A member of the group of armed men who have seized a U.S. wildlife refuge in Oregon in an anti-government protest has been arrested after driving a government vehicle to a local supermarket, officials said.
Bundy-BLM
The standoff in Oregon has attracted more than cowboy-hatted ranchers preaching the Constitution and denouncing the Bureau of Land Management.
A militia group that reportedly met with the armed protesters occupying a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon on Friday later left the area Saturday after media outlets said the protesters, including Ammon and Ryan Bundy, told the group it wasn’t needed.
As far as some conservationists are concerned, Oregon isn’t the only place under occupation. Bunkerville rancher Cliven Bundy and his well-armed supporters still control a vast swath of public land in northeastern Clark County that has been all but abandoned by the federal government.
Ammon Bundy says he respects Harney County Sheriff David Ward. So far, respect isn’t translating into Bundy and his group of protesters and armed self-styled militiamen following Ward’s request and ending their occupation at a national wildlife refuge in southeastern Oregon.
Ammon Bundy’s goal is to reverse transactions that moved control of lands from ranchers to the federal government. What’s unclear: Exactly how he intends to do that.
The Bundy sons are on a mission with militiamen. It’s taken them to a quiet corner of rural Oregon, where the armed militiamen have attracted headlines by taking over the federal headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge south of Burns.
In the aftermath of armed confrontation with supporters of rancher Cliven Bundy, the Bureau of Land Management largely has withdrawn from Gold Butte, leaving the environmentally sensitive Southern Nevada region more vulnerable to intruders and vandals, a preservation group said Wednesday.
Controversial Bunkerville rancher Cliven Bundy just wanted to shake hands with Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul at a campaign event in Mesquite on Monday, but also was invited to a private meeting with the U.S. senator from Kentucky.
Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul told an audience that included rogue rancher Cliven Bundy that he supports relinquishing federal management of public lands.
Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said Wednesday she is confident that Bunkerville rancher Cliven Bundy, who with armed supporters faced down federal officials over grazing cattle on public land, will be held accountable.
Embattled rancher Cliven Bundy says he and his son talked to government contractors on June 5, but he had nothing to do with shots fired near the group’s campsite later that night.
The FBI and Las Vegas police are investigating the June 5 incident in a remote area where Bunkerville rancher Cliven Bundy grazes cattle in defiance of federal authorities.
The state Senate approved a resolution Tuesday urging Congress to transfer ownership of millions of acres of federal lands in Nevada to the state.