(Additional information and links have been added to this article since it was first posted.)
Just when it seemed as if the Rawesome Food Club case couldn’t get any more bizarre…it got more bizarre, a lot more bizarre.
A case that has seen brutal infighting among two of the originators of Rawesome (James Stewart and Aajonus Vonderplanitz), as well as accusations that a farmer supplier (Sharon Palmer) illegally provided raw milk to the club under a herdshare, has now seen one of the defendants in the case skip bail, and get caught in a struggle and re-jailed.
The most recent problems started when James Stewart, the former operator of the Rawesome Food Club in Venice, CA, failed to show for two court dates–one in Los Angeles last week in connection with charges of illegally selling raw milk, and one in Ventura County Wednesday in connection with charges of illegally raising funds for Sharon Palmers Healthy Family Farms, located in Santa Paula, in Ventura County.
Stewart was out on bail in both cases–$30,000 in the L.A. County case and $100,000 in the Ventura County case. The $30,000 bail in L.A. County had been provided by a friend, and the $100,000 in Ventura County was provided by Mark McAfee, in the form of the deed on his Fresno, CA, home. Once Stewart failed to show for the two cases, the nearly 10% upfront cash bond paid in each case (about $3,000 in L.A. County and $9,000 in Ventura County) by a relative and a friend was immediately forfeited.
Just to make a bad situation worse, Stewart failed to show last week to be arraigned on a third set of charges related to his alleged failure to pay state income taxes.
Bench warrants were issued for his arrest in both places, and new bail set: $250,000 in L.A. County and $500,000 in Ventura County.
Thursday evening, three bail bond agents caught up with Stewart. In California, the bail bond companies, which insure the bail posted by a defendant and are thus at risk when defendants jump bail, have certain police powers, including the power to arrest those under their jurisdiction. Think of them as the repo guys for the accused they back on bail. They were from l’il Zeke’s and Chickie’s bail bond services.
As you can see from the photo above, the bail bond agents arrested Stewart outside his apartment, after a scuffle in which they used their cars to corner his car, and then pulled him from his car and subdued him with Mace. (A video of the arrest has been posted on YouTube.) They then took him to Ventura County jail, where a court officer refused to grant bail, saying Stewart was a flight risk. (Another take on Stewart’s arrest is posted by Mike Adams at Natural News.)
The bail bond agents, together with Mark McAfee, who stood to lose $100,000 if Stewart remained at large, tried to convince Stewart Wednesday and Thursday via phone to turn himself in. When he said he wouldn’t, they put together legal documents to request an extension of the bail agreements. But when Stewart agreed only to sign the documents, but not appear personally in court, the bail bonds agents went after him.
Mark McAfee, who had gone to Los Angeles today after learning that Stewart had skipped bail, was present when Stewart was arrested. When Stewart saw McAfee, he voiced anger: “Mark, why are you doing this to me?”
McAfee told me he was “relieved, and very saddened.” It’s easy to understand both emotions.
McAfee was relieved that his home was no longer on the line. “They could have put a lien on my home.” But like many who have tried to help Stewart, he was also saddened that the food rights advocate wouldn’t work with a top-notch criminal defense lawyer to take full advantage of the strong legal defense he had. Instead, Stewart has spent much of his time since he was first charged nearly a year ago, along with Sharon Palmer and Victoria Bloch, consulting with various legal advocates who suggested Stewart could avoid the charges by asserting so-called “sovereign-man” and constitutional claims. His two co-defendants have been mounting legal defenses in anticipation of trials in both L.A. County and Ventura County.
It’s difficult to know where exactly Stewart went astray. My sense is that the entire legal affair may just have gotten to be too much for him to handle emotionally. On top of the three criminal cases, he has been sued (together with Sharon Palmer) in at least one civil suit, by his one-time close collaborator, nutritionst Aajonus Vonderplanitz, and real estate developer Larry Otting. They accused Stewart and Palmer of defaming Vonderplanitz and Otting in connection with emails that criticized the two–a charge that seemed ironic since it was Vonderplanitz and Otting who put up the now-famous Unhealthy Family Farms web site that made serious accusations against Palmer and Stewart in connection with allegedly supplying outsourced, and contaminated, food to Rawesome Food Club; the site has been taken down sometime in the last month. These were charges that Vonderplanitz and Otting took to the Ventura County prosecutor, who declined to take any action. His only action was to charge Otting for being part of the alleged fraud scheme involving bank and personal investor loans to help Sharon Palmer gain a lease on Healthy Family Farms.
Plus, Stewart has already been jailed twice in connection with both the L.A. County and the Ventura County criminal charges, the first time for three days and the second time for a week. In the second jailing, he maintained he was tortured, having been left in a cold room overnight, without being fed, to get hypothermia.
Its easy to come down on Stewart for trying to opt out of the whole awful affair. Certainly the government prosecutors cant be more pleased with a key defendant clearly withering under the pressure. That has been part of their intent all along, to break the defendants by piling on charges, and hopefully intimidate others thinking of using the Rawesome Food Club model.
Stewart isn’t the first in the growing food rights movement to crack–several farmers and food producers have left the fray. Stewart held on much longer than they did.
I certainly don’t feel as if I can call Stewart to task, since I have no idea how I would react to the kind of pressure he was under. No one who hasn’t been there knows how they might handle the situation.
It’s important to keep the big picture in mind, and in the big picture, the government is able to assemble a mammoth array of forces to frustrate, intimidate, obfuscate, delay, torture, and otherwise assert its will. The U.S. government is no different than any other government in this respect. The more threatened its rulers feel, the more tools they will bring to bear to beat back the threat, and in the Rawesome case, they have assembled a formidable array of tools via numerous federal, state, county, and local agencies, headed up by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
If enough people can stand up to the pressure, can watch what happened to James Stewart and feel more determined than ever to prevail rather than feeling intimidated, the battle can be won. Which leads me to more upbeat news…
**
It is never a simple matter for a defendant who has lost to the government to convince an appeals court to take another look at the case, whether in Canada or the United States. But on Thursday, the lawyer for Canadian dairy farmer Michael Schmidt convinced an appeals court to re-examine his conviction on 13 counts of violating the provinces dairy laws.
