Outraged American Whistleblower to Renounce His U.S. Citizenship

[seemslikeadream]

Harmon Wilfred will disassociate himself with the U.S. Government on March 1, 2005.

Christchurch, New Zealand (PRWEB) February 9, 2005 -- Harmon Wilfred, an American businessman and exiled whistleblower who has lived in Christchurch, New Zealand since August, 2001, says he will formally renounce his U.S. citizenship on March 1, 2005 to disassociate himself forever with the United States Government and its policies.

Harmon Wilfred says he has been considering the value of his U.S. birthright for many months and made a final decision to renounce his U.S. citizenship shortly after the inauguration of President George W. Bush for a second term of presidency. However, he says his decision which is permanent and irreversible, is far more than a political gesture.

“I was raised to believe – and believed fervently– that the United States is the land of the free and the home of the brave. But the actions of the United States Government in recent years, and my own personal experience, have undermined my respect for the U.S. to the extent that I no longer want to be an American.”

...

He believes the United States has reached a dangerous point in its history with what he calls an extravagant, self serving and dysfunctional government at the lead. “While over 2 billion people are starving around the world and 35.9 million Americans are living below the poverty line with 2 million literally homeless, we see $880 million US dollars spent on an election campaign and 60 million dollars expended on an inauguration ceremony for the winner; all the while American families are being ripped apart and impoverished in every U.S. State by a twisted family court system and the government would have us believe that this excessive and abusive way of life is sacrosanct.

“Americans are literally brain-washed by paid political spin doctors into believing that they live in a representative democracy when in actual fact today, the US system is nothing more than a politically corrupt form of special interest capitalism. Around the globe we’re seeing the US Government act unilaterally and in its own interests while in direct defiance of the legal authority of the United Nations, in the deluded belief that it is delivering freedom and democracy in places where it has no moral or legal mandate.”

more
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/2/emw207469.htm



Exiled U.S. Whistleblower Will Fight to Stay In New Zealand

(2004-12-28) http://www.harmonwilfred.com/

A former Colorado businessman has launched a final bid to stay in New Zealand and gain residency to avoid what he believes will be further political retribution in the United States.

Harmon Wilfred is a whistleblower who investigated and exposed the embezzlement of billions of dollars by a US federal agency known as the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) in 1992. He then “followed the money” and in 1995 exposed further embezzlement of millions from the same RTC funds being laundered through a Colorado Pension Fund. His investigation resulted in the conviction and imprisonment of the fund manager for 18 years, and the firing and fining of the county treasurer. Wilfred forced the local authorities to investigate the matter only after alerting the FBI to 18 months of inaction by the county district attorney.

In 1996-1997 while working as a financial contractor for the US Central Intelligence Agency, Wilfred uncovered an international embezzlement scheme for billions of dollars involving agents of the CIA and former President Bill Clinton. Wilfred alerted the US Justice Department and provided full documentation, but his complaint was ignored.
more
http://victimsoflaw.net/harmon_wilfred_story.htm

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. What does he mean by "agents of former President Bill Clinton?"

[buzzard]

2. I was wondering the same. n/t

[seemslikeadream]

3. I don't know

It's the first I've heard of this.

Here's his website

http://www.luminadiem.com/lumina-diem/lumina-diem-home/

[leesa]

13. Clinton ain't an angel...he's a corporate tool as well.

[seemslikeadream]

14. Well there is that stuff about Congo, Cynthia McKinney and Vernon Jordan

America Minerals Fields, Inc.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1224233


Africa: U.S. Covert Action Exposed

By Eric Ture Muhammad
Final Call
April 25, 2001

WASHINGTON -- Corporate greed, combined with a desire to never allow the "throne of civilization" to unite and become self-sufficient, continues to join at the hip the U.S. Government, the United Nations and corporate cartels in a persistent war on Africa, a recent congressional hearing concluded.

Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) chaired the hearing, "Covert Action in Africa: A Smoking Gun in Washington, D.C.," and led the voices of castigation that claimed the U.S. Government, the UN, private militias and western economic interests possessed complete knowledge of pending civil unrest in Africa and fed the fray between African nations. Their aim was to use war, disease, hunger and poverty as covers while continuing the centuries-old practice of rape and exploitation of the continent's human and mineral resources, testimonies charged.

