OREGON STANDOFF:  AMMON BUNDY ANSWERS PROSECUTORS SENTENCING ASSAULT ON RYAN PAYNE

"Who wrote the 91 pages.  Its these lying, no good for nothing prosecutors that are being paid to destroy our liberties and to accuse.  They are the great accusers.   How many innocent people have they put in prison.  How many innocent families have they assisted federal agenices in taking their land, taking their liberties and even killing......"

Ammon Bundy video conversation 2/27/2018

Ahead of Tuesday's (February 27th) sentencing of Ryan Payne, federal prosecutors composed a 91-page document with quotes from a phone call that has also been released.  The call between Gary Hunt and Brandon Curtiss of "Operation Mutual Defense" discussed aspects of the protest following LaVoy Finicum's murder by law enforcement and the arrest of protest leaders.

This document painted defendant Ryan Payne as a "domestic terrorist" and tried to assert that Payne and others including Ammon Bundy plotted the protest at the refuge before January 2, 2016.  

They wanted to define Payne as a protest leader even though he was not tried with the leaders of the protest in the first trial and in a sense, tried Ammon Bundy in his absence.

In a two part video conversation with supporters Kelli Stewart and John Lamb late Tuesday night February 27th, Ammon Bundy told the story of what really happened.

Ammon Bundy said he never specifically mentioned the refuge as a place to protest until the day the protest began January 2, 2016.   He had told Payne about a number of possible ways to protest earlier including bringing in cattle and grazing without a permit, a controlled burn without a permit and made mention of the refuge as a potential site for an occupation.

As we've posted before, the refuge workers were told not to come back to work after the New Year's Day holiday and as the protest began authorities told the media of another possible protest site at a firefighting camp in the area.    

Clearly the FBI had a list of possible protest options that Payne gave in his conversations with the "Operation Mutual Defense" group that included Hunt and Curtiss.  It was from of them or someone associated with them that the info apparently got to the FBI giving them advance notice that some kind of protest was about to take place.

What does giving the FBI advance notice of anything count for anything anyway?  We all know how that went down in Florida recently.   Its as if they want things to happen.....In the case of the Oregon Standoff they apparently wanted a protest to start so they could  send in informants to incite the protestors to actions which would get them into prison for long time.

The informants incitement and entrapment activities also provided a pretext for the FBI led violent operation on January 26, 2016 that killed LaVoy Finicum and injured Ryan Bundy.

At least 15 were used in connection with the protest as admitted by the federal prosecutors.

Ammon Bundy noted:   "They sent a tremendous amount of informants in there that tried to get us to act in violence and try to get us to look like we were acting in violence.  We did not do that even with them trying to influence and manipulate us....."

Because evidence was not limited by the judge in the first trial Ammon Bundy and six other "leaders" were found not guilty.

Video links below............

Ammon Bundy, Kelli Stewart, John Lamb Video One

Ammon Bundy, Kelli Stewart, John Lamb Video Two

OREGON STANDOFF: JON RITZHEIMER'S MESSAGE FROM PRISON "CONSTITUTION IS A DIVINE DOCUMENT"

Jon Ritzheimer Message on Facebook

"From:

JON RITZHEIMER 

Photo Publication

Feb. 22, 2018

"The Virus is Spreading"

This is a photo take inside Federal Corrections Institute Stafford, Arizona.   Starting on the back row from right to left........"

Facebook posting of message from Oregon Standoff defendant Jon Ritzheimer 2/23/2018

Jon Ritzheimer was sent to prison early after he was photographed  with Ryan Payne at Bundy Ranch back in December after US District Judge Anna Brown sentenced him in connection with the Oregon Standoff protest weeks earlier.

Brown made some comments about Ritzheimer, a combat veteran diagnosed with PTSD, getting his life back together.  Those sentiments I can certainly agree with.

Ritzheimer is serving his one year and one day sentence at a federal correctional facility in Stafford, Arizona.

And he sent out a photo to his wife from prison of some of his fellow inmates and a message that reads in part:

"All of these men come from all walks of life but they all agree on one thing; that the Constitution is a divine document that should be protected and upheld."

Link at top under title..........

OREGON STANDOFF LATEST:  HARSHER SENTENCE FOR RYAN PAYNE THAN OTHER DEFENDANTS

Citing a recently publicized audio recording involving a conversation by Idaho III percent leader Brandon Curtiss and blogger Gary Hunt, along with pictures of him with Jon Ritzheimer and Ammon Bundy taken at Bundy Ranch in December,  US District Judge Anna J. Brown came down with a 3 year and one month sentence for Ryan Payne today.

In addition Payne was fined 10-thousand dollars and given three years probation.

Payne was convicted in the second rigged Oregon Standoff trial, rigged by federal prosecutors adding misdemeanor charges to felony ones and by Judge Brown limiting the defense case and having a bench trial where she decided the misdemeanor charges.

With Payne already serving time, he will serve roughly the same sentence as other defendants recently sentenced by Judge Brown.

Brown ordered Payne not to have contact with the "Operation Mutual Defense" individuals like Hunt and Curtiss or defendants in the Oregon Standoff and Bunkerville Standoff case.

Payne offered a letter of apology to the court at sentencing.

A psychologist testified about Payne's aspirations to serve his country, his military career, his two tours of duty in Iraq and how that formed his thinking about the protest in Oregon to defend the Hammonds from the federal government's violation of their rights.

Its worth nothing that individuals like Brandon  Curtiss did not support Ammon Bundy's plans for protest in January 2016 and their decision to get involved afterwards created a militant appearance to a non-violent protest being conducted by an unarmed leader, Ammon Bundy.

Libertarian activist Gavin Seim, a supporter of the protest, condemned the audio deliberately timed for recent release (apparently in connection with today's sentencing) as an attempt to entrap the defendants.

The information was kept under seal by the federal government and was apparently timed for release ahead of sentencing last weekend.

After  Ammon Bundy quietly started the protest and was talking to media an armed convoy sent by these type people who initially opposed the protest showed up and got the media's attention.  Bundy had to ask them to leave.

In her sentencing, Judge Brown said it looked a "victory" picture when Payne was photographed at Bundy Ranch in December with Ammon Bundy and Ritzheimer.   She also expressed her disdain for the audio recording of Hunt and Curtiss.

Inside the ranks of III Percent and militia it appears are operators who are 'handmaidens' of the federal government.   The ranks of these groups were peppered with FBI informants who hung out around the protest and tried to entrap defendants in actions that appeared militant or extreme.

The audio release points to an apparent doubling down by the federal government in general and the US Attorney's office in Oregon in particular.    The Oregon US Attorney, Billy Williams, appointed by the Obama Administration temporarily has now been nominated in President Trump's name as permanent US Attorney for Oregon.

Getting back to those on the audio, Brandon Curtiss was recently arrested in Idaho in connection with his handling of money from tenants.   Curtiss was a property manager.

Gary Hunt has spent much of his adult life writing about federal government abuses of power with his experiences going back to the days of Waco and Ruby Ridge.  Judge Brown jailed Hunt for a time because Hunt outed FBI informants on his "Outpost of Freedom" blog and only released him when Hunt agreed to remove the posts.

Hunt carries with him pain and hurt from the federal government's abuses of power and a desire to do something to counter them.

Links Below..........John Lamb-Ryan Payne sentenced video with Kelli Stewart

Oregon Live Story 2/27/2018

OREGON STANDOFF:  FEDERAL JUDGE WONT DROP LYING CHARGES AGAINST FBI AGENT WHO SHOT AT LAVOY FINICUM'S TRUCK

"'You don't got to ask me that bro' or 'You can't ask me that bro'"....'No bro, we're good'"

Assistant US Attorney Gary Sussman quotes what FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita said at the scene of LaVoy Finicum's death to an FBI supervisor asking if he had fired any shots

Lawyers for FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita tried to convince a federal judge in Portland on Monday (February 26th) that the charges against him were repetitive.

Astarita is charged with three counts of making a false statement (to FBI supervisors) and two counts of obstruction of justice (by lying to Oregon investigators) about two shots that he fired at LaVoy Finicum's truck on January 26, 2016.  Finicum was killed by Oregon State Police moments later.

A lawyer for Astarita told a federal judge that only one lie is alleged in the case and one harm is alleged that should only amount to one alleged crime.

The lawyers claimed before the judge that Astarita's initital comments to a supervisor at the shooting scene quoted above were not a lie and the charge should be dismissed.

But US District Judge Robert E. Jones said it is premature to throw out charges until witnesses and evidence are presented at trial.

He left open the possibility that he could dismiss charges once the trial gets underway.

While Astarita did not fire the fatal shots that killed LaVoy Finicum, he is believed behind the injury inflicted on Ryan Bundy, who was a passenger in LaVoy's truck.  Federal prosecutors were reportedly seeking to extract the shrapnel from Bundy's shoulder to prove Astarita fired shots, but have no interest in prosecuting the FBI agent for injuring Ryan Bundy.

At last word, Ryan Bundy still has the shrapnel inside of him and said he would be willing to talk with federal prosecutors about the matter, but they had not contacted him.

Assistant US Attorney Gary Sussman told the judge today that he isn't sure about the shrapnel being from Astarita's gun and claimed Ryan Bundy was uncooperative.   Sussman said "He hasn't been cooperative."

