Exclusive Interviews
James Jaeger: MIDNIGHT RIDE – When Rogue Politicians Call for Martial Law
By Anthony Wile - December 13, 2015

Introduction: James Jaeger is an award-winning filmmaker who co-founded Matrix Entertainment which has partnered with Bill Van Alen, of Cornerstone Entertainment, Constitutional attorney, Edwin Vieira, Jr., and independent producer, Richard B. Iott, to produce a series of feature-length political documentaries centering on the U.S. Constitution. The first documentary "FIAT EMPIRE" about the Federal Reserve System, featuring Congressman Ron Paul garnered a Telly Award and went viral as the #1 film on the Internet for six months. That inspired James and his associates to develop, produce and release additional cutting-edge motion pictures including the recently completed and released "MIDNIGHT RIDE – When Rogue Politicians Call for Martial Law" featuring Ron Paul, Stewart Rhodes, Sheriff Mack and other Freedom Movement celebrities.

Anthony Wile: Given your busy schedule right now, we know you don't have much time so let's focus directly on your latest film, "MIDNIGHT RIDE – When Rogue Politicians Call for Martial Law," which is your seventh film on the Constitution. Why is this film so important?

James Jaeger: MIDNIGHT RIDE is the sister film to our previous film, MOLON LABE, which explains what the Second Amendment and Militia Clauses are about and why they are "necessary" in order to maintain a "free state." MIDNIGHT RIDE explains what could happen if we ignore the advice of the Second Amendment and the Framers.

Anthony Wile: You premiered the film online on November 6th. How was it received?

James Jaeger: It's doing a little better than MOLON LABE as far as DVD sales goes, and consequently we held it back from the Internet for only about a week. There are currently about 900 people a day watching MIDNIGHT RIDE, and overall our films at www.YouTube.com/user/OriginalIntendDoc have been viewed by almost 4 million people.

Anthony Wile: Where can people see MIDNIGHT RIDE or order DVDs?

James Jaeger: Your readers can watch it for free at www.MidnightRide.us/premiere or get single or quantity orders of the DVD at www.MidnightRide.us/dvds.

Anthony Wile: Give us an update on MOLON LABE: How the Second Amendment Guarantees America's Freedom, which you talked about at length in our October 2014 interview. Did it fulfill your expectations?

James Jaeger: I think the movie does a good job as a primer to the Second Amendment and Militia of the Several States, thanks to the research of Edwin Vieira and the supporting explanations from the other experts in the film. I am disappointed, however, that out of a pool of 218,959,000 eligible voters across the nation, only about 220,000 have seen MOLON LABE because the mainstream media distributors continue to ignore our films. Wouldn't you think at least NETFLIX would carry them? Instead, NETFLIX carries every mindless documentary ever produced. And the Internet Movie Data Base – the data base that lists every movie ever produced – won't even list our movie, CULTURAL MARXISM. So, gee, I wonder if Hollywood is dominated by socialists and Marxists.

Anthony Wile: Back to your latest movie, MIDNIGHT RIDE. It starts with a logical premise of a dollar crash that takes down the world's financial system. Give us one scenario of how that would unfold, please.

James Jaeger: I don't want to spoil the movie's "plot," but suffice it to say that if the dollar crashed, it would be total chaos. What would the Globalists do? Well, they would probably try to invoke "emergency powers." MIDNIGHT RIDE goes into the legality of "emergency power" acts as well as the various types of martial law that would surely follow.

Anthony Wile: In your trailer for MIDNIGHT RIDE and other marketing material you ask some provocative questions about what would happen as a result of that collapse, and suggest the formation of a police state in the US would be likely. Don't we have elements of it already?

James Jaeger: We already are essentially a police state and several of the experts in MIDNIGHT RIDE – including Ron Paul – explain why.

Anthony Wile: You also ask whether martial law should or could be obeyed. Give us a sense of your perspective on that.

James Jaeger: Some types of martial law are constitutional and some are not. The interesting question is, WHO would comply with martial law of the unconstitutional kind were it declared? To answer this question we do an analysis using the advice in Eric Hoffer's famous book, The True Believer – Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements.

