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Militia takes over wildlife refuge headquarters

This is the stuff of satire.

More armed men arriving at Malheur wildlife refuge standoff


A convoy of more than a dozen pickup trucks carrying armed men arrived at a national wildlife refuge in Oregon on Saturday.

Some of the men carrying rifles told journalists they were there to help with security for the group that has occupied the headquarters of the refuge since Jan. 2.

The men said they were members of the Pacific Patriot Network, a consortium of groups from Oregon, Washington and Idaho, The Oregonian reported. They arrived at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge midmorning, carrying rifles and handguns and dressed in military attire and bulletproof vests.

Their leader, Brandon Curtiss, said the group came to “de-escalate” the situation by providing security for those inside and outside the compound.

One of the original occupiers of the refuge, LaVoy Finicum, said the group appreciates the Pacific Patriot Network’s help, but “we want the long guns put away.”


Curtiss said the new group is not staying inside the refuge, but are patrolling the perimeter.

He said he intends to meet with standoff organizers as well as local public officials and law enforcement to come to a “peaceful resolution.”

“We are not the militia, and we are not a militia,” he said, adding that he “they’re here for everybody’s safety, on both sides.”

The leader of the standoff group — Ammon Bundy — has repeatedly rejected calls to leave buildings at the refuge despite pleas from the county sheriff, from many local residents and from Oregon’s governor, among others.

On Saturday, militants drove government-owned vehicles and heavy equipment around the compound, saying the trucks and backhoes now belong to the local community. They also covered the national refuge sign with a new sign saying: “Harney County Resource Center” in white block letters over a blue background.

The Harney County Joint Information Center put out a statement on Saturday, saying they continue to work for a peaceful solution.

“The FBI’s investigation is ongoing so it would not be appropriate to provide details at this time,” the statement said.

The local school district announced there would be classes on Monday, after a week without school because of safety concerns.
 
How did the pollution get put there in the first place. That's like blaming lipitor and you Dr. for your heart attack when you're 400 lbs and eat baconcheeseburgers for every meal.



Congress at the influence of lobbyists craft the tax code not the IRS.

Agreed, but when was the last time a federal agency/employee was convicted when a "controlled burn" got out of control or when Feds let a fire build on public land that becomes uncontrollable and destroys private property?

When are the EPA guys going to go to prison for polluting the Animas in Colorado?

I know you can't stand the Bundy boys, Randy. But remember these are the same federal folks who craft the tax code. Just saying a jackass is a jackass


Owned. :)
 
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Can't believe this has gone on this long. The story is on National Public Radio several times a day. Something has to give....... Sounds like more and more locals are vocalizing their non-support of these guys.
 
Can't believe this has gone on this long. The story is on National Public Radio several times a day. Something has to give....... Sounds like more and more locals are vocalizing their non-support of these guys.

Torn, what is the better outcome; militia removed by Federal authorities or forced to leave due to public irritation?
 
Torn, what is the better outcome; militia removed by Federal authorities or forced to leave due to public irritation?

Beginning to think that the best outcome would be them agreeing to go due to local sentiment and then being prosecuted for their trespass. Send them over to Syria for their punishment so they can appreciate having a decent government to live under.
 
I'm fine if they release the Hammons. If they do not imprison the Bundy ass clowns for this one, chit needs to start getting serious from those of us who have been to patient as idiots take over our public places. Just because public land users are respectful and orderly, as opposed to the cowboy candy asses, doesn't mean we need to be the path of least resistance to a President, a Congress, and a Secretary of Interior that refuses to represent our interest.

Personally, I'm fed up with the entire debacle there and the clown show their old man continues to put on parade down in Nevada. It does nothing but pander to the fringe elements who want to make public lands appear so devalued that the best thing to do is sell them or transfer them.
 
In March 2014, Comfrey Jacobs, without any weapons, peacefully chained himself to a gate at the Yellowstone National Park Stevens Creek bison capture area, near Gardiner, MT, to protest the capturing of our wild YNP bison, sending them off like livestock to be slaughter due to politics. His peaceful protest was directly related to his actions, which served to protect a public trust resource and gain media attention to the plight of wild bison in the Park and those entering MT. Personally, I had no problem with this and not just because it involved bison.

"Around 10am, a welder released Mr. Jacobs and he was then arrested and taken into custody by the Park Service. Mr. Jacobs was taken to Yellowstone's jail in Mammoth and later released. He has been charged with disorderly conduct, breaking the Stephens Creek closure, and interfering with a government operation.

