Posted on 03/09/2017 1:55:09 PM PST by Twotone
United States Representative Greg Walden of Oregon has been a lone advocate for the rural interests of his state amid a forest of progressive politicians and radical special interest groups. During the so-called Oregon Standoff, when a group of ranchers protested the convictions of Dwayne and Steven Hammond under federal terrorism statutes in late 2015, Representative Walden took a courageous stand for property rights and balance in cases such as that of the Hammonds.
The Oregon Standoff was not some random, ‘anti-government’ riot by right-wing extremists. It was a public demonstration against the unjust, overreaching, and cruel treatment of the Hammonds, and other ranchers in Harney County, Oregon, who, for decades, have been harassed, persecuted, and prosecuted by federal agencies. The 2015 sentencing of the Hammonds resulted from their past efforts to control overgrowth and noxious weeds on rangeland through the setting of prescribed burns, 2 of which accidentally spread onto nearby Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-managed land, doing little damage. Over-zealous federal prosecutors in the Obama Justice Department determined that the time previously served by Dwayne and Steven Hammond for accidental–and minor–damage to ‘federal property’ was insufficient. So, using federal terrorism laws to prosecute the father and son ranchers, the federal government opted to make examples of the Hammonds, and sent them back to federal prison to live out the remainder of their mandatory 5-years sentences.
On February 7, 2017, Representative Walden introduced a bill to ensure ranchers and landowners will be protected against such future overreach by the federal government. The Resource Management Practices Protection Act of 2017, HR 983, reads:
(Excerpt) Read more at freerangereport.com ...
Trump, et. al. need to get on this.
Has Walden written the POTUS to ask for release of the Hammonds (his constituents) and pushed in the direction local control of land instead of tweaking current regulation. the usual GOP Establishment MO for these issues?
I’m hopeful that there are those working for a pardon. I haven’t heard anything, though.
Particularly nauseating related information is the despicable backstory on the sorry excuse for a lawyer and prosecutor with name Amanda Marshall:
http://protecttheharvest.com/2016/01/07/prosecutor-at-center-of-hammonds-case-facing-scrutiny/
Looking at the saga of the Hammonds in its entirety, the entire debacle can be laid at Marshall’s feet. Marshall, who appears to suffer from mental illness, sought to overturn the judge’s discretionary sentencing of the Hammonds in favor of a drastic harsh sentence.
President Trump said on the campaign trail that this entire episode could have been avoided with a simple phone call, and I believe him.
Going forward, the President should call on Congress to recognize Federal Stewardship Charters to be managed by ranchers and farmers because without argument, they know the land and environment better than anyone else.
I don’t believe Clemency is enough. These prosecutors and judge were engaged in some “official oppression” at a minimum that led to someone dying.
Sessions needs to prosecute all involved.
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