KTNV 13 Action News – by Jacqui Heinrich
Bunkerville NV (KTNV) — There’s new information on the showdown at the Bundy Ranch.
A new study claims the militia response was organized, a crime, and should be prosecuted. More than 200 militia convened in Bunkerville for several weeks after the Bureau of Land Management started rounding up rancher Cliven Bundy’s cattle for failing to pay grazing fees to use public land.
The Southern Poverty Law Center said Bundy’s show of support from right-wing conservatives was not a grassroots effort, but an organized response representative of a much larger threat. They’re calling for action before things turn dangerous.
“The response of the militia to the BLM and other law enforcement officials was planned out in advance in great detail, in terms of placing snipers and so on,” said Mark Potok, editor of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s quarterly magazine ‘Intelligence Report.’
The SPLC said a group of Americans have taken a dangerous turn and unless they are prosecuted, will pose a threat to democracy. They said many of them were right here in Nevada during rancher Bundy’s showdown with the Bureau of Land Management.
Back in April, armed militia convened in Bunkerville to support Bundy as the BLM rounded up his cattle for failing to pay more than a million dollars in grazing fees dating back 20 years.
“This was not laying down in the street and refusing to move and being hauled off to jail for some principal stand, this was actually threatening the lives of federal law enforcement officials,” Potok said.
The SPLC report alleges Bundy helped militia stake out places around the ranch to position snipers in the event of a showdown, and said they had guns pointed at those officers, a felony crime punishable by 20 years in prison. They said this is part of a violent, anti-government movement with ties to domestic terrorism that’s been growing since President Obama took office.
“In 2008 by our exact count there were 149 groups, over the next 4 years that number went up by more than 800 percent to 1,360 groups. There have been 17 incidents recently,” he said.
Action News spoke with Cliven Bundy himself, and he says although he was glad to have support in his battle, he never instructed nor did he see anybody pointing their guns at law enforcement. He also said he does not condone violence.
“I don’t know for sure 100 percent, but as far as I know nobody pointed a gun at anybody,” Bundy said. “Except those officers sure pointed guns at us, if you call federal government agents officers.”
The SPLC article calls for immediate prosecution of these militia, and also insists lawmakers who previously voiced support for Bundy to rescind their comments. They specifically mentioned Governor Brian Sandoval; we spoke with his office Thursday afternoon and he says he disagrees with the article’s characterization of him. Sandoval maintains that he never voiced support for Bundy, but expressed the need for safety in that situation and also for the protection of First Amendment rights.
Action News also reached out to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, who said the investigation is being headed up by the FBI; the FBI declined to comment.
The Bureau of Land Management could not be reached for a response, nor could Senator Harry Reid.
Congressman Steven Horsford issued the following statement:
“Cliven Bundy became a magnet for a wide range of frustrations, from conservative to conspiratorial. The situation has calmed down and many of the militia have left Bunkerville, but as outlined in the report released today, there are serious consequences to using inflammatory rhetoric. I implore my fellow public servants and the media: do not paint conspiracies where they do not exist, and do not use language that lends support to extreme and dangerous viewpoints.”
“The SPLC said a group of Americans have taken a dangerous turn and unless they are prosecuted, will pose a threat to democracy.”
Yes, The dangerous turns that have clearly been taken by
the globalists pose a threat to all sovereign nations.
As far as being a threat to democracy …this is a REPUBLIC.
And Damned Right ! All comminists should feel threatened.
Put these two thoughts together ….
“American’s are putting a stop to the dangerous paths
chosen by those who desire to transform this Republic
into a democracy.”
So striving to uphold the Constitution of the United States, the very thing that builds the peoples’ trust of the government, is radical? That’s funny. Because when they finally attempt to do away with the Constitution, the only thing they’ll have left to guide the people is fear…and that’s a recipe for disaster.
if enough people take up arms that is democracy you a$$hats.
I was under the impression it was blm that had snipers pointing guns at civilians.
“federal law enforcement official” = tyrannical armed occupation
SPLC is a George Soros backed and supported group. When are people going to WAKE UP that this is how he destroys country’s and then profits off of their demise? Why do you think Putin put out an arrest warrant on him? Better yet, why is he still free and who is protecting him?