This was the case that Schmidt won three years ago, when an Ontario judge ruled that Schmidts cowshare was truly a private organization, whose members could put themselves outside the bounds of the public food regulation system.
The government convinced an appeals court to reverse Schmidts exonerationsomething that couldnt happen in the U.S., which bans double jeopardy (being found guilty later on charges you have previously been acquitted of).
So Schmidt appealed the reversal, with his lawyer, Karen Selick of the Canadian Constitutional Foundation, arguing there has been an absence of legal precedent to adequately guide the judges in the case. She also argued that cases thus far have contradicted each other.
The government vehemently opposed having the appeal heard, maintaining that there was no important public interest to be served.
Judge Eileen Gillese agreed with Schmidt. “”You’ve got two decisions standing and they conflict,” the judge noted, according to Sun News Canada. “That’s what the leave to appeal would resolve.”
Fine approach to test out if he had posted his own bail. Would you want him testing it out with your house or other assets pledged as bail, and subject to forfeiture if the approach doesn’t work?
This story should serve as a cautionary tale for those who are relying on the “system” to work for them. You cant clean up mud by climbing into the puddle.
We need a new operational paradigm, not a constitutional awakening. The power is not in the hands of citizens, in spite of all the pamphlets and buttons I see everyone wearing. The only power we have is that which were allowed to have by the enforcers.
Just know that there can be a difference between “legal” and “right.” Choose to live by your moral principles, which may not be reflected in current law enforcement. Understand, though, there may be repercussions.
P.S. In terms of a resistance movement, raw milkers should consider James Stewart an out-and-out traitor for jeopardizing the livelihood of others in the movement.
You are “dead-on” with your assessment of Mike Schmidt verses James Steward and their handling of their individual cases and conditions. Mike engages the system in reality with grace and intelligence ( and great legal advice )….James Stewart appears to depart reality, fire his attorneys, takes advice from people that think they know the law from out of state ( las vegas ) breaks his contracts with the court and his bail agent and his friends that bail him out and then expects everything to be OK….his advisors told him to not worry about the bench warrant…becuase it was from a judge with out authority and all court actions would be quashed.
Let me tell you. No one is going to play those kinds of games with my home and my family. I tried for 24 hours to convince James to work with me and the bail bond company to extend his bail terms and appear before the court to make this all right. He refused and refused. He instead insisted that he stay hidden and would not even meet with me.
I am deeply saddened by this turn of events. If James wants to proceed in this fashion…he will need to get another friend to post his bail. I place my family first ( our home was placed in jeapardy and not once did James mention that his actions were going to cause me to lose my house )and I teach and fight in this reality.
It is all so very sad. James had also breached his agreement with Arnell. Arnel was another friend that had posted a $30,000 bond.
James was a fugitive from “two bench warrants” and did not seem to think that this was any big deal as lond as he stayed in hiding. He refused any help to fix the problem by working with the courts or the bail bondsman. These were his choices. Sadly….he is not getting good advice and his advisors are not sharing his jail cell with him. That is the really sad part. Those that advised him have no consequences for their piss-poor horribly missguided bad advice.
That is not how the world works.
Ken
And even though Michael is winning his fight (congrats, BTW) he lives in Canada where there is obviously still some semblence of reason. Not so in the USA.
What a waste.
If this is the case, then he requires a psychiatrist for correct diagnoses and treatment and is not mentally stable to stand trial. His friends should notify whomever and inform them of his mental problems.
I share your sentiment….totally!
James is in a horrible place and none of us should ever be critical or judging of that place. He needs help. Real help. Some many of us have tried to deliver this help, but becuase of his special set of conditions, tragically he could not receive it.
I wish him clarity and the inner strength to find his true north and listen to those that can help. He has done nothing to deserve jail ( all things he has done can be negotiated and settled if he was clearly thinking )….until this series of poor choices brought on by terrible counsel. Because of his own confusion with reality and listening to people with no dog in the fight or flesh in the game…he has taken a wrong turn.
He needs and deserves compassion….he needs a very good lawyer and the judgement to follow good counsel. This is a web that will tangle him up so tight…if he persists in his delusion.
Follow Mike Schmidts example…use clarity and strategy as acts of total engagement. He hides from nothing and engages with the brilliance of a world class chess player. Engagement not hiding!! When Mike shows up at court…he brings hundreds of people and the goodness of being right and he argues to the souls of those that hold court. James follows a course of disengagement and hiding away. Could not be two strategies farther apart.
Disengagement invites incarceration and self inflicted abuse. Listening to the right people takes a strategic and thoughtful thinker. I hope that some quiet time will bring this light to him.
James does not belong in jail.
Mark
The Complete Patient is a good place to discuss, haggle, and rangle out our First Amendment Rights on what it is to be an American and gather diverse input on a better direction for us all.
Thank you David!
Thank you all….
He was courteous and said he would call me back….but never did.
I will never forget the feel inside Rawesome. It was alive, thriving and filled with gorgeous healthy happy people. Rawesome was Awesome….but its leadership did not think strategically. In the USA a person does not take up a high profile and piss all over supermans cape. I tried to tell James just this. There was a certain mind state….a belief in immunity from all things bad.
I know about all things government. I have been in front of the federal judge on that one…with the FDA wanting me in jail and the elimination of OPDC from CA and the face of the earth. Thanks Gary Cox for your blistering and brilliant redress of those sterile food loving, PMO worshipping, baby immune system killing jerks.
You must have the soul of Ghandi and the mind of Schmidt to survive and thrive in this FOOD INC FDA reality. Denial does not work. Total engagement and building big markets works. I read the “Art of War” once a year just to stay focussed. I also read “Good to Great”, a super good book on how to build team and move companies to good places with the right team.
I do not listen to idiots from Las Vegas that tell you to avoid hearings adn everything will be just fine…that the judge has no authority and that the bench warrant is not enforceable and that everything will be quashed.
This is really sad….James needs a good lawyer with a back ground in psych.
Mark
Your love, clarity and rational support for me though this ordeal has been wonderful and heartfelt.
As Mike Schmidt says…
THIS IS A WAR and Raw Milk is LOVE!
I could not agree more. Stay focussed and strong.
