Oregon standoff protesters found not guilty.

Courtesy of The Guardian: 

A jury has found that brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy were not guilty of conspiring against the government, a surprising end to the high-profile Oregon standoff trial that sparked national debates about public lands and the rights of ranchers in the American west. 

The decision, unveiled in federal court in Portland on Thursday, is a blow to the US government, which had aggressively prosecuted the rightwing activists who led an armed takeover of public property to protest American land-use regulations. 

The Bundy brothers, who orchestrated a 2 January takeover of the Malheur national wildlife refuge, were acquitted on a number of serious charges, along with five other defendants. Only a day earlier the court dismissed a juror over fears of bias, raising concerns that the trial would drag on for weeks. 

“We are just so excited,” Angie Bundy, Ryan’s wife, told the Guardian after the verdict was announced. “We’ve been praying hard, and we knew they hadn’t done anything wrong.” 

They illegally took over a federal building, damaged government property, and threatened violence against law enforcement, and they just get to walk?

The whole case was a like a circus side show from the start with all kinds of bizarre demands from the Bundy boys, including asking to be paid a million dollars for being a defendant, and a request for the return of their guns, not to mention that at one point Ryan Bundy tried to break out of prison.

In fact even the end of this trial was insane.

At one point the defendants attorney was tackled to the ground and tazed, for reasons that remain a little unclear.

Ultimately I see this as setting a really bad precedent that is only going to encourage more of these sovereign citizen types to stage protests and take up arms against the federal government, and that can only lead to more people being killed.

For those who are curious there is a Twitter account from an Orgeonian reporter that will bring you right up to speed on all of this. 

From his Oregon jail cell Ammon Bundy says he misses his family, but says standoff was worth it.

Courtesy of Oregon Live:  


He hung his head and talked softly when he described how hard it is being away from his wife and children. 

"We are in here locked away and our families are trying to survive, and they're struggling out there especially when we were the primary breadwinners,'' he said. "My babies are at home. My beautiful wife is at home. Everything is at risk right now for us, as far as our income, our house. But we have to ask ourselves – was it worth it? I believe it was.''

Bundy says that he reads scripture each day and then shares them during his nightly 15 minute phone call with his family.

He also claims that he takes inspiration from the words of Martin Luther King Jr..

You know if he were really paying attention to the teachings of Christ and the words of MLK he might realize that what he did was against EVERYTHING they stood for.

While Jesus, as he is described in the Bible, might have been cool with a peaceful protest, it is highly unlikely that he would have given his blessing to allowing those protesters to bring automatic weapons to the standoff with them.

And as for Martin Luther King Jr., can we even imagine how differently the civil rights movement would have turned out if the marchers in Selma had been brandishing firearms?

We STILL would not have equal rights in this country.

No what Ammon and his idiot friends fail to understand is that showing up ready to kill, means that you are also showing up ready to lose your freedom or your life. And that after the fact the only people who will feel sympathy for your cause are the same ignoramuses who also read words of peace and interpret them as declarations of war.

Feds arrest co-chair of Donald Trump's veteran coalition for participation in Bundy standoff.

Courtesy of OPB: 

Federal authorities on Thursday arrested a New Hampshire man for his role in a standoff by Nevada ranchers opposed to federal control of public lands. 

Gerald DeLemus, of Rochester, was named in an indictment in Nevada as a “mid-level leader” and organizer of a conspiracy to recruit, organize, train and provide support to armed men and other followers of rancher Cliven Bundy. 

DeLemus, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and tea party activist, last year signed on as a member of presidential candidate Donald Trump’s New Hampshire veterans coalition. A July news release posted on Trump’s website listed DeLemus as a co-chair.

What? You mean people associated with the Donald Trump campaign are in trouble with the law?

Who could have predicted such a thing?

