Augustus Sol Invictus

Augustus Sol Invictus (Latin: majestic unconquered sun; born July 31, 1983) is an attorney and former United States Senate candidate in the 2016 Florida election, running as a Libertarian in the primary. He was denounced by the Libertarian Party of Florida, for a paper advocating eugenics and stated aims to start a civil war.^[1] His candidacy prompted the resignation under protest of party chairman Adrian Wyllie.^[2] Invictus later disavowed eugenics and claimed the paper was purely academic.^[3] He lost in the primary by a margin of around 50 points to Paul Stanton.^[4]

Career

While in law school, Invictus earned a fellowship at the International Human Rights Law Institute. His work centered on international criminal law and the laws of armed conflict.^[5]

Invictus graduated from the University of South Florida with Philosophy honors with a BA. From there he went to DePaul University College of Law and graduated in 2011. He says he has been admitted to the Bar at Florida, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and the Middle District of Florida in the US District Court.^[6]

He is the managing director of Imperium, P.A., the law firm he founded in 2013.^[5]

Campaign

On May 19, 2015, Invictus announced his campaign for the U.S Senate as a candidate for the Libertarian Party in the 2016 Florida election.^[7]

In response to Invictus's campaign, Adrian Wyllie resigned from his position as chairman of the Libertarian Party of Florida, calling Invictus a "violent Fascist and Neo-Nazi" whose ideology was incompatible with libertarianism and saying he did not want to be part of the same party. The chairman also accused Invictus of supporting eugenics and for “sadistically dismembering a goat in a ritualistic sacrifice”.^[8][9]

Invictus responded by admitting he once wrote a paper advocating eugenics but has since changed his mind.^[10][11][12] He admits he sacrificed the animal as part of a pagan ritual to give thanks for surviving a pilgrimage he undertook in October 2013 but denies it was "sadistic".^[13]

He has also said that he is not white supremacist, citing the fact that his four children are part Hispanic; although, he acknowledged that some white supremacists support his campaign.^[14] In 2014 he acted as attorney for Marcus Faella of the American Front in his legal appeal.^[15]

Controversy

Call to War

Since the beginning of Invictus' campaign, it has been surrounded by controversy. A letter^[16] written by Invictus in 2013 came to light in which he denounced his citizenship and claimed to have plans of venturing out in the woods only to return bringing war:

"I have prophesied for years that I was born for a Great War; that if I did not witness the coming of the Second American Civil War I would begin it myself. Mark well: That day is fast coming upon you. On the New Moon of May, I shall disappear into the Wilderness. I will return bearing Revolution, or I will not return at all."

Antifa and denial of entry to Canada

On March 1, 2016, Augustus Invictus stopped in Portland, Oregon on his way to Canada for a speaking engagement. He was met by the Rose City Antifa, an anti-fascist organization, who organized protests against Invictus.^[17] The group lobbied businesses where Invictus planned to meet and were able to divert him from one location. Invictus called the police when confronted by Antifa protesters at another location later in the night.

Canada Border Service agents held Augustus Invictus for three hours upon his arrival in Canada to question him on his ties to neo-fascist and neo-nazi organizations.^[18] Citing a planned protest and the likelihood of violence, the border agents denied entry to Invictus.^[18]

Policy positions

Invictus believes that the United States should embrace a non-interventionist approach to foreign policy, citing the cost an interventionist approach has caused to loss of American lives and trillions of dollars in debt. He opposes using the U.S military to interfere in the affairs of sovereign nations.^[19]

Invictus advocates for balancing the budget, shrinking the size of government, ceasing reckless government spending and deregulating American business. He is also in favor of repealing the individual income tax, abolishing the IRS and recreating the tax code.^[20] He is for an expanded federal role in protecting the environment.^[6] According to Invictus, he does not support mass immigration and is against open borders for the United States.^[21] However, he supports policies that would streamline the process of immigration and naturalization so that immigrants who wish to integrate and work in America can do so with ease.^[22] Invictus believes that abortion should be illegal in most circumstances.^[6] Invictus is opposed to the War on Drugs and has labeled it a failure. He supports repealing the Controlled Substances Act and abolishing the DEA.^[23] Invictus believes that America should find alternative forms of energy so as to reduce U.S dependence on foreign energy. He does not believe there should be a trade-off between economic freedom and the destruction of the environment.^[24][25]

Personal life

He is an independent Thelemite with no affiliation to Thelema's largest organization, Ordo Templi Orientis.^[26] In 2013, he undertook a pilgrimage and walked from Orlando, Florida to the Mojave Desert; in a ritual of thanks for his survival, he sacrificed a goat and drank its blood.^[14] Because Invictus identifies as both a pagan and a Thelemite, it has led to the conception in the press that Thelema is a pagan religion, though Thelemites are often divided on this distinction. ^{[27] [28]}

Electoral history

2016 United States Senate primary election^[29]

References

External links

• Imperium, P.A.
• Invictus for Senate