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Surprise, surprise, surprise!
Back on March 9, 2001, Nevada Assemblyman Joe E. Dini Jr. (D) formally welcomed both the Shriners and Royal Order of Jesters to Nevada. Speaking on behalf of the Nevada State Assembly, Dini:
"DECLARED, That the members of the Assembly of the State of Nevada hereby express a hearty welcome to the Royal Order of Jesters, Reno Court 33 and Las Vegas Court 181, and the Shrine of North America in their endeavors to provide fun and fellowship for its members and to bring necessary medical treatment to children across the United States. Declared by the Assembly March 9, 2001."
The most recent Jester tax return lists Samuel "Scutter" Newton of Las Vegas Court #181 as an officer of the national court. A witness list for the defense in the federal defamation case Schair v Marsteller states:
"Witness has firsthand knowledge of prostitution, minor prostitution, use of illegal drugs and/or entry into Indian reservations by Schair and/or his customers.
Mr. Newton was a customer of the Plaintiffs, who fished with Plaintiffs in Brazil during approximately late August/early September, 2007. Based on the Wet-a-Line Tours LLC website, he is believed to be a member of the Royal Order of Jesters as were all other participants on this trip. He is expected to testify that there were twenty Jesters who paid for the trip and that he was one of the nineteen who ultimately participated. He is expected to testify that two boats were supplied by the Plaintiffs, one for the Jesters and one for the twenty or so girls who accompanied the Jesters. He is expected to testify that the 'activities' of the Jesters that week and the nature and extent of services provided by and/or arranged by Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs' representatives. He is also expected to authenticate the many hours of videotape and still photographs taken by Defendants of the Jesters 'activities' during the 'fishing trip.' He is expected to identify by way of photographs and association with the members of the Jesters group and identify by name or by description of the girls aboard, the ages of the girls aboard and the exact nature of the activities viewable in the videotape."
Fishing guides testified that the Jesters asked to be called "Masons" and for girls over 13.
Richard W. Schair, a Georgia real estate salesman and former fishing tour operator, sued competitor Philip Marsteller for defamation after he alleged Schair's involvement with prostitution. Schair settled out of court for $15,000 as mounting evidence supported the allegations.
Schair was indicted by the Brazilian federal police on April 29, 2009 as part of their investigation into the sexual exploitation of girls living along the Amazon. The police took depositions from five "Jane Does" who described how a North American named "Richard" lured them onto his fishing boats with promises of work but once they got there, the girls found that they were expected to drink whiskey and have sex with North American tourists. Schair was charged with using underage prostitutes to lure customers to his Brazilian fishing tour business.
Schair's indictment was made public in the Brazilian court system after Judge Maria Lucia Gomes De Souza denied his application for habeas corpus in which he asked that all charges against him be dropped, though he'd already been indicted. Police and prosecutors are currently preparing reports for De Souza so she can decide within the next few months whether or not to prosecute Schair's indictment.
Documents related to this and other cases can be found here.
The Jesters were in the headlines last year after three were caught in a FBI human trafficking sting and included a retired police captain, a former New York state Supreme Court judge and his law clerk. All three pleaded guilty to violating or conspiring to violate the Mann Act as they took an illegal alien prostitute from Buffalo, New York to a Jester "meeting" in Ashland, Kentucky. The judge also admitted to arranging for prostitutes at Jester weekends in Pennsylvania and Florida as well as to working with Jester officers to get girls to a national meeting in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. And for doing so, he's heading to federal prison for 18 months.
The text of Dini's official welcome to the Shriners and Jesters follows with Nevada Assembly records here.
“REMARKS FROM THE FLOOR
Assemblyman Dini requested that the following remarks be entered in the Journal.
Declaration
WHEREAS, The Shrine of North America was founded in 1872 by a group of 13 men belonging to the Masonic Order in order to provide fun and fellowship for its members, and through the growth of its membership has become a philanthropic organization dedicated to helping others through the establishment of specialized hospitals that have provided expert medical care at no charge to more than 600,000 children; and
WHEREAS, The Shrine of North America is an international fraternal organization with over 525,000 members and 191 Shrine temples located throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama, consisting of many special units, including the motor corps, band and clown units, and the Royal Order of Jesters, all dedicated to providing activities to help support the Shrine’s philanthropy; and
WHEREAS, The Royal Order of Jesters, a subsidiary of members of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, was founded in 1911 by a group of Shriners on their way to Honolulu for a Shrine visitation; and
WHEREAS, The Royal Order of Jesters is an exclusive group of men who enjoy life and have fun, consisting of over 26,000 members, with nearly 200 courts existing in various cities in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Membership into the Royal Order of Jesters is by invitation only and the member must have been a supporter of the community or active in other areas of the Shrine of North America; and
WHEREAS, Travel to various parts of the United States is among the many activities enjoyed by members of the Royal Order of Jesters, and the members of the Jesters share a spirit of camaraderie, deep friendship, and good fellowship; and
WHEREAS, The Royal Order of Jesters have two courts in Nevada, Reno Court number 33 and Las Vegas Court number 181, full of members dedicated to having fun and spreading Mirth and Joy; now therefore be it
DECLARED, by the MEMBERS of the Nevada State Assembly, That the Royal Order of Jesters are encouraged to continue participating in activities that encourage fun, enjoyment, and companionship; and be it further
DECLARED, That the members of the Assembly of the State of Nevada hereby express a hearty welcome to the Royal Order of Jesters, Reno Court 33 and Las Vegas Court 181, and the Shrine of North America in their endeavors to provide fun and fellowship for its members and to bring necessary medical treatment to children across the United States.
Declared by the Assembly March 9, 2001.
Mr. Speaker announced if there were no objections, the Assembly would recess subject to the call of the Chair.
Assembly in recess at 11:09 a.m."
Former Assemblyman Dini is a member of the Hope Lodge #22 of the Free and Accepted Masons (F & AM) and Kerak Temple Shrine. His son, Jay, is listed as the W. Grand Bible Bearer of the Nevada Grand Lodge and is included on the Feb. 1, 2008 Jester "Mirth Missives" subscription list.
All copies of material reprinted or duplicated from "by Sandy Frost" must include the following credit line: From http://sandyfrost.newsvine.com. Copyright (c) 2009 by Sandy Frost. Used by permission.
