Thursday, January 28, 2016

LATEST: Ammon Bundy Makes New Plea to #Malheur Militiamen: 'Turn yourselves in, do not use physical force...'

I'm keeping up with breaking developments in Oregon.

Earlier, "Range War! Central Oregon Constitutional Guard Calls for 'Thousands' of Militiamen to Flood #Malheur!"

And now, the latest from Conrad Wilson and Oregon Public Broadcasting:

Added, from Maxine Bernstein:


Range War! Central Oregon Constitutional Guard Calls for 'Thousands' of Militiamen to Flood #Malheur!

It's increasingly looking like a High Noon situation now, except the militiamen are taking the Will Kane role.

Following-up from a little earlier, "LATEST: Militiamen from Central Oregon Constitutional Guard Arrive to Bolster Occupiers at #Malheur."

Now there's more, from Les Zaitz:


PREVIOUSLY: "WATCH: Sean and Sandy Anderson, Husband and Wife Occupiers at #Malheur, Post 'Last Dance' Video."

WATCH: Sean and Sandy Anderson, Husband and Wife Occupiers at #Malheur, Post 'Last Dance' Video

Sean Anderson's the militiaman in this entry, "'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)."

He and his wife Sandy are holding out with four other, including David Fry, discussed here, "Armed Militiaman David Fry, Among Last Holdouts at Malheur Reserve, Says He's Prepared to Die in Siege."

Now, according to the Portland Oregonian:
On Thursday morning, [David] Fry posted yet another video, this time showing a mournful scene at the refuge with two of the occupiers -- apparently [Sean] Anderson and his wife Sandy -- dancing to music blaring from a truck radio. The song: "Tangled Up in You" by Staind. The video shows supplies scattered on the ground, vehicles parked next to a small canopy, a U.S. flag propped against a pick-up truck.

At one point, someone said, "We've got someone on the hill behind us.

Anderson addressed the camera after the dance.

After Anderson finished the dance,

"We want to go home," said Anderson, dressed in camouflage gear. "We don't need checkpoints. We don't need felony charges. We're camping out here."

His last words in the scene: "God help us."
Watch:




PREVIOUSLY: "LATEST: Militiamen from Central Oregon Constitutional Guard Arrive to Bolster Occupiers at #Malheur."

LATEST: Militiamen from Central Oregon Constitutional Guard Arrive to Bolster Occupiers at #Malheur

From Gordon Friedman, of the Salem Statesman Journal:



And from the Oregonian's Les Zaitz:

PREVIOUSLY: "LATEST: Just Four Occupiers Remain at #Malheur National Wildlife Reserve."

Also, from earlier, "Amid Calls to Stand Down, Authorities Say Militiamen Have Explosives and Night-Vision Goggles (VIDEO)," and "'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)."

And, "Armed Militiaman David Fry, Among Last Holdouts at Malheur Reserve, Says He's Prepared to Die in Siege."



LATEST: Just Four Occupiers Remain at #Malheur National Wildlife Reserve

From Oregon Public Broadcasting's Amelia Templeton:


Also, from earlier, "Amid Calls to Stand Down, Authorities Say Militiamen Have Explosives and Night-Vision Goggles (VIDEO)," and "'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)."

And, "Armed Militiaman David Fry, Among Last Holdouts at Malheur Reserve, Says He's Prepared to Die in Siege."

WATCH: Donald Trump Attacked for Supporting 'Amnesty' in New Ad from Mitt Romney-Backed PAC (VIDEO)

Red Meat for the National Review crowd (remember, @NRO endorsed Romney back in '08, you know, as the true "conservative" in the race, heh).

Via WSJ, "Trump Accused of Backing Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants in TV Ad" (at Memeorandum).

#Malheur Occupier Victoria Sharp Says LaVoy Finicum Had 'Hands Up' Before Police Opened Fire (AUDIO)

Following-up, "Five Militiamen Still Holed Up at Malheur National Wildlife Reserve, Negotiating Release (VIDEO)," and "Cliven Bundy Says Cops Shot LeVoy Finicum '3 or 4 Times When He Was on the Ground Dead...' (VIDEO)."

It turns out Victoria Sharp was in the truck with LaVoy Finicum, witnessed the shooting, and repudiates claims that there was a shootout with the FBI.

Listen, at The Truth About Guns, "BREAKING: Eyewitness Account of Oregon Occupier Testimony from Victoria Sharp (AUDIO)."

And at the Kansas City Star, "Kansas woman found herself inside Oregon gun battle":

Victoria Sharp photo Victoria-Sharp-Facebook-800x430_zpsmdo7fsrz.png
At a small-town community meeting in Oregon, the Sharp Family Singers from Kansas were scheduled to perform for an audience that would include occupiers from a standoff at a national wildlife refuge.

