County Getting Donations For Weaver Probe Cash Trickling In From Around The Country; Legality Uncertain

Unexpected cash is trickling into the Boundary County commissioners’ office to help pay for an investigation of the Randy Weaver incident.

The catch is commissioners don’t know yet if they can legally accept and spend the money, which is coming from residents across the United States. Until they find out, the handful of checks and letters are being stashed in a safe.

“We are putting all the money and letters in a special safe and purposely not counting it or reading the letters,” Commission Chairman Bob Graham said.

The county worries some well-meaning donors are assuming the investigation is aimed at prosecuting federal agents. Some citizens have even offered to go on talk radio shows to promote the investigation and solicit donations.

“We fear someone might think these letters and donations will have some influence on the investigation,” Graham said. “If any strings are attached to the donations we would likely have to send them back.”

The money started coming in last week when Tennessee resident Paul Johnson sent a $10 check.

Johnson, who lives 2,700 miles from Bonners Ferry, earmarked the money for the Weaver investigation and labeled FBI agents and U.S. marshals as “Federal Gestapo agents”.

“I want to encourage your county to indict all the agents involved in this incident and bring them to trial,” Johnson said in a letter accompanying his check.

Johnson posted his letter on a national computer bulletin board. It included a plea to others across the United States to help Boundary County pay for its investigation - one that focuses on the deaths of Weaver’s wife, Vicki, his 14-year-old son, Sam, and Deputy U.S. Marshal William Degan.

Since the computerized message appeared, checks and other monetary offers have trickled in.

“We don’t have any trouble with the intent, but there is some difficulty when people express a desire about how the money should be used,” Graham said.

Johnson’s money was earmarked to help defray the costs of a trial.

“What would we do with the money if the investigation doesn’t lead to a trial or prosecution?” Graham said. “We are still debating how to handle this.”

Two months ago, commissioners set aside $100,000 of the county’s small budget. Sheriff Greg Sprungl and Prosecutor Randall Day said it was needed to conduct their investigation of the three deaths at Ruby Ridge.

Day and the sheriff have started to interview FBI agents and want to talk with most of the others involved in the 10-day standoff.

Some county residents say the investigation is a waste of tax dollars. One man has formally challenged the commissioners’ decision to set aside the $100,000.

“Taxpayers have already put millions into prosecuting the Randy Weaver case,” said 62-year-old Vernon Mace. “I don’t think it’s productive for a small county like this to spend those kind of bucks.”

Commissioners weren’t happy about using the county budget to fund the investigation, but Graham said he hopes donations can be used to defray the costs.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if we got a great deal of money,” he said. “The Weaver case has been talked about a great deal nationally.”

Commissioners have consulted with Day for weeks about the legality of the donations. They hope to have an answer or get an outside legal opinion next week.

Day didn’t return telephone calls.

Graham said others across the country have also contacted county officials to offer money and publicity, via talk radio.

“We feel that could generate a lot of money and might be helpful,” Graham said. “But we need to be certain it can’t be construed as influencing the investigation.”

In the meantime, Johnson’s letter remains on the computer network and was sent to Soldier of Fortune and Modern Gun magazines.

“In the interest of justice, and to reassure patriotic Americans that rogue federal agents have not been given a license to kill, all the agents involved in this travesty must … stand before a jury of their peers….” Johnson wrote.

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