An environmental whistleblower advocacy group said the ongoing armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon “stems from the lack of a coherent response to earlier confrontations with anti-government extremists.”
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility said that federal officials’ refusal to punish rancher Cliven Bundy for his April 2014 standoff in Nevada set a precedent that encouraged his son, Ammon, to lead the seizure of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. By Wednesday, the occupation entered its fifth day.
“Rather than abating conflict, the federal hands-off approach has backfired and enables the Bundy clan to franchise a ‘Militia McDonalds,’” PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch said in a statement released Tuesday.
In 2014, federal agents sought to impound Cliven Bundy’s cattle because he owed the US government $1 million in fines for illegal grazing. After the week-long standoff ended due to concerns in Washington about escalation, Bundy did not pay the outstanding penalties he owes and continues to allow his livestock to graze on federal lands. He told NPR it proved that his side won in the showdown.
Ruch agreed, in effect, claiming that the lack of punishment gave the Bundy family “a staging ground for further operations to challenge the legitimacy of public ownership.”
Among Ammon Bundy’s men in Oregon is one of Cliven’s other sons, Ryan. The group is promising to continue its occupation until the federal government agrees to transfer land back to state control.
They are also demanding the release of two convicted arsonists sentenced to five years in prison. A federal court found them guilty of setting a fire on public land to destroy evidence of illegal deer hunting.
In issuing its criticism of the federal government, PEER pointed to a July 2014 assessment by the Department of Homeland Security, which warned that a “perceived victory” by Bundy Ranch supporters is “galvanizing militia extremists and lone wolf offenders.”
Last April, PEER forced the Bureau of Land Management to hand over documents that reveal how the agency tried to protect its employees during the 2014 Bundy Ranch standoff.
“At this time I recommend keeping a low profile and not to wear anything that says you work for the BLM,” an April 15, 2014 memo said to all agency staff.
On Monday, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced all BLM and Fish and Wildlife Services offices near Malheur would be closed.
She added that “the ongoing situation in Oregon is a reminder that employees in all offices should remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to your supervisor or local law enforcement.”