Among those named as collaborators during the daylong hearing were U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeline K. Albright and international diamond merchant Maurice Tempelsman.
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=116

[hector459]

18. This was an attempt at back hand slap at Clinton. RTC pre-dated Clinton

Read about the RTC, its orignins and purpose. While the S&L (Bankers Guaranty) that the Clintons had invested in was disposed of by the RTC, this S&L was treated no differently than the other failed S&Ls. I believe the Clintons lost money on this deal. The mere fact that the Clintons had invested in a failed S&L does not make them party to any embezzelment by the RTC.

[tsuki]

32. But Clinton failed to properly investigate it. I think that if he had,

perhaps the blue dress would not have captured the imagination of the nation.

[The Backlash Cometh]

35. The RTC was a disaster.

They were bundling good property with bad property. Did anybody follow-up to determine what the developers did with the bad property?

[tsuki]

38. Much of the land here was given back to St. Joe, but the State of Florida

bought 18,000 acres for 19 million dollars. (The loss to the RTC and the tax payer was 101 million.) Since the land was bought with conservation funds, it cannot be "sold" by the state. But ever vigilant groups are on the look out to make sure that it is not returned to private hands. The Jebster has tried to do that.

[The Backlash Cometh]

39. It doesn't have to do with the RTC, but, in Seminole, I do believe

there was a large conservation area that was leased to the Seminole good ole boys as private property; they had a hunt club on the premise. And I do believe they were trying to swap the land for swampland so they could buy the good land. It's hard to follow the story since the press is so crappy down here, but, it is why I don't have a lot of hope for conservation lands under a Republican adminstration.

[NVMojo]

19. well, Backlash, people who screw up

are in all political parties, especially when some get power they can't handle.

This whistleblower is incredible, though. Wish there were more people alive today who had the ability to dog a scent, follow it to the end and expose it without dying in the process....

[The Backlash Cometh]

36. Well, let's hope Dean prevails, then.

As for the whistleblower, I wish there was some way to protect these people. We need them.

[RBHam]

28. He meant "agents of the Bush Crime Family"...

Google search Clinton, Bush, mena, arkansas, barry seal...

Don't say I didn't warn you.

[tsuki]

30. According to him, Clinton's attorney threatened that he'd never see

his kids again if he kept pushing for an investigation of RTC.

[Chico Man]

44. Check out the US bombing watch

Clinton was bombing Iraq just about daily for the majority of his tenure.

http://www.ccmep.org/us_bombing_watch.html

He was also upholding sanctions.

To say that Clinton's work was not the precursor to what we are seeing today would be burying your head in the sand.

Sad, but true.

[seemslikeadream]

45. Thank you Chico Man

for that 'sad, but true' link.

[The Sheik]

4. Now what does this guy think dumping his citizenship will do?

[Why Syzygy]

6. Make a statement?

Grab headlines? (if only)

Disavow himself of the complicity?

Show more honor than all those service people we support in the desert?

Make a list.

[MADem]

7. Make him ineligible for extradition if he can cop NZ citizenship???

Is he looking at charges for anything?

[tsuki]

31. Keep him from being extradicted and illegally jailed like he was in Canada

and the US.

[AP]

5. Doesn't an RTC employee play a big role in Conason & Lyon's...

..."Hunting of the President"?

One of the first people to go after Clinton hard was an RTC person. It had something to do with Whitewater, IIRC.

[NYC]

15. When Bush, Sr. lived in Houston, he rented an apartment

from Resolution Trust Company. I don't remember details. Anyway, his residence was quite a bargain as I understand it.

[elsiesummers]

17. This is what I'm wondering about.

Thanks for bringing this up.

Seems like there are quite a few around here who are ready to condemn Clinton on the strength of a single line in the press or a poorly written headline, these days.

I'm not saying he should be let off the hook summarily, but I would hope we Democrats would offer him the benefit of the doubt and do some research before jumping to (possibly false) conclusions.

It wasn't that long ago that we were hoping for his speedy recovery and hoping that out on the trail he might make the necessary difference for Kerry.

Although it's less that 50% of the people around here, I'm tired of the level of negativity recently directed at Bill Clinton.

[Rockerdem]

26. Hillary is leading. Get used to these type of off the wall stories

There will be a subcurrent to the main story that will reflect badly on one or the other of the Clintons. Theyre sneakily designed that way by our opposition. That way they get innocently (and sometimes not so innocently) posted on liberal boards and demoralize a portion of the base so that it drifts to the Greens, or some other oddball minority party. This smells Rove to me.

[tsuki]

33. I am not going to whitewash him because he's a dem. The RTC took over

18,000 acres down here. Red Hill Financial folded. The whole plot started under "deregulation" of the Reagan years, true. But the ensuing investigation under the Clinton years was done poorly. We lost a lot of party members over it.

[Sugarbleus]

8. VERY interesting.....deserves further study AND

since big dogs second term I lost respect for him. Since his time out of office I've started to entertain some ideas that are very uncomfortable to consider. What if Bill Clinton.........

It's all just too horrible.

I'm hanging on to hope that our Dems will take america back. Beyond that, I'd leave this shit hole in a minute if another country would take me. I'm aging, I'm poor, I live in pain, and all I'd like to do is live in peace and safety some place relatively pleasant. Unfortunately, one cannot enter another country unless one is rich, skilled, healthy, or sponsored. :(

[CoffeeCat]

12. Enlighten me...

Is that really true--that it's very difficult to gain citizenship in another country?

Since we always hear about how everyone is clamoring to get into the United States--I erroneously believed that the doors were wide open in other countries.

So, if I wanted to take up residency in another country--it would be very difficult, if not impossible?

Thank you for any info---

[Sugarbleus]

16. First off, I'd advise you to look up the immigration website for

the country of your choice. In it, there will be the rules for proper migration.

I had this same discussion with others some months ago here in DU. They said pretty much the same thing, with exceptions. On my own, I looked up the Canadian website for immigration (whatever it's called) where I discovered that they require a person(s) to be either independently wealthy or have a marketable skill (so they can obviously find work there), AND be in good health. One other exception was if you had a sponsor (perhaps a relative or a friend) who would "support" you for a time until you could support yourself.

The purpose, I suppose, is so that hordes of incoming people don't overwhelm their "social" system. Now, I do know of folks who have sneaked into countries but they were usually able bodied--able to eventually find work and housing on their own, OR they were refugees.

One group of aquaintances I had left last spring for British Columbia Canada. What they did was to first BUY a piece of land, it happened to be a ranch. Then they slowly began to save a few bucks and ease back from their jobs. Finally they packed it all in, set up caravan of U-hauls and trucks etc. and with ONLY a driver's license, a deed to their land, and a couple other papers---NO passport or immigration stuff, they managed to finesse their way into the country late at night where they live today. They had made friends on the other side as well who greeted them afterwards.

We all know that soldiers and draft dodgers and Conscientious Objectors have been allowed into Canada overwhelmingly. Again though, the people generally WERE able to eventually support themselves and were in good health.

Try the websites like I suggested and start a thread on Immigration/emmigration to see who, with some experience, can answer some of your questions better.

Best, SB

[CoffeeCat]

21. Hey, thank you...

...for your post and for all of the good information in it.

I'll check out the Web sites for the individual countries.

Interesting about the people you know who now live in British Columbia. Did they leave the US due to discontent with * and our current political situation? Are they now considered Canadian citizens?

Again, thanks for the helpful information. :)

[Sugarbleus]

22. They left for political reasons....and you're welcome =o)

I'm not sure whether they've applied for Canadian citizenship yet or what their plan is. I do know they are never coming back.

[CoffeeCat]

25. Wow, that is amazing...

...that they left for political reasons.

I'm sad that I sometimes feel like I want to leave. However, at least I know I'm not nuts--or the only one who thinks about it!

I wonder how many others have left or are seriously planning to do so? I bet there are many.

It's not something that someone would announce right before they do it, especially considering the current political climate.

[Sugarbleus]

27. Good point..

--->It's not something that someone would announce right before they do it, especially considering the current political climate

However, I've seen thread after thread in DU talking about this over the months--leading up to the election. One DU poster said she and her family had only one more year to wait until they were ready to leave. I guess their plans and immigration demanded that one year wait.

