YOUR COMMENTS

Yes Penny they have taken her home bussiness and possessions. Now she will die in prison where she deserves to.
- Sue, Auburn

Kyle

I see what you mean-booby trapping your property and parading around with a gun in your belt-ahh, what a sweet ol couple. Maybe she can bake cookies in prison.
Oh, and please tell me again about how the government dosn't have the right to collect-gets funnier and funnier each time you tell it.
I agree with others-its a good thing that her level of care will not be commensurate with what they have paid in taxes. But this is one tax payer who will gladly pay my share to create a new prison dental practice.
- Carl, Concord

To everyone calling these people criminals and wackos... You wouldnt even know who these people are if the government didnt try to seize their property.

The Browns were just a nice old couple. Dentists! these were people who just wanted to keep their earnings. How would you feel if someone tried to take your home, your income, your cars, your posessions?! Why should you feel differently towards the government? Are they better than you? Do they deserve your property more than you do?

I don't understand how people have no sympathy for these nice people who are being made an example of to keep all of you in your place. It makes me so sad to see that this is what America is now. Just do what your told, and if you disagree we don't care. Get in your cell.

The Browns are not "nut jobs", they are not "wackos" and they are not criminals you can watch interviews with them on the net and they are just normal people. Grow up. Some people disagree with the income tax, get over it! Legally, on the books the income tax is supposed to be voluntary. Says so in the tax code.

Basically we are being forced into a freedom subscription and if we don't pay we lose our freedom. Yea....I guess that's how the US was intended to be.
- Kyle, Manchester

People - just pay your taxes, alright!
- Harry, Atkinson

Dennis, of Hooksett wrote "Understand the issue here before replying.
This isn't about tax evasion, it's about assembling a mass of well armed people and threatening to kill law enforcement officials." In 1776, a mass of people who were well armed assembled upon a field, or common in Lexington Mass. They assembled because they felt that the British governement in America was taxing them unfairly. Not only did they threaten to kill the lawful athority, the British troops, they actually "did" kill British troops. It was called revolution then, but now Dennis of Hooksett, you call it threatening the Federal authority.
Ms Brown may be a nut, but it is the nuts who sometimes awaken us sane folks to the tyranny which is our federal government in Wash DC. Go down the list: health care, deficit spending, two wars, the stimulus bailout of Wall St, increasing taxes, welfare and more welfare .. a federal tax system whereby 50% of US citizens who work and file an income tax return pay NO TAX. Maybe Dennis of Hooksett you should return the Sheep costume you plan on wearing at Halloween, and put on a thinking cap instead.
- Thomas, Manchester, NH

Sounds to me like we have a lot of nut jobs out on the streets supporting these criminals. Maybe it's time for the feds to start looking into the background and activities some of these associations.
- Brian, Farmington

Elaine Brown got exactly what she deserved. I hope her husband receives the same.

And a tip of the hat to Sydney in Londonderry for putting out the irony of taxpayer dollars funding the imprisonment of a couple who were dead-set against paying federal taxes.

And, to repeat several posters here, this sentence wasn't for tax evasion. She received 63 months for that. They both deserves exactly what they received.
Peace
- Joel, Nashua

Most everyone here is missing the point. This trial was not about taxes. This was about not going to jail when order, possessing several different types of guns and bombs and threatning any law official who dared enter their property...while living there illegally. Enough with the tax talk, that was 3 years ago to which she was snetenced for only 5 years.
- Mary, Candia, NH

Foil hatted gun nut neurotics defend the Browns, that's their right of free speech.

And it is a good thing for the rest of us normal folks, because they show us all that here in the US we have a small but solid interest group of die hard deluded anti-social crazies with guns. Thank goodness they have no ability to win elections, we'd be in big trouble if they were more than a small minority. That said, Elaine Brown could still and should be let out of jail when she's learned her lesson, in five or ten years.
- Timothy, Merrimack

I'm very disappointed that they didnt leave their house in body bags as was promised. Now my tax dollars will pay for these parasites to eat and keep warm. Like most of their ilk............all talk and no walk.
- Jeff, Manchester

Spike, how ignorant can some of you conservatives be? Citing Reagan as a deficit cutter?!?!? Um, Spike, I'm not sure how to explain this to you, but Reagan invented the massive deficits we've come to expect. Clinton managed to reverse the trend temporarily, then Bush went absolutely wild with it, now Obama has no choice but to raise them more.