Anthony Wile: Does the film draw a conclusion as to whether the proclamation of martial law would be constitutional? Can you share it?

James Jaeger: Again, I don't want to give a way the "plot" because I hope people will watch the movie and study Edwin Vieira's latest book, By Tyranny Out of Necessity: The Bastardy of "Martial Law." This book inspired the movie. The last printing sold out so it's unavailable for purchase right now, but I'm told it's being reprinted and is expected to be available early next year from Amazon.

Anthony Wile: Tell us about this inspiration.

James Jaeger: I enjoy working with Edwin on these movies and we have teamed on virtually all seven of the movies, such as those covered in a number of your interviews with me over the years. Edwin's work is very thorough, well written and easy to read. His many long-form books are now supplemented with short-form books that introduce the various subjects. Thus, there is no reason why all Americans cannot be inspired by these wonderful books, as I have been. Concerned citizens can read the short-version of Edwin's books, watch a movie and then delve into the longer-form books for the details.

Anthony Wile: Do you depart from the book at all?

James Jaeger: I don't depart at all. Before each movie Edwin and I have extensive discussions about the material and how it fits into the framework of the Constitution. Edwin does the research on the material because he is the constitutional attorney and I reduce this to a movie because I am the filmmaker. At Matrix Entertainment our motto is: "Movies that do more than entertain."

I will say this, however: Edwin is every bit the legend he has become in the Freedom Movement. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the most knowledgeable person on the U.S. Constitution since the Founders themselves. And this is obviously why all the networks and mainstream media pundits would be in sheer terror were they to grant him platform. Just as he has done before the Supreme Court on numerous occasions, Edwin Vieira would out-argue any of the pundits or "experts" hired by the Globalists to spin world events as they see fit. But forget about the experts and even the fact that Dr. Vieira holds four degrees from Harvard, including a law degree and a chemistry degree; this savant is nothing less than mind-boggling in his ability to communicate to students and the layman. Edwin knows his material so well, he can explain it in an unlimited number of ways so even someone like me – who never managed to get higher than a D in history – can get it.

Anthony Wile: You have a great group of people featured in MIDNIGHT RIDE. Tell us about them.

James Jaeger: Yes, we have a wonderful group of experts who participated in MIDNIGHT RIDE, and I thank all of them for their time and wisdom. We had 16 experts in this film, the most for any of our films. In first-name alphabetical order these experts are: Chuck Baldwin, Dan Happel, David R. Gillie, Edwin Vieira Jr., Elias Alias, Erich Pratt, G. Edward Griffin, Jack Rooney, Larry Pratt, Pat Buchanan, Ron Paul, Rosie Haas, Sheila Matthews, Sheriff Mack, Stewart Rhodes and Walter Reddy.

Anthony Wile: You had originally hoped to work with Ted Nugent, from the NRA. Did he participate?

James Jaeger: Unfortunately, we were not able to get Ted Nugent or anyone connected with the NRA into this or our previous film. We tried very hard to get Ted and/or Wayne LaPierre into MIDNIGHT RIDE. I called and called and wrote and wrote, all to no avail. One of our producers, who even has a personal relationship with the Nugent family, was not even able to persuade Ted to participate. I am thus very disappointed that the NRA chose to not participate in either MOLON LABE or MIDNIGHT RIDE even though they claim that "The NRA will continue to fight for the Second Amendment" in their letters and literature.

I wrote Mr. Lapierre after MIDNIGHT RIDE was released and sent him a DVD of the movie as well as a copy of MOLON LABE. In my letter to him I stated: "Wayne, this is the film I wanted you to be in. Larry Pratt and Stewart Rhodes are both in this representing their associations' views on guns and the Constitution. Why did you not participate on behalf of the NRA? Guns are not only for profit; they are 'necessary' for a 'free state.' Do you disagree?"

