‘Freemen’ Follower Skips Own Seminar

In the wake of a federal investigation and judge’s warning that her activities may constitute bank and mail fraud, M. Elizabeth Broderick was a no-show at her own seminar Sunday, which drew nearly 500 people from across the nation hoping to hear her methods for paying off debts for free.

At her popular seminars, held once every two weeks, Broderick takes orders for checks bearing the words “Payable at Office of Postmaster,” which she says can be used to pay bills. Prosecutors have said in court documents that the checks are worthless.

Broderick is a pupil of tax resister LeRoy Schweitzer, whose recent arrest in Montana sparked a standoff between federal agents and members of the group known as “freemen.”

The seminar at the Essex House Hotel’s Convention Center in Lancaster, went on without Broderick on Sunday. Several scheduled speakers told attendees about the so-called “patriot movement,” which holds that people can renounce their U.S. citizenship and become “sovereign citizens,” creating their own government, complete with common-law courts.

But also on Sunday, a woman who only last week identified herself as Broderick’s attorney distanced herself from the lecturer, calling her controversial checks worthless.

“I’m having nothing to do with her,” said Ivy West, who represents “sovereign citizens,” acting as their attorney even though she said she is not a licensed lawyer.

West said that after studying Broderick’s documents late last week, she concluded that the checks were no good.

“She’s done a lot of damage,” West said in a telephone interview. “If you’re having seminars and teaching people, that’s one thing, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

Broderick, 52, could not be reached for comment. She was hit with two temporary restraining orders filed by the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles last week, barring her from issuing or promoting her checks, which she claims are backed by liens lodged against the government.

Federal officials say they have records of her issuing more than $30 million worth of the checks.

Although authorities say banks rejected most of the checks, that hasn’t stopped Broderick’s disciples from using thousands of the slips to try to pay off mortgages, medical bills, bank loans and credit-card debt. One attendee tried to use them to buy eight new Cadillacs.

On Sunday, participants in the seminar were greeted with notices from the U.S. attorney taped to the doors of the Essex House Convention Center, warning that the checks were worthless.

Most attendees remained optimistic, however, having already plunked down the $125 preregistration fee--payable only by money order, cashier’s check or cash. “If this really was bogus and this was really that bad, wouldn’t they have arrested her?” asked a 31-year-old Downey man.

Broderick’s aides told attendees--some of whom flew out from the East Coast--that there may be a delay before they receive checks. A federal judge is not scheduled to hear arguments to lift the restraining order until April 16.

In the past, Broderick has defended the checks’ validity, and financial institutions say she has threatened them with liens when the checks are rejected.

The institutions notified the FBI earlier this year. On March 25, the same day agents arrested Schweitzer in Montana, agents searched Broderick’s Palmdale home and confiscated a computer, disks, files and antique guns. The next day, agents searched the Essex House Convention Center, where she usually holds her seminars.

At Sunday’s seminar, the parade of speakers lectured the audience, made up of mostly ethnic minorities, on what they described as the corruption of the U.S. government and the need to regain the ideals of the American Revolution. Many of the speakers made jokes about undercover federal agents, whom they assumed were in the crowd.