Our military budget needs to be cut in half. Simple as that.
- Fred, Amherst

Yesterday, it was reported that Ken Lewis, the retiring CEO of Bank of America, will walk out the door with $125 million dollars. Bank of America was broke one year ago, until the Feds gave them billions of taxpayer dollars. Where in the US Constitution is there a part that says if you are a CEO you get to steal $125 million dollars but if you are a protestor, you go to prison for life? Same paper reported the case of Roman Polanski, the movie director. He pleaded guilty to rape, left the country and now the liberals in Hollywood want him pardoned. Pardon a rapist, but take everything a tax protestor owns, and sentence her to life in prison? Our country, no country, will exist long when the preceeding is allowed to continue as a nutty tax protestor goes to prison for the remainder of her life. There is something fundamentally wrong with what is going on in our country.
- Thomas, Manchester, NH

35 years is ridiculus! Drunk drivers and REPEAT sex offenders who rape our children get a mere percentage of that. Where's the outrage? yes, they broke the law and should pay some price but come on. Justify that to me.......
- Julie, Manchester

I like the wackos that come out of the closet in support of these two nut jobs.
- Chris, Laconia

The Browns rhetoric was extreme but the foundation of their arguments was sound. The Congressional bailout proved it to be so. The government clearly picked winners and losers.

Judge Singal's cavalier dismissal is symptomatic of a Federal Reserve, Congress, and Judiciary that sees themselves as sovereign rulers instead of public servants. The five year sentence was more than sufficient unless the real aim is to suppress free speech.

This sentence must be appealed. The Federal Reserve must be audited.
- Steve, Manch

The Browns rhetoric was extreme but the foundation of their arguments was sound. The Congressional bailout proved it to be so. The government clearly picked winners and losers.

Judge Singal's cavalier dismissal is symptomatic of a Federal Reserve, Congress, and Judiciary that sees themselves as sovereign rulers instead of public servants. The five year sentence was more than sufficient unless the real aim is to suppress free speech.

Government officials enjoy a great deal of trust and power. The next court that judges a Brown must do so with mercy.
- Steve, Manch

Understand the issue here before replying.

This isn't about tax evasion, it's about assembling a mass of well armed people and threatening to kill law enforcement officials.

If the person involved were a 35 year old male tax evader who made the same sort of threats, you'd all be saying he got what he deserved.
- Dennis, Hooksett

Imagine that: Someone from Chicago chimes in to inform us how the "system works". If that isn't the funniest comment...ha, ha, ha. Hey Al anymore Senate seats availible over in Illinois for sale? You state "people with your hands up, your idiots" well the Brown's didn't have their hands up, they opened the front door and welcomed them with open arms. I wonder if the pizza was cold after she let them in?
To the posters comparing murder and other sentences to Mrs. Brown's....those were State level sentences, these crimminals were prosecuted under Federal law. Big difference. Let's hope others will learn from this "teachable moment" and pay up, like Amendment XVI states. If not, just leave the country and leave your freedom behind.
- Sydney, Londonderry

Dr. Brown was our dentist for 11 years. She is one of the most decent people I know. The government has taken her home, business, and possessions. That is enough. I feel she has more than enough paid for this. She is very old and I think it is outrageous to treat someone of her age like that. She spent her entire life helping other people. I think this state needs to pardon her and treat her humanely. I am sorry Elaine and all my 8 children love you. Thanks so much for your great work! You are awesome.
- Penny T, Plymouth,NH

Well the sentence seems a bit harsh, but at least the FBI did a very professional job and thankfully nobody got hurt or killed.

