militia they don’t deserve due process of law. Guilty until proven innocent with draconian asset forfeiture laws. You are sick. If two people are voluntary making a transaction of food it’s no of your business. Just because it’s already established nanny statism does not make it right. If someone is worried about food quality it’s up to the buyer to demand proper private inspection certifcation papers etc. But no that responsibility to is shifted over to some half backed government bureaucracy.
#27. and you know what, they did the same damn thing to the ‘Where’s the Beef?’ lady back in the 80s.
It just doesn’t pay to be a campaign mascot anymore …
#28 – nonStatist
>>Here you are basically saying that given they
>>belong to some militia they don’t deserve due
>>process of law.
Hey, who says them even belonging to a militia is “given”??
As far as I can see, it’s just a bunch of neighbors who buy and sell food privately among themselves, and don’t want to be burdened with the same rules and regulations as Kroger or Publix or any of the mass-market, open-to-the-public food distributors.
#29 – Doug
>>and you know what, they did the same damn
>>thing to the ‘Where’s the Beef?’ lady back in
>>the 80s.
Yeah, but Clara Peller lived in honor and dignity, because she was just what she appeared to be – a little old lady. (At least until she was fired by Wendy’s for saying that she had “found the beef” in Prego Spaghetti sauce).
Sam the Handyman, on the other hand, was a fraud, a scammer, a poseur, a phony, a fake, a three-card-monte dealer of the first water, lying about his name, his occupation, his income, his future plans, his tax status, and just about everything else that was up for grabs.
Come to think of it, he was a great spokesmodel for the Republicans.
So how the heck does the Ohio department of Agriculture decide to investigate something like this in the first place? My guess is this isn’t the only ag-coop in the USA, in fact I’d bet they’re on the rise. People are more aware than ever of the modern methods of agriculture. Insecticides, hormones, genetically modified seed, and the list goes on and on. Big(HUGE) agricultural interests are watching their market share shrink and are moving their political muscle. Is it a coincidence that Monsanto has some big offices of their global seed group in Ohio? I think not! Another example of the true power in America – Ka-Ching!