By Michael Webster: Syndicated Investigative Reporter
In the US District Court in Charlotte North Carolina on July 6, 2009, The Liberty Dollar’s operation was shut down. U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer on 7/6/09
Ordered all defendants in the case shall not circulate or aid in the circulation of any coins or currency in relation to the Liberty Dollar Operation*
The founder of the Liberty Dollar Bernard von NotHaus turned himself in to the US Marshals on June 4, 2009. After which he was booked and made a very quick court appearance in Fort Myers, Florida, He was released on an Appearance Bond that same day.
Bernard von NotHaus informed his followers by e-mail recently that “It is with a very heavy heart that I regret to inform you that I have suspended (closed) the Liberty Dollar operation… until I am acquitted.”
He asked them to trust him and said “after 23 years of research and development plus almost 11 years of practical application in the marketplace, I did not make this decision easily. When I discovered that the FBI had issued an arrest warrant for me, I "self reported" i.e. turned myself in to the US Marshals, I was released on an Appearance Bond with certain terms such as: don't violate any laws, call every Tuesday, fax a report every month, etc. But when I made my "Initial Appearance" in the US District Court in Charlotte on July 6, 2009, I was ambushed by the DOJ Prosecutor with FBI Agent Romaguolo grinning by his side. At the Prosecutor's insistence, Judge Cayer issued his oral order.” Haus added “please note this is not exactly what the Judge said in court, this is the written record, so upon leaving the courtroom I thought the Liberty Dollar was still secure even though the Judge's wording was vague. But it should not be any surprise to you that vagueness could be deliberately used against me. Plus I initially thought that if I was incarcerated, I could bail out, but that turned out to be impossible. While the Eighth Amendment states: "Excessive bail shall not be required…," it does not specify that a bail must be set. So the US Congress passed a law that permits Federal Courts to set no bail.”
The US Supreme Court has upheld that law as Congress legally passed it. The simple truth is that Federal Courts in North Carolina do not set any bail. If you are arrested for a federal offense in North Carolina you are either out on an Appearance Bond or you sit in jail until your trial, which is usually over a year for serious offenses such as counterfeiting and murder. Given such a stern "choice," I "chose" the Appearance Bond with all its encumbering terms and am forced to close the Liberty Dollar until I am acquitted. I trust you can commiserate with my "decision."
Most people have not ever heard of the Liberty Dollar? According to the S&A Digest “It's essentially a warehouse receipt you can use to barter for goods. Each Liberty Dollar is a receipt for so much gold, silver, and copper.