For more than three decades, Peymon Mottahedeh, founder of Freedom Law School, has challenged the federal income tax system and dedicated his work to educating Americans about their constitutional rights.
In this sponsored interview on Going Rogue, Lara Logan sits down with Peymon to discuss his decades-long battle with the IRS, the legal arguments behind his position, and why he believes so many Americans misunderstand their rights.
Despite 30 years of threats and pressure, Peymon says he has never been sent to prison for his stand.
Peyman discusses his long history of facing government scrutiny and investigations regarding his teachings on tax law. He asserts that his activities are protected by the First Amendment and emphasizes the importance of exercising constitutional rights to prevent them from being lost, while encouraging people to stand firm against government intimidation.
I just have one last question, Peyman.
If they put me in jail, are you coming to visit me?
You will not go to prison.
You're going to do it the right way.
On our website, StopTheFed.com.
You know what?
Let me tell you something else.
Yeah, one of my best friends, and we've been friends a long time.
In my youth, since I was even very young.
Peyman, you know, I'm going to bring, when they put you in prison,
I'll bring the soap on the rope for you.
Well, he's been telling me that for 30 years.
And here I am, you know, not in prison.
It's not like I was supposed to know me, Laura.
They called me back in 1994,
potential fraudulent tax protest promoter.
They're saying I'm teaching tax fraud for 30 years.
Really, if I'm teaching tax fraud, how come I'm not in prison?
They had me on an investigation, Laura,
from at least 2003 that I know of.
as the abusive tax shelter promoter to try
to close Freedom Law School down with a simple
judicial court order, no jury.
That's easier than a jury trial. Yet they found out that
they can't get Peyman because everything I do is First Amendment,
free speech, free association,
free press, free assembly, petition government.
They can't stop our First Amendment rights.
If they could and would have, guess what, Laura? I'll be back in Iran.
I would not be in America, the greatest country on earth.
The reason I can do this, the reason I'm doing this, because we have
all these God-given rights that the U.S. Constitution secures to us.
And our system largely has those rights intact.
And just like bodybuilding, they say, you don't use your muscles.
Use it or lose it, right?
Use it or lose it, yeah.
Yeah, so I talk to people.
Here I am.
I was told by my friend, Paymon, when you get big, back
in the mid-1990s, they're going to come shoot at you, like attack you.
And I thought, okay, what did the founding fathers do?
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Madison.
These guys actually got shot at, and they still went on.
All we got to do is, you know, tell people the truth about
the government's corruption of public servants.
now we're afraid bunch of meek men like oh i'm shaking
in my boots IRS oh i'm just gonna be a
meek and go out there and hide on the rock i said what
is that what they turn us into that's me
that's me shaking in my boots if i see the IRS's name
on a piece of mail okay but payment i have
one more practical let me say this you are women that's okay
because women are more sensitive than
on us, man. That's, that's not it.
It's us men who've got to stand up and protect and provide
for our wives and children. Oh my gosh.
Now you got yourself into lots of trouble.
Now you're going to have all the women coming after you
and not to take you out to dinner.
