Posted on 10/27/2010 4:58:52 AM PDT by marktwain
The president of the Oath Keepers organization's Pennsylvania chapter wants to be the next sheriff of Carbon County.
Steven Armbruster last year received national recognition from Oath Keepers as "Peace Officer of the Year."
Armbruster describes himself as 20-year veteran of law enforcement with some experience as a Lehigh County deputy sheriff, a police officer in Emmaus borough and service with the military police. He currently is a police corporal employed by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education as part of campus security at Kutztown University.
Armbruster said he is running as Republican but calls himself a freedom activist and will campaign as a constitutional sheriff. He currently holds instructorship in National Rifle Association firearms instruction, defensive tactics and taser instruction.
He was named "Peace Officer of the Year" for his defense of the U.S. Constitution regarding an incident on the Kutztown campus involving a group of Christians who were peacefully engaged in constitutionally protected activities.
Carbon County Sheriff Dwight Nothstein, a Democrat who said he will seek re-election, describes Oath Keepers as a "radical" group that is "off the wall" and connected to the tea party movement.
"They preach the U.S. Constitution while disobeying court orders and the law while following their interpretation of the Constitution," Nothstein said.
"Most people don't take them too seriously," he added.
Nothstein pledged "to protect the rights of the people, work hard and do what I am supposed to do to keep people safe."
Armbruster also promises to protect the citizens of Carbon County from what he calls the gradual encroachment of excess governmental power.
According to Armbruster, the county sheriff represents the nation's last line of defense and has the authority, the power and duty to end "venal and oppressive government to preserve fundamental and individual liberty."
Armbruster said he is dedicated to the preservation of our constitutional freedoms that many have fought and died for. He is opposed to what he describes as the growing Marxist creed that seeks to redistribute wealth, remove religious and expressive freedoms, and force gun control.
Oath Keepers has been featured on "The O'Reilly Factor" on Fox News, a CNN documentary on the patriot movement, and on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews."
Armbruster was featured on a documentary filmed in downtown Jim Thorpe. European ARTE-TV produced the film on the growing Oath Keepers and constitutional sheriff's movement. It was scheduled to be released across Europe, Canada and Israel, according to Armbruster.
Armbruster's affiliation with Oath Keepers is apparent from the campaign platform he is touting.
He vows to institute a volunteer sheriff's posse program. Armbruster said it would consist of county residents who are of good moral character willing to submit to a background check and agree to sign the sheriff's code of conduct.
He said the goal of the program is to train citizens in civil preparedness and good citizenship. The program will teach courses in CPR and first aid along with any other relevant training.
Armbruster's platform says members of the group will also involve themselves in charitable activities and take care of the poor and needy in their respective neighborhoods.
In addition, Armbruster intends to reward every deputy who completes a study of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. As sheriff, he will stress that they are peace officers, and said the department's main goal is to preserve and protect the constitutional rights of the citizens.
He also said he doesn't want to see gun control laws changed in any way.
Armbruster is married with three children and lives in Towamensing Township near Lehighton. He invites prospective voters to follow his campaign on Facebook at "Steven Armbruster for Carbon County Sheriff."
tragan@standardspeaker.com Oath Keepers was created in March 2009 and formed by Stewart Rhodes, a Nevada lawyer. The group's oath is "Not on my watch," and it believes all military and peace officers should defend the U.S. Constitution with their lives and not just follow orders.
One of the group's members, Charles Dyer, a former Marine Corps sergeant, played a role in connecting to the tea party. He was charged with having sex with a 7-year-old girl and charged by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with owning a grenade launcher after agents searched his house following the alleged incident involving the girl.
Oath Keepers are directly linked to the tea party movement and are strongly opposed to any changes in current gun laws, according to the group's website, which says any movement to change the Second Amendment will be strongly opposed by the group.
Oath Keepers also vows to ignore court orders that do not follow the Constitution as it is written and interpreted by the organization. The organization has chapters in all 50 states and claims thousands of members nationwide.
Rhodes, the group's founder, also writes a column, "Enemy at the Gates," for S.W.A.T. magazine.
- Tom Ragan
Interesting, I live in Carbon County, I’m a member of the Carbon County Republican Commitee, I’m at least “semi” politically knowledgable and this is the first I’ve heard of “Steven Armbruster for Carbon County Sheriff”.
Unseating a Nothstein in Carbon County is like unseating a Kennedy in MA. I wish him the best of luck though.
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