DeLemus was not the only person caught in the FBI's net. They also indicted and arrested thirteen others: 

A superseding criminal indictment was returned by the grand jury on Wednesday, March 2, and now charges a total of 19 defendants. The 14 new defendants are Melvin D. Bundy, 41, of Round Mountain, Nev., David H. Bundy, 39, of Delta, Utah, Brian D. Cavalier, 44, of Bunkerville, Nev., Blaine Cooper, 36, of Humboldt, Ariz., Gerald A. DeLemus, 61, of Rochester, N.H., Eric J. Parker, 32, of Hailey, Idaho, O. Scott Drexler, 44, of Challis, Idaho, Richard R. Lovelien, 52, of Westville, Okla., Steven A. Stewart, 36, of Hailey, Idaho, Todd C. Engel, 48, of Boundary County, Idaho, Gregory P. Burleson, 52, of Phoenix, Ariz., Joseph D. O’Shaughnessy, 43, of Cottonwood, Ariz., and Micah L. McGuire, 31, and Jason D. Woods, 30, both of Chandler, Ariz. 

Twelve defendants were arrested earlier today. Two defendants, Brian D. Cavalier and Blaine Cooper, were already in federal custody in the District of Oregon. 

“These indictments and subsequent arrests send an irrefutable message to the American people that our determination remains steadfast to protect them and pursue individuals who participate in violent acts of this nature,” said Special Agent in Charge Bucheit.

Wow, look at all the Bundy's. I wonder if there are any Bundy family members NOT in jail?

Gee what kind of country are we becoming when a man cannot gather a small army of heavily armed idiots to engage the federal government in a standoff?

You know besides a country of laws of course?

Happy Valentine's Day courtesy of the currently incarcerated Oregon standoff protesters.

And of course let's not forget the guy who started the whole thing.

Yep, nothing says I love you quite as much as getting yourself arrested while under the mistaken impression that you are protecting the rights of people who do not even know that you exist.

Gee, I wonder if these folks have met any new valentines since they entered the penal system?

(Source.)

Overruling the statement by his son Cliven Bundy is urging the Oregon protesters to stay put and not give up.

Courtesy of the Guardian:

Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher who led a standoff with the federal government in 2014, wants the protesters in Oregon to stand their ground – directly defying the message of his son, Ammon. 

Days after militia leader Ammon Bundy, now in jail in Portland, Oregon, called on the final four occupiers at the Malheur national wildlife refuge to surrender and go home, the elder Bundy sent a letter to government officials declaring that the armed militia would not be backing down. 

“This is notice that We the People of Harney County and also We the People of the citizens of the United States DO GIVE NOTICE THAT WE WILL RETAIN POSSESSION OF THE HARNEY COUNTY RESOURCE CENTER,” Cliven wrote in the letter, which he sent on Monday to the local sheriff, Oregon governor Kate Brown, and the White House.

Apparently the protesters renamed the refuge the "Harney County Resource Center" because...because they're assholes that's why.

Bundy also said this in an interview:

“What this is saying is that Cliven Bundy is taking control of things,” Cliven said in an interview from his ranch in Bunkerville, Nevada, on Monday afternoon. “If we don’t retain it, then we’ve lost everything that we’ve done in the last two months. We’re not gonna give up.” 

He added: “This is not Ammon’s message. This is my message ... We’ve made a decision to retain it ... The feds are going to get out of there.”

Bundy does not believe that his son's statement is real and thinks that it was released under duress. 

I have little doubt that this will inspire more people to join these idiots, and that means it is only a matter of time before somebody else gets shot and killed.

Which seems to be exactly what Bundy and his supporters are hoping will happen.

Supporters of the Oregon protesters are claiming that LaVoy Finicum was gunned down in cold blood. FBI surveillance footage tells a different story.

You can see at the 9:18 mark then Finicum exits the vehicle, and then reaches into his pocket, and is shot by the officers at the 9:32 mark.

