OREGON STANDOFF: THE POLITICAL MACHINE AND THE HAMMOND PARDONS
"It's all about who you know and all the money behind it. It's unfortunate, but we'll take it"
Ruthie Danielson, friend of the Hammonds speaks with "OregonLive"
Even before Dwight Hammond headed back to prison early in 2016, forced by a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, to serve a mandatory minimum five year sentence as a terrorist for lighting a backfire to protect his land (The Bureau of Land Managment admitted it was an improvement to the land) oil millionaire Forrest Lucas of Lucas Oil was talking to him.
Lucas, who is a big donor to politicians of the Republican Party and a friend of Vice-President Mike Pence, said he would work on the Hammond's behalf.
While in the end the paperwork went to the top to the President of the United States, Donald J, Trump, who made a pardon decision based on his assessment of the facts among others things. Also no doubt his experience with a corrupt federal system of "criminal justice" (get the irony of the term "criminal justice") that he is enduring even now helped him make this decision. But behind him was the political machine, the political process.
"The world with its pants down" as former President Ronald Reagan described it along with his observation in a similar vein, "The world's second oldest profession that bears a close resemblance to the first".
The Establishment Republican presidential candidates quickly distanced themselves from the protest at the wildlife refuge in January 2016 amid mainstream media reporting that spoke of an "armed standoff" and "militia" being the driving forces with the unarmed Ammon Bundy's ability to communicate his "Love thy Neighbor" message drowned out. Bundy's heart was revealed when Idaho III Percenters in military gear rolled up as he tried to speak to the media. Ammon Bundy asked them to leave.
Donald Trump wanted the protest to end following the lead of the others but expressing his sympathy for the plight of ranchers in the West during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump won, the Republicans came to Washington and the pardon for the Hammonds did not happen.
Why?
The GOP bureaucracy didn't want to disturb an ongoing legal process where punishment was meted out in a rigged trial and plea deals to the lesser defendants who protested in the Oregon Standoff. Of course, the leaders were found not guilty by a jury in October 2016.
But the GOP was supporting punishment of the people who protested in support of the Hammonds and delaying their pardon until 2018 when the courts and Jeff Session's prosecutors did their dirty work and launching it during the mid-term election year.
Behind the scenes this organization founded by GOP donor Forrest Lucas "Protect the Harvest". "Oregon Live" described the group as one designed to:
The Establishment Republican presidential candidates quickly distanced themselves from the protest at the wildlife refuge in January 2016 amid mainstream media reporting that spoke of an "armed standoff" and "militia" being the driving forces with the unarmed Ammon Bundy's ability to communicate his "Love thy Neighbor" message drowned out. Bundy's heart was revealed when Idaho III Percenters in military gear rolled up as he tried to speak to the media. Ammon Bundy asked them to leave.
Donald Trump wanted the protest to end following the lead of the others but expressing his sympathy for the plight of ranchers in the West during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump won, the Republicans came to Washington and the pardon for the Hammonds did not happen.
Why?
The GOP bureaucracy didn't want to disturb an ongoing legal process where punishment was meted out in a rigged trial and plea deals to the lesser defendants who protested in the Oregon Standoff. Of course, the leaders were found not guilty by a jury in October 2016.
But the GOP was supporting punishment of the people who protested in support of the Hammonds and delaying their pardon until 2018 when the courts and Jeff Session's prosecutors did their dirty work and launching it during the mid-term election year.
Behind the scenes this organization founded by GOP donor Forrest Lucas "Protect the Harvest". "Oregon Live" described the group as one designed to:
"support American farmers, ranchers, outdoor enthusiasts and animal owners"
It was late in May when news stories began to appear. The first one I detected was in a rural Oregon publication ("Blue Mountain Eagle"). Later a Portland television station picked it up. It was a promotion of the Protect the Harvest group and its lobbying for a pardon.
The "Blue Mountain Eagle" news story also hyped the efforts of the Oregon Cattlemen's Association with an official saying that Ryan Zinke, the Republican Secretary of the Interior, had 'given the sign of the cross' to endorse a pardon for the Hammonds.
Then riding in towards the end of June was the suddenly speaking Congressman Greg Walden, the Republican who represents the Hammonds in Congress, up for re-election this year. Walden spoke for a pardon on the floor of the House saying that President Trump was someone who could bring "justice" to their case.
Then on the weekend before the Fourth of July, Walden sent out a press release about a phone call he got from President Trump on Saturday June 30th announcing that the POTUS told him he was 'seriously considering' a pardon of the Hammonds.
More hype and promotion of the politician.
Although he backed away continuing with his comments on the tarmac in Burns, the recently freed Steven Hammond discussed his previous dealings with Walden over the many years harassment, conflict and dispute with the Bureau of Land Management that led up to the criminal charges.
Then riding in towards the end of June was the suddenly speaking Congressman Greg Walden, the Republican who represents the Hammonds in Congress, up for re-election this year. Walden spoke for a pardon on the floor of the House saying that President Trump was someone who could bring "justice" to their case.
Then on the weekend before the Fourth of July, Walden sent out a press release about a phone call he got from President Trump on Saturday June 30th announcing that the POTUS told him he was 'seriously considering' a pardon of the Hammonds.
More hype and promotion of the politician.
Although he backed away continuing with his comments on the tarmac in Burns, the recently freed Steven Hammond discussed his previous dealings with Walden over the many years harassment, conflict and dispute with the Bureau of Land Management that led up to the criminal charges.
"I was on the very issue of this with Walden close to 20 years ago, walked out on the land that was in dispute today and tried to explain to him for political purposes of what we were all tying to accomplish. We thought the Streams Mountain Act did that, we don't know that it didn't...."
Signs were put up on the streets of Burns, Oregon when the Hammonds returned last Wednesday thanking both Forrest Lucas and local Congressman Greg Walden for the pardon.
As I've said before, these political forces would not have acted if it had not been for those who came to the Oregon Standoff protest in early 2016. They made the case for the Hammonds to the world and forced the hands of the politicians to act.
But at a time of the politicians choosing, a time when it would benefit them (Mid-Term Election Year 2018). Waiting for the time of their choosing meant more time in prison for Dwight and Steven Hammond.
As I've said before, these political forces would not have acted if it had not been for those who came to the Oregon Standoff protest in early 2016. They made the case for the Hammonds to the world and forced the hands of the politicians to act.
But at a time of the politicians choosing, a time when it would benefit them (Mid-Term Election Year 2018). Waiting for the time of their choosing meant more time in prison for Dwight and Steven Hammond.
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