I received what seemed like a form letter back from a "David K" (no last name given) starting out: "Mr. Jaeger, Thank you for your letter to NRA Executive Vice President Wayne PaPierre. Unfortunately, Mr. LaPierre is unable to respond to your concerns personally, but he asked me to respond on his behalf . . . "

This is almost exactly the same kind of letter I get from MPAA studio executives and supposedly "conservative Second Amendment celebrities" like Clint Eastwood, Ted Nugent, Gary Sinise or their agents. All of these people, and others, whom I have contacted seem to be cowed by political correctness and the agenda of Hollywood as dictated by the 21 men that govern the MPAA studio-distributors and New York-based Mainstream Media. Otherwise, why doesn't Wayne LaPierre go on network TV and state something like: The NRA supports the Second Amendment and believes there are five reasons to keep and bear: 1) target shooting; 2) hunting; 3) self-defense; 4) deterrent against tyranny and 5) one's role to participate in their state militia per the U.S. Constitution?

Answer: Because if he did this – or Ted or Clint or Gary did this – they would be roasted as much as Donald Trump is currently being roasted by the Establishment and the gun-control lobby's propagandizing networks. Any non-multibillionaire who tries to buck the Establishment or the Globalist Agenda will be met with intense heat, total blackout or who knows what.

Anthony Wile: Any specific points you want to make about the numerous individuals that did have the courage and commitment to appear in MIDNIGHT RIDE?

James Jaeger: I guess I am a total sexist bigot for not having any women in our previous films, so I apologize and am trying to reform myself. To this end, MIDNIGHT RIDE features Rosie Haas and Sheila Matthews. Rosie is one of the most talented and knowledgeable people I know and her grasp of the Freedom Movement's challenges and constitutional remedies is incredible. I have often told Rosie she should have her own TV show.

Sheila Matthews is an activist that few can match. Sheila has been incredibly effective in exposing the pharmaceutical cartel's lobbyists, such as the man she calls "The Walrus." If you don't know who or what The Walrus is, you just have to speak with Sheila for the most incredible story about life as an activist in DC and on K Street. Ever wonder, for instance, after a mass shooting of school children if the shooter was on pharmaceutical drugs? Well, Sheila has discovered that most of them are. And Big Pharma spends any amount of money necessary to make sure you will never find out about this or which BRAND of drugs they are on. Sheila has been relentlessly asking congressmen and other elected officials things like: "Do you feel it's appropriate for you to take money from pharmaceutical companies in order to get elected and then pass laws that prevent concerned citizens from knowing exactly what pharmaceutical drugs mass murderers are on when committing their atrocities?"

There are other experts in the film that are also amazing, like Sheriff Richard Mack. The sheriff was going to be in MOLON LABE but due to certain circumstances was not able to make it. So we were so pleased that he was able to be in MIDNIGHT RIDE. The main thing I can say about Sheriff Mack is few know the nature of the nation's police force – and the definition of the word "infringement" – better than he. You have to see Richard Mack in this movie to really grok what I am saying here.

Chuck Baldwin does an especially amazing job in MIDNIGHT RIDE. No one makes us feel the passion of liberty, the justice of the U.S. Constitution and the spirit of America more than Pastor Chuck Baldwin. Chuck is gifted with not only a speaking voice that speaks to all, but a gift for writing a weekly column unsurpassed by anyone in the Freedom Movement or the broader U.S. media. Also, Chuck's persistent address to the American clergy, and addressing how such clergy has been cowed by 501c tax exempt status from standing up for the biblical principles that informed the U.S. Constitution, is brave and legendary.

G. Edward Griffin appears in MIDNIGHT RIDE and discusses the whole concept of being governed. "Does anyone want to be governed?" he asks. And the answer to this is: No one really wants to be GOVERNED – they want to be PROTECTED. Ed thus offers incredible insights as to how our nation could proceed to what he calls a "Version 2.0" of the Constitution, a version that corrects the errors of the recent past, renames the "government" as a "protectorate" and sets up Freedom Force-principles that will steer us from the grip of the "collectivist" mentality. One simply has to hear these things from the master's lips before they can fully appreciate the years of thought Mr. Griffin has put into the subject matter.

