by Jim Ramsay
Kentucky has a citizen legislature that meets for briefly each year: the regular 60 day sessions going no later than April 15th in even-numbered years while the shortened 30 day sessions going no later than March 30 in odd-numbered years. At the beginning of the session, two of us went to speak with the chairman of the Elections, Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, Darryl Owens, state representative, 43rd District. The representative was cordial and met us surrounded by his staff. We spoke about the state sovereignty bill, HCR10, which declares state sovereignty over powers not given to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution.
Chairman Owens listened to our points about the bill. He said that he would look at the legislation, but would not guarantee it would even be brought up in committee as they had over 300 bills this session. He said that if he did bring it up, that it would be two weeks away. Then, the representative showed that he had researched our group rather than the legislation. He and his staff questioned us about the 912 project and the role of Glenn Beck in it. He also questioned why the project was formed after the election of President Obama. He appeared to be more concerned about partisanship than the content of the legislation. We made it clear that neither our group, nor the bill we were discussing, were partisan: that we had been concerned with the escalating debt and unconstitutional centralization of power in Washington which all went back far beyond the current elections. When I explained that we had active Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, and Independents including an active supporter of Dennis Kucinich attending our events, he smiled and we talked about Representative Kucinich. We explained that no matter the party, government that was closer to the people would inherently be more responsive to the people as evidenced by him being willing to meet with us. He agreed to receive our petition from voters later that same day.
Once we left the meeting, we walked to the capital rotunda floor which was starting to slowly fill with individuals intending to attend the rally. By the time the rally began, the rotunda floor was filled with hundreds of citizens overflowing every entrance and leaning over the balconies above: our members and members of other liberty minded groups were rallying in support of the bill. Massive banner petitions with signatures were gathered. Speakers spoke and the people cheered at the idea of government being more responsive. I saw and spoke with one of Chairman Owens’ staff members who was watching the rally, so his office was aware of the intense interest by the electorate. Good to his word, the Chairman, along with the bill’s sponsor, state representative Stan Lee, met us on the steps to the house chamber to receive one of the banner petitions.
Two weeks passed. During that time, more signatures were gathered. Citizens wrote and called their representatives. In addition to the help of others, we handed out over 500 postcards, wrote personal hand written letters, sent emails, and called. The bill was not brought up. We scheduled another trip to the capital, to try to testify to the committee, but the committee meeting was canceled. The bills need to be completed and on the governor’s desk before the end of the month, so we scheduled another trip to the capitol today. An email came out stating that the committee meeting had been canceled again for this week and that Chairman Owens might not even be in the building. We went anyway. Scores of activists from 912 and other liberty groups filled the halls tracking down representatives and senators. At one point, we were lobbying for the Kentucky Firearms Freedom Act when I saw Chairman Owens walking down the hall. Considering that his committee was preventing a hearing on the 10th Amendment resolution as well as the KFFA, we followed him to an office. We spoke to the receptionist and asked to speak with the Chairman. She explained that he would be out shortly and that we could wait for him. As we waited in the hall, others from our groups began to gather. Soon we had a large crowd in the hallway waiting. Everyone recognized that this one man was voluntarily holding up this as well as other important legislation that the electorate wanted, so they knew this was the most important person in the building that day. The Chairman started to approach, until he apparently saw us through the glass door and started out what appeared to be another exit. There were so many people in the hall; however, each entrance had citizens waiting to express their concern. Eventually, the chairman briskly came out. I shook his hand and asked if we could speak with him, he said no, that he was late for an appointment. I asked if we could walk and talk with him, and he said no. We walked with him anyway. One of the men in our group was holding over 1400 petitions that had been signed by Kentuckians in support of the KFFA. The chairman disregarded that massive and painstaking effort and did not give him a second look. Another 912er handed hundreds more of the signed petitions for the 10th amendment resolution to him as he hurried away.
