By Gary Hunt ——Bio and Archives--October 30, 2016
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JURY DELIVERS VERDICTS IN OREGON STANDOFF TRIAL News Release from FBI - Oregon Posted on FlashAlert: October 27th, 2016 5:24 PM United States Attorney's Office Press Release USAO Contact: Kevin Sonoff (503) 727-1185 kevin.sonoff@usdoj.gov PORTLAND, Ore. -- A federal jury today delivered its verdicts against seven defendants charged with conspiracy, possession of firearms on federal property, and theft during the 41-day armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Jurors found Ammon Bundy, Shawna Cox, David Lee Fry, Jeff Wayne Banta, Kenneth Medenbach, and Neil Wampler not guilty on all counts. Jurors found Ryan Bundy not guilty on charges of conspiracy and possession of firearms, but were unable to reach a verdict on the charge of theft. Co-defendants Jason Blomgren, Brian Cavalier, Blaine Cooper, Eric Flores, Wesley Kjar, Corey Lequieu, Joseph O'Shaughnessy, Ryan Payne, Jon Ritzheimer, Geoffrey Stanek, and Travis Cox previously pled guilty. Co-defendants Dylan Anderson, Sandra Anderson, Sean Anderson, Duane Ehmer, Jason Patrick, Darryl Thorn, and Jake Ryan will stand trial beginning February 14, 2017. Charges against co-defendant Peter Santilli were previously dismissed. "While we had hoped for a different outcome, we respect the verdict of the jury and thank them for their dedicated service during this long and difficult trial," said Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. "We strongly believe that this case needed to be brought before a Court, publicly tried, and decided by a jury. Despite the verdict reached, I want to personally thank all of the law enforcement personnel who worked tirelessly to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Malheur occupation. I also want to thank the residents of Burns, Hines, and Harney County and members of the Burns Paiute Tribe for their patience and resolve throughout this process." "For many weeks, hundreds of law enforcement officers -- federal, state, and local -- worked around-the-clock to resolve the armed occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge peacefully. We believe now -- as we did then -- that protecting and defending this nation through rigorous obedience to the U.S. Constitution is our most important responsibility," said Greg Bretzing, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. "Although we are extremely disappointed in the verdict, we respect the court and the role of the jury in the American judicial system." The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Geoffrey Barrow, Ethan Knight, and Craig Gabriel, Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
PRESS RELEASE October 27, 2016 I have been notified of the not guilty verdict in the United States Federal trial of Ammon Bundy and other individuals involved in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge takeover. While I am disappointed in the outcome, I believe our form of government and justice system to be the best in the world. These folks were tried in a court of law and found not guilty by a jury of their peers. This is our system and I stand by it. David M. Ward Barney County SheriffHowever, Sheriff Ward assumed guilt by his participation, and submission, to federal overreach. The fact that he was "disappointed" is indicative of his belief that he was right and the jury was wrong. Then, considering how weak he has been through the entire ordeal that comes as no surprise.
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Governor Kate BrownShe begins by "respect[ing] the jury's decision", but in the same breath, says that she is "disappointed". How utterly condescending can one be, especially with that being her opening statement? She then refers to those in the Refuge as "outsiders", but rather than dealing with those "outsiders" as the Governor of Oregon, she calls in some other outsiders, the federal goons, to deal with what is, and as determined by the jury, not a federal problem. Civil eviction, under state law, would be the proper remedy. But, well, what kind of governor is she? Now, she can refer to the other outsiders as "federal partners", but those many supporters in Harney County, and from other parts of Oregon, are not allowed to have the support of their partners, the Defendants. Finally, we can look at her reference to "resolv[ing] differences", and wonder why nobody was willing to address the "Redress of Grievances" that included her as one of the addressees of that obvious "difference". She simply ignored the "differences" that she suggests are "the Oregon way". Finally, let's look at what the operators of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge have to say:
@OregonGovBrown Statement regarding the Malheur Refuge Occupation trial: "While I respect the jury's decision, I am disappointed. The occupation of the Malheur Refuge by outsiders did not reflect the Oregon way of respectfully working together to resolve differences. I appreciate the due diligence of our federal partners and stand with the communities of Harney County and residents of Burns. Governor Kate Brown"
While we are profoundly disappointed in the outcome of the trial, we are eager to move forward. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to the security, healing and comfort of our Malheur National Wildlife Refuge employees and the Harney County communities they serve, and to continue strengthening the collaborations and positive relationships cited throughout this trial. Dan Ashe Director, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Jason Holm Assistant Regional Director--External Affairs U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific RegionAgain, we find that they "are profoundly disappointed" in the verdict. However, they are "committed to the security, healing and comfort of our Malheur National Wildlife Refuge employees". Dan Ashe, also tells us, in a February Oregon Live video (3'15" @ 2'06"), the direct cost of the occupation was $2,000,000. Then, he tells us that the direct cost includes the "relocation of 17 employees who received threats, along with their families and expenses, to Portland, Bend, or Seattle, for their safety, to live in hotels." There is no indication that any of those "employees" suffered (though they may feel "offended" and need a safe space) and need any "healing". After all, they did not lose a day's pay, during the entire event. And, at least one of those employees visited that Refuge during the occupation, though that testimony was never presented to the jury. What stands out is that they who have taken an oath to the Constitution, and are paid by the government the Constitution created, are so "disappointed" when the Constitution is adhered to. They attempt to transfer the responsibility back on the defendants. However, they do want to transfer any sympathy from those who spent 9 months in jail, paid thousands of dollars for their defense, and suffered undue hardship at the hands of local, state, and the federal government. They don't address the "security" of the Defendants and their families -- especially financial security -- as they lost their jobs and source of their sustenance. They offer nothing with regard to the "healing" that the Defendants and their families will have to achieve only among themselves, their friends, and supporters. They have offered nothing in the way of "comfort", especially Jeanette Finicum, who lost her husband, at the hands of those seeking "to resolve the armed occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge peacefully" or "respectfully working together to resolve differences". None of them has extended a hand of care, or an APOLOGY, for the hardships that they have imposed on others, as is truly warranted based upon the verdict of the jury -- that process that they claim to revere as our constitutional form of government. They are nothing more than hypocritical leeches, sucking at the government teat.
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Gary Hunt was a Professional Land Surveyor. Having been the County Surveyor for Orange County, Florida from 1974 to 1978, he began private practice in 1978 and continued as such until 1993, when events in Waco, Texas caused him to leave his business in pursuit of restoring the Constitution.
In 1989, he began researching, investigating and studying history, law and events where the government was “pointing its guns in the wrong direction”. He began publishing a patriot newspaper, “Outpost of Freedom”, in February 1993.
Since that time, he has investigated numerous occurrences, including, Waco, the Murder of Michael Hill, Ohio Militia Chaplain, Oklahoma City Bombing, and other events. He has attended the sites to investigate the events, and has reported on his investigations.
He has continued to report on his findings on the Internet, as well as write articles about other current events; about the history of the Revolutionary era; and the founding documents.
His Internet home page is outpost-of-freedom.com