Karl Bray
| Karl Bray | |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth: | 12 Jun 1943 Provo, Utah County, UT |
| Death: | 7 May 1978 Miami Beach, FL |
| Party: | Libertarian Party |
Karl Jack Bray (1943 - 1978) was a tax attorney, radio host, speaker, author, Utah LP co-founder, candidate, and martyr. Karl J. Bray was a political activist and co-founder of the national Libertarian Party. A charismatic libertarian leader and outspoken tax rebel, he served as an early member of the Libertarian National Committee, then in 1974 was the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in his home state of Utah, running against opponent Jake Garn. It was Karl's sincere conviction that the federal income tax was unconstitutional. He had done considerable research, published pamphlets and given speeches centered around this topic. After losing the election he was arrested and convicted by the IRS over tax issues. He took the case all the way to the Supreme Court. He died soon after contracting an aggressive form of cancer in federal prison. Karl Bray's headstone in the Provo City Cemetery is inscribed "THE LIBERTARIAN TAX REBEL".
California's highest award, the Karl J Bray Award, is named in his honor.
Work
- Booklet,Taxation and Tyranny: The Complete Guide to the Tax Rebellion, 1972
Candidate
- 2nd US Congress, Utah, 1974