"The judge sentenced Jacobs to three years of unsupervised probation with a ban from the Park, the $355 restitution, plus a $500 fine and what was titled a “community service payment” of $2,500 to a Yellowstone National Park-affiliated foundation."

Jacobs used no weapons, threatened no one, took over no federal buildings and did not threaten to end the Federal governments jurisdiction there, or to steal from the American public what they own.

Yet the Bundys and others have done far worse in Nevada and here again in Oregon. The hypocrisy is flagrant and appalling in my eyes.
 
If they do not imprison the Bundy ass clowns for this one, chit needs to start getting serious from those of us who have been to patient as idiots take over our public places.

Agree 100%. Big fines and lots of time.
 
If I recall, existing AUM lessees with appurtenant deeded land (i.e. the old timers) get priority shots at the lease renewals. Well, since Bundy, in Nevada, is so out of line, couldn't another appurtenant deed holder apply for and get the AUMs? Maybe they wouldn't want to piss off the neighbors (Bundy) if they too are old time ranchers in the area with their own leases, but . . . wouldn't this be an opportunity for a third party (a hunting/conservation group) to buy in on a 160 acres somewhere and get those AUMs? They would then have standing to sue the BLM and force removal of the Bundy cattle. Or, in the process of moving their own cattle around, deal with the Bundy cattle.

Thinking out loud. Could be way off base.

Even further off topic, could a hunting/conservation organization that ended up with some AUMs use them for wildlife, bison, whatever? Or must they be used for cattle or forfeited?
 
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With all of this going on, I hope people are contacting their representatives in Washington and letting them know how you feel about what's happening on your public lands. It's easy to get complacent outside of legislative sessions, but clearly the land grab camp isn't taking the day off.
 
So did they ever cut the power and phone out there? If not they've got to at least do that. It would make it real uncomfortable in short order I'd think.
 
I see no way these cowardly thugs don't face time. The federal government is trying to avoid a bloody confrontation, which is wise because if it ends up like that it will just stir more controversy surrounding federal land management tyranny that doesn't exist. But realistically how long before state and federal law enforcment decide this is going to end?
 
So did they ever cut the power and phone out there? If not they've got to at least do that. It would make it real uncomfortable in short order I'd think.

That's what I was wondering for ever but then someone above mentioned something I never thought of: apparently the pipes would freeze and cause a lot of damage. However, maybe we are at the point where that would be worth it. Cut power, cut water (might take some recon types to get in and get out), cut comm, jam radio. And for crying out loud, quit letting people in! Jeesh!
 
If I recall, existing AUM lessees with appurtenant deeded land (i.e. the old timers) get priority shots at the lease renewals. Well, since Bundy, in Nevada, is so out of line, couldn't another appurtenant deed holder apply for and get the AUMs? Maybe they wouldn't want to piss off the neighbors (Bundy) if they too are old time ranchers in the area with their own leases, but . . . wouldn't this be an opportunity for a third party (a hunting/conservation group) to buy in on a 160 acres somewhere and get those AUMs? They would then have standing to sue the BLM and force removal of the Bundy cattle. Or, in the process of moving their own cattle around, deal with the Bundy cattle.

Thinking out loud. Could be way off base.

Even further off topic, could a hunting/conservation organization that ended up with some AUMs use them for wildlife, bison, whatever? Or must they be used for cattle or forfeited?

That is a complicated one. First, a lot of those parcels are landlocked. I think in a lot of cases that's why these guys are the only ones getting the lease. No one else can do anything with It. It seems like some Enviro groups have tried buying up leases and failed. They just didn't want grazing on the land at all though, and that might have been why they were unsuccessful. Usually when a cooperator fails to do what is asked of them their lease is terminated. Not sure if that is how the Bundys ended up in a trespass grazing situation to begin with? I am no expert on BLMs leasing though.

As far as the question of conservation groups. Usually the way a lease agreement works (in theory) is that the agency works with you to determine where, how long and at what time of the growing season they want you to graze to meet their management objectives, based on your herd size. That rotation typically includes some units that rest, but it's all part of the agreement. There is no agreement to lease land to do nothing. You can only graze regular livestock as far as I know.
 
So did they ever cut the power and phone out there? If not they've got to at least do that. It would make it real uncomfortable in short order I'd think.

No, they haven't. They let them go back and forth to town for supplies, food, water, etc. They've done nothing. Spineless leadership in DC.
 
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