Cruz urges armed protesters in Oregon to 'stand down'

The Hill ^ | 1/4/16 | Timothy Cama

[ObozoMustGo2012]

Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas.) on Monday slammed the protesters who have taken over a federal building in rural Oregon, urging them to lay down their arms.

“Every one of us has a constitutional right to protest, to speak our minds,” Cruz told reporters at campaign event in Iowa, according to NBC News.

“But we don't have a constitutional right to use force and violence and to threaten force and violence on others,” he said. “And so it is our hope that the protesters there will stand down peaceably, that there will not be a violent confrontation.” Cruz said he is praying for everyone involved in the dispute, particularly law enforcement officials who “are risking their lives.”

The protesters, led by two sons of the Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, say they are taking a stand against a prison sentence for two landowners convicted of arson on federal property.

They’re also part of a group that frequently protests against federal government's management of Western lands. They protesters have told media outlets that they plan to stay on the refuge for years.

The standoff has put Republican presidential candidates on the spot, with some of them having expressed support in a similar dispute in 2014 between Bundy and the government over unpaid grazing fees.

The support for Bundy eroded when he began making racially charged statements in interviews.

Up until Monday, most of the GOP's White House contenders had refrained from speaking out on the Oregon dispute, but that is beginning to change.

Like Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) condemned the takeover at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, though he told an Iowa radio station that he sympathizes with the movement to shrink federal land holdings.

“You’ve got to follow the law. You cannot be lawless,” Rubio told KBUR in an interview highlighted by Buzzfeed. “We live in a republic. There are ways to change the laws of this country and the policies. And if we get frustrated with it, that’s why we have elections, that’s why we have people we can hold accountable.”

Rubio lent some credit to the stated goals of the occupation, reported by local media to involve a small group of armed men with very few local residents. The group is objecting to federal land control and ownership and pushing for the federal land to be given to states or individuals.

“I agree that there is too much federal control over land, especially out in the western part of the United States. There are states, for example, like Nevada that are dominated by the federal government in terms of land holding, and we should fix it,” Rubio said, adding that it shouldn’t be done “in a way that is outside the law.”

Among the 2016 hopefuls, Cruz has been one of the most vocal advocates for reducing federal land ownership, along with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Cruz led the charge against the Bureau of Land Management’s claims over property around the Red River in Texas, saying he wants to “protect landowners from federal overreach.”

Rubio has been less vocal about federal land ownership, but his energy policy platform calls for more local and state control over federal property for oil and natural gas drilling or other uses.

Land management is a major political issue in Western states. Nationwide, the federal government owns and manages nearly 630 million acres, with most located west of the Mississippi River.

Cruz and Rubio have increasingly clashed in recent weeks, with both seeking to overtake Donald Trump in polls of the Republican race.

While Rubio is seeking to gain ground in New Hampshire, the first primary state, Cruz has taken the lead in Iowa, which will hold its caucuses on Feb. 1.

[amorphous]

Oops, wrong link. I was referring to the Muslim ban thing:

Ted Cruz rejects Trump's Muslim ban policy...

[proust]

"But we don't have a constitutional right to use force and violence and to threaten force and violence on others," he said. "And so it is our hope that the protesters there will stand down peaceably, that there will not be a violent confrontation." -Ted Cruz

[Lazamataz]

Hey, I just had a thought. If the Oregon occupiers are occupying a National Wildlife REFUGE, are they not now REFUGEES?

Shouldn’t they be getting money and housing from the Catholic organizations the Fedguv is helping to settle Refugees?

Everyone should refer to them as the Oregon Refugees from now on. WORD JUDO.

#OregonRefugees

[wideawake]

Oh, I think this whole takeover of the wildlife facility is a terrible idea.

I think it is for the personal aggrandizement of the Bundy family and helps absolutely no one else.

[Carthego delenda est]

Worth repeating:

“At the root of all this land confiscation is AGENDA 21 of the United Nations. Wake up, America.”

That IS the root of it all. People who don’t live in the rural parts of the country, in particular the western U.S., generally do not see the far overreaching arm of the fed gov in bed with the enviro-wackos and their agenda.

[gdani]

Has Trump even said anything about this?

He's waiting to see what polls best. Ask Kim Davis.

[Fantasywriter]

Club for Growth campaigned against several anti-amnesty conservatives that were as a direct result defeated by Establishment pro-amnesty candidates. I used to post a list. I don’t have it at hand, but guess what? I got it originally online via doing just a little research into the true agenda of Club for Growth. The info is available to anyone who sincerely wants it.

[JSDude1]

I don’t think that breaking into a Federal Facility unprovoked is right either, guess I am wrong too..

[proust]

And the constant creep of the Feds. This has been going on for decades, yet conservative politicians are blind to it.

[proust]

Yeah he should have doe a photo-op with her then drop the whole Gay Marriage issue a few weeks later.

[JSDude1]

You assume that Trump will come out forcefully for these protestors, until and unless that happens he may or may not say something similar to Cruz. You’re getting ahead of yourself

[MarMema]

Me too. Making me think hmmm, Trump after all

[Psalm 144]

“Trump is the ony one left with any brains or guts.”

Unfortunately, he just did this too:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3379538/posts

I’m not pleased by either Trump or Cruz today.

[Mollypitcher1]

Oh really? So in an attempt to fight fire with a backfire they draw a sentence greater than people get for muder or rape?

[Red Steel]

Further claim that they are endangered who are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Hash tag hash tag.

#EndangerRanchersSpeciesNeedingRefuge

[dp0622]

lol

[Bob434]

As others have said, when there is no other recourse left- then it becomes necessary to step it up a level- our founding fathers made that clear that arms were for protecting our constitutional liberties- and at some point- breaking the law’ becomes a necessity- at least the protestors haven’t goen beyond simple occupation- they aren’t torching the [place, haven’t destroyed it- and are simply there to make a statement and take a stand- and not that it even matters, but the building was unused, and way out in middle of nowhere- and still the protestors are beign respectful of the building- they aren’t there for anarchy purposes- they are there to take a stand because they have no other recourse at this point- it’s now up to the govnerment how far they want to escalate this

[Bob434]

[[until and unless that happens he may or may not say something similar to Cruz.]]

And likely will- He didn’t support Kim Davis after all- saying Davis should ‘obey the law’

[justa-hairyape]

Taking the high road. He needs to realize the depravity that engulfs the progressive hive. We will have to fight some day. They will give us no choice. Does he actually think the cronies will allow Trump or Cruz to be President ?

[Mollypitcher1]

and Years of government persecution has been leveled against the ranchers to force them off their property. YEARS! and why did the American people just find out about it? Because a few “embattled” ranchers have had enough!