Edwin Vieira Jr., September 27, 1943 (Fall River, Mass.) -
VP candidate for Independent (1996)
Running mate with nominee: Lawrence Rey Topham (1936-2008)
Popular vote: 3 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Lawrence Rey Topham was a local perennial candidate in Utah who frequently engaged in outlandish claims and behavior sometimes resulting in arrest. By 1996 he had already logged in at least two decades of experience running for offices such Governor of Utah, US Senator, US House, and Mayor of Salt Lake City.
Some of Topham's campaign Internet pages still survive--
Lawrence Rey Topham,
Secretary of State of the State of Utah and Acting Governor during martial law, is a candidate for President of the United States of America in the 2004 A.D., Election.
My Favorites:
Favorite Band or Musician: Utah Symphony
Favorite TV show: The Ten Commandments
Favorite movie: The Testaments and Legacy
Favorite book: The Book of Mormon
Favorite sports team: BYU Cougars
Favorite food: Wheat
My Hobbies:
My Family, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Holy Scriptures, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, genealogical research to Adam and Eve, and the Constitution of the United States of America, and restoring constitutional government in the United States and in the State of Utah.
Most Admired People:
Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith Jr., Ezra Taft Benson, Moses and George Washington.
On another webpage, Topham perhaps overshared:
If we want to know the truth we must first keep the commandments of God. Otherwise we can never know the truth and be made free. I have read the Book of Mormon well over 100 times in the last twenty years and continue to read it regularly as well as other scriptures, even though I don't now have my own set of scriptures with me. I read them on the computers and books that I have access to. I believe with all my heart, as you expressed, paper money and debased coin, are evil. So I do not use them, no matter what the consequences of that decision. I promised my Father in heaven that I would never again use paper money or any thing like it. That was nearly 23 years ago.
My wife divorced me, asked her family, two elders, to make a formal complaint to the Stake President. When the Stake President and High Counsel met, 15 High Priests, I told them, I do not care what the rest of the world does, I will not use paper money because,
(1) It is dishonest,
(2) it is unlawful, meaning there is no law authorizing it,
(3) it is unconstitutional, and
(4) it is criminal.
I was first disfellowshiped and later excommunicated. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on this earth. All other churches are wrong. Jesus Christ declared this to Joseph Smith, Jr., in the Spring of 1820 A.D. That should have settled the matter for all people for all time. Therefore, there is only one church that can bring salvation and exaltation to the inhabitants of the earth. I know that without any doubt. I am absolutely certain that is true.
Offering himself as a strict Constitutionalist, but with a somewhat unique interpretation, Topham was widely regarded as a bit eccentric in 1996, but in subsequent campaigns he started engaging in criminal behavior such as sneaking into the State Capitol building at night to "take it over," ignoring warrants, etc. resulting in jail time. That was also when he declared himself to possess public offices to which he had never been elected such as Utah's Secretary of State and Mayor of Salt Lake City. He also said he was Acting Governor and in that role declared martial law.
In 1996 Topham filed with the FEC as an Independent for President. There is some indication he sought the Libertarian Party nomination. He also sought the nomination of the US Taxpayers Party, where Spokesman-Review reporter Jim Lynch (who I am actually acquainted with!) observed at the USTP convention: "Another disappointed presidential hopeful was Lawrence [Rey] Topham, a gentle Utah man with a long white beard. Topham has refused to use paper money for the last 15 years. His point is that the Federal Reserve has duped Americans into thinking greenbacks are real. He felt so strongly about his campaign that he walked, without food, much of the way from Salt Lake City to San Diego."
Topham's running-mate was Edwin Vieira, a Harvard educated author and Constitutionalist who penned works with titles like: How to Dethrone the Imperial Judiciary, Constitutional Homeland Security : The Nation in Arms, Pieces of Eight: The Monetary Powers and Disabilities of the United States Constitution, By Tyranny Out of Necessity: The Bastardy of Martial Law, and Separation of bank and state: Repealing the provision of federal law that makes Federal Reserve notes "obligations of the United States." Dr. Vieira was also packaged in DVD lectures with Right-wing commentators like Pat Buchanan, Ron Paul, and Alex Jones. He has also been active in the militia and "Patriot" movements.
It is unknown if Dr. Vieira was aware he had been certified as a write-in alongside Topham.
On Election Day the Topham/Vieira ticket received three popular votes as write-ins in Utah, all of which were cast in the Salt Lake City area.
Election history: none
Other occupations: attorney, author, lecturer, chemist, Trustee of The Conservative Caucus Foundation, President of the National Alliance for Constitutional Money
Notes:
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, and that's
good enough."--Edwin Vieira
Based in Virginia.
Older brother of Meredith Vieira.
Parents were first-generation Portuguese Americans.
"Here again I draw on the wisdom of Stalin. We're talking about the greatest political figure of the
20th century ... He had a slogan, and it worked very well for him whenever he ran into difficulty. 'No
man, no problem.'"--Edwin Vieira