Astarita is set to go to trial on the five charges on July 24th.


Link below........

Oregon Live Story 2/26/2018

(EDITED LATE MONDAY, EARLY TUESDAY)

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF:  CLIVEN BUNDY SAYS AMERICA IS NOT HAPPY WITH REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS

"America is not happy with the Republicans, Americans are not happy with the Democrats"

Cliven Bundy speaking in Sparks, Nevada 2/23/2018 as quoted by "The Nevada Independent"

Cliven Bundy was the keynote speaker at the Independent American Party of Nevada convention at the Nugget hotel-casino in Sparks, Nevada last Friday.    66,000 Nevada voters or 4.5 percent of the electorate there are reported to be registered to vote with that party.

Bundy himself told reporters he is a member of that party and wants to see it grow.

Reporters wanted to know if Cliven Bundy has plans to run for public office or sue state or county officials that failed to protect him from federal authorities in connection with the 2014 Bunkerville Standoff.

Bundy says he has not decided about any lawsuit yet and did not say whether he has plans to run for public office.

In his speech Cliven Bundy said that he would have preferred a jury trial to go forward to expose the federal government's wrongdoing more, but believes the trial had to be abandoned by the federal government to avoid embarrassing the federal government,

The federal prosecutors in Las Vegas led by Republican Steven Myhre and now supervised by a US Attorney appointed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Dayle Elieson, have asked Democrat US District Judge Gloria Navarro to reconsider her ruling to dismiss the charges against Cliven Bundy, his sons Ammon and Ryan and Ryan Payne "with prejudice".

A change in the "with prejudice" dismissal would allow the federal government to prosecute Cliven Bundy again.

"If they come and try to take us to trial again, which they indicate they might, that is just fine.  We'll expose them."

Cliven Bundy speaking in Sparks, Nevada 2/23/2018

Links below......

Cliven Bundy Story "The Nevada Independent"

AP Story On Cliven Bundy Spokane "Spokesman-Review"

TRUMP HITS 'THOSE THREE COUNTRIES' (SYRIA, IRAN, RUSSIA), SAYS ISLAMIC STATE AMERICA'S SYRIAN TARGET

........what Russia and what Iran and what Syria have done recently is a humanitarian disgrace.   I will tell you that.   We're there for one reason, we're there to get ISIS and get rid of ISIS and go home.  We're not there for any other reason and we've largely accomplished our goal.   But what those three countries have done to people over the last short period of time is a disgrace...."

President Donald J. Trump joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull  2/23/2018

Speaking late Friday in Washington, President Trump took aim at Syria's government and nations allied with it (Iran, Russia) for the conduct of the war against rebel forces in the "Ghouta pocket" on the east side of  Damascus.

Groups sympathetic to jihadist forces fighting the Syrian regime say there are hundreds dead and many more injured in the government offensive, aimed at pockets in the metropolitan area of the Syrian capital mostly occupied by Al-Qaeda type units along with some Islamic State elements.

President Trump also stated that the goal of the United States in Syria is to fight Islamic State and to "go home".

The United Nations Security Council was able to pass a unanimous resolution late Saturday (February 24th) calling for a 30-day cease fire in Syria, but at the insistence of Russia the cease fire excludes Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and other groups designated as terrorists.

The US, France and other nations had called for the 30 day cease fire citing the situation in the Ghouta pocket to allow medical evacuations and deliveries of aid.

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley accused Russia of delaying the resolution and said: "In the three days that it took us to adopt this resolution, how many mothers lost their kids to the bombing and shelling.?"

Attacks continued after the cease fire resolution was approved.  More shelling was reported in the Ghouta pocket with Iran saying it will continue to fight 'terrorists' and there are reports of ground attacks along with the shelling in the area.

Meanwhile, Peter Hitchens commented on the Syrian situation in a paragraph in his lengthy column this weekend.

"Just bear in mind as you read the latest propaganda from Syria--always beautifully composed pictures of wounded children in the arms of gentle, unarmed young men--that the "rebels" and "activists" in the suburbs of Damascus are the people we used to call Al Qaeda.  That is, they are the ones who blew up the Twin Towers.  But Al Qaeda has now got some very good spin doctors, and they're trying to spin you.  I urge you to resist."

Peter Hitchens column 2/25/2018

Video link to Trump comments below with link to Peter Hitchens column also....

President Trump 2/23/2018 Syria Comments at :12

Peter Hitchens Column (paragraph is second to last at bottom)

(EDITED WITH LATE DETAILS SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25TH)

WALTER CRONKITE ON VIETNAM REVISITED

"To say that we are closer to victory today is to believe in the face of the evidence, the optimists who have been wrong in the past.  To suggest that we are on the edge of defeat is to yield to unreasonable pessimism .  To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic if unsatisfactory conclusion.

On the off chance that military and political analysts are right, in the next few months we must test the enemy's intentions, in case this is indeed his last big gasp before negotiations.  But it is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people, who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could.

This is Walter Cronkite, Good Night."

Walter Cronkite Commentary-CBS News Special "Report from Vietnam"-2/27/1968

"I have asked for this radio and television time tonight for the purpose of announcing that we today have concluded an agreement to end the war and bring peace with honor in Vietnam...."

President Richard M. Nixon Speech 1/23/1973

Fifty years ago today the three major television networks of the time (CBS, NBC, ABC) were the cutting edge media viewed by millions and having dominance of the audience and virtually no competition in their medium.

They focused on entertainment but their news programs were the leading ones, viewed by millions and influencing public opinion.

I tuned into the CBS News program that night to see the war, which was fascinating me as a seven year old child.

The commentary was a bit over my head viewing on the monochrome set in the bedroom.  I went into the living room where my father watched it on the color television set.

He was all sold on the notion of getting out of Vietnam.

My anti-Communism was yet to be awakened and my understanding of the policies of the Uniparty politicians who policed the world as envisioned by the Democrat Progressive Woodrow Wilson was not there yet.

The Vietnam War was the new Korean War to begin with, a war to police and get the Communists to a negotiating table from the beginning.   No victory like World War II was intended from its inception with deadly consequences for thousands.

Back to Cronkite's commentary.  Many see it as left-wing propaganda, pro-Communist.  

The liberal news stars of CBS News from this era  like Dan Rather and Roger Mudd  always decried  their "conservative" management when confronted about their biases.

But what were the political views of CBS management.  One interesting insight into that comes from the fact that Prescott Bush, Republican from Connecticut, who was the father and grandfather of future RINO Presidents of the United States served on the board of CBS around 1950.

In his biography of Walter Cronkite published in 2012, historian Douglas Brinkley noted that the CBS management as in Chairman William Paley was "Rockefeller Republican".   Brinkley also outed Cronkite's liberalism as well in his extensive work.

The commentary on the war produced 50 years ago would be a joint venture between Cronkite and his "CBS Evening News" Executive Producer Ernest Leiser with the sanction of CBS News President Richard Salant as a sort of "Executive Editor" of the whole enterprise. 

Salant was a right hand man of CBS boss William Paley brought in to replace Fred Friendly, the onetime Edward R. Murrow associate ("See It Now" etc.) who wanted coverage of anti-war Senate hearings on Vietnam to be aired instead of regular programming on CBS.

While Cronkite's commentary would be in line with liberal anti-war interests like those of Eugene McCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy within the Democrat Party who opposed President Lyndon Johnson it would also be in the interests of the Republican Party to defeat the Democrats in the fall election.

And the notions of Cronkite of an "honorable people" who would "negotiate" would be translated by the victor of the 1968 election, Richard Nixon, into the notion of "peace with honor" as Nixon put it.

Of course the media would pounce on Nixon and there would be a war between the two, but that's another story.

One could argue that CBS management got their way in this arrangement as well with the election of a "moderate Republican, Rockefeller Republican" in the end in 1968.

Video links are below.......

Cronkite Commentary on Vietnam 2/27/1968

Nixon Proclaims Peace With Honor 1/23/1973

(EDITED MONDAY FEBRUARY 26TH)

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF: SENTENCING DATES IN MARCH FOR THREE DEFENDANTS

Along with the two convicted (Greg Burleson, Todd Engel) and one who pled guilty (Jerry DeLemus), there are a number of Bunkerville Standoff defendants who cut plea deals before all the hidden evidence in the case was revealed and US District Judge Gloria Navarro declared a mistrial dismissing charges with prejudice in the third trial.

This coming Thursday (March 1st) sentencing is scheduled for internet broadcaster Pete Santilli, who was arrested in Burns, Oregon January 26th, 2016 during the Oregon Standoff protest, then jailed until his plea deal was cut last fall.   Santilli pled guilty to the misdemeanor charge of disobeying a federal court order.

Santilli is broadcasting online again with his previous "Guerilla Media Network" rebranded as the "Santilli Broadcasting Network".    Santilli at last word is set for sentencing next Thursday at 8am in Las Vegas.

Blaine Cooper is facing a sentencing hearing on March 8th at 8am.  He also cut a plea deal.

Todd Engel, convicted of two felonies in the second trial, is set for sentencing on March 22nd at 8am but he has filed a motion for a new trial, citing the hiding of evidence proving his innocence by the prosecutors.

