Officials doctored constitution, Gentry says after inspection

Tre Hargett is the secretary of State of Tennessee. (Photo Nashville Public Radio)

The Secretary of state and the clerk of the Tennessee senate have put into the public view a false copy of the Tennessee constitution that “strip[s] away our right to address our government in complaint,” according to a reform advocate.

The revelation comes from an inspection of the historical copies of the Constitution kept the state’s archive.

By David Tulis / 92.7 NoogaRadio

John Gentry, a legal reform activist, demanded to review originals after becoming suspicious of general assembly clerks and speakers who were blocking his effort to remonstrate and deliver a list of grievances to the general assembly over the widespread judicial disregard for the rights of the people.

“The last phrase of Art. I, Sect 23 is written in the supreme law of the land as: ‘by Address or Remonstrance,’” Mr. Gentry says. “The false PDF versions reads: ‘by Address of Remonstrance.’ The changing of that single letter and word ‘or’ to “of,’ entirely changes the meaning of a clause in our Declaration of Rights.”

Mr. Gentry made an appointment with the state archivist and under strict controls had a state official open up the pages of the 1834 constitution and the revision of 1870.

The Goodlettsville CPA and pro-se litigant was not allowed to take a photograph or use any visual equipment to record his visit. He was not allowed to touch any document, and was given one hour to go through a list of pages he’d requested to see.

“Such usurpation” of a false redaction, he says, “is no different than stripping us of our right of free speech or right to bear arms, and such a usurpation of fundamental rights cannot must not be tolerated.

“Whether by typographical error or corrupt intent, does not matter. A right of the people stated in our Declaration of Rights was usurped. I endeavor to restore that right.”

“I visually confirmed that the Office of the Chief Clerk of the Senate and Secretary of State typewritten PDF versions have been materially altered by changing a single letter.”

Andrew Dodd, the interim communications director for secretary of state Tre Hargett says he has not heard of Mr. Gentry’s findings, but says he knows of Mr. Gentry’s efforts. He says he has no comment.

Typo or corrupt intent?

Tenn. Const. Art. I, Sect. 23 states that the people have a right complain and receive redress of injury of injustice, discrimination or oppression, caused by the government.

Mr. Gentry has been thwarted in the state house and senate in efforts to have his remonstrance delivered to members and read publicly from the well. The barriers are illegal, he says, and he is asking Davidson County chancery court to order the clerks of the bodies to obey their internal rules and his rights under the constitution.

“We now know from proof in court proceedings, that member(s) and/or Clerk(s) of the Tennessee General Assembly corruptly ignore remonstrances,” Mr. Gentry writes in a Facebook post, “and conspire to injure and oppress this constitutionally protected right.

“Perhaps this explains that the error is not a typo, but was altered through corrupt intent of denying a constitutionally protected choice to ‘address’ instead of ‘remonstrate’ I hope there is an investigation. Regardless, our government has a duty to preserve our rights and not deceive us of our rights either through error or corrupt intent.”

The David Tulis show is 1 p.m. weekdays, live and lococentric.


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