Ron Paul is in MIDNIGHT RIDE. He is now back in Texas, having delivered some of the best service to the nation any citizen ever has. I am very grateful to him for being supportive of this and the other films. Dr. Paul has been in six of the seven films we have produced and he never fails to tell it exactly how it is. Frankly, if it were not for Ron Paul – and the prestige his name brings to a project – none of these films would probably have been possible. What makes Ron Paul the greatest statesman of our time is that he is a true leader and a man with unparalleled courage. Hell, he was in THESE films – films that NO ONE ELSE IN HIS POSITION HAD THE COURAGE TO BE IN! And he did it all the while the Mainstream Media was giving him as much grief as they are now giving Donald Trump. What more can be said about Dr. Paul except long live the Ron Paul Revolution?

No discussion of these films would be complete without acknowledging Stewart Rhodes, the founder and power behind one of the most important organizations in the U.S. – Oath Keepers. If hell breaks out from the DC rogues you will be glad Stewart and the dedicated military, police, national guard, firefighters and all the men and women who are members of Oath Keepers are there to set good examples. These Americans know and understand like no others what it means to take an oath of office and swear allegiance to the U.S. Constitution. In the film, MIDNIGHT RIDE, Stewart makes us feel the intense responsibility all concerned citizens have in performing their duty to revitalize and participate in the militia of their respective states, as stipulated by the Constitution. Stewart and his organization have graciously sponsored both MOLON LABE and MIDNIGHT RIDE, possibly the only films ever produced on the state Militia System and the liabilities of martial law.

We also had some newer talents in MIDNIGHT RIDE, all incredible experts in their fields. These experts are Dan Happel, Elias Alias, Erich Pratt and Walter Reddy. Dan has been an elected official in Montana and becomes more popular with the citizens every year due to the honest and straight-shooting example he sets for government officials. Don't be surprised to see Dan counted as one of our nation's top leaders very soon.

I was especially happy to be able to feature Elias Alias in this film and I can't say enough about his knowledge, experience, dedication and military service to this nation. Not only these things, but Elias is one of the most creative and effective writers I have ever known and it has been a pleasure working with him as an associate producer on several of the films.

Erich Pratt, Larry Pratt's son, is also in MIDNIGHT RIDE. Erich is an executive at Gun Owners of America and is one of the most knowledgeable people in the country when it comes to all aspects of the Second Amendment and the history of our great nation. I was so pleased that Erich lent his expertise to this film.

David R. Gillie, Jack Rooney and Pat Buchanan make appearances in MIDNIGHT RIDE. David Gillie is not only one of the most experienced and knowledgeable experts on the U.S. Constitution, he serves his country as a military commander and an adjunct professor with great passion. Jack Rooney is not only an accomplished motion picture producer and writer, he's one of the most well-read historians in the country. Pat Buchanan appears in the movie, though I did not actually interview him; he just gave me the okay to use portions of the interview we did previously. The timing was bad for this movie because Pat is incredibly busy writing a final book on his experiences with Nixon. Pat has distinguished himself as a courageous leader and teacher in his willingness to share his vast political expertise with me and the viewers of five of our previous films. Thank you, Pat; your presence in these films brings a certain class like no other.

And last, only because his first name begins with a "W," is Walter Reddy. Walter is one of the most effective speakers and activists in the nation and what is not acknowledged enough is he was the main power behind the formation of the original Tea Party in December of 2008. Beyond this, as well as being instrumental in the passage of an amendment, Walter has been working with Edwin Vieira and Ron Paul for years to develop a new constitutional monetary system based on gold. I would like to see The Daily Bell interview Walter so he can really lay out his ideas and accomplishments on this exciting work.

Anthony Wile: Thanks for the suggestion. Is it difficult to raise funds for these kinds of films? How have you done so well?

James Jaeger: It seems to be difficult to get funds to actually start movie projects, but as the pieces come together more and more people chip in and things get done. Matrix Entertainment usually puts up the development capital for the movies and then others help out as they can. Richard Iott and Brian Rockey continued their support from MOLON LABE and came aboard MIDNIGHT RIDE as key producers. Thank you, Richard and Brian. It really helps get the job done when people like this lead the way on a financial level. And MIDNIGHT RIDE has the best production values and lineup of experts of all the films so far. But let me also say this, if you watch the film you will see hundreds of other names on it in the screen credits. In all, we had about 1,200 people help out by donating what they could afford. So, to all of those patriots, and especially the Oath Keepers Membership – I really want to thank you. You are living proof that we don't have to get permission from Hollywood or the mainstream media to make movies.

