Tag: Oregon

Posted on

News Round-Up: May 13, 2018

Some news stories you might have missed: • A mother who is “against people being gay” wrote to Dear Abby saying her 43-year-old daughter just came out as lesbian. Abby knew just how to handle this one… • A Texas teacher was accused of “promoting a homosexual agenda” when she showed students a picture of herself and her wife dressed up as Disney characters on the first day of school. • Starbucks has now adopted an open-bathroom policy following an incident in Philadelphia last month were two black men were arrested while waiting for a business colleague. • An Oregon school allegedly forced an LGBT student to read the Bible as punishment…? • GLEE star Kevin McHale says of his recent coming out: “I think there was zero surprise. People knew.” • The Trump administration continues its attack on the trans community by rolling back prison protections.

Posted on

Nevada: Michele Fiore Says Oregon Occupiers Were “Camping”

Nevada Assemblywoman (and local nutjob) Michele Fiore sat down with Chris Kudialis of the Las Vegas Sun to discuss the recent occupation of a wildlife refuge in Oregon by the Bundy militia, which became a national news story for 40 days as the occupiers threatened to shoot any federal agent who attempted to arrest them.

Fiore, who became involved at the end of the debacle, now calls what the occupiers did “camping.”

They entered a federal office building while armed, renamed the facility, accessed personnel files and posted private information about employees online, destroyed fencing while allowing the media to record them, drove government vehicles and said they were ready to “kill or be killed” while making a stand against the United States government.

Nevada congressional candidate Michele Fiore calls this “camping.”

In an interview that explored her views of the type of anti-government activists who took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Ore., this year, Fiore bristled at questions in which the Oregon incident was described as an occupation. Not only did she say the activists acted lawfully, she contended they were victims of “an act of terrorism” by the federal government.

“It was abandoned. No one was there, so they basically kind of said, ‘This is a great place to camp and make our statement,’” Fiore said.

Asked about specific activities that were reported during the occupation, Fiore offered varying responses. She said she knew refuge vehicles were being driven by activists, but said one of the leaders tried to prevent it. She said she was unaware of fences being destroyed or employee information being compromised, despite reports from media outlets inside the facility.

“I’d need to see some proof,” said Fiore, currently a Nevada assemblywoman. “Somebody would need to show me.”

Fiore announced last week that she intends to run for Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District seat.

You can watch Chris Kudialis’ interview below.

To further illustrate her character, this is from Fiore’s Christmas calendar:

Posted on

Oregon: “Bundy Militia” Indicted By Federal Grand Jury

Members of the “Bundy Militia,” domestic terrorists who took over a federal wildlife sanctuary last month, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for preventing federal employees from doing their jobs.

From NBC News:

The armed occupation, which began over a month ago at the Malheur National Wildlife Center, lost its momentum last week after its leaders, brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy, were arrested during a traffic stop. Another occupier, Robert LaVoy Finicum, was fatally shot by authorities in the same incident.

A total of 11 people, including the Bundy brothers, were arrested, although two members of the group — including the only female — were later released from jail, The Associated Press reported.

Federal prosecutor Geoff Barrow told the AP on Wednesday that the indictment involves the people arrested so far “and others,” perhaps a reference to the four people who have stayed put at the federal refuge — despite Ammon Bundy’s calls for them to leave.

The indictment, which was unsealed Thursday and obtained by NBC News, alleges that the defendants conspired together since last October to prevent refuge employees from doing their work at the wildlife sanctuary “by force, intimidation, and threats.”

The maximum penalty is six years in prison.

The Bundy brothers — sons of infamous Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy — remain jailed. The occupiers took over the refuge as part of a larger demand that the federal government turn public lands over to local control.

A small group of the militants continue to occupy the wildlife refuge.

Posted on

Facebook Post Of The Day: Michelangelo Signorile

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3”; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));

Why is this still being a called a “protest”?
Posted by Michelangelo Signorile on Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Posted on

Oregon: Eight Domestic Terrorists In “Bundy Militia” Arrested, One Killed

After three weeks of occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon, FBI and Oregon State police have arrested 8 members of the domestic terrorist group known as the “Bundy militia.”