Thank you!! :-))
That is why I was clear with the Bond Guys that they would use the very least amount of force required to take James into custody. James was not injured in the arrest and I had my camera ready incase something went wrong. Nothing went wrong. They did their jobs and used the appropriate amount of force required to arrest James.
James needs a good lawyer and from what I understand the lawyer that is representing Sharon Palmer has agreed to represent James for a smaller than normal fee. His friends are gathering funds right now and James will be ok…he needed the reality check to get back on track. He was flailing way out of control and making things worse and worse.
The last thing in the world he needed was to fulfil Amandas cruel joke and ride into Mexico in the trunk of someones car and make this a federal case with, FBI, Homeland Security and US Marshalls etc. It was my sense that this is where this was all heading.
That madness is now stopped.
Why Mark brings up a private e-mail I do not know (??), but I’ll fulfill his expectations and add my commentary to this situation. This is my interpretation of events using a behavioral model from economics: Mark has been courting James and Rawesome because it would be a big market for him. The problem is that with the OPDC outsourcing scandal, his product didn’t meet the Rawesome standards (ironically now that apparently there were outsourced products brought into Rawesome). Perhaps bailing out James was a way to gain favor and get the product back into the market. As things have unfolded and Rawesome appears to be at its end, there is little in it for Mark in terms of future Rawesome sales — there isn’t a lot of financial incentive to hold the bail bag. Had there been something in it, I’m sure Mark could have passed the hat with Mike Adams and brought James in differently if that’s what needed to be done.
In any case, it definitely appears from Mark’s comment that he led the bounty hunters right to an unsuspecting James Stewart. In fact, his comment suggests that he orchestrated the whole arrest. Now that Mark has spun this whole discussion into “it was an intervention into the life of a psychologically disturbed friend,” his betrayal of the friend obviously demands hero worship of Mark McAfee. If in the process, Mark can create more Amanda haters, it’s all the better of a victory. (Mark takes every opportunity to discredit people who speak out against his immoral business practices.)
This case and the on-going issue that is Mark McAfee is so depressing in itself, I’m just going to go garden.
Amanda
Amanda, that is ironic in regards to not meeting rawsome’s “standards” because of outsourcing. Guess it all depends on who is doing the outsourcing and what’s in it for those involved.
A couple of questions if you don’t mind, since most of us don’t know the principal characters firsthand:
a) Was “Palmer arrested in the past for bringing people illegally across the border” for bringing them in, or out of the country? Just curious and not a major factor but just so we can get the movie script right.
b) “Mark has been courting James and Rawesome because it would be a big market for him.” Does this mean that Rawsome, after the raid still had / has a chance of providing a sales point that would actually interest Mark? I thought they were shut down forever and kaput.
c) “Mark’s comment that he led the bounty hunters right to an unsuspecting James Stewart. In fact, his comment suggests that he orchestrated the whole arrest… in the process, Mark can create more Amanda haters.” Are you suggesting that Mark lied to and entrapped James? And why would he care how many people hate you, do you have that much influence on his business??
d) “Mark takes every opportunity to discredit people who speak out against his immoral business practices.” Conversely why do you take every opportunity to discredit Mark? What’s in it for you? I don’t believe you are a milk producer, so are you competing with him in some way we don’t know? Please shed some light on these “immoral practices” for us ignorant shmucks.
I’m just going to go garden, I’ll agree is great therapy.
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jul/19/business/fi-55157
http://articles.latimes.com/1999/sep/02/business/fi-5902
http://southpasadena.patch.com/articles/healthy-family-farms-to-stay-at-farmers-market
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/home-base-mortgage-brokers-accused-of-scamming-widow
http://www.thecompletepatient.com/article/2009/january/15/sharon-palmer-answers-her-critics-and-reminds-us-real-issue-about-our ~~~~most crooks claim innocence
Fred, his wife Nina and Kelby Smith have been at this for some time, encouraging folks to become sovereign. Kelby Smith is actually part of an organization that call itself the Republic that is lead by Tim Turner. You can learn more about these people at http://www.eftscam.com . The Republic has declared war on the United States Government (yes, I know this sounds bizarre). If you go about 18 minutes into this audio clip you will hear James defending Fred http://www.setoffdebt.com/download/interviews/EFT-Call-July-05-2012.mp3.
This may help explain where James’ head was at, in thinking that he was above the law.
Hugs and kisses to you.
My dream for James two years ago was for Rawsome to become 100% legal and grow. That dream did not sink in with James. He chose another path.
Flippin,
It used to be against the law to harbor escaped slaves.
It used to be against the law in many states for blacks to use bathrooms and drinking fountains reserved for white people.
It used to be against the law in many states for blacks to ride in the front of public buses.
It used to be against the law in many states for unmarried couples to cohabitate.
It used to be against the law in some states for parents to home school their children.
It used to be against the law in most states to allow seriously handicapped or disabled children attend public school.
The only reason these and a multitude of other patently unjust laws were changed was because brave individuals defied them. Some died or went to jail. If they had followed your philosophy of blindly obeying even the most patently unjust laws, we’d have a much less free and open society today.
Since Biblical times, it has been common law that people are entitled to the milk of their own cows or goats. Yet a Wisconsin judge has declared it is against the law to drink the milk of your own cow if you don’t have a dairy permit. Maryland completely forbids cow shares or herd shares. California has declared they are against the law. Wyoming has a proposed regulation to do the same. But in all those places, brave farmers and other individuals committed to food rights are defying those laws and regulations. And one day before long, I’ll be able to add those to the list of unjust laws that were once in effect, and done away with because brave people wouldn’t stand for the government telling them what foods they can and can’t put in their bodies.
James Stewart has long been committed to people having the right to consume the foods of their choice. For years, he defied patently unjust laws in the name of food rights. Yes, he made some tactical errors in the last few months in dealing with his legal defense. But I assure you, he didn’t err because he was selfish. If anything, he has been too giving to people like you. Fortunately, most of those who have had access for many years to the nutrient-dense food he provided will be forever grateful to him.