Anthony Wile: A lot of the subject matter you cover seems more relevant today than ever. Are you getting more positive feedback from the industry itself? More support?

James Jaeger: No, as I discussed earlier, neither the Hollywood-based motion picture industry nor the New York-based mainstream media have ever lifted a finger to help develop, package, finance, produce or distribute the seven movies on the U.S. Constitution we have produced since 2005. Even though people like Ron Paul, Alex Jones, Larry Pratt, G. Edward Griffin, Sheriff Mack and Pat Buchanan are often in the mainstream media, the mainstream media completely ignores their efforts in our films. Why is this? This is because 1) our films do NOT attempt to be politically correct, 2) our films represent the "original intent" interpretation of the Constitution NOT the "living document" interpretation, 3) our films are not partisan in that we favor political parties, 4) our films respect the fact that the Constitution and many of the Framers advised against "factions" (political parties), 5) our films expose the Globalist Agenda of a one-world totalitarian government and 6) our films discuss the two biggest "crimes" one can commit in the eyes of the mainstream media and the rogue politicians that have taken over DC: a call to revitalize the Militia System and a call to End the Fed.

In short, the Globalists that control the mainstream media do NOT want WE THE PEOPLE to have the "power of the sword" or the "power of the purse" and our films advocate both – especially if we want to end the War of Terror and limit the government to a Constitutional Republic.

Anthony Wile: It seems to us that the Hollywood environment is getting more and more difficult generally. Is Hollywood beginning to fragment, in your opinion?

James Jaeger: I don't know. I no longer pay much attention to Hollywood. I get my Hollywood Reporter magazine every week and I read industry news, but frankly, it's all the same old crap. It is beginning to look like my next documentary will be about the Hollywood-based movie industry and the New York-based mainstream media. We are surveying now and so far about nine out of ten people surveyed feel such a film is in order. In fact, I joked with one of my producing partners the other day that we should make a documentary documenting my attempts to get MIDNIGHT RIDE distributed. I'm sure he winced, especially if he doesn't want to step on Hollywood's toes. But – as you and many of your readers may know – I have been battling Hollywood for over a decade. (See battles at www.FilmReform.org.) If I could get away with the title I would put out a movie simply entitled: FUCK HOLLYWOOD – Why It's Destroying the Planet's Sanity. But, of course, such a title would be not "politically correct" because it would fall on the ears of those who can't hear cuss words – or it would fall on the ears of Hollywood apologists who applaud all the cussing in the movies.

Anthony Wile: The movie industry has gotten some bad press recently for cooperating with intelligence agencies. Is that having an impact?

James Jaeger: I don't know. If you're talking about Big Media companies, there are now only six that control every molecule of our public discourse. I'm sure the lawyers in these companies "cooperate" with the lawyers in the government to the point of conspiracy against the American people. With the latest shooting in California, you can more easily see that the Globalists are getting ready to lay down the exact scenario we predict in MIDNIGHT RIDE – When Rogue Politicians Call for Martial Law.

Of course, this scenario may backfire because more people than ever are purchasing guns and waking up to SELF-defense. They are beginning to realize that, when someone comes into your Christmas party or rock concert with guns blazing, the only viable thing for a citizen to do is SHOOT BACK. WE THE PEOPLE are the "first responders" – not the police or DHS. So the Nazis and Marxists that advocate "gun free zones" are being displayed as the fools they are. Obviously, the only way the U.S. citizen will be able to "win" the "war of terror" is to reinstate the Militia System, the system of first responders the Framers established in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

What makes the attainment of this goal frustrating is that "opinion leaders" like Wayne LaPierre, Ted Nugent, Gary Sinise and Clint Eastwood are in a position to make a difference but they cower. They never mention the Militia or the concept that:

AN ARMED CITIZENRY IS WORTHLESS UNLESS IT IS WELL-REGULATED, WELL-TRAINED AND WELL-ORGANIZED AS STIPULATED AND IMPLIED IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND THE THREE MILITIA CLAUSES OF THE U.S. CONSITUTION.

