New “Bumbleebee” robocalls have started again in Kansas from a California man, Conrad J. Braun, who has several times before tried to use current political issues for his own personal agenda through such phone calls.
The current calls are an attempt for the Bumblebee to insert himself in the debate for the nomination of Gov. Sebelius to Health and Human Services Secretary.
No known Kansas group is associated with these calls.
In an online article dated today, Braun’s web site gives confusing information involving Judge Katheen Sloan and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, and then questions whether Gov. Sebelius should be appointed HHS secretary.
To understand why these phone calls should be ignored, let’s look at the Bumblebee’s history of such calls:
A California “Bumblebee” organized a push poll in mid-November 2005 trying to become an issue in the Morrison-Kline Attorney General race the following year in 2006.
A Nov 2, 2005 Kansas City Star story explains the origin of these calls:
Judge sentences California man to 60 days in jail for blackmail
Last year, Conrad J. Braun wore a bumblebee costume to court to demonstrate what he said was a sting operation against him by prosecutors.
On Monday, Braun, 56, appeared in Johnson County District Court wearing a yellow and black striped tie. But the campaign had little effect on Judge Steve Tatum, who sentenced Braun to 60 days in jail and two years of probation for blackmail.
The charge stemmed from a 2003 letter Braun sent to the husband of his former wife, threatening to expose the husband as a “child abuser” unless he agreed to stay away from members of the Braun family. Tatum said the child-abuse accusation had no merit. …
Braun, who lives in San Diego, said his main motive has always been to maintain contact with his children, who are now grown.
Welch said that Braun continued his bumblebee campaign last week by leaving automated voice messages on some Johnson County telephones. Some residents complained, she said.
Braun said he did not mean to offend anyone. He said he came up with the bumblebee idea to interject some humor into what was a very difficult situation for him.
About a year later after Paul Morrison’s election to Attorney General, but before he took office, this recorded message was heard in many parts of Johnson County:
“Hello, this is a political message from the Committee for Fair Trials in America. Johnson County serial blackmailer, Bumble Bee Braun, just blackmailed newly elected Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison. For more information visit FairTrialsinAmerica.org. …”
NBC Action News in Kansas City gave this report about these phone calls by Braun (the initial picture showing below appears to have been inserted by Braun, but the rest of the video appears to be authentic):
A year later in Nov. 2007, the Bumblebee phone calls resumed. From the Nov 23, 2007 Kansas City Star:
The Johnson County district attorney’s office received numerous complaints Wednesday from persons who received automated telephone calls that mentioned District Attorney Phill Kline.
Kline said his office condemns the calls and has not played any part in making them.
The caller identifies himself as Conrad J. Braun, who calls himself Bumblebee and once appeared in Johnson County District Court in a bumblebee outfit. …
When allegations of an affair surfaced about two weeks later on Dec 8, 2007 about Attorney General Morrison, the Bumblebee tried to make an issue of that.
KMBC Channel 9 in Kansas City reported on Dec 13, 2007:
… Conrad Braun is known on his Web site as Bumble Bee Braun. Gish reported that he is responsible for the messages he claims have gone out to more than 100,000 Kansans.
Braun is a longtime critic of Morrison. Braun lived in Kansas for decades before Morrison prosecuted him and sent him to jail. Braun now lives in San Diego. He is using the recent scandal to publicize another story he said needs to be made public. Braun admits his methods are controversial. …
The Lawrence Journal-World reported similar information in early Jan 2007:
According to Joe Molina, an attorney with the attorney general’s office, the phone calls don’t violate the Do Not Call law because Braun’s not trying to sell anything.
“The best course of action is reporting it to the media,” Molina said. He added that he would be looking into the matter, though he doubted he would be able to take any action.
Braun is using Homeytel, a calling company he owns in San Diego, to make the calls to Kansans.
Braun admits the federal conviction he received was legitimate, but he argues the state conviction stemmed from an illegal conspiracy and from Morrison hiding evidence Braun could have used in his defense.
It’s not clear what, if any, credible information is in the current Bumblebee call about Gov. Sebelius. I’d suggest ignoring this call.
Tags: Bumblebee, Conrad Braun, Kathleen Sebelius, Paul Morrison
Hi E.F.:
Well you certainly have made a very difficult and nasty issue confusing.
But frankly, it is very simple. If you will simply take the blinders off and do your homework.
The evidence is all on the website. The Department of Justice and Kansas Attorney General’s office has downloaded every page. Perhaps you should to the same before you tell your cult followers that they should simply ignore.
Visit http://www.fairtrialsinamerica.org
Best Regards,
The Kansas Serial Blackmailer (aka. The Bumbling Bee!)