The other night on my local radio station, this was the topic so the host had people call in to explain if and why folks were leaving the US. The callers had a mix of answers. A few were leaving because of politics; one woman was worried about her son and any military service that might be asked of him if Bush kept pushing us towards "Armeggedon" (sic)

Another guy said he was leaving because his Significant Other was moving to the Philippeans for work, that there were family members he could stay with in Minnesota OR go with his S.O. to Manilla. He says he's going and it's permanent.

Some people have dual citizenship already, so they have the best of both worlds. Another poster in here said her family (grandparents) had fled from Germany during the Nazi's. She said she keeps an eye on what is happening here and has established an account in a foreign bank for years so IF it gets so bad here she will have the means to get the "flock" out.

Then I've read news articles of foreign born individuals who say they can't make it here anymore, don't much like what they're seeing so they are going back to their homeland.

I don't think there is a MASS exodus of Americans leaving, but the number isn't insignificant either. A good many DUers right here say they "ain't leavin'"..they are staying and fighting tooth and nail for democracy.

As for me, it would be a sad thing and a certain culture shock to have to leave.............BUT other people "adjust" to new surroundings all the time, I could too. If only I were able and could find a place to live out my days in peace and safety. It's really ALL I EVER wanted; to live in Peace and safety, with a tiny bit of financial security to make it all come together. Not much, just enough to go "garage saling" (lol)

Best, SB

[tsuki]

34. Unfortunately, it is not the number, but the types that are leaving that

is significant. It is a "brain drain" that does not bode well for the US.

[Sugarbleus]

52. That is also true; pretty sad state of affairs eh? n/t

[shanti]

47. why do you find it amazing

that they would leave for political reasons? many american immigrants come here for just such reasons. my maternal ancestors left uruguay (they were from france originally) for the u.s. for political reasons back in the late 1800's. the government was conscripting all the young men and they weren't buying it so they left.

one of my 4 sons very much wants to leave now and move to b.c.

[Voltaire99]

29. It's easy to live abroad

Can you teach English? If so, there are any number of societies that will welcome you; some are even actually desirable to live in. ;-)

Instead of worrying about citizenship, simply go abroad and teach. It's a workable means to escape living under a repressive regime. And you get to see the world.

Mind, judging from recent reports, being an American will definitely be a disadvantage in some and perhaps even many places; our welcome is definitely being worn out. But with time and patience (and thick skin), such difficulties don't have to be show stoppers. :-)

[CoffeeCat]

46. That's an interesting idea...

I would love to teach english in another country.

Unfortunately, I don't speak another language.

I have a degree in journalism, but no teaching experience.

I'll have to look into that.

Thanks for the suggestion.

:)

[BeHereNow]

9. WHOA! What a great story!

I want to meet this guy!
Let's book a DU tour to NZ...
BHN

[Sugarbleus]

24. Heehee, I'm off flying but hey, we can book a cruise to

NZ,it might be a hoot. DU party all the way. LOL

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

50. "a cruise to NZ" assuming that you are departing from the US...

... that's a heck of a long way. It's even a heck of a long way by plane (especially in coach). I'm not aware of cruise liners doing that run, but good on ya.

[Sugarbleus]

51. Aww shucks! Sounded like a good bit of fun .. n/t =o)

[WillyT]

10. There Are Days... When I Know EXACTLY How He Feels !!!

Still hangin in there though.

For now.

[BeHereNow]

11. Wonder if what he knows is connected to Sibel Edmunds?

Didn't Sibel also have similar evidence of something
along these lines?
BHN

[NVMojo]

20. yeah, good connection....

[anarchy1999]

23. Hey BeHereNow

We were hoping you saw this story!

Mr. A

[Massachusetts]

37. The TRUTH shall set you FREE!

“Americans are literally brain-washed by paid political spin doctors into believing that they live in a representative democracy when in actual fact today, the US system is nothing more than a politically corrupt form of special interest capitalism".

Its impossible to challenge this statement, he is correct!

[Laurab]

40. SOME Americans are "literally brain-washed"

Far too many, in fact. Then there are the rest of us who know exactly what's going on, who want our country back. I can't say I'm proud to be an American today, and I definitely don't want to be any part of GWChimp's America.

I want my country back.