Two vehicles on the way to the meeting never made it. Inside were several protesters — and a Sharp family daughter.

Authorities stopped the vehicles Tuesday in what they said was an attempt to end the occupation peacefully, yet one of the drivers was killed.

Victoria Sharp, 18, was taken into custody and released. But at least one family member, a brother in Chicago, remained frantic Wednesday night about the safety of Victoria and the entire family....

An FBI official said authorities took the action Tuesday after nearly a month of working with other agencies to end the illegal takeover.

“Yesterday, the FBI with our partners took the first steps to bring this occupation to a conclusion,” said Greg Bretzing, the FBI’s special agent in charge in Oregon, at a news conference. “We worked to ensure that we could do so peacefully and safely, out of harm’s way of the citizens here in the county.”

Authorities will continue to try to empty the refuge of occupiers in the safest way possible, he said.

Victoria Sharp said in an audio interview posted Tuesday night on YouTube that the two vehicles were on the way to the meeting in the town of John Day.

“All of us Sharps were going to sing,” she said. “We were just going to try to talk, maybe do some negotiations, and we were going to sing. That was all.”

Sharp, who had arrived in Oregon from Montana after the weekend performances, gave an account of the shooting that differed from that of the driver of the other vehicle.

She said that when authorities stopped the pickup she was in, Finicum — who was driving — told them he wanted to go talk to the sheriff. Authorities told him to turn the ignition off and put his hands out the window, she said.

“Finally, he decided to just drive,” she said. “So we all got down on the floorboard and he took off. And they started firing at us. They had a roadblock set up. And so he ran into a snowbank and they were riddling the car with bullets.

“When we crashed, he got out of the car. He had his hands in the air and he’s like, ‘Just shoot me then. Just shoot me.’ And they did. They shot him dead. And then after he was down on the ground they shot him three more times. And then they bombarded our vehicle with bullets. … We were praying so hard. We were saying stop, please stop.”

She said the shooting lasted five to 10 minutes. “They shot at least 120 shots altogether,” she said.

Nobody in the vehicles fired a shot, she said: “We showed no aggression at all.”
More.

Photo Credit: Facebook.

Five Militiamen Still Holed Up at Malheur National Wildlife Reserve, Negotiating Release (VIDEO)

Following-up from earlier, "Amid Calls to Stand Down, Authorities Say Militiamen Have Explosives and Night-Vision Goggles (VIDEO)," and "'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)."

Les Zaitz, at the Portland Oregonian, says five militiamen remain, "Last 5 negotiate with FBI, willing to give up refuge if all are left to go without arrest."

 photo CZ0VLZrW0AECKnD_zpslx4wxhio.jpg

Also, there's video at KOIN News 6 Portland, "5 militia members allegedly still at refuge."

Donald Trump Leads Ted Cruz 30-to-23 Percent in Latest Monmouth University Poll (VIDEO)

Folks were saying it's a "dead heat" as late as Monday and Tuesday this week, but Trump keeps expanding his lead in the Hawkeye State.

His dissing of the Fox News GOP debate's not going to hurt him. Frankly, there's not much Ted Cruz can do to recapture the momentum of the race. If traditional political science is correct, the superior ground game's going to win the day on Monday.

I have no clue. I'm going off the polls to predict a Donald Trump victory. But we'll see. We'll see.

At WGAL News 8 Lancaster, "Iowa poll: Trump builds on lead over Cruz":
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Donald Trump has opened up a solid lead over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the GOP caucus in Iowa, according to a new poll out Wednesday.

The GOP front-runner tops Cruz 30% to 23% in a Monmouth University poll, gaining 11 points from a similar survey in December. Then, Cruz was up 24% to 19% over Trump.

It's Trump's highest number in any Monmouth polling of Iowa, the university said.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has held steady in third place with 16% support among likely caucus-goers. In fourth place, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson (10%) is the only other candidate cracking double digits.

Cruz leads Trump in one area: voters' second choice. Cruz is the second choice of 20% of likely caucus-goers, whereas Trump is 9% of likely voters' second choice. That matters because in the Iowa caucus format, as voters can change their minds as the night wears on.

Cruz leads Trump among past party voters, very conservative voters, tea party supporters and evangelicals. Trump leads Cruz among newer GOP voters, somewhat conservative voters, non-tea partiers and non-evangelicals, the poll found.

The poll was conducted before Trump announced he would skip the last GOP debate before Iowa votes on Monday...
There's video at the link.