During the arrest, one of the right-wing extremists was shot and killed

From USA Today:

Arizona resident Robert “LaVoy” Finicum, 56, of Cane Beds, Ariz., was shot and killed during the encounter. The FBI did not release his name, but his death was reported by The Oregonian and NBC News.

NBC News correspondent Pete Williams, quoting unidentified sources, says Finicum was shot after stepping from a vehicle and brandishing a weapon.

The standoff, however, is not over, as five or six protesters remain at the compound..

One of them, Jason Patrick, said he has been speaking with an FBI negotiator who told him “they just want to get everybody off the refuge.”

Those arrested include the Bundy brothers, Ryan 43, of Bunkerville, Nev., and Ammon, 40, of Emmett, Idaho, along with Brian Cavalier, 44, of Bunkerville; Shawna Cox, 59, of Kanab, Utah; and Ryan Waylen Payne, 32, of Anaconda, Mont. Also arrested, at separate locations in Burns, Ore., near the refuge, were Pete Santilli, host of a neoconservative online radio, and Joseph Donald O’Shaughnessy, 45, of Cottonwood, Ariz.

An eighth person, Jon Eric Ritzheimer, 32, was arrested after turning himself into police in Peoria, Ariz.

Those arrested were charged with a federal felony count of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation or threats.

Many residents of Harney County, where the refuge is located, have been among those demanding Bundy leave. Many sympathize with his criticism of federal land management policies of public lands but opposed the refuge takeover. They feared violence could erupt.

“I am pleased that the FBI has listened to the concerns of the local community and responded to the illegal activity occurring in Harney County by outside extremists,” Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley said in a statement. “I hope that the remaining individuals occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge will peacefully surrender.”

The nutjobs who are supporting this terrorist act will scream about Finicum’s death. It’s worth noting, however, those are probably the same people who would blame a black man (or child) for being shot by police if THEY were to brandish a gun in the direction of a police officer.

UPDATE: Anti-Muslim activist and Oregon militia member Jon Ritzheimer has also been arrested after turning himself in to police in Arizona. Ritzheimer had fled the Oregon wildlife refuge some time before the arrests of his fellow domestic terrorists.

Posted on

Oregon: Bundy Terrorists Extend Their “Wish List” Of Needs

Click to enlarge – pic via JJ MacNab

The Bundy domestic terrorists/militia has sent out their newly updated “wish list” of items they would like folks to send them.

These guys are clearly amateurs at being domestic terrorists. They didn’t even pack Miracle Whip?

You’ll note there are not a lot of books on that list. But they do ask for throw rugs and aprons.

If anyone has some curtains and valances laying around, they might come in handy redecorating the bird sanctuary.

Posted on

Oregon Militia Nutjobs Have A Mascot: TarpMan

Now, I seriously hope nothing violent happens up in Oregon where the militia nutjobs are holed up in a federal building daring the government to address the situation.

But, you knew this chapter was going to have it’s super-nuts, and we have our first one, and he’s Lavoy Finicum AKA “TarpMan.”

He says he’s sitting under this tarp with a shotgun ready to shoot any federal agents who might aim a gun at him.

I don’t know why but I keep thinking, “Shh – be vewy, vewy quiet. I’m hunting wabbits.”

Of course, Twitter loves this.

(h/t JMG)

Posted on

Oregon: Anti-Government Terrorists Soon To Lose Power

The federal government is taking a “go slow” approach to the armed militia in Oregon who have taken over a federal building in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

According to sources, the plan at this point is to shut off the power to the building in the near future.

From Talking Points Memo:

“It’s in the middle of nowhere,” the unnamed government official told The Guardian. “And it’s flat-ass cold up there.”

The source told the Guardian that they didn’t have any information about the FBI’s plan of action, but said the National Park Service (called the US Park Service by The Guardian) planned to cut the outpost’s power.

The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is under the jurisdiction of the Fish and Wildlife Service. A statement on the Malheur webpage says the refuge is closed until further notice. The National Park Service’s role was not immediately clear.

“After they shut off the power, they’ll kill the phone service,” the official told The Guardian. “Then they’ll block all the roads so that all those guys have a long, lonely winter to think about what they’ve done.”