Augustus Sol Invictus
| Augustus Sol Invictus | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Austin Mitchell Gillespie July 31, 1983 Ohio, United States |
| Alma mater |
University of South Florida (B.A) DePaul University (J.D) |
| Occupation | Politician, Attorney |
| Political party | Libertarian Party |
| Religion | Thelemite |
| Children | 4 |
| Website | Official website |
Augustus Sol Invictus (Latin: majestic unconquered sun; born July 31, 1983) is an attorney and United States Senate candidate in the 2016 Florida election, running as a Libertarian.
Early life
Augustus Sol Invictus was born Austin Mitchell Gillespie on July 31, 1983 in the state of Ohio.[1]
Career
While in law school, Augustus earned a fellowship at the International Human Rights Law Institute. His work centered on international criminal law and the laws of armed conflict.[2]
Invictus graduated from the University of South Florida with Philosophy honors with a BA. From there he went to DePaul University College of Law and graduated in 2011. He says he has been admitted to the Bar at Florida, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and the Middle District of Florida in the US District Court.[3]
He is the managing director of Imperium, P.A., the law firm he founded in 2013.[2]
Campaign
On May 19, 2015, Invictus announced his campaign for the U.S Senate as a candidate for the Libertarian Party in the 2016 Florida election.[4]
In response to Invictus's campaign, Adrian Wyllie resigned from his position as chairman of the Libertarian Party of Florida, calling Invictus a "violent Fascist and Neo-Nazi" whose ideology was incompatible with libertarianism and saying he did not want to be part of the same party. The chairman also accused Invictus of supporting eugenics and for “sadistically dismembering a goat in a ritualistic sacrifice”.[5][6]
Invictus responded by admitting he once wrote a paper advocating eugenics but has since changed his mind.[7][8][9] He admits he sacrificed the animal as part of a pagan ritual to give thanks for surviving a pilgrimage he undertook in October 2013 but denies it was "sadistic".[10]
He has also said that he is not white supremacist, citing the fact that his four children are part Hispanic. His campaign has received support from white supremacists.[11] In 2014 he acted as attorney for Marcus Faella of the American Front in his legal appeal.[12]
Controversy
Call to War
Since the beginning of Invictus' campaign, it has been surrounded by controversy. A letter[13] written by Invictus in 2013 came to light in which he denounced his citizenship and claimed to have plans of venturing out in the woods only to return bringing war:
"I have prophesied for years that I was born for a Great War; that if I did not witness the coming of the Second American Civil War I would begin it myself. Mark well: That day is fast coming upon you. On the New Moon of May, I shall disappear into the Wilderness. I will return bearing Revolution, or I will not return at all."
Antifa and Denied Entry to Canada
On March 1, 2016, Augustus Invictus stopped in Portland, OR on his way to Canada for a speaking engagement. He was met by the Rose City Antifa, an anti-fascist organization, who organized protests against Invictus.[14] The group lobbied businesses where Invictus planned to meet and were able to divert him from one location. Invictus called the police when confronted by Antifa protesters at another location later in the night.
Canadian Border Service Agents held Augustus Invictus for three hours upon his arrival in Canada to question him on his ties to neo-fascist and neo-nazi organizations.[15] Citing a planned protest by Canadian members of Antifa, the border agents denied entry to Invictus.