Here is the FBI statement regarding the footage: 

The video picks up a few seconds before the FBI and OSP vehicles pull in behind the jeep -- the second vehicle in line. The jeep quickly pulls to a stop while the white truck -- driven by LaVoy Finicum -- continues some distance up the road. Some law enforcement vehicles stay with the jeep while others continue following the white truck. Over a period of several minutes out of camera view, the following people exit the jeep without incident: 

*The driver -- who was not charged and will not be named 
*Ammon Bundy 
*Brian Cavalier 

Looking at the white truck... about four minutes into the video ... Ryan Payne exits through a back door. It's difficult to see behind the trees, but in the lower right hand corner you can see him with his hands up being approached by the law enforcement officers and being taken into custody. 

There is a period of approximately 3 minutes and 47 seconds where the truck sits on the road. We have edited it for time here, but it is available in the raw, unedited version on the FBI's YouTube channel. Throughout this time, agents and troopers are providing verbal commands to the occupants to surrender. We can't comment on what may have been going on in the truck at this time, but those details may come out later as part of the overall shooting investigation. When we come back to the video, the white truck leaves the scene at a high rate of speed. It travels some distance... quickly approaching a vehicle roadblock in the roadway. 

As the white truck approaches the roadblock, there is a spike strip across the road but it appears Finicum missed it as he attempted to drive around the roadblock. He nearly hits an FBI agent as he maneuvers to the left. The truck gets stuck in the snowbank. 

Finicum leaves the truck and steps through the snow. Agents and troopers on scene had information that Finicum and others would be armed. On at least two occasions, Finicum reaches his right hand toward a pocket on the left inside portion of his jacket. He did have a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in that pocket. 

At this time, OSP troopers shot Finicum. 

Approximately 30 seconds after the shooting -- law enforcement officers at the scene deployed flash bangs to disorient any other armed occupants. Shortly after that, they deployed less-lethal sponge projectiles with OC capsules. Those OC capsules would be similar to pepper spray. 

Over a period of several minutes agents and troopers worked to safely remove the remaining truck occupants, and to take them into custody. Those people included: 

*Ryan Bundy 
*Shawna Cox 
*And another woman, who was not arrested and will not be named.

I think that's pretty clear.

This Finicum guy jumps out and puts his hands in his pocket, which was later shown to contain a pistol, and was shot dead.  

Which was clearly the choice that he purposefully made, since there was no way he was going to get out of there without facing jail time.

These guys started this protest for irrational reasons, and they are now facing the very obvious and predictable consequences of those actions.

As far as I'm concerned the survivors should be thanking their lucky stars that all of them are not lying in the snow alongside a road in Oregon.

Ammon Bundy and seven members of his band of merry militia wannabes arrested during Oregon traffic stop. Well except for the one that was shot dead of course. Update!

From top left, booking photographs of Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy, Brian Cavalier and Shawna Cox. From bottom left, Ryan Waylen Payne, Joseph Donald O’Shaughnessy and Peter Santilli.

Courtesy of the New York Times:  

Ammon Bundy, the leader of an armed seizing of a federal wildlife refuge in rural eastern Oregon, was arrested and one person was killed Tuesday afternoon in a traffic stop in rural Oregon, the F.B.I. and the Oregon State Police said. 

Seven other people, including Mr. Bundy’s brother Ryan Bundy, were arrested, the authorities said. Another person was hospitalized with injuries that were not life-threatening. 

The authorities did not identify the man who was killed, but a member of the Nevada State Assembly, Michele Fiore, who has been a supporter of the Bundy family, said on Twitter that it was LaVoy Finicum. Mr. Finicum had become a de facto spokesman for the occupiers.

The seventh man arrested was that loudmouth Jon Ritzheimer, who claimed in a YouTube video that he could not be with his children because he was too busy standing up for the Constitution.

In fact he got scared and ran home to Arizona: 

“FYI. I came home to AZ to visit my family,” Ritzheimer posted late Tuesday. “The feds know I am here and are charging me with Conspiracy to impede a federal officer. I need an attorney. My family needs help and I am hoping they grant me bail.” 

