A Little Jail Time Changes Government Foe’s Tune But Judge Not Convinced Ormesher Has Turned Over New Leaf

Gordon Ormesher Jr. threw himself upon the mercy of the court Friday - and landed in a patch of thistles.

A week after Ormesher was sentenced to 30 days in jail for failing to get a building permit, he was back in court asking for leniency.

At his trial June 30, Ormesher had a dozen supporters but no attorney as he told Judge Paul McCabe that he did not recognize the authority of the court.

On Friday, it was a different scene.

Ormesher said nothing, allowing attorney Alyssa Swartz to speak on his behalf. The only supporters this time in the courtroom were his father and brother.

Instead of hollering his hankering for jail fare, he was humbly seeking his release.

Swartz called the hearing to ask the judge to reconsider Ormesher’s sentence.

“Seven days in custody has made an incredible difference in Mr. Ormesher’s life,” Swartz told McCabe. “It has worked like a 2-by-4 upside the head. He realizes he’s made a serious and grievous error.”

Ormesher didn’t understand that the best method to challenge the law was through the Legislature, Swartz explained. He was influenced by “a very bad, extreme element” when he deliberately ignored the building permit requirement to construct apartment buildings, she explained.

“They realize this is a radical, extreme element working outside the boundaries of the law,” she said.

Later, Gorden Ormesher Sr. said he got poor legal advice from some “law courses,” and was not associated with any militias or other radical groups.

“For some reason, they’ve latched onto me,” he said.

The elder Ormesher was in the news earlier this year for trying to pay three years worth of property taxes with a promissory note, which is not recognized as legal tender.

When Swartz said Ormesher Jr. would be willing to pay a fine instead of serving out the rest of his 30 days in jail, McCabe asked, “Will he pay with promissory notes?”

Ormesher shook his head vigorously in reply.

“Those people are nuts, he tells me, they are nuts,” Swartz said.

McCabe said his original sentence was based on his belief that Ormesher would try to pay any fine with the worthless promissory notes.

“I don’t know if Mr. Ormesher has changed his philosophy, but I’m not convinced,” McCabe said. “It may not be that he’s a changed man, but simply that he doesn’t like being in jail.”

Ormesher may be eligible for a work-release arrangement, but he works in Spokane as a firefighter. McCabe said he would have to work that out with the jail.

“I’m not going to mess with him any more,” the judge said.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo