(6:00pm EST) Not sure about what the details are that have been worked out – However, the confiscated cattle are being returned. Local cowboys and gals can be seen in various live feeds assisting the Bundy Ranch in guiding them back upon the range. It is being reported approximately 100 cattle died during the government roundup.
Several folks in the media are saying the Federal Bureau of Land Management is “withdrawing”. I would caution anyone who thinks this would resemble a victory. The feds don’t retreat – they reevaluate – they repurpose – they return.
The only reason the Feds are reevaluating this is because of the increased publicity, the growing organization of supporters, the size of the crowds, and the discussions of the relationship between the BLM, Senator Harry Reid, Crony Capitalism, Big Money Political Donors, the EPA, Chinese Industrialists and Yucca Valley.
This does not have anything to do with Turtles and Range Fees.
NEVADA – The Bureau of Land Management has announced it will stop the roundup of cattle owned by rancher Cliven Bundy. The BLM says the animals have been illegally grazing on public lands for 20 years.
The BLM made the announcement Saturday morning, a week after rangers started gathering the animals from land near Gold Butte.
The agency says it is concerned about the safety of its employees and the public. Earlier this week, BLM officers and supporters of the Bundy family were involved in a scuffle. Cliven Bundy’s son, Ammon Bundy, was tased twice by federal agents. Another woman said she was thrown to the ground by an officer.
With more Bundy supporters pouring in from around the country, safety concerns began to grow.
The I-Team has learned the deal to end the gather was brokered by Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie…
…According to sources, the BLM wants to proceed with the sale of the cattle already gathered during the roundup but is reportedly willing to share the revenue from the sale with Bundy.
Sheriff Gillespie has been negotiating with Bundy behind the scenes for months reached a tentative agreement Friday night, though Bundy insisted the sheriff come to his ranch to finalize the arrangement face-to-face. (read more)
ABC News Report – Nevada cattle rancher appears to have won his week-long battle with the federal government over a controversial cattle roundup that had led to the arrest of several protesters.
Cliven Bundy went head to head with the Bureau of Land Management over the removal of hundreds of his cattle from federal land, where the government said they were grazing illegally.
Bundy claims his herd of roughly 900 cattle have grazed on the land along the riverbed near Bunkerville, 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, since 1870 and threatened a “range war” against the BLM on the Bundy Ranch website after one of his sons was arrested while protesting the removal of the cattle.
“I have no contract with the United States government,” Bundy said. “I was paying grazing fees for management and that’s what BLM was supposed to be, land managers and they were managing my ranch out of business, so I refused to pay.”
The federal government had countered that Bundy “owes the American people in excess of $1 million ” in unpaid grazing fees and “refuses to abide by the law of land, despite many opportunities over the last 20 years to do so.”
However, today the BLM said it would not enforce a court order to remove the cattle and was pulling out of the area.
“Based on information about conditions on the ground, and in consultation with law enforcement, we have made a decision to conclude the cattle gather because of our serious concern about the safety of employees and members of the public,” BLM Director Neil Kornze said. (read more)
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