If you thought the standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon was just a harebrained scheme cooked up by some ranchers who are too cheap to pay their grazing fees, it turns out they also had a lot of help from elected Republican officials.
Oregon Public Radio is reporting that several GOP lawmakers–Nevada state Rep. Michele Fiore, Oregon state Rep. Dallas Heard, Idaho state Rep. Judy Boyle, Washington state Rep. Matt Shea, and others–were fully aware of the fact that Ammon Bundy and his brother Ryan were going to take control of federal property with a show of force, but they never bothered to share this information with any law enforcement agency. Can you say accessory to a federal felony offense?
For the record, it should be noted that Fiore, Shea, and other GOP lawmakers in the west are part of a group known as the Coalition of Western States (COWS). COWS has one goal: Forcing the federal government to surrender federally protected lands to the states. Because, you know, they can manage them soooo much better and strip mine or otherwise destroy them for whatever goodies they happen to find in the process.
Greenlee County, Arizona, Commissioner Robert Corbell, who is as massive of a piece of shit as has ever walked the face of the earth, has also supported deadbeat rancher Cliven Bundy, who owes the federal government over $1 million in grazing fees because he’s too damn sorry to pay what he owes. Corbell knew what was about to happen at Malheur, as OPB reports:
“Corbell told OPB that coalition leadership knew Ammon Bundy planned to take over U.S. government property in Harney County before it happened, but were unsure which federal outpost it would be.
“‘We knew he was going to do something.'”
The GOP lawmakers involved in this massive conspiracy pretended to act as negotiators when the takeover of the Oregon wildlife refuge was nearing its final days:
“The lawmakers wanted information from law enforcement, including what tactics the FBI anticipated taking against the militants. They wondered aloud, for example, whether refuge power would be cut. Law enforcement personnel repeatedly declined answering. The lawmakers continued to ask.
“They also wanted to know what criminal charges the occupiers might face. After getting nowhere with that line of inquiry, coalition members asked with whom they could negotiate on behalf of the Ammon Bundy-led militants.”
Which begs the question: Why aren’t these GOP lawmakers also under arrest and charged with aiding and abetting domestic terrorists? They are just as guilty as the Bundy family.
Featured Image Via YouTube
