Kent Hovind Finally Silenced? - Guest Post From Robert Baty

Bob Baty is my constant commenter on forbes.com.  He and I shared an interest in the parsonage exclusion.  Although saying Bob, bane of the basketball ministers, has interest in the parsonage exclusion is a bit like saying Ahab thought a bit about a white whale. So maybe, when it comes to parsonage, you can call me Ishmael. 

 Bob also had an interest in Young Earth Creationism, which he tried unsuccessfully to share with me.  I resisted until a Tax Court decision put the antics of Kent Hovind, Doctor Dino, clearly in my tax beat.

Since I can no longer take guest posts at forbes.com, I asked Bob to share his latest thoughts on Kent Hovind here.  The story is, as we say, evolving, but this will do for now.

Kent Hovind Finally Silenced?

By Robert Baty
November 7, 2014

For many years Kent Hovind, Pensacola, FL Baptist preacher, was a leading light for the young-earth creation-science movement.  He traveled the world, made tapes and videos, opened up a small theme park (Dinosaur AdventureLand), and debated academics.  As Kent gained notoriety for his young-earth creation-science theology he began more and more to mix in certain anti-government, anti-tax, sovereign citizen ideas into his promotions.

It seems no one could shut him up or shut him down...till now!

Somewhere along the line Kent decided he was not liable for certain tax liabilities such as personal income tax and employment taxes on his employees.  He went years and years without paying such taxes and using cash for much of his operations.

The IRS charged him for income taxes and he filed bankruptcy in an effort to evade payment.  Because he perjured himself before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court his case was dismissed.  Kent went on his way without bothering to file personal income tax returns or employment tax returns.  In the course of all of this Kent had a number of run-ins with local Pensacola officials and individuals over various things such as assault charges and permit rules.  Kent got crossways with the Pensacola Christian College and it is commonly reported that Beka Horton, an executive at the college, referred Kent to the IRS because of his anti-tax, anti-government antics.

The IRS did further investigate Kent Hovind and charged him with evading employment taxes and bank reporting rules ("structuring") along with obstruction of justice as a result of his antics over the years and his efforts to thwart the current investigation.

Kent was tried and convicted and sentenced to 10 years, of which he has now served about 8 years and was planning on getting out next year; August 15, 2015 with the prospect of being released 6 months earlier to a pre-release program.

During the years of incarceration Kent has not been quiet.  He has been able to continue his litigation with the help of a mysterious, mostly anonymous "legal dream team".  He has filed numerous appeals and many, many motions in his various cases.  He even tried to sue the website RationalWiki for libel.  None of the litigation has been successful.

During the years of incarceration Kent was able communicate extensively with his people through the resources provided by the Bureau of Prisons.  He has a number of websites and FaceBook pages to promote his cause and has even managed to have numerous YouTube video broadcasts of interviews with him; possibly in violation of Bureau of Prison rules.

It was as if nothing could stop Kent!

Then he came up with the idea to try and interfere with the sale of various properties, which he had forfeited as a result of his earlier criminal proceedings, with the filing of lis pendens liens.  He did manage to so interfere with the sales of the properties, but at what cost?  The lis pendens were ultimately voided.

And then, the Government filed charges against Kent Hovind and his most well known legal advisor and non-attorney Paul John Hansen.  It seems what they did in filing those lis pendens liens constitutes mail fraud, criminal contempt of court, and conspiracy; according to the government.  The indictment indicates there were others involved.  Maybe there will be more charges filed against such others; Kent's "other" people who were involved in the lis pendens may be hiding.

Kent elected to take on a federal public defender in order to answer to the most recent indictment.  Despite his alleged "legal dream team" and most often using the do it yourself method, this time Kent has, so far, accepted the services of a government provided defense lawyer.

I'm told that one of the first things a defense lawyer tells his client is to "shut up".

Kent seems to have taken such advice in this case.

I can't find where Kent has recently been able to get any word out for public consumption regarding his present circumstances.

I can't find where his handlers have been speaking out about what is going on.

A courthouse rally planned for his arraignment appears to have not happened or fizzled for lack of interest.  I couldn't find where anyone reported any of the details of that planned effort.

I can't find any recent interview broadcast with Kent.

Surely there are folks visiting with Kent on a regular basis, but no one, anywhere I happen to go in cyberspace, is reporting on any such visits.

Inquiring minds want to know what is up with Kent Hovind and his people.
The mainstream media has neglected to report on the developing Hovind story.  Forbes' Peter J. Reilly is an exception, but as a tax blogger his ability to pursue and develop the story is limited.

Looks like we will have to wait for the public procession of the legal proceedings.  The trial on the latest charges is currently scheduled for December 1, 2014; though it is common that such first efforts are delayed.

Kent Hovind did not put on a defense at his previous criminal trial.
Kent Hovind did not prosecute his own U.S. Tax Court case.
I don't think Kent Hovind wants to testify under oath subject to cross examination.
I wonder if Kent really wants to go home and face the wife he sent to prison for a year as his accomplice.

For now it finally seems that Kent ain't talking.
And his handlers aren't talking.


And so we wait.

As it happens Kent has gone back to giving interviews, but more on that later.

If you would like to see your name up in lights on this dynamite blog with a readership possibly numbering in the scores, drop me a line at peterreillycpa@gmail.com.