I respect and admire your support for James and what he did. You may misinterpret my remarks. I AM one of those people who will fight for the rights of those when it is unjust. UNJUST is a key word. There is a correct and incorrect way to go about change. James will not be very effective in a confined space. Correct?! An aside, I think everyone would get a giggle from your statements if you “saw” me and the color of my skin and knew the battles I have faced through my life because of it-a changed law doesn’t necessarily breed acceptance of people…I had to giggle with your examples, but I digress. Your examples are definite civil rights and human rights and equality issues. But I don’t think we can put this on that level. We all have the responsibility to be good citizens. We all have the responsibility to do our best to follow the law. Not drinking and driving is a good example. You can get multiple DUIs and have a wonderful kind giving heart, but the time you harm someone when you are driving or worse yet end someones life through your negligence will result in serious consequences. Blatant defiance of a law is many times just stupidity or martyrdom. There is a way to make change and a way to hinder change. Fortunately, we live where we can make changes and challenge laws. Blatant disregard for the law is not going change anything. Can you give me an example of how any of the charges against James or his actions are helping anyone? It takes knowledge, education, motivation, and cooperation of a following of people at the very least.
I want my family to eat good healthy food from nutrient rich soil. So I educate them, I give them the knowledge of where and how to get healthy food. I join cooperatives with others for free range eggs, and pastured meat, organic fruits and vegis, cold pressed oils etc. I don’t support companies who use GMO products. I plant organic seeds. I educate and assist others to do the same. I try to make my footprint as minimal as possible. It takes people to make change. It takes credibility to make change. There are many people trying to help make change in our much too depleted poisoned food supply. We need all of us to do it the right way-which is to follow the regular laws in the process. NOT sneaking around in parking lots handing off unlabeled products. Not hiding. Not jumping bail, not taking advantage of friends and putting them at risk. Being credible helps immensely.
I want to know if the animals my milk came from are certified as healthy and steroid free. I want to know what those animals have been fed. I want to know exactly when that milk was put on the “shelf”. I buy my milk raw. It’s labeled as raw and I am aware of the “risks”. If everyone did it the way James seems to be doing things, Monsanto and many others would be having a heyday. So James may have a great big heart and many will be grateful as he sits in a little room because he made “tactical errors” with the help of bad counsel. He is fortunate there were people who stood by his side and behind him-even though he risked allegiances and alliances and put others at risk. That isn’t about making change. That isn’t about making a difference. That isn’t about selflessness. That doesn’t even make sense. There will still be those of us who will continue forging forward smartly not “blindly”. Plus we can do it with a big and generous heart. I’m not meaning to be so critical. I’m just saying…
Fred, his wife Nina and Kelby Smith have been at this for some time, encouraging folks to become sovereign. Kelby Smith is actually part of an organization that call itself the Republic that is lead by Tim Turner. You can learn more about these people at http://www.eftscam.com . The Republic has declared war on the United States Government (yes, I know this sounds bizarre). If you go about 18 minutes into this audio clip you will hear James defending Fred http://www.setoffdebt.com/download/interviews/EFT-Call-July-05-2012.mp3.
This may help explain where James’ head was at, in thinking that he was above the law.
I like Flipins comments and I see no reason to support James. It is very obvious to me that if he was willing to ruin others financially so that he could continue continue to play the role of a rebel or claim that he is fighting a cause – then he is nuts – PERIOD! If James has total disregard for Mark and others financial situation do you really think that he give a #$%@ about your milk! Clearly Mark did not bail James out on the condition that he jump bail and face the risk of losing his hard earned money. He trusted James and James blew that trust and with it he lost mine! He sounds no better than Fred Gutierrez, Nina Gutierrez and Kelby Smith whom he associates. James is not the person that some in this blog seem to think he is…. this goes well beyond the milk folks. Do some research on the people mentioned above, check out http://www.eftscam.com, listen to the youtube video and the audio clip listed above and you will start connecting the dots.
Oh, after reading Dave’s comments it sounds like he is all for this rouge organization that has declared war against our government. This group, which James seems to be apart of, are nothing more than domestic terrorists.
It was and still is against the law for one to follow Christs commandment of love and refuse to take up arms.
“There are just laws and there are unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that an unjust law is no law at all… One who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly…I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for law.” Martin Luther Jr.
Ken
Ken
James was and is a stickler for only the highest quality safest milk and other products he could find. But that is beside the point. The point James has been fighting for is the right to decide what foods we will put into our bodies. He respected the laws that limited what items the Whole Foods down the block could or would put on its shelves. (It could have put raw milk from permitted dairies on its shelves, but instead banned those products.) He asserted the rights of himself and members of his food club members to privately select the foods they would put into their bodies. If you didn’t like the product selection, labeling, or something else, it was your privilege not to join and pay dues and sign the very explicit member agreement.
You ask, “Can you give me an example of how any of the charges against James or his actions are helping anyone?” The original 13 felony and misdemeanor charges (of August 2011) against James (as well as Victoria Bloch and Sharon Palmer) primarily grow out of a herd share arrangement Palmer had with Rawesome to supply raw goat milk from 40 goats owned by Rawesome. This gets back to our individual rights to buy shares in milk-producing animals. A win in this case will not only exonerate the Rawesome Three, but set an important legal precedent in favor of herd shares in California. The current law doesn’t even mention them, but local prosecutors and state ag officials have declared them illegal, in their infinite wisdom that you are so respectful of, and have issued cease-and-desist orders against several. That is a cause worth fighting for. I’ll be writing more about the legal challenges James faced.
Thanks Sylvia for the other links.
As for “what’s in it for me,” good question. I make no money off of raw milk and have lost friends over it as Mark runs around calling me a liar. We’re in some of the same social circles here. Notice in this thread, he just had to get a jab in and I had been pretty darned quiet considering all of the DRAMA here in California. Really, there were so many more jokes left unsaid. These LA guys are just a constant supply. Thank you for that.
Amanda
Most of the Rawesome stuff is so far from the original herd share issue, I don’t think there’s much of a chance it will have an impact in that area.
Amanda–According to CA prosecutors and CDFA (CA Department of Food and Agriculture), herdshares are illegal, period. Has nothing to do with advertising. Don’t know where you get such ideas, as if Rawesome and Sharon Palmer would have been allowed to continue herdshare arrangement except for some “advertising” (and I don’t even know what advertising you are referring to, since the undercover agents who acquired milk or cheese from Rawesome and Sharon Palmer did so via word of mouth). The other herdshares hit with cease and desist orders in CA–were they advertising, too? No mention of advertising in any of the charges, against Rawesome Three or the other CA herdshares that I am aware of.
