Free Republic

The Two Rivers Detention Facility in Hardin is still making national headlines as Sunday's CBS Evening News featured the controversial multi-million dollar jail that has sat empty since it was built. (cut) But, President Obama has yet to decide where the Guantanamo detainees will go and the folks in Hardin say "bring 'em on".

Seven Democratic Hardin County elected officials announced Wednesday they will become Republicans. Sheriff Ed Cain, who confirmed his switch earlier this week, was joined at Wednesday’s formal announcement by County Judge Billy Caraway, Precinct 4 Commissioner Bobby Franklin, County Attorney Rebecca Walton, Precinct 5 Constable Wayne McDaniel, Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Kent Walker and Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Butch Cummings. As each of the officials spoke, they repeated the same theme — their beliefs and values have stayed the same, but are no longer reflected by the Democratic Party. In addition, several said that when they...

A day after being a "no-show", the embattled leader of American Police Force appeared Friday morning for a hearing in a Torrance California courtroom.

The Hardin jail deal is off, said a spokeswoman for the cryptic California company contracted to run the for-hire hoosegow, now two years empty. Becky Shay, spokeswoman for American Police Force, said Friday that her company withdrew its offer to operate the 464-bed facility. The announcement comes after investigative reporters revealed that APF's frontman, Serbian immigrant Michael Hilton, has a criminal record and that some APF claims about its jail proposal were bogus. The canceled deal leaves Hardin's economic development arm, Two Rivers Authority, which owns the jail, without a contractor yet again. Officials for the organization did not respond...

A sobbing spokeswoman for the secretive company occupying the Hardin jail welcomed an investigation by Montana's attorney general Friday and expressed concerns for her own safety amid rumors about her company. Becky Shay, in a 45-minute, wide-ranging press conference during which she occasionally broke into tears, said the California-based American Police Force welcomed an information request made Thursday by Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock. Meanwhile, an attorney involved in the project cut ties with APF Friday and a second company, once named as a subcontractor, denied any involvement. Shay said she hadn't been formally served papers by the attorney...

In this Friday, Sept. 24, 2009 picture, Albert Peterson with the Two Rivers Authority stands outside an empty jail that Hardin, Mont. built for $27 million. The authority wants a California security company, American Police Force, to take over the facility. Michael Hilton pitched himself to the city as a military veteran turned private sector entrepreneur - a California defense contractor with extensive government contracts who promised to turn the rural city's empty jail into a cash cow. But now a much different picture of Hilton is emerging from public documents and interviews with his associates and legal adversaries. (AP...

HARDIN, Mont. (CBS/AP) This is the strange story of how American Police Force, a little known company which claims to specialize in training military and security forces overseas, has seemingly taken control of a $27 million, never-used jail, and a rural Montana town's nonexistent police force. After arriving in this tiny city with three Mercedes SUVs marked with the logo of a police department that has never existed, representatives of the obscure California security company said preparations were under way to take over Hardin's jail, which has no prisoners.

Conspiracy theories abound, and they’re developing around American Police Force Corp. Neoliberal blogs are claiming rather amazingly that APFC is a militia, one sign the left couldn't identify a militia if it fell from heaven and hit them on the head. Fact is, a lot of hard information isn’t exactly forthcoming. The logo for the American Police Force Corp., a little known security company sparking controversy in the town of Hardin, Montana, is eerily similar to a royal Serbian coat of arms. APFC appeared to be claiming jurisdiction over the town on Tuesday when three Mercedes SUVs belonging to the...

American Police Force (APF) Facts: - APF was incorporated in California in March, soon after Hardin leaders desperately announced that the empty jail could be used for Guantanamo Bay terrorism detainees. - APF claims to be a private security company, but does not show up in existing government contract databases. - APF claims to have "rapid response units awaiting our orders worldwide" and that it can field a battalion-sized team of special forces soldiers "within 72 hours." - APF says they have between 16 and 28 people in the U.S. and 1,600 contractors worldwide. - Defense Department, State Department, and...

In this Friday, Sept. 25, 2009 picture, Michael Hilton stands outside the city offices after meeting with Hardin, Mont. officials. Hilton pitched himself to the city as a military veteran turned private sector entrepreneur - a California defense contractor with extensive government contracts who promised to turn the rural city's empty jail into a cash cow. But now a much different picture of Hilton is emerging from public documents and interviews with his associates and legal adversaries. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown) (Matthew Brown, AP / September 25, 2009)BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Michael Hilton showed up in Hardin, Mont., last week, presenting...

The logo for the American Police Force, a mysterious security company that may or may not be taking over the town of Hardin, Montana is the same as a Serbian coat of arms. APF appeared to be claiming jurisdiction over the town yesterday when three Mercedes SUVs belonging to the group arrived bearing Hardin Police markings. Trouble is, Hardin hasn't had a police department in 30 years and currently have a contract with the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office. The mayor told the APF to remove the decals. Michael Hilton, who might or might not be a spokesman for APF,...