There are three other sentencing hearings scheduled later in the year for those involved in plea deals (Scott Drexler April 26th, Brian Cavalier May 3rd and Eric Parker July 12th).

OREGON STANDOFF:  SHAWNA COX WITHDRAWS LAWSUIT BY FINICUM TRUCK PASSENGERS BUT WILL COMEY AND OTHERS BE INDICTED?

"....we have withdrawn from the suit placed in the federal court and are relying upon We the People of America to convene a 7th Amendment Grand Jury to examine the crimes and the criminals who have done us harm"

Shawna Cox Statement February 8, 2018

There's word from Gary Hunt's "Outpost of Freedom" blog this week (February 21st) that Shawna Cox, who rode in the truck shot at by the FBI right before driver LaVoy Finicum's murder, is withdrawing the lawsuit filed in federal court in Portland last month.

Cox said that she and Ryan Bundy have decided to withdraw the suit in favor of a ''common law grand jury" to consider who is responsible for the killing of Finicum and attempt to kill herself, Ryan Bundy, Victoria Sharp and Ryan Payne, who were all passengers in LaVoy Fincium's truck.

She cites her belief that the federal government will seek to pay off the plantiffs with money, rather than allow the lawsuit to proceed to a trial where a jury would decide on responsibility and award damages.

She also cites other reasons including corruption in the federal justice system and the need for transparency which federal courts would not allow with proceedings recorded on video and available for public viewing.

Cox believes it is better that an open process happen instead that will further the message of the need to restore the Constitution of the United States.

Her statement lays out plans to create a legal process to use a Grand Jury to indict those responsible for the violent attack that killed LaVoy Finicum and injured Ryan Bundy in Harney County, Oregon on January 26, 2016 and attempted to kill her, Victoria Sharp and Ryan Payne:

"We want 'We the People' to determine who are the guilty and who are the innocent.  We want a Jury of our Peers as the Bill of Rights affords us.  A Government of the People, by the People and for the People.   That's why we have summoned a 'Common Law Administrator' to convene a Grand Jury to indict those people who have conspired against America, for Treason, and their crimes against 'We the People'....."

During the Oregon Standoff protest a number of non-violent initiatives were undertaken including plans for a Grand Jury to investigate the case of the Hammonds and issue indictments against those responsible.

Where this is leading remains to be seen but it was the potential to draw attention to the case of the deadly federal ambush on January 26th, 2016 rather than cause attention to go away like a wrongful death lawsuit settled out of court with cash would.

Indictments by a citizens grand jury of figures like former FBI Director James Comey and even higher ranking ex-Obama Administration figures would certainly cause a stir with many who would like to see them prosecuted for something.

Of course, the wrongful death lawsuit filed by LaVoy Finicum's family in the US District Court in Pendleton, Oregon continues to move forward.

Link to Gary Hunt blog below:

Gary Hunt "Outpost of Freedom" Blog Post 2/21/2018

(EDITED AND EXPANDED FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23RD)

OREGON STANDOFF: FEDS WANT NEARLY 42 MONTH SENTENCE FOR RYAN PAYNE NEXT WEEK

Ryan Payne had the charges in Nevada dismissed in connection with the Bunkerville Standoff because of the willful withholding of evidence by federal prosecutors.

But Payne was convicted in the second Oregon Standoff trial last year, a trial rigged to ensure conviction of defendants through the limitation of defense evidence by the judge plus the tacking on of misdemeanor charges by prosecutors.      While a jury considered felony charges the misdemeanors were decided by US District Judge Anna J. Brown.

Ahead of next Tuesday's sentencing in Portland, federal prosecutors are seeking a nearly 3 and half year (42 month) sentence for Payne.     They cite his organizing role and his involvement with "militia".

But the federal public defender in Oregon, Lisa Hay, says that Payne should only get a two year sentence.   That kind of sentence would be in line with what others have gotten after being convicted in the rigged second trial.`

Payne was arrested on January 26, 2016 and has been on pre-trial release for about two months in connection with the Bunkerville Standoff case.

Hay has introduced the opinion of a psychologist saying that Payne suffers from PTSD after two combat tours in Iraq and is receptive to treatment.

Payne's actions in connection with the protest were aimed at saving lives the defense argues.

Sentencing is set next Tuesday February 27th in Portland.

Link to "Oregon Live" story below.....

Oregon Live Ryan Payne Story 2/22/2018

'PUFF GRAHAM' AND THE REST IS HISTORY

Billy Graham was part of the conservative movement in 20th Century Protestantism as 'fundamentalist' and 'modernist' divisions split up the major denominations and led to independent churches and para-church organizations sprouting up across the country.

Dr. Graham spent the 1940's as a touring evangelist for Youth for Christ.

Graham preached from town to town.  Tents were erected for evangelistic meetings and he went here, there and everywhere from coast to coast.   A series of meetings were held in my area (York,PA) in 1948.

Then one day a famous man, a wealthy man and a man with a media empire walked into Billy  Graham's preaching in a tent in Southern California.

William Randolph Hearst was near the end of his tumultuous life but gave one more order to those who worked for him.

"Puff Graham"

The power of that publicity allowed Billy Graham to build his own evangelistic organization and move forward reaching out in all directions to all churches while maintaining his commitment to a simple evangelistic preaching of Christ with an altar call.

But the meetings would be in large arenas and stadiums now and involve even celebrities.    In  his 1957 New York crusade Dr. Graham had Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as song leader.

Dr. King and his associates worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to learn how to organize as King began to build his own movement.

Radio and television were used by Graham, with a weekly "Hour of Decision" radio program first broadcast on the ABC Radio Network in the 1950's.  Evangelistic meetings were recorded for broadcast on television stations in the USA and around the world.

The Billy Graham efforts also included the use of music recordings and motion pictures, produced under the banner of "World Wide Pictures".

"Decision" magazine was published based on the message that Dr. Graham preached to his audiences challenging them to make a "decision" for Jesus Christ.

The liberal forces in Protestantism were none too pleased with Billy Graham and neither were the more conservative elements I associated with in my youth.

The more "fundamentalist" forces saw him as too liberal, working with liberal churches in his evangelistic activities.    I recall broadcasting against Dr. Graham's visits to Communist countries under the auspices of government run churches in the early 1980's.   Those meetings probably drew some of the largest crowds ever when he visited Eastern Europe, in the hundreds of thousands of people.

The "liberal" elements just didn't like evangelism.    The liberal Evangelical Lutheran Church in America even published a tract for the vestibules of its churches that I saw in the 1970's lumping Bill Graham's evangelism with those of the more conservative elements and denouncing it as incompatible with authentic Christian belief as they saw it.

Dr. Graham's ministry brought him close to world leaders, to the Presidents of the United States in his lifetime including Richard Nixon most prominently at a time of deep trouble and division within the nation as a whole.

In closing, I am reminded of Dr. Graham's call for a turning to Christ, of his remarks that the problems of the world cannot be be resolved 'apart from the person of Jesus Christ'.

The 'decision' to follow Christ as I see it is one in the moment and of the moment, every moment of every day.   Millions came forward at meetings, but it's what happened after the evangelistic meetings that made the difference in lives then and makes the difference in my life and the life of others today.

There is fear, there is lying, there is stealing, there is hatred, there is lust, there is greed and there is murder and the list goes on and on.

The decisions I make and you make in the moments of our lives and making the decisions that Christ would have made himself are the best way I see to remember the life and work of Dr. Billy Graham.

RIP...............


(EXPANDED WEDNESDAY PM)

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF:  RYAN BUNDY SEEKS EVIDENTIARY HEARING ON WOOTEN MEMO

There's a redacted version of it in the public domain right now, but Ryan Bundy would like to see full disclosure of a memo written by a Bureau of Land Management agent about the corrupt nature of the federal investigation of the Bundys and their supporters in connection with the Bunkerville Standoff.

His motion to unseal Larry Wooten's letter was filed in US District Court in Las Vegas today (Tuesday February 20th).

Charges have been dismissed against him in connection with the Bunkerville Standoff, but prosecutors want to reverse US District Judge Gloria M. Navarro's dismissal "with prejudice" of the indictments of Ryan Bundy, his brother Ammon Bundy, father Cliven Bundy and Ryan Payne in connection with the April 2014 standoff near Bundy Ranch.

Ryan Bundy cites the move of lead prosecutor Steven Myhre and other prosecutors to get the judge to change her dismissal of charges in his motion to unseal Larry Wooten's letter into the public record.

".....I also renew my requirement to unseal the letter of BLM whistleblower Wooten, as there is no valid reason to keep it under seal, particularly, since it is a matter of extreme public interest and in the interest of the proper and legal administration of justice.

In so doing, there will be a complete record more than confirming that the prosecution's motion to reconsider this Court's prior dismissal of the superseding indictment is frivolous and not put forth in good faith, but only to try to insulate them from likely discipline by the now opened ethics and potentially criminal investigation before the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility......"

Ryan Bundy Request For Evidence Hearing On Wooten Memo 2/20/2018

Link to document is below.....

Ryan Bundy Request For Evidence Hearing 2/20/2018

MITT ROMNEY'S FATHER MAY HAVE BEEN 'BRAINWASHED' BUT I'M NOT DRINKING THE KOOL AID NOW

"Well you know when I came back from Vietnam I just had the greatest brainwashing that anybody can get....."

