In their own words: Bundy family addresses unanswered questions

Tri-State Livestock News ^ | April 26, 2014 | Heather Hamilton-Maude

[blueplum]

“So, go back 20 years to when I quit paying grazing fees to the federal government. The administrative regulatory pressure at the time was being used to run myself and my neighbors out of business. They came along with a full force and effect decision on the basis of an endangered species, and said we couldn’t graze for three to four months in the peak of the spring. That was followed by another full force and effect decision that said the land was totally closed to grazing. In that process my neighbors, 52 ranching families in Clark County and hundreds of others across the Mohave Desert to the Pacific Ocean, were run out of business. I chose to send administrative notices to the solitary offices and BLM district office in Reno, Nev., stating I was not going to allow the BLM to manage my ranch out of business, and would not pay them for their management services anymore, and I didn’t,” said Bundy.

:snip:

“That is a difference between myself and most ranchers. Without a permit I can keep myself clean of their courts, and challenge them on the basis of state sovereignty, asking whether the federal government or the people of Nevada own the land in question... adding he would have no issues paying a grazing fee to the proper authority of Clark County, Nev., which he has done. Bundy said he has submitted payment to the county. After cashing the check, the county tried to return it but Bundy did not accept the return and the county has the funds in their account as of today.

[blueplum]

another quote I found interesting was about Deputy Roberts: "down the wash on the BLM side comes one of our sheriff deputies named Tom Roberts with a guard. He said he was there for us, tell him what we wanted him to do. I replied that short of not allowing us to finish what we came to do, we would follow his orders,” said Ammon."

Now, since the County has Bundy's fees in their bank, why didn't the BLM get those fees from the County? Certainly it would have been cheaper than spending 3 million on escorting rustlers - no, I won't even call them rustlers. Rustlers have sense enough not to drive cattle until they're dead. Animal Abusers is a better term I think. But, if the BLM had gotten the fees from the County, then I guess there would have been no need for any kind of confrontation at all, or, that is, there wouldn't have been a need without Dirty Harry ordering a confrontation in an attempt to drive Bundy off his range, and his ranch.

[McGavin999]

More of them need to stand up. The states need to take the land back.

[Jim Robinson]

Great story. Love Bundy for standing his constitutional ground.

[antceecee]

Agree.

[NTHockey]

NV is 85% “owned” by the federal government. Why is it even a state? Also, NV became a “state” illegally - population was 600 k, not 900 k required. NV constitution has an anti-slavery and an anti-secession clause in it, dictated by the government. It is not sovereign.

So, I ask again - why is NV a state?

[caveat emptor]

there wouldn't have been a need without Dirty Harry ordering a confrontation in an attempt to drive Bundy off his range, and his ranch.

thus clearing the way for Chinese solar farm. The endangered species of tortoise in the area of the solar farm had to be moved to a safe place, by law. They picked Bundy's nearby ranch and said the cattle had to go because they would be a threat to the tortoise.

Check out this great 7 min video of Judge Jeanine -on Fox News - skewering Reid over the land grab.

Judge Jeanine: Oh to put 'Dirty Harry' under oath

[Eagles6]

Save

[xzins]

Excellent article. Thanks for the ping, Jim.

I’m captivated by the logical argument Bundy has put together, because it follows what many are now saying, that the Federal Government has long over-extended its hold on land that supposed to be dedicated to some purpose (disposed of) and then turned over to the states.

Eminent legal scholar, cited in numerous Scotus decisions, Professor Rob Natelson, has blogged recently on the error in the Federal government maintaining hold on public lands after all these years. He says they can certainly decide a purpose like a park or a preserve or other protected area and bring it under Federal control, but that other generally held public land is long past time it was returned to the states. I’ll post his blog comments.

One thing Bundy points out here that is absolutely overlooked by those who say Bundy should be “paying fees to the Fed” is that they use parks, rivers, lakes, trails, etc. for their purposes and they aren’t charged a fee. Should they be surrounded by BLM storm troopers and threatened?

Great article. Great insights.

[khelus]

Western lawmakers gather in Utah to talk federal land takeover

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/57836973-90/utah-lands-lawmakers-federal.html.csp

[Jane Long]

I watched this video, the other day. Judge Jeanine completely decimates “Dirty” Harry and calls him out on ALL of his “Dirty” connections and deals.

Excellent take down of Dingy, by the Judge.