澳彩开奖

, the enigmatic president of the antigovernment 鈥渟overeign citizens鈥� group Republic for the united States of America (RUSA), has told his followers that despite his incarceration on federal tax charges, he is still very much their leader. And as for his legal problems? That鈥檚 simply the federal government squashing the 鈥渞ighteous鈥� truth.

鈥淭he Lord has called for and annointed [sic] me for this position,鈥� Turner says in a handwritten letter dated Oct. 15 and recently posted to the RuSA website. 鈥淗is annointing [sic] has not been removed because I have been incarcerated.鈥�

Last month, a federal grand jury Turner on a host of tax charges, including allegations that he attempted to pay his own taxes with a fictitious $300 million bond and tried to assist others who wanted to get out paying taxes with similar bonds ranging from $10 million to $300 million.

Turner鈥檚 letter comes as RuSA experiences perhaps the biggest challenge to its survival amid increased law enforcement scrutiny and tremendous upheaval in its rank-and-file.

Fearing that Turner was a flight risk, a federal judge last month denied him bail, leaving RuSA, the largest and most organized sovereign citizens group in the United States, reeling.

As proof of that, RuSA has bumbled through plans to host an election to replace Turner 鈥� with some of his loyal acolytes publicly fearing that the end of the group is near. Kelby Smith, a spokesman for the group and one of Turner鈥檚 loudest supporters, said on an Oct. 17 telephone call with followers, 鈥淲e as a Republic look very, very, very bad with our president sitting in jail.鈥� He added, 鈥淓ither the president gets out of jail, or the Republic is going to be split.鈥�

Members of RuSA view the federal government as an illegitimate 鈥渃orporation鈥� designed to enslave American citizens in a system of financial snares, an idea with a storied history within the antigovernment 鈥淧atriot鈥� movement. They also see Turner as a divinely anointed savior tapped to save a nation from turmoil.

That reality alone has prompted law enforcement worries that members of RuSA, some of whom have already been embroiled in , will lash out violently as . And Turner, who has historically calmed his followers when their rhetoric against the federal government intensifies, seems willing to stoke those fires.

鈥淚 am not in jail for violating the law,鈥� Turner wrote in the letter. 鈥淚 am in jail because I stood for righteousness and truth in government.鈥� He then asked his followers to 鈥減ray that God will crumble the foundations and break the power and strength of the corporation and restore his righteous government in America.鈥�

鈥淚 am praying daily that God will cut off all financial, military, political, and spiritual support for the municipal corporate government in Washington, D.C.,鈥� Turner wrote.

There is no indication when 鈥� or even if 鈥� RuSA will hold an election to replace Turner. For his part, though, the sovereign president for the time being seems unwilling to let go of a two years ago and took further than most had before 鈥� by forming a shadow government to lie in waiting for the collapse of the federal government.

For Turner, the fantasy has continued even in jail.