Governor George Romney-"Lou Gordon Show"-September 1967

"@Mitt Romney has announced he is running for Senate from the wonderful state of Utah.  He will make a great successor and worthy successor to @Orrin Hatch and has my full support and endorsement"

President Donald J. Trump endorsement of Mitt Romney on Twitter-2/19/2018

"....There may want to be a lot of people out there that want, want to drink the Trump Kool Aid and to be honest with you I want to drink it, but I don't drink Kool Aid unless the facts show that it's worth drinking and right now the jury's out literally....."

Ammon Bundy on the lack of any positive action or sign from the Trump Administration regarding the Bunkerville and Oregon Standoff cases, a pardon for the Hammonds in Oregon 1/4/2018

What more can one say.  President Donald J. Trump has endorsed the quintessential anti-Conservative, anti-Constitutionalist, Establishment Republican for US Senate.

The Romney family have always been against Conservatives-Liberarians in the GOP like Barry Goldwater, who was plotted against by Mitt's father Governor George Romney in 1964.   George Romney was the Republican front runner for President in 1968 after the 1966 midterm elections, being supported by leading liberal Republican Governor Nelson Rockefeller and advised by Rockefeller's foreign policy advisor Dr. Henry Kissinger (now advising President Trump).

But Romney fell from his perch in the aftermath of the "brainwashing" comment made in 1967.

When Franklin Roosevelt was President in the 1930's he routinely got involved in US Senate primary elections to promote "New Deal" Democrats over those who stood in the way of his agenda, including incumbents.

Its been "Strange" to watch the game play out in Alabama last year with the Trump endorsement of the lobbyist insider Luther Strange in the primary runoff, with the promise by the President to campaign with Roy Moore who won, then the backing away to endorse Moore from a rally without him in the room in nearby Pensacola, Florida.

For those of us who stood by Donald J.Trump when the sex related smear over his Billy Bush interview comment about "grab em by the p****" was all over the media while the Romney's and Ryan's and McConnell's were all running for the tall grass to see his backing off in Alabama for Roy Moore was really disappointing.

It will be interesting to see as we move on towards the US Senate primary this summer in Arizona where President Trump ends up after tweeting positively about Kelli Ward last year.  Now we see a three way race between RINO  Martha McSally, Kelli Ward and Joe Arpaio (pardoned by President Trump last year).    The three way split of the vote seems designed to help McSally (the new Jeff Flake-John McCain) win the race.

Ammon Bundy offered his perspective early this year about the Trump Administration and the Oregon Standoff and Bunkerville Standoff cases he was involved in, not seeing anything positive about the situations coming from Washington.

Since then thanks to a Democrat judge and Harry Reid protégé charges against Bundy and other defendants over the Nevada case were dismissed.

The new US Attorney named by the Trump Administration, Dayle Elieson said:  "We respect the court's ruling and will make a determination about the next appropriate steps."  One of those "appropriate steps" has turned out to be asking the judge to reverse her dismissal of the charges "with prejudice" so the defendants can be prosecuted and put on trial again.    This is seen as a prelude to an appeal of her ruling to a higher court.

Three men remain imprisoned over the Bunkerville case.   Greg Burleson (68 year sentence), Todd Engel (found guilty, appealing for new trial) and last but not least Jerry DeLemus (87 month sentence after guilty plea).  DeLemus appeared with President Donald J. Trump in early 2016 as co-chair of the New Hampshire Veterans Coalition for Trump.   That happened to all three men with the exculpatory evidence hidden by the prosecution.   Why are they not free men, Mr. President?

We honor and respect President Trump.  We voted for him.  But we aren't going to follow in the footsteps of those promised "heaven on earth" by Rev. Jim Jones and given "hell" instead in the jungle of Guyana.  A "hell" that culminated in the passing of the poisoned Kool Aid.

The matters of the economy are vital.   Reduced corporate taxes to 21 percent should help but places like China and Canada still have 15 percent rates.  Investment overseas remains lucrative with large gains for  investors right now.

Austerity type conditions are obvious with a shifting of taxes at the end of last year, not a cut for business and all individuals at the same time.   Even in a flat income tax state like mine (Pennsylvania) once income reaches 125-thousand and the house value goes over 200-thousand the new 10-thousand dollar deduction cap is reached.

Investment in infrastructure (as I noted in a post weeks ago) is leading to higher gasoline taxes later this year of 15-25 cents a gallon.

Little people are hurt by that for sure.

And a quick note that the POTUS is now supporting a gun stock ban now caving to the anti-Second Amendment crowd.


(POST EDITED AND EXPANDED TUESDAY)

Video Links Below:

George Romney-Lou Gordon Show-Brainwashing Comment

Ammon Bundy with Kelli Stewart on Trump Administration

OREGON STANDOFF:  THE FBI KNEW SOMETHING BEFORE IT HAPPENED, FINICUM WIDOW HOPES MORE  WHISTLE BLOWERS COME OUT

"....the "Wooten Report", I think you should all print it off and read it because it goes in great detail about the violations that the BLM officers and FBI agents were involved in..... and I want to thank all the BLM officers, the FBI officers, the police officers that are good, upstanding men and women who serve us day in and day out.   I know you're there, but you too have a responsibility to hold these bad actors accountable........"

LaVoy Finicum's widow Jeanette Finicum in video posted 2/16/2018

In the days leading up to the Oregon Standoff protest, authorities knew something was going to happen on January 2nd when hundreds were scheduled to march and rally in Burns, Oregon in support of ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond, headed to prison a second time to serve out mandatory "terrorism" sentences for lighting a back fire to protect their property.

Ammon Bundy had expressed his desire to do more than just a march and rally to those who claimed to be his friends from the ranks of "militia" and "three percenters".    It was apparently from those ranks that word was passed to the FBI.

The feds weren't sure exactly what was going to happen (Ammon Bundy did not reveal the wildlife refuge to be protest site until January 2nd) but they surmised a federal facility would be occupied.

As workers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge left for the New Year's Day holiday weekend they were told not to return to work afterwards until called to do so.

And when Ammon Bundy announced his plans in the backroom of a restaurant in Burns, Oregon on January 2nd, a Harney County sheriff's deputy witnessed it.

So why would the FBI let the protest happen in the first place.

Because it would set the stage for the use of violence against the protesters on January 26th, the operation that killed LaVoy Finicum and injured Ryan Bundy.

It would also allow for the arrest of people who would be jailed indefinitely without bail as domestic terrorists.

In a new video posted Friday, LaVoy Finicum's widow urges viewers to print out the whistleblower memo from Bureau of Land Management agent Larry Wooten and read it themselves.

Jeanette Finicum also calls on 'upstanding' members of  law enforcement to hold 'bad actors' in their ranks accountable.  

It appears that LaVoy's widow would like to see more people come forward to expose wrongdoing in the case of her husband's murder in the aftermath of the filing of a wrongful death lawsuit by family members.

Links below for Jeanette Finicum's video and the Larry Wooten Memo......

Jeanette Finicum Video 2/16/2018

Larry Wooten Memo

BREAKING NEWS:  WALMART BANS FIREARMS SALES FOR FIVE DAYS

The headline says it.  Walmart has internally communicated to its stores a five day ban on firearms sales.

Sales are cutoff at point of sale, at the registers.

Glenn Beck, of all people, was talking about a "dictatorship" last week involving Congressional leadership.

I have no disagreement with the notion of Ryan, McConnell, Pelosi and Schumer being "dictators" but their Uniparty dictatorship is ultimately backed by big corporations like Walmart and big banks as well.

All the "memos" come off to me like some sort of distraction from what's really going on in this country.

Walmart's decision will be defended by some as a legitimate decision of a private business but because business seems to run government as I believe is the case I see this as a de facto government decision to end firearms sales and a way of nudging the debate in government quarters.

Walmart and other big business interests stopped states from enacting religious freedom legislation to protect gay marriage dissenters back in 2015.

Indiana's then governor now Vice-President Mike Pence caved under pressure from Tim Cook and Apple among others.

As one considers the insanity that leads to mass shooting and mass murder inevitably government controls are seen as a solution with religious values brought up by some.  President Trump has spoken of a "mental health problem".

VP Pence called "just wrong" some anti-religious comments about him by Joy Behar ("The View" on ABC)  comparing "talking to Jesus" to mental illness.

As a "Fundamentalists Anonymous" Christian I don't like the arguments between religious people like Pence who are part of a corrupt world and anti-religious zealots who are part of a corrupt world.

I read about connections between anti-depressants and mass shooters, about child pornography and mass shooters.

I can't get angry and demand government go after that stuff either, much less firearms.

But may I humbly suggest the world is filled with a lot of insanity fueled by drugs, alcohol and pornography and dare to suggest the best I can do and you can do is to literally keep our lives clean, sane and sober through application of truth embodied in the 12 Steps.

Link below.....

Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book Home Page

OREGON STANDOFF: JASON PATRICK SENTENCED TO 21 MONTHS IN JAIL, BUNKERVILLE EVIDENCE MOTION DENIED

In Portland today US District Judge Anna J. Brown sentenced Jason Patrick to 21 months in jail followed by three years of supervised release.