The FBI issued a statement early Wednesday saying the 32-year-old Ritzheimer had turned himself in and was arrested without incident. 

“Ritzheimer faces one federal felony charge of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 372,” the FBI said in a statement.

You know as a rule I really don't want ANYBODY shot and killed. But I have to admit that if this Ritsheimer guy had gone out in a blaze of "glory" I would not have shed a tear at his demise.

But as it turned out he was just a sniveling coward with a big mouth.

Which should not be news to anyone.

So exactly what was accomplished here?

No seriously I'm asking, WHAT was accomplished here?

Update: Here is Ritzheimer using his children in order to evoke sympathy and convince people to send him money. 

If you are like me it will likely make your blood boil.

Feds plan to cut off power to the bird sanctuary in Oregon taken over by the militia members. Apparently it's "flat ass cold" up there.

Source

Courtesy of the Guardian:  

Federal authorities are planning to cut off the power of the wildlife refuge in Oregon that has been taken over by militia, exposing the armed occupiers to sub-zero temperatures in an effort to flush them out. 

Armed militants will begin their third day at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, a remote federal outpost in eastern Oregon, on Tuesday, and have vowed to remain for months in protest over the treatment of two local cattle ranchers. 

A federal government official told the Guardian that authorities were planning on Monday to cut the power at the refuge. 

“It’s in the middle of nowhere,” said the official, who is based in Washington, DC, and has knowledge of the planned response to the militia. “And it’s flat-ass cold up there.” 

The official, who asked not to be named, said they were not privy to the FBI’s plan of action. However, they said the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which is leading the crisis management reaction to the occupation in liaison with the FBI, planned to cut the power to the building where the militiamen are spending their nights.

Yeah let's see how long these "tough guys" last with their ass cheeks freezing together.

And we know they are not prepared because they have already had to beg for donations of food and warm clothing.

And they are losing support as well.

They have already been abandoned by their religious leaders:

If Ammon Bundy and other Mormons involved in taking over a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon believe their religion is backing them, they should reconsider. 

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "strongly condemn the armed seizure of the facility," spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a news release Monday, "and are deeply troubled by the reports that those who have seized the facility suggest that they are doing so based on scriptural principles." 

The release further states that "this armed occupation can in no way be justified on a scriptural basis."

That's gotta sting.

And if that were not bad enough the group has angered the birding community:

Just a friendly warning from the birding and wildlife photography community to the Oregon terrorists. We are watching your every move, and we have been watching you for a long time. And yes absolutely you are domestic terrorists of the worst kind, and the truth about your decades of constant poaching of protected wildlife around Malheur and other wildlife refuges, national parks, national forests and BLM lands has been well-documented. For years those of us who are wildlife photographers, birdwatchers and carers of wildlife, have been documenting the activities of you poachers and criminals around many of our nation's wildlife refuges. With our powerful cameras, and ability to move unseen in the wilderness, we have found and documented your illegal hunts, your illegal traps and all sorts of illicit activities, and are constantly feeding that information to law enforcement, and we have finally got many of you poachers on the run and into jails. And I for one am a westerner sick to death of you welfare queens and cheats living off of BLM land, illegally gutting our wilderness and our wildlife. Malheur, Hart Mountain, Klamath Marsh, Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite etc etc, they all belong to us, we the American people, and no small group of armed thugs is going to destroy the great wildlife and national park system that our great Republican President Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir put in place over a century ago. Wildlife photographers and wildlife/bird watchers now number some 40 million people in the USA, and feed many rural western economies with our tourism dollars, and we will not stand for your sedition.

Yeah forget the Feds, THESE guys mean business!

I am seriously trying to decide which is my favorites sitcom, the Palin-Meyer kerfuffle, or this three ring circus in Oregon.

Oh hell, I'll sit and enjoy both of them.