"...Two River Authority officials have entered into a 10-year contract with an out-of-state security firm to bring 1,000 prisoners to the Hardin jail by mid March, but law enforcement has never heard of the firm..."

This is from an e-mail I received. I can not attest to it's truthfullness, can you? Anyway, take it with a grain of salt: Hello All, By now you have probably heard that President Obama came to Montana last Friday. However, there are many things that the major news has not covered. I feel that since Bill and I live here and we were at the airport on Friday I should share some facts with you. Whatever you decide to do with the information is up to you. If you chose to share this email with others I do ask...

BILLINGS - American Police Force officials showed up in Mercedes SUV's that had "Hardin Police" stenciled on the vehicles. The twist, the city of Hardin doesn't have a police department. Two Rivers Authority officials say having APF patrol the streets was never part of their agenda. "I have no idea. I really don't because that's not been a part of any of the discussions we've had with any of them," said Two Rivers Authority's Al Peterson. As it stands now the Big Horn County Sheriff's Department is contracted to patrol the city and APF has no jurisdiction. If that was...

The logo for the American Police Force, a mysterious security company that may or may not be taking over the town of Hardin, Montana is the same as a Serbian coat of arms.APF appeared to be claiming jurisdiction over the town yesterday when three Mercedes SUVs belonging to the group arrived bearing Hardin Police markings. Trouble is, Hardin hasn't had a police department in 30 years and currently have a contract with the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office.The mayor told the APF to remove the decals.Michael Hilton, who might or might not be a spokesman for APF, said in a...

Tons of readers are asking about the American Police Force jail contract in Hardin, Montana.Neil Katz at CBS News reported: This is the strange story of how American Police Force, a little known company which claims to specialize in training military and security forces overseas, has seemingly taken control of a $27 million, never-used jail, and a rural Montana town’s nonexistent police force.After arriving in this tiny city with three Mercedes SUVs marked with the logo of a police department that has never existed, representatives of the obscure California security company said preparations were under way to take over Hardin’s...

In the name of fighting terror, anything is permitted: FEMA camps, merc takeover of American towns, enemies of the state lists, the harassment of citizens, roadblocks, making lists of gun owners. The American people continue to support anything as long as it is branded with the “anti-terror” bumper sticker. People need to wake up. The excuse called “terror” will only last so long – until it is too late to regret. Our constitutional government is OVER. It is time that we stop trying to revive the corpse and start waking up to the reality that we need to stick together...

<p>Font Size:Default font sizeLarger font size BOB ZELLAR/Gazette Staff Hardin officials began construction on the $27 million Two Rivers Detention Facility in June 2006, and it was completed in September 2007. . .Related Links Related: American Police Force The Two Rivers Detention Center was promoted as the largest economic development project in decades in the small town of Hardin when the jail was built two years ago. But it has been vacant ever since.</p>

A Wild West cattle town is desperate to boost its ailing economy by offering its jail as a new home for the inmates of Guantanamo Bay. Senators and congressman from across America have insisted that their states will not accept terrorist suspects in the homeland, but the folk of Hardin, Montana (population: 3,384) are made of sterner stuff. Greg Smith, Hardin's economic development director, volunteered its state-of-the-art prison to the federal government. "This is a dying town," he said. "Businesses here are struggling like there's no tomorrow. But here is a solution that would help us, help the United States...

Defense attorney Rusty Hardin, whose high-profile client list includes former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich and former Police Chief C.O. Bradford, was robbed at gunpoint outside his home in West University Place early Saturday morning, authorities said. Hardin, who is currently representing Mayor Bill White's teenage daughter in a drunken-driving case, said he got home after midnight Friday after having dinner with his wife and some clients. Hardin and his wife had taken separate cars, and he arrived home shortly after she did. When he got out of his car, the 64-year-old attorney said, he was approached by two men...

3 PARTS:Congratulations AmericaCountdown to Socialism in AmericaSatan's Strongest Weapon Congratulations America The following is the first in a three-part series written by our Chairman, Joe Larson. Mr. Larson intents this series to be a wake-up call for America’s Christian Men – men who have long been asleep at the wheel. His words may be bruising, but his message is a blessing. – webmaster Part One of Three - Congratulations America: Today there are over 10,000 openly Marxist professors and thousands of Humanist professors controlling the universities and colleges that produce America’s teachers and other professionals. Varying forms of Marxist-Humanism are...

Feb. 24, 2003, 1:01AM Wife runs over husband in parking lot, police say Liberty County incident leaves man hurt, woman in jail By LUCAS WALL Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle A 46-year-old woman ran her husband down with a Ford Taurus outside a Hardin convenience store Sunday afternoon, authorities said. A witness said the woman had accused the man of cheating on her. The victim, 31-year-old Mark Reents, was taken to Liberty-Dayton Hospital with minor injuries. He was expected to be released Sunday night. His wife, Renee Fowler-Reents, was taken to Liberty County Jail after fleeing the scene. She was charged...