Patrick was convicted in the second rigged Oregon Standoff trial that Judge Brown and the office of Oregon  US Attorney Billy Williams (now nominated by President Trump to be permanent US Attorney there) concocted after jurors found "leaders" of the protest not guilty in the first trial.

Brown met with jurors immedately after the trial and the US Attorney tacked misdemeanor charges onto the felony ones.   In the second trial she limited defense lawyers ability to make a case, cutting the witness list and holding a bench trial on misdemeanors with her deciding guilt or innocence.

In the end Patrick was convicted of a charge called "conspiracy to impede", a felony, by jurors, and three misdemeanors by the judge.

The judge refused a motion to take into consideration evidence hidden during the Bunkerville trial and give Patrick a new trial in Oregon.

There were six character witnesses who testified on behalf of Patrick today.

While prosecutors tried to associate Patrick with violence, both he and his defense lawyer made the case otherwise.

A video recorded after LaVoy Finicum  was murdered on Jan. 26, 2016 showed Patrick and others discussing what to do next.

Patrick made statements in opposition to any violence in contrast to those made by others on the video (FBI INFORMANTS?).    Violent statements and or appearances of militancy surrounding the Oregon Standoff protest were the work of crazy people who showed up and or FBI informants.

One, Fabio Minoggio, organized firearms training during the protest and the shooting off of thousands of rounds of ammunition at a pond.  Video of that was used by prosecutors in the first trial.

Ammon Bundy, the original "leader" did not want violence.   David Fry, who "led" the protest with his cyber communications among other things towards its end asserted in his defense at the trial where he and the others were found "not guilty" his non violent beliefs.    Fry saw the protest as being in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King.

In her sentencing Judge Brown suggested that Patrick get involved in "democracy".

Seeing that Dwight and Steven Hammond are still jailed as terrorists for lighting a backfire to protect their property, the reason behind the protest this advice seems more relevant.

"........I have come to think of my role as one which operates outside the realm of partisan politics raising the issues and through action create the situation which forces whatever party is in power to act creatively and constructively in response to the dramatic presentation of these issues on the public scene......'

Dr. Martin Luther King-April 25, 1967

Patrick has already been jailed for two periods totaling 16 months.




(EDITED AND EXPANDED LATE THURSDAY)

OREGON STANDOFF:  FEDS WANT 46 MONTH SENTENCE FOR JASON PATRICK WITH 'TERRORISM ENHANCEMENT'

"Prosecutors are seeking extra time for Patrick's leadership role, and his possession of a gun on the refuge and a terrorism enhancement for the conspiracy conviction"

Maxine Bernstein "OregonLive" Story  2/14/2018

Sentencing for Jason Patrick is set before US District Judge Anna J. Brown in Portland this morning at 9 am.

Jason Patrick was convicted in the second rigged Oregon Standoff trial last year of conspiracy to impede federal workers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.   US District Judge Anna J. Brown limited defense lawyers ability to present a case to the jury on the felony charges and held a bench trial on misdemeanor charges tacked on by the prosecutors for the second trial.   She convicted him on three misdemeanors.

Patrick turned himself in after the trial and has been jailed for some ten months, with Judge Brown refusing to release him when he requested release.

Defense lawyer Andrew Kohlmetz has written his objections to the prosecution, saying:  "This case does not involve terrorism"......"Mr. Patrick's intent in participating in the occupation was to draw attention to the plight of the Hammond family and to a lesser degree to support a lawsuit concerning the constitutionality of the federal government's ownership of lands."

It's worth noting that the US Attorney in Oregon in charge of the prosecution demanding the 'terrorism enhancement", Billy Williams, first appointed by the Obama Administration in December 2015, has now been nominated in President Trump's name as permanent US Attorney in Oregon.

An Assistant US Attorney in the Oregon office, Ryan Bounds, has been nominated in President Trump's name to a seat on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Bounds helped the prosecution in one instance approaching a reporter for Oregon Public Broadcasting to use his interview with Ryan Bundy to help the prosecution's case in the first Oregon Standoff trial.

If I were a US Senator, the Williams and Bounds nominations would be on hold until pardons are issued and justice served in connection with the Oregon Standoff and Bunkerville Standoff protests including pardons for Dwight and Steven Hammond, jailed as terrrorists for lighting a backfire to protect their land.


Link below......

Oregon Live Story 2/14/2018

BUNKERVILLE-OREGON LATEST:  TODD ENGEL MOTION,  AMMON BUNDY LEGAL FEES,  LAVOY TASED THEN SHOT?

"I'm a big fan of America, but I'm not a fan of plea bargaining....

.....it's basically impossible in America now, today to plead inncoent, it's impossible because...if you go to a court its going to cost X million in legal fees and your sentence will be 750 years but of course if you want to plead guilty that's fine you'll serve five months and be out......

America is five percent of the world's population but has 20 percent of the world's prisoners"

Nigel Farage on "The Nigel Farage Show"-LBC Radio 2/6/2018

BREAKING NEWS:  TODD ENGEL, WHO WAS CONVICTED IN THE SECOND BUNKERVILLE TRIAL AND IS AWAITING SENTENCING HAS FILED A MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL IN LIGHT OF THE HIDDEN EVIDENCE WHEN HE WAS TRIED.

THE 25-THOUSAND DOLLAR COST OF LEGAL WORK TO FILE THE MOTION WAS RAISED ONLINE.

Some good news has been posted on Ammon Bundy's Facebook regarding legal fees for him

Word is that Nevada fees have been paid and arrangements for the balance of the Oregon costs for Ammon's legal defense are being made.

The legal defense fund website for Ammon Bundy is about to be taken down and no more funds are needed at this time.

Fees for the Bunkerville case were reported last year in the tens of thousands of dollars and the cost of legal services for him in the  Oregon Standoff case were said to be in six figures in a report last month ($180,000)

Ammon Bundy found this when he read the recent filing by federal prosecutors in case of the FBI agent indicted for lying about shooting at LaVoy Finicum's truck.

"I just read the Government's response to  Astarita's motion to dismiss (the indictment against him for concealing evidence and lying).

The government admits in the document that 'An OSP SWAT trooper, armed with a taser, engaged Finicum from the tree line on the western side of the roadblock' Page 4"

Ammon Bundy Facebook Post 2/12/2018

Link below.......

AMMON BUNDY FACEBOOK

OREGON STANDOFF:  IN CASE YOU MISSED IT....,RANDY 'RUBY RIDGE' WEAVER SPEAKS OUT

" I knew the Bundy's was right and the feds were wrong which is pretty easy cause most times they are...."

Randy Weaver of "Ruby Ridge" speaks out about the Bundy's and their federal court ordeal

First off  in case you missed it, we had some link problems on an update posted Sunday regarding the lawsuit by members of LaVoy Finicum's family over his murder on January 26, 2016 and Jason Patrick's upcoming sentencing.  In fact, the ability to link directly to the post was somehow disabled.

Link...........

SUNDAY 2/11/2018 OREGON STANDOFF UPDATE-GO TO WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE RIGHT MARGIN FOR FEBRUARY POSTS POST TITLED:  OREGON STANDOFF: LAVOY FINICUM LAWSUIT UPDATE,FED.....

THE POST IS THE SECOND FROM THE TOP AS OF TODAY

Randy Weaver of the 1990's "Ruby Ridge"  incident appeared in recent video with Oregon Standoff trial observer John Lamb and attorney Roger Rounds and he discussed the story of the Bundys and the federal government.


Link below:



RANDY WEAVER INTERVIEW


(MORE TO COME)

OREGON STANDOFF: LAVOY FINCIUM LAWSUIT UPDATE, FEDS WANT 46 MONTH SENTENCE FOR JASON PATRICK

"We are going to fight this with everything we have.   We want to see a jury trial and we want to see justice for my husband.

But more importantly we want at every level to hold responsible those who are, who were involved with my husband's death and we want to hold them accountable.

We want to see transparency with the facts, all facts. We as American people have not seen a lot of transparency lately in a lot of different issues."

Jeanette Finicum speaks about wrongful death lawsuit in video posted on You Tube 2/9/2018

".....These actions and comments were in my opinion offensive in a professional federal law enforcement environment and were a clear violation of professional workplace norms, our code of conduct, policy and possibly even law.

The misconduct caused considerable disruption in our workplace, was discriminatory, harrassing and showed clear prejudice against the defendants, their supporters and Mormons.  Often times this misconduct centered on being sexually inappropriate, profanity, appearance/body shaming and likely violated privacy and civil rights....."

Larry Wooten Memo

LaVoy Finicum's widow, Jeanette, has released a short video to update the situation regarding the family's wrongful death suit for his murder on January 26, 2016.

She says the purpose of the lawsuit is to hold those responsible accountable, not to extract revenge.

After the lawsuit was filed in US District Court in Pendleton, Oregon some posts were made online claiming it was about money (FBI disinformation, left-wing activists, environmentalists??????).

In the video she praises Bureau of Land Management whistle blower Larry Wooten.
Wooten's  memo about how the Bunkerville-Bundy Ranch investigation was conducted.

The memo caused shock waves in the case and was disturbing to those who read it.

It provides evidence that federal law enforcement had a malicious and bigoted attitude towards the Bundy's and their supporters which may have played a role in justifying in federal government minds the operation that killed LaVoy Finicum and injured Ryan Bundy.