Besides, herdshares not part of the “food and ag code.” They are private, outside the food and ag code, which is why CA (and other states) fighting them. They are fighting any and all private arrangements for milk and meat–want everything designated public, and thus under their thumb.
I think that is where you and others are getting tangled up in your woolies. This is a fight over whether people can access food privately. Govt says no. The people say yes.
Sylvia and Marc L bring up some very interesting information about the ethics, honesty, and morality of people such as Sharon Palmer and the Fred Gutierrez group. I have spent some time this morning doing some sleuthing on the internet to substantiate and confirm information. I must say things just keep getting curiouser and curiouser.
David-do you have anything to do with this Fred/Nina Gutierrez Kelby Smith terrorist/scamming outfit? I notice they are in Needham this weekend. This is your neck of the woods, correct? Maybe just a coincidence. I thought I’d just throw it out there.
I also reviewed some of the court papers where Sharon, Victoria and James seem to have scammed a number of people for a very large amount of money!
Please take the time to review the record:
http://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/Felony-Complaint.pdf
and the sale of milk:
http://nourishedkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/filed-HFF-Complaint.pdf
and of course there’s this:
http://www.vcsd.org/pr-inmate-detail.php?booking_nbr=1279100
Mr. Churchlanefarm- so do you propose going around and blatantly breaking the law that you feel is unjust? Who gets to decide which laws are unjust? Is there a vote? or is is a personal thing? Sweet quote, but in reality this doesn’t pan out so well. All is takes is a kook or a cult (what a great observation Milkyway).
Does the regular Joe get to be dishonest to the public? How about BIG business? If we sign a “membership” agreement does that eliminate the need to follow health standards? I think we are looking for a healthy clean food supply.
How do I know James is a “stickler for clean milk” or anything else? His credibility seem to rather tarnished as is those he associates with.
I think arguing the rights of what we ingest and who we buy from are not the real issue here. I think the real issue appears to be the almighty dollar and deceit and abiding by the law and not ripping people off.
With that said. I think I will graciously exit the conversation, and allow you all the space to chase your tails and defend the crooks- while truth, honesty and integrity are ignored or trampled on by shoes running around in the cow’s dung.
…ENTER THE FLYINH MONKEYS
You are ready to jump on the bandwagon and convict him without a trial. And then you say “white stuff” (which could mean one of two things) so you’re making assumptions about him, personally, as well. Unless you KNOW him well enough to know what he’s doing all the time, hmmmm?
You remind me of a sister-in-law of mine. She’s not happy unless she’s spreading vicious rumors and trashing people, even if she has no idea what the truth is. She doesn’t care about truth, she cares about gossip. If the shoe fits . . .
Speaking of shoes, you haven’t walked a mile in the moccasins of the people involved in this rawesome raid either. So maybe the message about not passing judgement too quickly should apply to many others here, as well. Every comment you’ve ever made here has been haughty and self-serving, and not just on this subject but all of your posts on past topics, as well. You appear to be a hateful person who can’t wait for others to step in something and then not be able to get it off their shoes.
At one point you mentioned not posting here any more. I wish you’d stuck to your guns on that, but you manage to show up and comment whenever there’s something hateful you can say.
Lions and tigers and bears oh my…I now have three very nice Bail Agents that love raw milk and also love flying monkeys….yes….I would keep that witchy bitchy broom in your broom hanger and stop carelessly flying it arround. I fully educated them about OPDC and raw milk and they will be here next week for a tour. Zeke ( Bail Agent ) is lactose intolerant and wants to try out OPDC!!
Teaching never stops.
Claiming that OPDC was immoral in some outsourcing….is a figment of your wild broom riding imagination…and is a crock of FDA BS. Makes me gag!!
OPDC has never ever outsourced a drop of raw milk for bottling. It was “never a secret”…ever, that OPDC did collect some organic certified colostrum ( and milk for Class 4 manufacturing uses, butter and cheese, which are not subject to food safety considerations like fluid raw milk ) from other dairies…this happened many years ago, when we needed more colostrum for SARS outbreaks in asia and for people that needed it badly. That is somehow immoral???? To deny sick people colostrum is immoral? What you are saying is that Strauss Family Creamery is also immoral. You are so wrong on so many levels.
To continue to claim and or state that OPDC outsources is libel or worse….it is a flat out lie and speaks volumes about your soul and your hater attitude and what preoccupies your mind. It has been more than 2 years since you were delivered copies of my official CDFA Milk Pool records ( that are submitted under sworn accuracy and warranty ) and you never audited them. Why?…because they show that OPDC does not outsource and the official information does not support you in your distructive witchy bitchy mission against OPDC. Put the broom away and stop the false and hollow melodrama.
On brighter subjects…I find it fascinating that Jesse Jackson Jr. Is in the hospital with clinical depression and mood disorder…..and ALSO…a serious GUT problem.
The GUT is connected to the BRAIN. When the GUT is well the brain tends to follow in health as well.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/rev-jesse-jackson-timetable-sons-recovery-16882231
All the best,
Mark
As Zane Gray so brilliantly stated many, many years ago, you should never insult seven men when all you’re packin’ is a six gun.
James is obviously a little unhinged from all this, and needs realignment.
Does anyone know if he’s still under the spell of this Fred person and his ilk?
Just some food for thought!
I’ve actually mentioned this before a number of times.
Amanda
aka “Foxy”
Foxy
As for insinuating, I am not insinuating anything at all. Mark did not go to a “trusted source.” He bought from a milk broker who bought it from a processor at a time of year when cows were not grazing (because of the climate in that region). When his cream was recalled in 2007 and he blamed the source (another large processor in CA), the processor was apparently surprised. The processor didn’t know the cream was being sold raw. Milk brokers don’t talk about transactions. They just sell milk and cream.
I am saying directly that Mark sold product that did not meet his label claims and, in fact, the actual dairy had no idea the product was being sold raw. What a food safety nightmare and a breach of trust with his customers. This went on from 2005-2009 at the very least. The profit from that product would easily pay James Stewart’s bail.
http://www.thecompletepatient.com/article/2009/november/4/raw-milk-outsourcing-issue-forces-us-face-serious-safety-qs-around-policing
Per mark’s post:”On rare occasion in the past OPDC has purchased fluid milk to be used in Class 4a and 4b products.”
