E.H. Hennis files for county commissioner
E.H. Hennis has filed to run at-large for county commissioner. If the name sounds familiar but you just can't place it, this summary from a 2007 story by Nate DeGraff might refresh your memory:
His name is E.H. Hennis , he is a former Klansman, and he has been doing stuff like this for years. Now, he is perhaps best-known for his televised rants against county officials who he says caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to his property more than eight years ago."That's the only joy I have," the 84-year-old said of his meeting speeches. He later added: "I'm angry. But I do have fun."
County officials are not amused, and they would very much like for Hennis to go away. Recently, county commissioners discussed moving the time when people address the board to before the meeting, when the speakers would not be televised. The proposal was aimed at Hennis, who, Barnes said, "likes to see himself on TV."
But commissioners quickly rejected that idea and left the speaking time unchanged.
Most of Hennis' tirades refer to a bitter land-use battle he fought with the county in the late 1990s after a judge ordered him to clear more than 20 abandoned mobile homes from his property. The county had ruled that his land wasn't zoned for them.
When Hennis refused, Barnes arrested him. Then, with a judge's permission, the county spent the next several days hauling dozens of truckloads of junk from his yard, a process that Hennis says damaged more than $300,000 worth of his property. He wants the county to pay up.
No way, county officials say. Instead, they want Hennis to pay about $60,000 in cleanup costs and civil fines. Hennis won't pay, and the county won't enforce the judgments.
"Nobody wants to put a senior citizen in the street, is what it comes down to," Barnes said.
Instead, the county has tried to reach out to Hennis, recently offering to talk over the dispute as long as he gets an attorney to negotiate for him. Hennis says he won't hire an attorney unless the county pays for it.
The standoff continues.
[snip]
In 1998, shortly after the mobile homes were removed, he warned leaders at a meeting that "your body parts will be picked up and put in body bags" and held up what appeared to be a pipe bomb. It was fake, but onlookers were terrified, and Hennis was arrested, jailed and eventually convicted of creating a hoax.
For a time, he was banned from commissioners meetings.
Comments (3)
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He's got my vote!
Posted on February 11, 2008 8:18 PM
As far as redneck good old boys go this Hennis makes Billy Yow look like a Chapel Hill metrosexual.
Posted on February 11, 2008 8:57 PM
Nothing like a good blog to get your blood flowing. I have some questions:
1. E. H. Hennis is always followed by his title of �Former Klansman�. Fact: A retired FBI agent testified in Court under oath that E. H. Hennis had been on the payroll by the FBI as an informant in reference to the Klan in order to help keep peace and minimize violence. Doesn�t that testimony speak for itself? That should give Mr. Hennis a big plus.............. Fact: He is a Christian and a Gospel Singing Man that went so far as to Sing Gospel Music at the State Fair winning first place to include a beautiful trophy as well as a winning bonus. That would make a nice "title"
2. I know that Mr. Hennis was ordered to clear the mobile homes from his property due to a zoning change. Fact: Did that give the County the right to actually rape his property of over $300,000.00 worth of missing personal items as well as damaging trees, his home structure, power lines and much more that was not in the Court Order? No one ever seems to ask about that. It could have happened to you!!!!
3. Every write up I read has a statement made by B. J. Barnes, the Sheriff of Guilford County. Fact: When Mr. Hennis does his ranting and raving at the County Commissioners Meeting about Sheriff Barnes, there is never a rebuttal to dispute as to whether Mr. Hennis is telling the truth or not. Apparently he must know what he is talking about.
4. I was glad to hear Bruce Davis make his comment that he didn�t want to point a finger at the Sheriff, however, the County Commissioners should be able to make their own decisions and make things go away. I am very proud of you Mr. Davis.
5. I am also amazed that no one has ever ask about the tape recording that was made when former County Manager, Roger Cotten, promised that they would go straight by the Court Order, saying they would never take any of Mr. Hennis� possessions or damage his property. He even called Mr. Hennis� daughter to apologize for this terrible wrong after the fact. Apologies are nice, but, the damage was already done.
6. In reference to the Hoax Bomb threat that Mr. Hennis was arrested for: Fact: Mary Rackstraw had to lie to a Judge to get a warrant signed by stating there were major explosives on the property when none were found. We have been told by Sheriff Barnes on television broadcasts that he had evidence against Mr. Hennis, but when later questioned, he was quoted as saying �It didn�t pan out. If it had, we would have arrested him.� Whoops! Another untruth told again by the Sheriff.
7. Why are the tax payers of Guilford County so afraid to come forward and share their views? Could it be that they are not educated enough to know what is happening in Guilford County with the tax dollars? Or is it because no one is going to listen to them anyway?
8. Would it surprise you to know that Mr. Hennis get many calls with cheers from the governmental offices as well as the law enforcement office for being able to "Walk the walk as well as Talk the Talk"?
Posted on March 12, 2008 5:08 PM