Federal prosecutors in Portland have asked US District Judge Anna J. Brown to give Jason Patrick 46 months in prison when she sentences him next Thursday February 15th.   A jury convicted Patrick of "conspiracy to impede".

Patrick was convicted in the second rigged Oregon Standoff trial last year, where Judge Brown restricted the defense case after watching a broader defense case lead to not guilty verdicts in the first trial.

Jason Patrick turned himself in shortly after the trial and has already served 10 months in jail


Links are below:

Jeanette Finicum Video Posted You Tube 2/9/2018

Larry Wooten Memo

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF:  THE FEDS AREN'T GIVING UP THE CASE UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

"Yes.  The news is out that the government has filed to dismiss the charges against the remaining defendants and our two sons who still have charges pending against them will be truly free men.  You may also have read that the government has filed a Motion for the Judge to reconsider her decision to dismiss the case against Cliven, Ammon, Ryan and Ryan Payne.  The government still wants another bite of the apple.  

I  don't know what the judge will do--she's the only one who knows that--but it's clear that the government wants another swing at my family.  God granted His blessings and protection over my family in the last misguided prosecution and I ask for your continued prayers that He continues to extend His protection.

Hug your family tight tonight.

Carol"

Carol Bundy (Cliven's wife) Facebook Post 2/7/2018

"The Justice Department takes this issue very seriously."

Department of Justice spokesman on discovery evidence issue that led to dismissal of charges 12/20/2017

"We respect the court's ruling and will make a determination about the next appropriate steps."

Dayle Elieson-US Attorney for Nevada appointed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions 1/8/2018

When you add up all the new developments yesterday in the Bunkerville case you can see that the new US Attorney in Nevada, Dayle Elieson,  appointed last month by Republican Attorney General Jeff Sessions is ultimately trying to keep the case going against the Bundys and their supporters.

While the prosecutors are asking the judge to dismiss the charges with prejudice against the remaining four defendants they are turning around and asking the judge to reconsider her dismissal of charges with prejudice last month against the key defendants, creating a court record for an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The prosecution team led by two Republicans, First Assistant US Attorney Steven Myhre and Daniel Scheiss, along with former Obama Administration Justice Department lawyer Nadia Ahmed (present in that capacity at Bunkerville in April 2014) are hell bent on continuing the case.

They, along with the lead appeals lawyer for the US Attorney's office in Nevada, Elizabeth White, are repeating old mantras about how dangerous the defendants are to justify resumption of their prosecution.   Myhre claimed when the trial of Cliven Bundy opened last year before dismissal that the case was about 'law and order', the old catch phrase of GOP President RIchard NixOn.

It seems like a warmed over Republican campaign speech about protecting law enforcement in the 29 page motion to Democrat US District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to reconsider her dismissal of the case with prejudice over what she called "willful" and "deliberate" violations of evidence rules by the prosecutors.

Lets bring in some examples from the 29 page document.

"The gunmen loaded themselves into cars and trucks and drove en masse five miles to the impoundment site where, brandishing assault rifles and other firearms, they closed in on the dangerously exposed law enforcement officers...."

This passage has some GOP flavoring to it as well as Cliven Bundy and his followers are compared to Iraq's Sadaam Hussein.

"The gunmen.....moved in and among the unarmed followers, using them as human shields...."

And then they go onto mentioning specific charges.

"Assault on a federal officer (Count 5), threatening a law enforcement officer (Count 8).........using and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence (Counts 6, 9 and 15)"

It was federal law enforcement themselves that were threatening, assaulting and carrying firearms while committing crimes of violence in the days leading up to the April 12th standoff.

The new evidence shows the buildup of FBI and BLM snipers around Bundy Ranch in preparations for an operation resembling the one at Ruby Ridge in the 1990's.

The federal law enforcement officers shoved  Margaret Houston, tased Ammon Bundy, they beat and took into custody Dave Bundy, later releasing him but later relishing (according to the whitleblower memo from BLM Agent Larry Wooten) that they had embedded stones into his face.

And getting back to that evidence cache hidden by the prosecutors that led to the dismissal with prejudice, it contains four different threat assessments from various law enforcement agencies saying the Bundys posed little or no threat to law enforcement.   They might "get in the your face" but would not resort to violence.

When you listen to the Bundys and I have (including  jailhouse calls from Ammon Bundy in his solitary confinement cell holding the phone through a small opening) you get the message that the Bundys are about the original Constitution of the United States and its notion of limited government which came long before controlling bureaucracies like the Bureau of Land Management were created about 70 years ago.

This "Jim Crow" system of land management which impoverishes the rural communities and has destroyed the efforts of little people to make a living is a disgrace as shameful as the racial system that dominated the South from the end of the 19th Century well into the middle of the 20th.

I get a laugh when I read about the new GOP management team of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke deciding to rearrange the tyranny with land managers being moved from Washington DC out to the field offices and so on. 

They call it a victory when they decide to keep Obama's national monument designations and modify them to take less land away from the people who live there.

The Bundys cite the original Constitution saying the people should use it to stand against the land tyranny, the Republicans and their "CONservative Movement" front people say we need a convention to change it so things will be right sandbagging "We the People" from righting the wrongs.

The Uniparty political game keeps expanding the government, growing the tryanny with no end in sight.

Its a fact that Washington DC jumped a spot last year from seventh to sixth largest media market in the USA.

While I proudly supported President Donald Trump, I have no use for the Republicans like Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. 

None of us should have any use for the Republicans and their "CONservative" front people in media and so on.

They talk about business interests buying our government linking Democrats to Uranium One.
But this business-government corruption is not just a Democrat problem.

We have a Corporatist system as Nigel Farage has defined it linking big government, big business and big banks.

I support a few people who run as Republicans like Trump, Roy Moore and coming up Scott Wagner for governor of Pennsylvania.

But the game is up.

The Bundys stand with the original Constitution while the Republicans claim they will save us with revisions.

I prefer the former to the latter.

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF BREAKING:  DOJ WANTS DISMISSMAL OF CHARGES RECONSIDERED, BUT WANTS DISMISSAL OF CHARGES AGAINST OTHERS

"They urged the judge to reconsider the fallout from her Jan. 8 dismissal, suggesting it will endanger other federal officers who typically patrol remote public lands alone.

'This case has major ramifications for all public lands law enforcement officers,' Elizabeth White, the Nevada U.S. attorney's appellate chief, wrote in a 29 page motion"

Maxine Bernstein story-"Oregon Live"  2/7/2018

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS ASKED US DISTRICT JUDGE GLORIA M.  NAVARRO TO RECONSIDER  HER DISMISSAL WITH PREJUDICE OF THE CHARGES AGAINST CLIVEN BUNDY, AMMON BUNDY, RYAN BUNDY AND RYAN PAYNE.

THE DOJ'S DISCOVERY EVIDENCE EXPERT HAS APPARENTLY WEIGHED IN ON THE CASE AND WANTS TO BRING BACK THE CHARGES AGAINST THE BUNDY'S AND RYAN PAYNE.

WHEN THE DISCOVERY EVIDENCE EXPERT WAS BROUGHT IN LAST MONTH, THE DOJ OF ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SESSIONS SAID IT WAS TAKING THE CASE 'SERIOUSLY'.  WE NOW KNOW APPARENTLY WHERE THE AG AND DOJ STAND.

The appeals prosecutor for the US Attorney's Office in Las Vegas, Elizabeth White, joins in the 29 page filing with prosecutors Steven Myhre, Daniel Scheiss and Nadia Ahmed.

Maxine Bernstein of "OregonLive" is reporting that legal experts say the prosecutors are taking two possible tracks.   One, they are presenting new arguments to change the judge's mind and two, they want to present new information into the court record ahead of an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Meanwhile, federal prosecutors in Las Vegas want the charges against the remaining four defendants dismissed with prejudice.   A motion was filed today in US District Court.

Dave Bundy, Mel Bundy, Joe O'Shaugnessy and Jason Woods were set to go on trial February 26th.

A pre-trial "calendar call" hearing for the four men is scheduled for next Thursday February 15th.

Also in the mix are delays in sentencing for Scott Drexler and Eric Parker.  Drexler's sentencing moved back to April 26th, Parker's to July 12th.

These men went through two trials and the jury deadlocked in the first, then found Drexler not guilty on eight of ten felonies and Parker not guilty on six of ten in the second trial.   The jurors were apparently deadlocked 11-1 to find them innocent of the rest of the charges.   Both men opted for a plea deal of guilty on a misdemeanor charge before the third trial and dismissal of charges with prejudice.

Again more proof that the Justice Department is not giving up on prosecuting and punishing those involved in the Bunkerville Standoff.   They want to delay sentencing to see if their appeals effort will bear fruit, then get those two men convicted of something, anything.

As Carol Bundy (Cliven's wife) posted on Facebook late tonight:  "its clear that the government wants another swing at my family".


Links below......



PROSECUTORS FILING TO RECONSIDER DISMISSAL


PROSECUTORS MOTION TO DISMISS CHARGES


MAXINE BERNSTEIN 'OREGON LIVE' STORY

(MORE ANALYSIS TIME PERMITTING IN A SEPARATE POST TO FOLLOW WITHIN 24 HOURS)

OREGON STANDOFF: JASON PATRICK SEEKS SENTENCING DELAY AND RELEASE WITH NEW BUNKERVILLE EVIDENCE

Federal prosecutors in Oregon have responded to Jason Patrick's motion in connection with the Oregon Standoff case.

