Harney County: Refuge occupiers can’t meet at fairgrounds

Militia spokesperson LaVoy Finicum said Tuesday they plan to meet with the community at 7 p.m. Friday to discuss the goals of the occupation and when the militia plans on leaving the refuge.

The Oregon folks occupying the refuge have drawn widespread national ridicule for failing to plan properly for a prolonged stay.

The freshman Democratic senator this morning released a letter he wrote to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, urging the U.S. Justice Department to prosecute a group of armed Oregonians who have seized the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

The group of anti-government protesters – which is calling itself Citizens for Constitutional Freedom – believes the Hammonds have been treated unfairly and exposed to double jeopardy for having to serve multiple sentences.

He said officers and employees have reported being followed to their homes and observed while inside and that self-identified “militia members” have tried to engage them in debates about their status as federal employees.

Part of those costs arose because leaders in Harney County shipped all of the inmates at the local jail to other facilities, so local deputies could focus on keeping residents safe. “If they did, they, too, would work to bring this situation to a peaceful close”.

Ammon Bundy is demanding that the refuge be handed over to locals.

So far, there has been only one brief meeting between Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward and the armed occupation’s de facto leader, Ammon Bundy. “It seems fair to me if you’re going to put that cost on this little tiny community”.

“That being said, the majority of westerners are very much in favor of public lands and their support for public land agencies is very strong”. That cause includes turning control of federal land over to local ranchers.

Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer, who is admired among the right-wing Oath Keepers gun group, said he would not undermine the authority of Harney County Sheriff David Ward – but he also would not comply with his neighbor’s lone request.

But some residents also said they share the activists’ frustration with the federal government – though they don’t agree with their tactics. “Removing fences, damaging any refuge property, or unauthorized use of equipment would be additional unlawful actions by the illegal occupiers”.

But other people are coming from afar to protest the protesters, according to KTVZ.

“What I see is a lunatic fringe of extremists who have taken my land over”, said New Mexico Wildlife Federation executive director Garrett VeneKlasen. “They are domestic terrorists”.

“We’re not gonna let all your junk and hate-mail sidetrack us and we’re gonna continue to do what’s right for our country”, he says”. They went there at their own expense, and were back in time for the start of the Washington state legislative session on Monday. “There’s an hourglass, and it’s running out”, he told the New York Daily News.