Sheriff to meet armed group, ask them to leave

Sheriff Ward reaffirmed his position that Ammon Bundy and other members of the group are acting selfishly, and not in the interests of Dwight and Steven Hammond or the residents of Harney County. “I don’t believe that just a handful of people have the right to come in from outside of our area and tell us that we don’t know how to live our lives”, Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward said at a town hall meeting Wednesday. “And until that happens, we’re staying”.

“There are some positives that could come out of this”, Ward told Bundy during their meeting at the intersection of two remote roads.

After he met with reporters, Bundy was confronted by lifelong Burns resident Steve Atkins.

On this, most adults in this county are in agreement: The federal government and its Bureau of Land Management have too much power and control, and are killing their ranching traditions, making it impossible for cowboys and their families to raise and sell cattle at a decent profit.

Marco Rubio said that if the law conflicts with the Gospel, “God’s rules always win”, and that “we are called to ignore” the government’s authority.

“To members of the Burns-Paiute Tribe and residents of Harney County who seek a return to normal life: I hear you, and I agree that what started as a peaceful and legal protest has become unlawful”, Brown said.

“We have had a good working relationship with the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge”, Rodrique said, according to the Oregonian.

However, those occupying the wildlife refuge centre say they may use violence if police try to evict them.

Numerous people who spoke Wednesday night during their minute or so at the microphone defended the Hammonds and called for efforts to free them.

SIEGLER: The sheriff, who has received death threats and whose family has been harassed, says the armed occupiers are creating anxiety in this rural county of about 7,000 people.

Bundy and an estimated 20 militants took over the Malheur headquarters on Saturday. “They protect our cultural rights there”, said tribal council Chairwoman Charlotte Rodrique. Harney County Sheriff David Ward told the crowd.

Like the militants, Ward said he would like to see changes to how the country is run.

“He’s not in an easy position”, Bundy said.

The media coverage of this has been all over the map.

“He said once the group’s mission was accomplished, they would then go home”.

At that meeting it was suggested that Ward meet with Bundy. Turning the land back over to ranchers or other private interests would have the same result – or worse today, given the power of weaponry and the incentives to make money on the property.

The group wants the federal government to hand over the wildlife refuge to local, county and state governments. But Cruz identified her jailing as “judicial tyranny” and said Davis was operating “under God’s authority”.

“We feel like we need to make sure the Hammonds are out of prison, or well on their way”.

“We are not in the least bit ashamed of the actions that we have taken”, Bundy said. But Bundy, saying that the sheriff had not addressed the occupiers’ grievances, declined.

“I think they’re having a hard time because you can’t run around the corner to the bakery… and they’re asking for snacks”.