They claim Bunkerville evidence is not related to the Oregon protest.

Patrick is seeking a delay in sentencing, release from jail and discovery of hidden evidence that emerged in the Bunkerville case including the threat assessments that pointed to little or no danger being posed by the Bundys and their supporters at Bunkerville.

Patrick is set to be sentenced in connection with his convictions in connection the Oregon Standoff protest on Thursday February 15th.

Patrick was convicted in the second Oregon Standoff trial which was rigged with limitation of the defense case by US District Judge Anna J. Brown.  Prosecutors tacked misdemeanor charges onto the felony ones and Judge Brown herself held a bench trial on those charges not allowing a jury to decide.

Shortly after he was convicted last year Patrick turned himself in and has been jailed for some 10 months.   Last year Judge Brown rejected his request for release.

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF:  ERIC PARKER PLEA DEAL SENTENCING 

"I'm a big fan of America, but I'm not a fan of plea bargaining.....it's basically impossible in America now, today to plead innocent, it's impossible because.....if you go to court its going to cost X million in legal fees and your sentence will be 750 years but of course if you want to plead guilty that's fine you'll serve five months and be out.....

......America is five percent of the world's population but has 20 percent of the world's prisoners"

Nigel  Farage on "The Nigel Farage Show"-LBC Radio 2/6/2018

(BREAKING NEWS)

(ERIC PARKER'S SENTENCING SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW HAS BEEN CONTINUED UNTIL JULY 12TH,  SCOTT DREXLER, WHO WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY OF MOST CHARGES AGAINST HIM IN THE SECOND TRIAL AND AGREED TO A PLEA DEAL WILL NOT BE SENTENCED UNTIL APRIL 26TH)

Tomorrow (Thursday February 8th) Eric Parker will be sentenced after reaching a plea deal to plead guilty to a misdemeanor of disobeying a federal court order.    He has already served 20 months in jail without bail and the deal includes no more jail time.  He will still be able to own firearms since this plea is to a misdemeanor.

The plea deal was reached last October right before Parker's third trial was set to begin along with the four defendants who ended up being freed when charges were dismissed with prejudice.

The hidden evidence was not there for the first two trials with both the prosecution and judge preventing Parker and other defendants from using the First Amendment or Second Amendment as defenses.

Any notion of self-defense from federal government snipers was prohibited in the courtroom with Parker being scolded by US District Judge Gloria Navarro and removed from the stand when he testified in his own defense at the second trial back in August.   Parker broke down in tears as he sat down at the defense table.

The jury deadlocked in the first trial with Judge Navarro declaring a mistrial.

In the second trial, after seeing what happened to Parker on the stand, the jurors found him not guilty on six of the ten felony charges against him including assault on a federal officer which could have put him in prison for hundreds of years.

But in the face of a third trial, Parker opted for the plea deal.

The third trial was when under questioning by defendant Ryan Bundy, representing himself, a National Park Service official admitted the existence of a surveillance camera.  This led to Judge Navarro asking questions of the prosecutors, leading to a deluge of evidence being revealed and the charges against all four defendants being dismissed with prejudice.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the courtroom tomorrow in light of developments since the plea deal was reached.

(WITH THE LATE BREAKING NEWS IT LOOKS LIKE THE FEDS WANT TO DRAG THINGS OUT FROM JEFF SESSIONS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO THE JUDGE)

NEW REVELATIONS ABOUT THE FBI AND LAVOY FINICUM'S KILLING GET PIGEON HOLED

(IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, LINKS TO THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS)


With the new developments coming out late Friday in the pre-trial phase for the FBI agent accused of lying about the shots he fired moments before LaVoy Finicum died, you may have missed it all.

The 32-page document is a federal government response to a move by Agent W.Joseph Astarita to have the charges against him dismissed.

We learned that the FBI had  the Oregon State Police SWAT team not wear their body cams as is standard procedure and that the FBI did not want Oregon shooting investigators to record interviews with the FBI agents involved when LaVoy Finicum was shot dead.

The first link is a Saturday Free Republic post of the "OregonLive" story by Maxine Bernstein.

The second link is the Sunday "Nextrush Free" blog post.

There are additional facts that can be gleaned from reading the document itself at the third link including the government's tactics during the operation and their justification for the operation that killed Finicum and injured Ryan Bundy.     There are also redactions in the document.

Links below:with notes:

Free Republic Post 2/3/2018

(THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY MADE WITH AN EXCERPT FROM THE 'OREGON LIVE' ARTICLE AND WITH TOPICS AND KEYWORDS, WITHIN 24 HOURS THE EXCERPT WAS TAKEN OUT AND REPLACED WITH A LINK, ALL TOPICS AND KEYWORDS REMOVED.

THE WORK OF THE FBI AND THE 'DEEP STATE?)

Nextrush Free Blog Post 2/3/2018

(A SUMMARY WITH SOME GOOD LINKS AND QUOTES, AMMON BUNDY POINTING TO A FEDERAL CONSPIRACY, I ADD IN SOME OF THE 'LARRY WOOTEN MEMO' TO ILLUSTRATE THE SICK TWISTED HOSTILITY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE BUNDYS AND SUPPORTERS)

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO ASTARITA MOTION TO DISMISS

(REDACTIONS HERE.  ONE SECRET BEING KEPT ARE THE NAMES OF THE OREGON STATE POLICE INVOLVED INCLUDING ANY OF THEM INVOLVED IN THE DEATH OF LAVOY FINICUM.   WHEN POLICE SHOOT ANYONE ANYWHERE ELSE WE ALWAYS KNOW THEIR NAMES.    WHY NOT HERE?)

OREGON STANDOFF UPDATE:  FBI TOLD OREGON POLICE NOT TO WEAR BODY CAMS WHEN LAVOY FINICUM WAS KILLED

"Even when the truth hurts, it's still better than being left in the dark.  It was intentional that we do not have more footage revealing what really happened on highway 395 on 1/26/16.  The FBI did not want the American people to see what they were planning on that isolated snowy road.  Now you tell me who was involved in a conspiracy?  Surely not the ones who were taken away in handcuffs that day"

Ammon Bundy's Facebook post 2/2/2018 about the FBI led operation that killed LaVoy Finicum and led to his arrest on 1/26/2016

On Friday, federal prosecutors released a 32-page response to defense lawyers for an FBI agent accused of lying about firing rifle shots at LaVoy Finicum's truck right before he was killed.

The document revealed that the FBI told Oregon State Police SWAT troopers not to wear body cams during the operation that led to Finicum's death.

When Oregon investigators looking into the shooting death of LaVoy Finicum spoke with the FBI agents about the shooting hours afterwards, they did not record the interview at the request of the FBI.

Later, once the Oregon investigators became aware of missing shell casings and unaccounted for gunshots, they again interviewed the five member team of FBI agents from the Hostage Rescue Team present at the site of Finicum's killing.   Again no recording of the interview was allowed and the agents were interviewed as a group, not individually.   A lawyer was present on a speakerphone.

The Oregon investigators were given access to FBI drone footage that revealed the five agents apparently looking in the snow for shell casings after Finicum was killed.

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office led the shooting investigation that exonerated the Oregon State Police in Finicum's murder and they passed along their findings to the FBI with the Deschutes County Sheriff meeting top FBI officials in Washington including the now former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

The Justice Department Inspector General was handed the matter and eventually the lying charges were filed against FBI Agent W. Joseph Astarita, who fired the first two shots in the direction of LaVoy Finicum and Ryan Bundy in the  pickup truck swerving to avoid a roadblock and getting stuck in a snowbank.

Ryan Bundy was injured and the shrapnel is still inside his body.  Federal prosecutors are said to be interested in it as evidence that Astarita lied about shooting.

But they are apparently not interested in it as evidence that Astarita committed a crime in shooting and injuring Ryan Bundy.


(WARNING: OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE)

"......you could hear subjects of this investigation openly referred to as 'retards', 'rednecks', 'overweight woman with big jowls', 'douche bags', 'tractor face', 'idiots'........altered and degrading photographs....Cliven Bundy sh*tting on cold stainless steel....Ryan Bundy holding a giant penis....."

Portions of Bureau of Land Management Agent Larry Wooten's memo on the investigation into the Bundy's and their supporters over Bunkerville

JAKE RYAN IS APPEALING HIS HARSH SENTENCE


In the first of her tough talking and acting courtroom appearances since the charges were dismissed against the four defendants in Nevada, Oregon Standoff US District Judge Anna J. Brown came down on Jake Ryan, convicted in the second rigged trial.

Ryan, who had no previous offenses, seemed destined for probation but when he stood up for his convictions about the role of the federal government, Judge Brown accused him of speaking "gibberish".

She gave him a one year and one day prison sentence.

On Friday, his lawyer Jesse Merrithew filed notice of an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.........