Leo Tolstoy stated, Christianity, with its doctrine of humility, of forgiveness, of love, is incompatible with the state, with its haughtiness, its violence, its punishment, its wars.
What little knowledge I have of James Stewart comes from this blog. Yet despite the different pictures painted of the man I am inclined to side with those who are less judgmental and sympathetic towards his predicament.
People may not always make the right decisions and when they dont all the more reason to constructively reach out and help them, not pile on more ridicule and persecution.
Indeed who gets to decide which laws are unjust? Which criteria do you use before you decide to fight for the rights of those who are suffering at the hands of injustice?
I agree with your suggestion that there is a correct and incorrect way to bring about change. People like Vernon Hershberge and Michael Schmitt are good examples.
Ken
“THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN CONTROL PEOPLE IS TO LIE TO THEM. You can write that down in your book in great big letters. The only way you can control anybody is to lie to them.
Lecture: “Off the Time Track” (June 1952) as quoted in Journal of Scientology issue 18-G, reprinted in Technical Volumes of Dianetics & Scientology Vol. 1, p. 418″
“You don’t get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.”
L. Ron Hubbard
In all seriousness, I do appreciate your canny insights, memory, flare, humor & flavor. At least they are your ideas and your thoughts. You follow your own north star and will never be anyone elses fool. That is a compliment in the world of raw milk.
One of the biggest problems I see in the fringe Raw Milk movement is this…. Aajonus and James were its saviors in CA for the years between 1999 and 2001. They held the keys to feeding the core that needed raw milk and they spawned the emerging organic raw milk markets in CA after the Alta Dena funeral in May 1999.
At “Rawesome” and “The Garage” ( the place that preceeded Rawesome ), at the Venice Beach core, these were the people that feared Chem Trails. These are the people that think we are being sprayed by Commercial Airliners with poisons, and think that Chem trails can be “Shot-Down” with brass tubes.
These are the crystal worshippers. These are the people that say that they can identify organic produce by its vibration just by holding it in their hands. These are the people that believe that water structure can be changed by writing something on the outside of the glass bottle that holds the water. These are the people that believe in huge conspiracies….with a never ending list of extreme notions, from one world currency take overs, 9-11 conspiracies, and on and on and on….I must admit, some are fascinating….but all of them eat your brain.
These core Venice customers are led by Aajonus….the man that cured himself of 32 life threatening diseases and has sex 6 times per day and gets medical advice by speaking with Coyotes.
When this is the core and this is the leadership, now you know why OPDC separated from James after just a couple of years and made its own way to a greater market of grounded more clearly thinking people.
James never left that culture or mindset…instead he embraced it further and deeper. He surrounded himself with this culture. It was so much of what Rawesome was at its core. It was an alternative reality…. No taxes, no responsibility, no government, no worries, no permits, no engagement & all cash. Although, I will say that Aajonus did engage politically as best he could on several occasions. For this he should get credit. This culture is exactly what became the end of James, the loving nice guy that everyone enjoyed so much. It was his reliance on Fred Gutierez, the QUACK of QUACKS, the most extreme disengagement scam artist in America, that got James into the endless, bottomless legal wormhole that was his undoing…
If raw milk is going to become respected, if raw milk is ever going to to become real for every American that wants it. If raw milk is ever going to become safe…then rational leadership, rational producers and rational consumership must start to overtake the core.
It has already happened.
Raw Milk has made these rational changes and now it is grounded more than ever. RAWMI has had fantastic support in Oregon. Applications are flowing in faster than we can process them. Interest is high and the right kinds of people are embracing this advanced skill set of risk management. Raw Milk is starting a new age of reality and solid science, with care, diligence, learning and teaching at its core.
It is my hope that James can surround himself with rational loving people that can help mentor him in a healthy direction. At his soul he is a really really good person. So good he tends to follow the mentally aggressive thoughts of preditory scam artists. He wants to hope…he wants to trust. He wants to nourish.
Amanda… no more flying monkeys. Raw Milk is serious and we all must embrace the science behind it and the healthy truth that it can bring for all people. Raw Milk needs to be grounded in reality…we have families to feed and a next generation to nourish. The FDA and their corporate cronnies are the only real challenges we face. The good news it that they are their own worst enemies. The more they speak….the worse they sound. We all know the truth about pasteurized milk allergies and lactose intolerance. When the FDA denies these facts….they become jokers in their own joke.
It is time for raw milk to break away from the fringe and make serious progress towards normalcy….
Food safety priority #1.
Raw Milk as a medical food #2
…backed up by hard core research and hundreds of thousands of happy healthy normal people that love raw milk and have a very personal story to tell the FDA if they ever come calling.
Teach and build markets. All other tides will turn if these two things happen first.
Good Night….
Ive seen people roll their eyes when confronted with the idea of dowsing for water until after having spent a great deal of money digging several dry wells.
My dad has such an ability and although many in this world fail to understand and may question his skill or gift that does not mean the ability does not exist or that there isnt a rational explanation for it.
Although these conspiracy theories and whatnot are more or less difficult to swallow, we all have our idiosyncrasies. I share William Shatner’s sentiment, Its a weird world, and I love it.
Ken
The problem is that the fraction of truth is blown out of relative proportion and it becomes a Jim Jones Mantra and a Lemonade drinking directive that is followed with out independent thought.
Yes, the Colbert Report piece was entertaining, partly for the reasons you cite. It was also the first occasion the video of the police invasion was broadcast nationally, showing armed agents, guns drawn, entering the tiny food club. Quite a revelation, and not very funny.
Sue K Nixon
Va Beach, VA USA
Resultantly, James and I started a raw milk food club 1999 when the CA Department of Health Services working with the Los Angeles County Medical Milk Commissioners bankrupt Steuve’s Dairy by making the laws for certification so stringent that raw milk passed inspection only 51% of the time. That is all that the food club under James made available for my patients who needed raw milk for their health, including Walker Kirene who was an asthmatic 8-year old, who became USA’s number one high school tennis champion in 2009. Do you comprehend that, an asthmatic boy became a tennis champion while drinking raw milk.
