Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie today said Bundy crossed the line when he allowed states' rights supporters, including self-proclaimed militia members, onto his property to aim guns at police.
'If you step over that line, there are consequences to those actions,' Gillespie told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'And I believe they stepped over that line. No doubt about it. They need to be held accountable for it.'
Bureau spokeswoman Celia Boddington, in a statement released Saturday to The Associated Press, agreed, saying the agency continues to pursue the matter 'aggressively through the legal system.'
'There is an ongoing investigation and we are working diligently to ensure that those who broke the law are held accountable,' she said, declining to elaborate.
The FBI declined comment Saturday on its investigation. Bundy did not respond to a request for comment.
So it was ok for them to rough up the folks on the Bundy ranch with no real cause, but it's not cool for a show of force that they weren't gonna take it? Give me a break. BLM crossed the line first from what I understand by the assaults (calling a spade a spade). I'd be pretty hacked off and would welcome the help if this happened to me no matter the cattle/land dispute.
ReplyDeleteI probably should have made my title more clear--they are going to go after Bundy and anyone that showed up to help. The Bundy incident was bad press, and they apparently intend on making examples of the people that showed up to support Bundy to make sure it doesn't happen again. However, it is easier to arrest those people one-by-one in the middle of the night. At least, that is how I read Ms. Boddington's comments.
DeleteNo, I understood. I probably didn't make my comment very concise. I was trying to get at the fact that BLM started all this ruckus by getting physical without a good enough reason. So, when folks saw this and came to their aid, then I think they were right to stand up for them.
DeleteI will say that if no force had been used by BLM, then it would have been a bit more of a stretch to run down there with rifles and point them at authorities. It was such a mess on both sides that I had a hard time figuring out who was in the right.
And, yes, it will be much easier for the Feds to round folks up one by one in the middle of the night. This could get very ugly...
From a moral perspective, it may have been correct support Bundy, but legally may be a different issue. My guess is that the Feds are looking at applying 18 U.S.C. § 111 which provides prison time for anyone that "forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, impedes, intimidates, or interferes with any person designated in section 1114 of this title while engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties." There may also be Nevada laws that prohibit interfering with or intimidating a law enforcement officer.
Delete