(EDITED AND EXPANDED SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3RD PM)

(LINKS BELOW)

Ammon Bundy Facebook

(THIS IS THE AUTHENTIC AMMON BUNDY FACEBOOK PAGE, A FAKE ONE

WAS SET UP WHEN BUNDY WAS RELEASED TO FREEDOM IN JANUARY)

Larry Wooten Memo

Shawna Cox Lawsuit

(YOU ADD UP THE ATTITUDE OF FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DETAILED IN WOOTEN'S MEMO WITH THE ACTIONS OF JANUARY 26, 2016 FROM NO CAMS ON POLICE REVEALED IN THIS POST PLUS THE SHAWNA COX LAWSUIT DETAILS ABOUT A LASER HITTING RYAN PAYNE'S EYES WHEN LAVOY'S TRUCK FIRST STOPPED,  THE SHOTS BEING FIRED THERE,  FOLLOWED BY THE SHOTS WHEN LAVOY'S TRUCK REACHED THE SNOW BANK, ONE SHOT HITTING RYAN BUNDY, THEN THE KILLING OF LAVOY, YOU SEE HATRED THAT FUELED THE LAW ENFORCEMENT VIOLENCE, YOU SEE A CONSPIRACY TO KILL)

"OregonLive" Story On FBI

THE GAS TAX INCREASE IS COMING, THE GAS TAX INCREASE IS COMING

A very business as usual Republican congressman from Pennsylvania, Bill Shuster, announced his retirement recently.   Shuster and his father (Congressman Bud Shuster) 'milked the system' with great success, focused on transportation matters like building new roads.

Bill Shuster chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Bill Shuster's involvement with lobbyists is the stuff of legend, his marriage suddenly ending in December of 2015 and Shuster revealing he was dating a female lobbyist for the airline industry. 

That may have something to do with the decisions by Shuster and dozens of other Republican insiders in the House to call it quits.   Some of the 40 plus members are actually running for other political offices.

But maybe there's another reason for their decision to call it quits like a scheme to raise taxes to help big business at the expense of the little people.  A tax increase that would doom them politically.

The US Chamber of Commerce (the "Cheap Labor Express") has called for a 25 cent a gallon gas tax hike to fund "infrastructure".

At the Republican Congressional "retreat" on Thursday, Bill Shuster called for a 15 cent a gallon gas tax hike to raise billions of dollars to fund "infrastructure" projects proposed by  President Trump.   He was interviewed by Bloomberg TV.

He rationalizes the whole thing down to its like "a cup of coffee a week.....or its two bottles of water".

Big government in Washington keeps getting bigger (in 2017 Washington DC was designated the sixth largest media market in the USA by Nielsen, moving up from seventh).

There's no sign anyone is serious about cutting the spending of the federal government or its size.

They are trimming or modifying regulations and controls, but that's a drop in the bucket in comparison to what really needs to be done.

The timing on such a tax increase is a wonder.  Can it be rigged before the election this fall with Republicans and Democrats joining forces to support it, allowing members who want to portray themselves as "Conservative" to vote against it while it passes?

Or would it be better to do it in a lame duck session during the holiday season this November and December the election behind for Republicans safely re-elected, the retiring Republicans without a care in the world and looking forward to being taken care of by special interests in their retirement.

I'll opt for the latter.

THE GAS TAX INCREASE IS COMING, THE GAS TAX INCREASE IS COMING.......

Like my father who like myself voted for Donald Trump said, the taxes to pay for the 'infrastructure' should have come from the big people, not the little ones.

Any gas tax hike will be a stain on anyone who plays a role in its enactment.

OREGON STANDOFF:  RYAN PAYNE DENIED RELEASE AS JUDGE INJECTS PERSONAL OPINION, REBUFFS DEFENSE

"Going to Ammon Bundy's house to celebrate and to Bundy ranch to celebrate were violations.  That's the problem here"

US District Judge Anna J. Brown at release hearing for Ryan Payne 2/1/2018

"....This is more proof they're trying to cover up informants, undercover agents that act as provocateurs against these defendants..."

Courtroom observer John Lamb on why Judge Brown rebuffed a defense lawyers attempts to uncover informants used against Ryan Payne

In Portland today,  US District Judge Anna J. Brown refused to release an apologetic Ryan Payne.

Back in December the judge was made aware of a visit to Bundy Ranch by a federal pretrial services officer.

The chief federal public defender in Oregon, Lisa Hay, argued on behalf of Ryan Payne reminding US District Judge Anna J. Brown that Payne is not a flight risk and not a danger to the public.

But as trial observers John Lamb and Kelli Stewart noted in a video posted today, Brown had already made up her mind.

Judge Brown cited Payne's involvement in the Oregon Standoff protest and "inflammatory statements" he made in connection with the protest of the forced return of ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond to federal prison to serve five year terrorism sentences for lighting a backfire.

Brown expressed her disdain for the refusal of Payne, the Bundys and others to recognize and or obey the federal courts.

The judge clearly brought her personal feelings into today's proceedings.

The same personal feelings she had when she met with jurors after they found Oregon Standoff protest leaders not guilty in the first trial.

These same personal opinions that also caused her to rig the second trial in which Ryan Payne was convicted to limit defense witnesses and have a bench trial on misdemeanors and so on.

A judge's bias on full display in a courtroom today.   She is probably frustrated with the failure of the federal case in Nevada.

Federal prosecutors want to give Payne 44 months and he has already served some two years, but the observers think Judge Brown will deal harshly at sentencing February 27th.

Defense attorney Lisa Hay's efforts to bring up the use of federal informants-agents as provocateurs to entice 'inflammatory statements' from Payne were rejected by Judge Brown.

Trial observer John Lamb sees this as proof the federal government is trying to cover up the use of undercover agents and informants in the Oregon Standoff case.

These agents-informants were being used to entrap the defendants in the case.

BUNKERVILLE STANDOFF:  FEDS GET PRE-TRIAL HEARING DELAY, PLEA DEAL SENTENCING NEXT WEEK

Federal prosecutors said they needed more time to prepare for a "calendar call" pre-trial hearing scheduled for next Thursday February 8th for the four men set to go on trial February 26th in connection with the Bunkerville Standoff.

US District Judge Gloria Navarro so far has indicated that with the massive release of evidence in the third trial, she thinks that Dave Bundy, Mel Bundy, Joe O'Shaugnessy and Jason Woods can get a fair trial.

There are motions on the table to dismiss the charges and to remove the prosecutors in the case (Steven Myhre,  Daniel Scheiss and Nadia Ahmed) because they may be called as witnesses in the fourth trial.

Eric Parker cut a plea deal in the face of his third trial, the one where evidence was finally released exonerating the men accused in the Bunkerville Standoff.

Next Thursday he will be sentenced in connection with his plea deal of guilty on a misdemeanor charge of disobeying a court order.  No more jail time is already guaranteed in the deal.  Parker was jailed for some 18 months without bail.

The jury deadlocked on ten felony charges against him in the first trial which was declared a mistrial.  In the second trial, jurors found Parker not guilty on six of the ten charges and was reportedly 11-1 in favor of acquittal on the others.

OREGON STANDOFF:  LAWSUIT BY FINICUM TRUCK PASSENGERS, RYAN PAYNE DETENTION HEARING TODAY

"12.  Defendants Officers 2x and 4x did not timely identify themselves.

13. Immediately a red dot from a laser shined in Plantiff Payne's eyes, prompting Plantiff Payne to jerk his head back into the vehicle.......

19.  At or around Mile Marker //////, Defendants Officers 1x and 3x had erected an illegal road block on a blind curve (pursuant to an ambush plan put in place by defendants Bretzing (lead FBI agent) , McConnell (FBI informant) and other officials of the Oregon State Police and FBI)("the road block ambush team")"

Portions of the lawsuit by passengers in LaVoy Finicum's truck in Portland, Oregon federal court

A lawsuit has been filed by Shawna Cox in Portland US District Court over the conduct of law enforcement against the four Plantiff passengers in LaVoy Finicum's truck on Jan. 26, 2016.

Cox, Ryan Payne, Ryan Bundy and Victoria Sharp were riding in Finicum's truck when it was first stopped and came under fire along US Route 395 in Harney County, Oregon.  At the first stop, Payne exited and was arrested.  LaVoy then gunned the truck to get away from the gunfire

More shots were fired as he avoided the roadblock down the road and jumped out of the truck to draw fire away from Shawna Cox and Victoria Sharp riding in the back.  Shortly afterwards an Oregon State Police sniper or snipers (names still kept secret) shot and killed LaVoy Fincium.

The lawsuit wants a "common law jury" meaning that the plantiffs are seeking a Seventh Amendment trial requesting that jurors determine compensatory, punitive and exemplary damages, not a judge.

Cited as defendants in the case are the indicted FBI agent who fired at LaVoy's truck (W, Joseph Astarita), an FBI informant (Mark McConnell) , Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward, two Harney County Sheriff's Department members who transported those taken captive on Jan. 26, 2016 and others, some unnamed because their names remain a secret.

Ryan Payne, cleared after the Bunkerville charges against him were dismissed, was convicted in the second rigged Oregon Standoff trial.

He had to go back to Portland and to jail to await sentencing February 27th,

His detention hearing is set for 9am Portland time today.  It was rescheduled from 230pm and just to repeat Ryan Payne's detention hearing is set for 9am today in Portland.

Federal prosecutors don't want Payne released citing "His history of involvement with groups that opposed the authority of the federal government" among other things.