Mainly, we used Claravale Dairy because it was the only source. Then Mark opened OPD with grassfed raw milk in glass bottles. The food club carried both OPD and Claravale. When we discovered that Claravale used a commercial feed, we stopped carrying it in about 2002. Outside of our food club, James started OPD distribution network in South California that put OPD on the map. In about 2005, Mark pulled the account from James without compensation and gave distribution to a company that would supply many more customers. That was understandable. The food club continued to supply OPD dairy products.
However, when OPD changed from glass to plastic, we sought sources of milk elsewhere. To this day, whenever I drink raw milk from a plastic container, I can taste it. I have done the taste test, not knowing which had come from plastic and out of 10 times, I was able to detect which had been bottled in plastic.
Food-grade plastic is simply food-manufacturers way of supply a substance in a cheap and polluting container. Although their may not be any PCB released from the plastic, there are industrial chemicals used in manufacturing and polymers that are released into the food. There is true no safe plastic. On occasion, when no other raw milk is available, I drink OPD but always add a little clay to it to absorb the plastic byproducts.
At that time, James named the food club Rawesome and I created and made contracts to own via lease herds of cows belonging to Right To Choose Healthy Food, Trust and its members. I contracted mostly Amish farmers who I trusted and visited their farms without notice to insure farming practices suitable for our standards.
About 2006, James began consuming ocean water and had his blood clean with ocean water in Brazil. The processed changed him forever. He became superior acting and began carrying products that were not my standard, although he constantly claimed the were. After investigation on 4 occasion, I had documentation to prove the product were not to my specification. He became much more abusive to workers at the club and sometime to members. Finally, he became very abusive to me, mostly behind my back. Members told me about many incidences.
He postulated that ocean water was the same as blood and everyone should consume it but most of my patients who reported the results were negative. I told him that I did not appreciate his advising people to consume ocean water. He screamed that I did not know everything about nutrition and he would advise whomever he wanted.
The man that James became on my Primal Diet prior to the sodium-salt-filled sea water was a man of compassion, dedication and resolve had become what he was as a vegetarian. I thought back to the time my father (the inventor of the first bearing computer while he was in college at Purdue), was working for GE to make sodium into a weapon for the military. Because isolated sodium is a more powerful explosive than nitroglycerin, it could be a formidable weapon but it was uncontrollable. It is my contention to this day that, the washing of James blood with ocean water caused the annihilation many brain cells that deal with discernment. I caught James in many lies. So many that I sought a detective firm to investigate. The results were devastating to me and members at http://www.UnhealthyFamilyFarm.com. The site is temporarily down because it was sabotaged. The man who originally erected it has failed to help me keep it active even though I have offered him money. I do not have the files for the website but I will get them and it will fly again.
Should we have sympathy for James, emphatically yes. However, every criminal’s behavior can be linked to psychotropic imbalances. ALL of the mass murders of late had recent-to-their-killing sprees been on psychotropic mediation.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2012/0727/Colorado-shooting-bombshell-Defense-says-suspect-was-psychiatric-patient-video
Experiments with animals who withdrew from those medical drugs began viciously killing other animals in the cages. That does not excuse their behavior but gives us a perspective of how we and others could harm others.
James had been on a downhill spiral since the blood-washings. His main assistant manager who he trusted implicitly, was robbing him of $1,500-2,300 weekly. He was fired right before the raid. James allowed a lot of unusual people to sell their goods on the property. I begged him not to do it because it was taking the club out of the realm of private into challenges of commerce. James was no longer rational although he could make you believe he was. He would say one thing to your face and do the very opposite once you were not there.
Like all of us, we must learn how to take care of ourselves so we do not make rash and irrational decisions.
The idea of sovereignty is that of our forefathers. It was there decree that people were sovereign above government and that government was for the people and not sovereign to the people. So, when someone says they are a sovereign, those with knowledge know that they are quoting our Constitutional forefathers. Recently, the FBI and CIA have made people who call themselves sovereigns are terrorists.
Government does not like the backseat, they want to be sovereign and be damned the people. Our government is run by a bunch of bureaucratic oligarchs who are run by industrial oligarchs.
Regarding my HONORARY Ph.D., there is not evidence that states my Ph.D is fraud. Just because you find a counterfeit $100 bill does not make every $100 bill counterfeit. There is not evidence that my honorary degree is fraudulent. It states clearly on the document that it is for original work in my field of nutrition, its states nothing about academic achievement. Several people on here are judging with any proof, like a lynch mob.
Does James deserve the treatment he receives from government, probably not but he stepped into their arena several times by conducting Rawesome too much like a common store. He was the manager and should answer to the members and me, not government. He should not be convicted of any government food violations. I was not an informer for any activity by James and Palmer except their food fraud. I met with Ventura authorities about egg and meat fraud, not about their goat’s milk and cheese fraud, that I discovered in May 2012.
Everyone has their journey, mine was through deadly diseases and James’ seems to be with out-of-control government that is supposed to protect our rights rather than restrict them. I will defend James as much as possible regarding Rawesome but his violations at Rawesome have jeopardized all of us. I will settle with James for his violations against me and members of Right To Choose Healthy Food, Trust in my suit against James and Palmer. The government has a great case against Palmer and I will do everything possible in truth to see that she does not get away with her fraud, of food and elders of their life savings.
David, I find it interesting that you did not know James but by acquaintance and you make the judgement that he is without to ability to lie and commit food-fraud, even in the face of all the evidence and many witnesses. I wonder if you have not made your allegiance solely for the purpose of food-club-freedom and right to choose. By taking James side and not questioning the witnesses directly, haven’t you called all of us liers? Do you really think that we would create fraudulence about James and Palmer? Why and for what purpose? A few of the writers have faced reality, hopefully it will hit everyone very soon.
(For full comment, click here, scroll to bottom of page, and click on second of two squares.)
