FIREWORKS FARM

Why were you closed? Everyone keeps asking me that. Why would a fireworks store be closed during the most important fireworks season in decades, America 250? 

The State Fire Marshall seized all of my business property, including about 500 cases of legal consumer fireworks, phones, computers, cash, everything. They haven’t charged me with anything because they said they are still just investigating me. This is my 7th year in business. They did the same thing in 2021 and kept delaying a court date for 2 years. It was finally dismissed with prejudice in 2023, meaning I won and can’t be charged again. I still didn’t get my stuff back until 2024, 3 years later! The state fire marshal was still telling the Marion Sheriff’s department to destroy the fireworks because they weren’t safe. I won in court and the fire marshal still thinks they can destroy years of my income for what they could only fine me a maximum of $1000. This is a constitutional violation supported by the supreme court.

I reopened in 2022 because I know fireworks law better than anyone. 5 judges have told me they don’t know anything about fireworks law. Ohio fireworks law is so unbelievably complicated that everyone just trusts the state fire marshal to tell them what to do. Townships, sheriffs, police, highway patrol, judges, consumers, fireworks companies, and licensed fireworks exhibitors like me all do whatever the State Fire Marshal says, even if it isn’t what the written law says. Who is going to disagree with them? They will threaten to end your career if you do. The law is so complex that it’s a full time job to fully understand it. Well, I’ve spent thousands of hours researching it and I understand it. All of it. The Fire Marshal uses fear and intimidation to get what they want. What do they want? They will tell you it’s all about safety but it never is. It’s always about money. 

The owner of the biggest Ohio fireworks stores has given over $1.2 Million Dollars to politicians to put little guys like me out of business. https://www.followthemoney.org/  (Former Ohio politician Larry Householder, who is in prison now, got a lot of “donations”.) He probably sells more at a single store in One Hour than I sell in an entire year! I’m not exaggerating. One of his megastores might sell a million dollars in one day! This Iranian businessman with a net worth of $30 Billion Dollars doesn’t want to lose one penny to me. The rule recommendation committee for fireworks law inside the State Fire Marshal’s office is actually controlled by the big fireworks companies. They write the rules for themselves to prevent new competition like me. It’s about money not safety.

One time I was just asking the fire marshal about a permit to keep fireworks on my property. A few days later, they all show up with guns and say they got an anonymous tip that I had illegal fireworks. They said they didn’t need a search warrant and they could break into any building they wanted if I didn’t let them come in and search everything. Of course they didn’t find anything, but everyone in the area was saying I was raided by the ATF for illegal explosives. People even said this under oath in a couple different hearings. I still haven’t lost in court. 

I started working on this business over 10 years ago. Every time I found a way to legally sell fireworks, the State Fire Marshall would tell me that they interpreted the law differently. They lied to me over and over again, then they would change the law to match what they said. For example the Sale To The Militia Of This State was an exemption to the fireworks laws. They said the militia is only the national guard, even though the LAW says that it’s everyone over the age of 17. I started my business before they changed that law.  I cited several supreme court cases that affirmed this. They basically think they are above Ohio law, the Ohio Supreme Court, U.S. Supreme Court, and the United States Constitution (which all overrule fire code). 

The State Fire Marshal taking all of my property without charging me when I’ve already won in court is Illegal. They are likely violating the Hobbs Act; Whoever in any way obstructs, delays, or affects commerce…by the unlawful taking of property… against their will, or obtaining property from another, induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, or fear, or under color of official right (That means hiding behind a badge). Depletion of a business' assets is usually sufficient to show an effect on interstate commerce and it employs the fullest extent of federal authority under the Commerce Clause. I will win in court, but they won’t let this go to court because they don’t want the truth to be on public record. If all of their actions we’re made public, someone would probably go to federal prison. 

It’s pretty ironic that an Iranian billionaire takes money from Americans who are celebrating American Freedom, then he uses that money to fight American Freedom.