[sadiesworld]

41. The $1.2M he owes in back child support raises a red flag for me.

Especially as he seems to be arguing that such support is unfair because he hasn't seen his children since 1998 (generally, child support and visitation are not interdependent). This facet of the story gives the rest a bit of a hollow ring to me. :shrug:

[LinuxInsurgent]

42. it's sad...

when people have to renounce the citizenship of their birth country because of some loons in power. But...i respect this man.

Enjoy your life in New Zealand...they got beautiful countrysides over there, no? (Lord of the Rings).

[Magleetis]

43. I empathize

with Mr. Wilfred. My father was born in Italy and I have heard that I can obtain Italian citizenship very easily. I have been very close to checking into it. Does anyone know what dual citizenship entails? I am sure there are pitfalls. I am going to Italy in May and I like to entertain the thought of doing exactly what Mr. Wilfred has done. At least in Italy it is known the the Gov is corrupt and dysfunctional. Here in the US our Gov says one thing and does another, total hypocrisy. Too bad I don't have the balls to do it but it is fun to think about.

[whatelseisnew]

55. Italy's part of the EU

that opens the door as an EU citizen - not just Italy, I believe.

[cosmicdot]

48. when Googling "RTC and BCCI" ... they appear together a lot ...

how big is this octopus?

anyone have a brief explanation for their connection, if any?

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-33,GGLD:en&q=RTC+and+BCCI

[seemslikeadream]

49. Here's a Scoop article

Mapping the Real Deal…
The Real Deal About Enron

... an interview with Scoop Real Deal Columnist Catherine Austin Fitts
Part Two Of Seven Parts

...

DA: In 1989 and 1990, Catherine, you worked for HUD Secretary Jack Kemp in the first Bush Administration. Kemp was a member of the oversight board for the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) that was set up for the S&L cleanup. Part of your responsibilities at HUD was to provide regulatory support to Kemp and to the RTC people and its operation, regarding mortgage and property disposition. Also, between 1994 and 1996 you served as a board member of First American Corporation, after former New York Banking Commissioner Harry Albright was appointed Trustee of the First American Resolution. You were there to assist in selling First American financial assets and unraveling its BCCI connections.
CAF: That's correct. I was initially brought into the Bush Administration to ensure that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) at HUD was sound and to help clean up the Iran­Contra Fraud at FHA/HUD. There were also fraud issues related to regulatory responsibility in the Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Federal Housing Loan Bank system, and the U.S. mortgage market---that dovetailed into the S&L work. After I left HUD, I became a board member of Carteret Savings & Loan to help some old partners with more S&L clean up. Since my days at Dillon, Read, I had a reputation for successfully re­engineering financial situations that others thought were hopeless.

DA: Beginning in 1996, your company Hamilton Securities, Inc, which was on a competitive contract with HUD as a financial advisor, was sued by HUD contractor Ervin Associates and then investigated by the Department of Justice for alleged insider trading, bid rigging, fraud, and conflicts of interests. No basis was found to support any of those allegations by their investigators in 1996, then again in 1999, and finally a year ago, they dropped all investigations. Those allegations against Hamilton are similar to those filed against Enron Corporation. So not only have you been part of the clean up of several large and complex fraud cases, but you have also been on the receiving end of a DOJ investigation---on allegations not terribly different than those in the Enron case. Additionally, you were a member of the SEC's Emerging Market Advisory Committee from 1990 to 1993. Clearly, you must have a pretty good sense of corporate law and first hand knowledge of what goes on in government fraud investigations. I know from articles you have written that you are not fully convinced the investigation of Enron is in good faith---also that you feel a lot of mistakes and omissions were made in the way the DOJ initiated its investigation. Can you explain some of this?

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0304/S00035.htm

[anarchy1999]

53. A kick back to the top, just for fun. Everyone pay attention.

This is serious. Why are we leaving? Who is leaving?

Shades of Germany, oh so many years ago.

DAMN!

Right after 9/11, my SO and I attended a meeting. I asked someone later that evening what was to come and what to do. "Too Late".

We will be "boat people" someday, fleeing our shores.

Come on, pease, "meanwhile", everyone here, sit up and pay attention.

[anarchy1999]

54. Just another well deserved kick up to the top!

Can we get this on the "Greatest Page", I have not figured that one out yet. Help.