Aajonus,
I do agree with you that Rawesome edged closer to the public arena than practical wisdom dictated. What continues to astound me about your account here is that you remained involved with Stewart for as long as you did–at least five years after he began supposedly telling all kinds of lies. Yes, the Ventura County authorities obtained testimony from several parties, including you, alleging fraud involving food provided to Rawesome by Sharon Palmer and Stewart. Yet the authorities chose not to file charges. Why? I don’t know, but the bottom line is they didn’t file charges, at a time when they found all kinds of other matters to file charges against Stewart and Palmer about, most of them pretty flimsy, from all I can tell. I would think that if the evidence was convincing, they would have been glad to add various charges associated with fraudulent food sales to their list of charges.
Given all this, I have a couple questions for you:
Why did you remain involved with Rawesome for at least five years after you decided Stewart was regularly lying and committing fraud? Why didn’t you just leave the food club, and join another, or help establish a new one, rather than continue your vendetta against Stewart and Palmer via the Unhealthy Family Farm web site?
One of the principles behind private food rights is that individuals have the right to choose where they’ll obtain food and what food they’ll put into their bodies. If some people decided that Stewart-Palmer either weren’t frauds or that the issue didn’t matter to them, isn’t it the individual members’ right to continue buying food from them?
You ask me: “By taking James side and not questioning the witnesses directly, haven’t you called all of us liars?” My answer is, no, I haven’t called you or anyone associated with you a liar, either directly or by implication. Because I am not the judge in this matter…nor are you.
I did not know the extent to which James and Palmer were lying and defrauding. I thought it was occasionally. I was out of Los Angeles on tour in the USA or traveling abroad most of the time. I was and am rarely in Los Angeles from 2007-present. However, after patients started having problems that were related to arsenic and mercury poisoning rather than detoxification, I knew I had to investigate but remain objective. I did not have the time nor anonymity to investigate. An investigative firm was hired. That was Summer 2010.
I was ousted in October 2010. November 2010 was when UFF website was established. Calling the UFF website a vendetta reveals that you have judged. It was and will be again, a warning to all that Palmer cannot be trusted. If you buy food from her, you are taking a very big risk. You should investigate before you buy and consume her food. She is still lying according to the evidence. She claims she only sold commercial food as organic for 6 months. Records show that she was doing it for at least 2 years.
If James had ousted Palmer and all of her products, I would still be defending Rawesome and it would be open. I dealt with Los Angeles County before and always won. When James ousted me instead of Palmer, I was out of the equation and unable to stop the closing. James was and is inept of character that could do as Michael Schmidt and Vernon are doing. Instead he is a coward and wines. Jail is not supposed to be convenient and it is a dangerous place where there are many violent people willing to do harm. James should be happy they isolated him away from violent offenders.
I was in jail for contempt of court twice, once because the judge (Armand Arabian who later became a CA Supreme Court judge) forged a court document and used it against me in trial. Arabian also blatantly directed the jury to find me guilty of an illegal left hand turn. (In those day, you could take a traffic ticket to a jury.) I called the judge on his behavior in front of the jury, that is, after he had told me that I could not mention anything about the forged document he created. A self establish motion in Limine. He went ballistic and sentenced me to 5 days for contempt of court. Of course, I had contempt for the crooked court, Arabian was the court.
After having been brutally seized and taken into custody in the courtroom, it was almost 24 hours before I received food. I was housed at first with about 100 arrestees, 7 of which decided to take my new tennis shoes or be stabbed, maybe to death. I said nonplussed, “Wait right here, I have something better for you.” I walked through their circle of them and then ran to the Sheriffs at the other end of the hall. I told them the situation and they isolated me from the hall. I refused to tell the Sheriffs who tried to steal from me and assault me. I assumed that TV was correct by showing that anyone in prison could be gotten. I did not want to get myself killed by naming my offenders. I reasoned they would be pissed about not getting my shoes but not enough to have me killed.
Around midnight, I was corralled into a bus and sent to Wayside minimum security prison in the mountains north of Los Angeles. That was December 1972, it was snowing and bitter cold. I spent my 5 days in solitary confinement with one blanket. The bed was only allowed to be used 7 hours at nighttime. There was no chair on which to sit, only the cold concrete floor with a flimsy blanket and no sweater or jacket. I do not know if there was a heating system in solitary confinement because it was not used while I was there. I was given the slop of the previous days meals mixed together as a thick soup, 2 slices of bread and half head of iceberg lettuce twice daily. I reached around my cell to the 2 adjoining cells, trading my soup and bread for raw lettuce. I ate 4 half heads of lettuce daily. I lost 8 pounds in those 5 days. I was already thin then because I was mainly a raw food lacto-vegetarian.
The authorities refused to file charges against James and Palmer because James never signed a membership agreement and Palmer never signed the animal-lease contract even though James and Sharon both used the RTCHF membership agreement with members. Authorities considered that the understood verbal contract was not good enough to take to criminal court. And they were right. So, I took it to civil.
Aajonus, I would be very curious if you have some corroboration for your statement about why food fraud charges were never filed against James Stewart and Sharon Palmer: “The authorities refused to file charges against James and Palmer because James never signed a membership agreement and Palmer never signed the animal-lease contract even though James and Sharon both used the RTCHF membership agreement with members. Authorities considered that the understood verbal contract was not good enough to take to criminal court.”
If what you say is correct, then the authorities were providing recognition of the validity of the private lease and membership agreements. All other evidence from the investigations, enforcement tactics, and court charges involving Rawesome suggests strongly that the authorities ignored all your legal agreements because they made no distinction between public and private food realms. This other evidence includes many hundreds of Rawesome members who signed membership agreements that said they were acquiring food produced to certain specifications. Certainly those could be considered binding contracts, if the authorities recognized their validity. If what you say is correct and the Ventura County District Attorney actually did recognize your lease and membership agreements as binding contracts, that would be an important precedent for application in other cases, including Vernon Hershberger’s. If you don’t have any corroboration, I’d say the D.A.’s investigators were just playing with you, nicely telling you to get lost because they had no intention of filing charges against Palmer and Stewart for food fraud.
David, anyone can contest a part of a contract and agree with other parts. People in and out of governments have been doing that for centuries. The government can argue that certain foods were to be provided for members and if that was breached, part of the contract is breached. If the breach rose to fraud, it is criminally and civilly chargeable. Certainly, the defense can argue that government is hand-picking their grievances and are inconsistent. That is the nature of argument in all disagreements.