All of the "gun leaders" – except Stewart Rhodes and Larry Pratt – fail miserably to understand and/or convey this concept to the American public, probably because they are afraid of the media control group and its ability to destroy their "Hollywood" careers, as they have been trying to do to Donald Trump. You saw how quickly the media companies – Univision, NBC, Televista, Ora TV and even FOX News – attacked him and/or dropped him the minute he said one sentence the corporate masters in the control group didn't like. And bear in mind that 98% of the global media is now owned, directly or indirectly, by just six multi-national corporations. So the control group is VERY small and they are Globalists hell-bent on the agenda of a one-world, totalitarian government with a universal "gun-free zone."

The members of the control group will have guns, but no one else. For these people, and their propaganda machinery in Hollywood and New York City, freedom of speech and guns are fine, but when WE THE PEOPLE or anyone else tries to exercise OUR freedom of speech or gun rights, they are ostracized and/or vilified. Ask Orson Wells, Marlon Brando, John Cones, Mel Gibson, Pat Buchanan, Gary Oldman and even Bill Maher. If Trump didn't have the money and knowledge he has, he would be decimated. But bear in mind, Trump is also an experienced TV producer. He is well aware o how the control group plays and knows exactly how to play them. This is driving the Establishment insane, but eventually the playing around has to stop and the control group has to be removed from power.

Anthony Wile: Making your kind of movies in today's environment is no easy feat. You want to comment on that?

James Jaeger: I have found a niche, I guess, but I don't really look at it that way. I am personally so concerned and so irritated by the blatant disregard of constitutional principles and the total bias going on in mainstream TV, I basically make the films to keep from mentally exploding. My late grandfather used to make documentaries about how to operate on a person's brain. The problem was there were not enough neurosurgeons in the U.S. after the war mongers of World War II created countless damaged people across the nation. At one point my grandfather was the only brain surgeon west of the Mississippi. The federal government asked him to move east to establish a department of neurosurgery at Jefferson, but since he was the only surgeon in the West, he could not just abandon his post. So he made medical training films to hat up surgeons on the various operations. These were the first medical films ever produced and I have the library to this day – about 25 films, all 16mm color. So am I doing anything like this feat with my films? Who knows, but I guess I got the bug from grandpa. Maybe my mission is to perform constitutional brain surgery on the crazy people that have taken over DC.

Anthony Wile: Any concluding thoughts?

James Jaeger: I would like to know what your readers think about a film on the mainstream media and what it should cover. Readers can email me at jjaeger@mecfilms.com. I appreciate you and The Daily Bell following the progress of the previous films and your efforts to bring a wider spectrum of news to the People of the U.S. as well as around the world.

Anthony Wile: Thanks for making this time for us. We wish you great success with MIDNIGHT RIDE.

James Jaeger: You are welcome and thank you.

After Thoughts

In this interesting and plainspoken interview, James Jaeger returns again and again to his inability to connect with a group of people important in fighting gun control. These people are clustered in and around the National Rifle Association.

As we've often pointed out, the NRA was founded by Union soldiers after the Civil War and right from the beginning there was a fairly friendly relationship between the U.S. federal government and the new organization. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but in the current day when U.S. officials seem determined to remove most guns from most people, this history may be seen as getting in the way of effective representation.

In fact, it is gun shop owners that have been on the receiving end of much of the activism of the federal government and as a result, a form of official gun control is emerging despite strong sentiments among certain constituencies in the U.S. that such a state of affairs is unnecessary and unconstitutional.

James seems surprised at the lack of cooperation. He's not a naïve man and certainly understands the larger historical currents swirling around gun control and the NRA. Nonetheless, his disappointment is understandable.

In any event, this latest movie – even without the involvement of NRA reps – is surely another outstanding contribution to educating people about the history of freedom – and its erosion – in the U.S. We thank James Jaeger for his continuing efforts in following in his grandfather's footsteps and building such a comprehensive archive documenting these important issues in a comprehensible way.

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