Jon Ritzheimer Appears Before Federal Judge in Phoenix (VIDEO)

He fled Malheur before the feds got there, no doubt fearing for his life. And that's after he made all those videos holding the pocket Constitution and what not whining about how he was "going to die out here" for freedom.

Blah, blah.

At the Arizona Republic, "Oregon standoff suspect Jon Ritzheimer makes Arizona court appearance."

And watch, at ABC News 15 Phoenix:



He's expected to be sent back to Portland to stand trial with the others.

Cliven Bundy Says Cops Shot LeVoy Finicum '3 or 4 Times When He Was on the Ground Dead...' (VIDEO)

Remember, we have a couple of competing perspectives: Here, "Report: Militia Spokesman LaVoy Finicum 'was shot three times while he had his hands up in the air...'" And here, "FBI and Oregon State Police: LaVoy Finicum 'reached down toward his waistband where he had a gun...'"

Plus, there's also the account of him charging authorities, here, "UPDATE: LeVoy Finicum 'Charged at Law Enforcement,' Then Shot and Killed, Driver Says (VIDEO)."

Well, the conspiracies are going to fly until officials release the videotape of the shootout.

In any case, rancher Cliven Bundy spoke to the press from his ranch in Bunkerville, Nevada.

Via KOIN News 6 Portland:


Amid Calls to Stand Down, Authorities Say Militiamen Have Explosives and Night-Vision Goggles (VIDEO)

Here's Les Zaitz yesterday, on Twitter, "Bundy bunch brought night vision goggles, explosives and weapons to refuge when it took over, court filing says."

And at the video, CNN's Dan Simon also reports that the "federal complaint that was opened today" says "there's reason to believe the occupiers have explosives and night-vision goggles."



Remember, the last holdouts might be gunning for the apocalypse. See, "Armed Militiaman David Fry, Among Last Holdouts at Malheur Reserve, Says He's Prepared to Die in Siege.

Also, as reported earlier, "Three New Arrests in Militia Occupation at #Malheur National Wildlife Refuge," and "FBI and Oregon State Police: LaVoy Finicum 'reached down toward his waistband where he had a gun...'"

Armed Militiaman David Fry, Among Last Holdouts at Malheur Reserve, Says He's Prepared to Die in Siege

This guy's a real psycho.

Reportedly an ISIS sympathizer, Fry's said to be prone to apocalyptic rants and is determined to go out in a blaze of glory (or ignominy, depending on your perspective).

At the Cleveland Plain Dealer, "Oregon standoff militant David Fry of Ohio prepared to die, says LaVoy Finicum was murdered":

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CLEVELAND, Ohio – David Fry, an Ohioan who is among the remaining armed occupants of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, said he is prepared to die during the siege.

"I'll pass on and move on to the next life. I don't know (how it will end), but I'm willing to go that far,'' Fry told The Plain Dealer in a brief phone interview Wednesday.

"Obviously they are murdering people at this point. They've been doing it for a long time now, and you guys are watching it.''

The Oregonian newspaper reported Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, the spokesman of the refuge occupation, was shot and killed after he charged police during a roadside stop, according to a man who claims to be the driver of one of two vehicles involved in the highway shooting.

Fry, who was not at the scene, said he thought Finicum was "murdered.''

Fry is from the Cincinnati area, as is Peter Santilli, who was one of seven militants arrested at a roadblock Tuesday, when Finicum reportedly was killed. The occupation's leader, Ammon Bundy, and his brother Ryan also were arrested. All were charged with conspiracy to interfere with a federal official, a felony.

Santilli hosted The Pete Santilli Show, an online radio show.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Wednesday seven to 12 occupants remain at the refuge, including Fry, 27.

"I'm holding up alright,'' Fry told The Plain Dealer. "Everybody is still holding their ground. We did get the women, children, most of them out of here -– all the children. I think there's one woman who's pregnant. That still counts as a child.''

In a video posted Wednesday to Fry's youtube account, defendyourbase, Fry could be seen with a gun over his shoulder while a backhoe operated in the background.

On the same video, another man with a gun said, "The media has been ordered to leave. That means they're coming to kill us. They're going to murder all of us, and the medias are cowards."

The same man also urges people to join the occupation and shouts into the camera, "This is history in the making. There are no laws in this United States now. This is a free-for-all Armageddon. Any military or law enforcement or feds that stand and don't abide by their oath are the enemy. If they stop you from getting here, kill them!''

Fry is from Blanchester, a small town northwest of Cincinnati. He said he taking college classes by his junior year in high school. He was convicted of a minor drug-related offense in 2008. A woman who answered the phone at his family's home and said she was a relative declined to comment.

