Ever heard of a temp FEMA Table making the entire bldg a defacto Fed Govt bldg ?

[son of the revolution]

I went over to my local County Bldg late this morning to handle some stuff related to FEMA and last months hurricane. As I was approaching the doors I notice a guard of some sort with a holstered sidearm standing outside, something that has NEVER been there before.

I had my toddler son in my arms and was talking with him when we walked up and just before I got to the doors, Mr Rent a Cop, with two full sleeves of tat's asks if Im going in to see FEMA. Here's the conversation.............


G - Are you going to the FEMA Table ?

Me - Yes I am

G - You cant take that pocket knife inside then ( referring to my clipped inside my front right jeans pocket Kershaw Tanto Blur that is NEVER noticed or commented on, even by cops )

Me - Uhhhh, ok why is that ?

G -Its a Federal Building

Me - Uhhh , not its not, its a COUNTY Building.

G - See those signs on the windows ( points to a number of photocopied papers taped to the inside of the glass) Weapons arent allowed inside a Federal Building

Me - Right, but this is a COUNTY owned and run facility.

G - Im not going to debate it with you. ( Which is apparently supposed to act like kryptonite or something and automatically shut up any Citizen who dare question authority )

Me - Thats good, cause Im not asking for a debate. Are you saying that because FEMA has a table and a few folding chairs inside the foyer that the ENTIRE building becomes a Federal Building while they are on site ?

G - Repeats " Im not going to debate it " line and adds if I want to go in the knife has to go in my truck.

Me - Again, Im not asking to debate you, Im asking if your claiming that the mere presence of a Federal Agency makes the entire property " Federal Property " for the duration of their presence.

G - YES


So I go put the knife in my truck, and head back to the doors, all the while getting the stink eye from Barney Fife. Go inside and do what needed to be done. Then once I was outside I got my phone out and took a couple pictures of the signage. That started a whole nother " thing " with this clown, who then tried telling me photography was prohibited as well !

Im not even gonna get into typing out the narrative of that little discussion, suffice to say I kept snapping my fill of pics and made it clear to him that I was definitely NOT the guy he wanted to fuck with over Civil Rights when he was so clearly swimming in the deep end of the pool without a life jacket.


So............ Im curious, is there actually precedent that sets that any time a Federal Agency is utilizing a section of a public County or State owned building on a clearly temporary basis that the entire building falls under Federal Law or Code ?

I wasnt sure and not being positive, plus having my boy with me, I didnt want to push THAT FAR with this douche unless I was positive I was on firm legal ground.

Pic of paper " sign "

[The_War_Wagon]

Wow... you shoulda told him that, as a taxpayer - technically - it was YOUR building, and that HE was trespassing.

Then tell him, "Now git'cha ugly, white-ass outta here... & don't come back," while giving him the Steven Seagal squint...

[PaBimmerGuy]

interesting idea. should be taken to court.

[twoguns]

You asked:
"Im curious, is there actually precedent that sets that any time a Federal Agency is utilizing a section of a public County or State owned building on a clearly temporary basis that the entire building falls under Federal Law or Code ?"

My take on it:
I can not speak to any precedent at law but I will say this; when one accepts a "benefit", one then become beholden to the giver of said "benefit".

In other words, if you expect that the gov is going to hand out goodies don't be surprised if they start to tell you what you may or may not do and when and where and how.


I WANT NOTHING FROM GOVERNMENT OTHER THAN TO BE LEFT ALONE.

...but that's just me. take it for what it's worth.

[ThatPhillyGuy]

Not exactly what you were asking but I found this interesting...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=125764118

I wonder if the federal prohibition on weapons applies to the movie theater and Chick-fil-a inside as well...

[gnbrotz]

Clearly, the federal government does not own this building. IMO, if they leased space, the federal prohibition applies. If the county simply allowed them to set up there as a courtesy, it does not.

18 U.S.C. §930(g)(1)
The term "Federal facility" means a building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties.

[BigBoomStick]

Wow this is pretty disturbing. Who did this rent-a-cop represent? Did he have any Govt. badge or patches? Any idea if he represented the County or the Fed?

[son of the revolution]

Wow this is pretty disturbing. Who did this rent-a-cop represent? Did he have any Govt. badge or patches? Any idea if he represented the County or the Fed?

The only County Representative would have been a County Sheriffs Officer in uniform.

His patch said ARES Protective Services, which according to their web site is a GSA Contractor based in Virginia. I even thought of being a real dick and reporting him for unlicensed carry of a firearm in NJ. Not that I KNOW for a fact he doesnt have a carry permit, just a sneaky suspicion based on his arrogant attitude and the fact that he works for a Govt Security Contractor from an Administration that has demonstrated a "do as I say, not as I do " attitude.

[PaBimmerGuy]

Clearly, the federal government does not own this building. IMO, if they leased space, the federal prohibition applies.

this would mean that it would become a federal building if the feds leased one room in a 68 story tower.

truly a sad state of affairs.

[gnbrotz]

this would mean that it would become a federal building if the feds leased one room in a 68 story tower.

truly a sad state of affairs.

Nope. Read the definition again. "or part thereof". The room would be a 'federal facility', but the building would not. "Federal buildings" are not the issue, "federal facilities" (which doesn't necessarily include the entire building it's housed in) are.