Nevertheless the politicians who are tax cheaters deserve the same fate as these two. Remember they not only game the system, they betray the public's trust. Those who write the laws aren't above them - they must be reminded that they're public servants, not the ruling elite.
- Mac Wade, Newmarket

This sentence is just wrong. She hurt no one. It's nice to know the justice system works for us. You can brutally rape and kill or drive drunk and kill someone walking their dog and basically get a slap on the wrist. I am dissapointed with this and sickened with the outcome.
- tracie, concord

This is a travesty and one of the single most glaring examples of lopsided inequity of our "justice" system. Although a sentence like this does point out that as a nation, our real god and true love and priority is money, not lives.
- Herb C., Concord

At least the Browns had the courage to challenge the system. What do any of you do to try and keep our taxes lower, besides complain to family, friends, co-workers and in this blog? Do you write your politicians, go to meetings, make phone calls and vote? If all of us had the courage to withhold our taxes until politicians learned how to budget, like all of us have to at home, we wouldn't be getting nailed with big increase after big increase year after year after year.
- Randall, Manchester

This is not tax evasion, anyone who threatens to kill federal agents for performing their sworn duty gets long hard time.

The Browns are a clear danger to the public and law enforcement. They would have been out by now if they had surrendered for their original five year sentences. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. On top of that they are blowhards, all talk and no action.
- Bicky, Pelham

Read the facts people!

She didn't get 35 years for tax evasion! She got 5 years for that, but refused to show for sentencing, then created a police nightmare at her home, including threats and incitements, armed to the teeth, bombs, etc. If the authorities bow to gun nuts then we'd really have the impending social breakdown gun nuts always cry about.

You can run away and get some additional time when caught, but you put the lives of law enforcers in danger and you move onto a very dangerous stage, for yourself.

Btw I've dealt with the IRS for my unpaid/unfiled taxes for various short term jobs, set up payments and straightened multiple years out in eight hours over two days. They were perfectly professional, and incredibly patient. Nothing to be afraid of giving them a call.
- Rob, Belmont

All of sorry souls that are cheering the arrest of these people should be ashamed by your own ignorance. "oh, i have to pay so why shouldn't they"...what are you 6yrs old??? Hey dummies, wake up and do a little research...the FED and it's enforcer the IRS are a scam! Have been from the start. They print money out of thin air (a right of the GOVERNMENT granted by the CONTITUTION) and then charge us interest on it! This is why they created income tax in the first place, because they needed a mechanism to pay the interest. Don't believe look up the year the income tax was instituted and then look up the year the FED was created. We are all finacial slaves to the system these two tried to fight...just because you don't feel like a slave doesn't mean you aren't one! Let's see a show of hands... how many of you still think the FED is part of the government?Those of you that have your hands up, you're idiots! Wake up, get educated on how the FED really works. It really isn't that hard for the average joe to understand once you undestand tha basic principals of the biggest fraud in American history...
- Al C, Chicago, IL

SM, Londonderry

the 13th amendment was passed in the dead of night, the day before christmas. and never recvd enough votes to legally pass... as barely ANYONE was there. Not enough states agreed, but they pushed it through anyways. It's unconstitutional I'm sorry if you disagree.
- Kyle, Manch

I personally believe that 35 years is a little harsh. Murderers and child molesters do not get that much nor do some "celebrities" The husband on the other hand deserves that sentence, he is an odd and evil person.
- Dave, BARRE, VERMONT

I actually like Tim K. view point. Why is she getting 35 years when murderers get less? She did threaten to kill but didn't actually do it, she had the ammo to do it, but DIDN'T DO IT! I sometimes think perhaps she might have been brain-washed by that psycho husband of hers. You watch, she will end up with more time behind bars than her husband!
- JJS, Concord

No argument, there are a lot of tax cheats all over the country – Republicans, Democrats, Conservatives, Liberals, White House staffers, and Wall Street brokers. If one wants to be part of this country, one has to pay for it. Freedom, democracy and capitalism are not free.