Policy positions
Foreign Policy
Invictus believes that the United States should embrace a non-interventionist approach to foreign policy, citing the cost an interventionist approach has caused to loss of American lives and trillions of dollars in debt. However, he does not think an isolationist foreign policy is completely appropriate either. He opposes using the U.S military to interfere in the affairs of sovereign nations.[16]
Monetary Policy
Invictus advocates for balancing the budget, shrinking the size of government, ceasing reckless government spending and deregulating American business. He is also in favor of repealing the individual income tax, abolishing the IRS and recreating the tax code.[17]
Social policy
Environment
He is for an expanded federal role in protecting the environment.[3]
Immigration
According to Invictus, he does not support mass immigration and is against open borders for the United States.[18] However, he supports policies that would streamline the process of immigration and naturalization so that immigrants who wish to integrate and work in America can do so with ease.[19]
Abortion
Invictus believes that abortion should be illegal in most circumstances.[3]
Drug War
Invictus is opposed to the War on Drugs and has labeled it a failure. He supports repealing the Controlled Substances Act and abolishing the DEA.[20]
Energy and the Environment
Invictus believes that America should find alternative forms of energy so as to reduce U.S dependence on foreign energy. He does not believe there should be a trade off between economic freedom and the destruction of the environment.[21][22]
Personal life
Invictus has four children.[23] He is an independent Thelemite and a former member of the Ordo Templi Orientis.[24] In 2013, he undertook a pilgrimage and walked from Orlando, Florida to the Mojave Desert; in a ritual of thanks for his survival, he sacrificed a goat and drank its blood.[11]
References
- ↑ "Austin Gillespie Birth Records". birth-records.mooseroots.com. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
- 1 2 "Meet Augustus Sol Invictus". http://www.invictusforsenate.com/meet-augustus/bio.html. May 2015. External link in
|website=(help) - 1 2 3 "A Sacrificial Goat in Every Pot". The Washington Free Beacon. November 11, 2015.
- ↑ "Augustus Invictus Announces Candidacy for U.S. Senate". YouTube. May 19, 2015.
- ↑ "Libertarian Party drama: Goat sacrifice, eugenics and a chair’s resignation". Politico. October 3, 2015.
- ↑ Smith, Adam C.; Larabee, Brandon (October 1, 2015). "Ritual sacrifice, eugenics, and the resignation of a party chairman". Tampa Bay Times (blog).
- ↑ Resnick, Gideon (October 3, 2015). "This Satanist Wants to Be Your Senator". The Daily Beast.
- ↑ Cordeiro, Monivette (October 2, 2015). "Libertarian Party of Florida chairman resigns, accuses candidate of goat sacrifice and eugenics". Orlando Weekly.
- ↑ Gray, Jeremy (October 2, 2015). "Florida senate candidate admits to animal sacrifice, denies goat dismemberment". AL.com.
- ↑ "Senate candidate in Florida admits drinking goat blood". BBC. October 5, 2015.
- 1 2 Farrington, Brendan (October 5, 2015). "Florida candidate for U.S. Senate admits to sacrificing goat, drinking its blood". Orlando Sentinel. Associated Press.
- ↑ Curtis, Henry Pierson (December 4, 2014). "Former leader of neo-Nazi group gets new lawyer to fight conviction". Orlando Sentinel.
- ↑ "The Kind Of Unhinged Departure Memo That Would Have Been WAY Funnier Before The Marathon Attack". Above the Law. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
- ↑ "Rose City Antifa report on Augustus Invictus visit to Portland, OR". Independent Political Report. 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
- ↑ "Augustus Invictus blocked from entering Canada over neo-Nazi client - Florida Politics". Florida Politics. 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2016-04-26.
- ↑ "Foreign Policy". Augustus Sol Invictus for Senate. May 2015.
- ↑ "Sound Monetary Policy". Augustus Sol Invictus for Senate. May 2015.
- ↑ "A Letter to the People of Europe". Augustus Sol Invictus for Senate. May 2015.
- ↑ "Immigration". Augustus Sol Invictus for Senate. May 2015.
- ↑ "Drug War". Augustus Sol Invictus for Senate. May 2015.
- ↑ "Energy". Augustus Sol Invictus for Senate. May 2015.
- ↑ "Environment". Augustus Sol Invictus for Senate. May 2015.
- ↑ "Augustus Sol Invictus: Departure Memo & Explanation". the Saturnalian. May 31, 2015.
- ↑ "Senate candidate in Florida admits drinking goat blood". BBC News. October 5, 2015.