The entourage of citizens attempting to present petitions to their government lead by a politician ignoring them scurried up the stairs. People called out asking if he would ignore 60 voters standing there to talk to him: he continued his hurried retreat. Once we arrived at the House of Representatives offices, the chairman and his aid ducked into a small room behind the receptionists. I then signed in to see the chairman in his office. The receptionist told me that he was not in. I informed her that he was in the office behind her. I noticed his aid occasionally peaking out. One lady in the crowd told one of the staff ladies there to remember that she worked for us. The staffer replied that she worked for the state of Kentucky. The lady in the crowd informed her that was us.
Soon a Kentucky State Police trooper arrived. He then went behind the desks, spoke to a lady there, appeared to check in on the radio, and peaked around the corner into the area were the chairman had ducked. After a short time, I saw hand gestures from one of the staff members and the state trooper in the direction of the legislators’ offices. The chairman and his aid then quickly rushed out with the state trooper by their side. We called to the chairman who ignored the calls.
I asked to speak to the trooper who was polite and congenial. When asked, he explained that he had been called up by the ladies in response to the comment made earlier by the woman in the hall. That woman had long since left, yet the trooper remained and escorted the chairman out then waited around in the reception area. Apparently, citizens with petitions are a threat.
Since we had requested to speak with the chairman, we waited. After some time, a group from the AARP arrived and signed in for an appointment with the chairman, who were called back. There were eight people in their group going to see the chairman. Once that group left, we asked if there was any update, but the receptionist said that the chairman would not be available for the remainder of the day, but suggested that we call his staff to make an appointment.
We called his staff and told the lady who answered that we wished to discuss the 10th amendment resolution and the KFFA. She said that she did not know when he was available. We said that we would be flexible and adjust to his schedule. She said that they would call us back next week, but that only two people at a time were allowed to see him. We had just watched a group of eight go into and return from his office.
We left the reception area. While on the landing, we were speaking to another group of AARP members who were there to lobby. When asked what bill they were advocating for or against, one of the men responded, “I don’t know what bill it is, they just said to put on the shirt and get on the bus.” Another man on the landing then called in to make an appointment to see the chairman. After the call, I asked if he was going to be able to see him today. He replied that they were booked up today, but that they would call him back. I asked how many folks were going to be in his group and he replied four. I asked if they had made mention of having to wait to hear back until next week or if they had limited the number of attendees to two. He said that they had no problem with four but that they did not say when they would call back.
Our intent was to show them the interest we had seen in the electorate for state sovereignty in the form of the 10th amendment resolution and the Kentucky Firearms Freedom Act. We would have gladly walked and talked with him and politely shown him the over 1400 petitions and still more we were gathering on a daily basis. We had other similar brief discussions with members that morning. It would have taken 5 minutes of his time. Through direct observation, this evasion took approximately 15 to 20 minutes. His meeting with the AARP was at least 20 to 30 minutes after that. For such a full docket, it seemed odd that they could afford to cancel two committee meetings in a row. When a lady reminded a state worker that the citizens are the state, the state worker introduced the threat of force in the form of an armed agent. We, as citizens and tax payers have been respectfully gathering petitions, writing letters, making phone calls, and asking citizens to call their representatives. Those appeals for our representatives to support our wishes are not only denied but evaded. When we brought the signatures of over 1400 people, the chairman turned his back not just on that citizen, but all those people who had signed and did not give them a second glance. We have been either lied to or citizens do not have equal access to communicate with their representatives. A state staff member called in the police either under false pretenses or with the intent to harass and intimidate citizens who violated no laws. Chairman Owens has chosen to side with the unconstitutional usurpation of power by the federal government against the people of the commonwealth of Kentucky. When asked to support a bill that affirmed the Constitution which he swore an oath to uphold, he blocked the bill. Based on his comments on our first meeting along with his behavior since, he appears more concerned about how this might affect others, then how the electorate wants to be represented. There is apparently representation in Frankfort, but the question is, who is being represented? This event shows that it is not the electorate. The question for the citizens of Kentucky is this: do you accept this?