That said, most tax evaders just want to cheat the IRS. The Browns tried to cheat the IRS (which I agree is the most feared agency in the US) and then threatened to shot, bomb, and kill any one who got in their way. It took the FBI a month to clear the booby traps off of their property! Imagine if some local kid was playing in the woods around the property and stepped on one of them? Thus, I have no sympathy for the Browns not their fake ideology. They are just cheaters and thugs and should be in jail with their ilk.
- Will, Salem NH

I still say she should spend a shorter sentence (10 years?) helping poor people file their taxes. Every correct return she loses a day of jail time.
- Steve B, Derry

Wesley Snipes was found guilty for tax evasion for 10x the income, and yet years later he is still a free man on appeal. Mark Rich ducked 100x the income, never mind doing business with Iran during the hostage crisis, and got a pardon paid for with a donation to Clintons library. Justice for the Chosen Ones is how it should read.
- Mark, Nashua

Wonderfull news. I'm sure Elaine is going to enjoy her new roomies and her new digs. You go girl!! Will she be taxed on income earned in prison or will she be working for free?
- Stephanie, Manchester NH

Mike from Londonderry does not understand the differance between cheating on taxes and not paying at all and declaring war on our goverment. This has nothing to do with that idiot Geithner.
- Leon, Manchester

So when is Charlie Rangle’s trial right after Tim Geithner’s?

Those of you who seem happy about the Browns seem to have no problem with other tax cheats.

The message I get is that tax evasion is OK depending on who you are in America today. All it takes is being Secretary of the Treasury or a Congressman and mistakes do happen. If you’re unfortunate enough to be a average citizen you get the hammer of the IRS thrust down upon you and no American should feel equal but enslaved.
- Deb, Derry

Mike in Londonderry...

Sorry to break it to you, it's in there.

Amendment XVI
"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."
- SM, Londonderry

Mike of Londonderry, read Amendment 16. (Readers contemplating replies on technical defects in the ratification of this Amendment, or how Federal Reserve Notes can't be "income"--May we instead discuss something useful in the real world, such as how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?)

Nevertheless, a person who cheats on his taxes does not raise my tax rate; he increases the deficit. Congress may react by raising taxes (which won't work, as we are already past the point of diminishing returns) or--imagine!--cutting government. As Reagan said, the best way to shrink the state is to starve it. Personally, I don't care to commit felonies, but neither am I harmed by the tax cheat.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

I don't like either and I hate the IRS but if anyone cares to look at the constitution that many take for granted, look at Article I, section 8: The Congress shall have Power to lay and collects Taxes, debts, Duties, Imposts, and Excises....
(skip to the end of section 8)
...To make all laws which be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers...
- Jack, Milford, NH

none of us like or want to pay taxes ........she wasted her life, for what ? Her Dukakis pardoned felon husband. Wonder how strongly she feels about their actions now.
- Bob, auburn

What a great day for real American patriots. Let this lady rot in prison. As far as I'm concerned she and her hub are no better than Al Queda. This really made my day. Cant wait to see what the other idiot gets.
- Jake, Manchester

The most feared government agency - IRS
- Harry, Atkinson

The United States of America Judicial System has spoken. If you are a tax evader ,and you are caught, expect hefty penalties. Just another glaring example that guns and politics don't mix.
- John McC, Hooksett, NH

Leon and Sydney have it right. Not paying your taxes is a bog no, no. Unless you are selected to be in President Obama's cabinet of course. Then you can just say you are sorry or blame turbo tax . That should have been their defense. "I used turbo tax". However, your average citizen would not be so lucky.

Can anyone show me where the constitution states that the government can tax people's income? I am sure you can't, because it isn't in there.
- Mike, Londonderry

There are those out there who think these two birds are real heros. What they are are real bums. They made a lot of money and them made a choice not to pay any taxes like the rest of us do. They they turned their home into an armed camp loaded up with crazies , gums and bombs ready to shoot anyone who didn't go along with them . They both had plenty of time to turn the situation around.
- Leon, Manchester

Isn't it ironic that the tax money Mr. & Mrs. Brown avoided paying will feed and house them through their retirement years?
Citizen's of the US have a deal with the goverment, we can make as much money as we want as long as the goverment gets their share.....it's pretty simple. If you don't pay you go to jail.
Enjoy your retirement Mrs. Brown.
- Sydney, Londonderry

And Sheila LaBarre brutally murders two people and gets the same sentence.

And the morons who killed poor Christopher Gray get 40 years. Just doesn't seem right.
- Tim K, Jaffrey