The Bundy name (no, not that one) came into public view when mainstream media turned on the spotlight after a fed-led standoff 9 years ago.
This Southern Nevada ranching family, however, had long been in the sights of the Dept. of Interior to rid them from the land.
Incremental changes from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which began as a service agency with limited powers in certain duties. For example, such as assuring boundary lines between ranchers. All the while, it seemingly took on a greater authority.
Over time, this agency quietly assumed the role of stewardship over the land, and that then developed into claiming they were, in fact, the outright owners.
It imposed restrictions, raised fees, and generally managed the rancher right out of business until Cliven was the last man left running cattle in Clark County.
It was then that after nearly 2 decades of Cliven’s refusal to sign a contract with them, the BLM finally laid siege on the ranch in the spring of 2014.
The destruction of a century-old spring-fed water system and suspicion that cattle were being slaughtered indiscriminately prompted protest.
The Bundy family, friends, and neighbors were brutally attacked when attempting to inspect a dump truck thought to be carrying out dead cattle and destroyed infrastructure.
A call for help went out as a video of the attack went viral, to which thousands responded from across America.
A tense standoff by some 200 armed agents ended after backing down under the direction of the Clark County Sheriff’s Dept.
Empowered with success, 2 years later, Ryan and Ammon Bundy, along with other supporters, went to support Oregon ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond, which was followed by the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
41 days found people coming and going until the FBI and State Police killed spokesman LaVoy Finicum at a roadblock on his way to speak with the county sheriff in John Day, OR.
Ammon, Ryan, and many others were arrested only to be acquitted by a jury. Charges in Nevada were then brought against them there for yet another trial. It too ended without convictions for most of the 19 who were charged.
From all of this, the People’s Rights emerged across several states, including Idaho, where Ammon moved to and picked up in his support of others.
This brings us to the current situation in which we now find Ammon and a warrant for his arrest.
When Baby Cyrus was taken from his parents under allegations, including neglect, protests ensued.
A clean bill of health vindicated the parents and returned their child to them. St. Lukes Hospital bearing the brunt by protestors retaliated in civil actions against Ammon and his friend, Diego Rodriguez, the child’s grandfather.
Ammon has refused participation to the suit, rejecting summons to appear with the intent and purpose of conceding to a default judgment.
However, the judge in the case sees it differently, citing contempt of court for Ammon’s refusal to appear and issued a warrant for his arrest which leads us to where we now find ourselves in this story. Vincent Easley II
(edit for clarity, April 21 2023)
Featured Image: Ammon Bundy after his release from federal custody to his family after nearly 2 years. Dec. 2, 2017 Las Vegas, NV.
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You are a great writer Vincent. I was there at Bundy Ranch in 2014. I have to say that because the sheriff didn’t intervene and order the feds off the land, it escalated immensely. The sheriff bowed down to the feds. If he would have done his job it would have been over and never escalated.
I was also at the Parump protest at the prison like so many others.
I am very worried for Ammon because I have seen first hand what they are capable of. Creating a WAKO style ‘kill them all scenario’ is very possible.
Thank you very much, I’m trying.