Fry reportedly was on vacation with his parents in Costa Rica when he left them and traveled to Oregon to join the occupation. He told reporters in Oregon he drove through a blinding snowstorm to get there.

Fry reportedly has been using government computers at the refuge to establish a website for the occupiers while conducting his own live stream and updating his Google+ and Facebook accounts. The website, defendyourbase.net, has been taken down, and it not cleary by whom.

His social media accounts included posts that were anti-Semitic, homophobic, and pro-Nazi, as well as posts in support of ISIS. After media reports about his posts, many were deleted.

"ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS FOR ISIS TO NUKE ISRAELHELL!" he wrote on his Google+ the site Nov. 30.

He also tagged posts #HitlerWasRight, and another #Pray4ISIS.

"You see a lot of slander,'' Fry said. "They called me an ISIS supporter and a group of people said I was an anarchist. They're making these things up about me and taking some of my comments -- it's satire. They twisted it out of hand and make it look like I'm an an anarchist. I'm not an anarchist...
Still more.

Plus, at the Portland Oregonian, "Live, from inside the Oregon standoff: 'You're going to get to watch us die'":
With the 6-mile road into the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge blocked by police late Tuesday night, the remaining militants there were isolated from much of the world. With members of the media stuck on the wrong side of the roadblocks, Americans were left without a window into what was left of the occupation.

Or they would have been. Instead, thanks to one YouTube user at the compound, tens of thousands of people got an inside view of the militants during what they thought might be their final hours.

Like some sort of bizarre reality show, viewers tuned in to watch militants say goodbye to their families, promise to defend their "base" and vow to avenge the death of Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, who was killed as law enforcement moved to arrest the anti-government protesters and end the occupation that started Jan. 2 in Harney County.

David Fry, a 27-year-old from the Cincinnati area, had been broadcasting developments at the refuge since he arrived in early January. On Tuesday afternoon, as tensions between occupiers and law enforcement mounted, Fry began a near-continuous livestream of events.

Though the hours following the arrests and deadly shooting were relatively calm for those still at the wildlife refuge, Fry drew thousands of viewers with his end-is-nigh rants, peppered with the occasional background conversation between militants.

"Yeah folks this is it," he said at one point. "I'm going to try to get this livestreamed constantly until the end here."
More.

Also, the Los Angeles Times had this sensational headline earlier, "Remaining Oregon protesters warn of 'Armageddon,' but Bundy urges holdouts to go home":
The leader of the armed occupation of an Oregon wildlife refuge urged his colleagues-in-arms to “stand down” Wednesday, as a small band of holdouts vowing to fight fell under increasing pressure to surrender to the cordon of law enforcement now surrounding the sprawling facility.

By late Wednesday, it appeared that several of the protesters still inside the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge were heeding the request, as three more people were arrested and several others were allowed to leave freely, according to the FBI and other sources....

“The FBI and our partners continue to work around the clock to empty the refuge of the armed occupiers in the safest way possible,” the agency said.

Earlier in the day, at least some at the refuge were still expressing defiance.

“There are no laws in this United States now! This is a free-for-all Armageddon!” a heavyset man holding a rifle yelled into a camera transmitting from the refuge. He urged others to join those at the protest site, adding that if “they stop you from getting here, kill them!”

But that was before leader Ammon Bundy, arrested with other protesters Tuesday in a law enforcement operation that killed one of their comrades, called for those remaining in the high-desert refuge to “go home and hug your families.”

Bundy and several codefendants appeared in U.S. District Court in Portland on Wednesday afternoon and were ordered held without bond.

“Right now, I'm asking the federal government to allow the people at the refuge to go home without being prosecuted,” Bundy said in a written statement read after the hearing by his attorney, Mike Arnold. “To those remaining at the refuge, I love you. Let us take this fight from here. Please stand down. Please stand down. Go home and hug your families. This fight is ours for now -- in the courts.”

Authorities were offering free passage to most who left peacefully, and there were signs Wednesday evening that FBI agents were in communication with those inside the refuge before the departures.

“We’re just camped here by the fire,” one of the occupiers, David Fry of Ohio, said in a brief telephone interview.

“I’m waiting on the FBI calling,” he said.

A live stream feed Fry was running from the refuge through most of the day Wednesday showed a group with apparently mixed feelings. Some holdouts seemed ready to leave, while others were counting their weapons and ammunition.

“I want to go to my wife,” a man could be heard saying Wednesday afternoon, complaining that his credit card was maxed out and he was driving a rental car. “Sorry, guys.”

“No hard feelings,” another man responded.

At one point, the live stream caught what sounded like the cocking of a gun, and at least six occupiers could be seen passing through the camera’s field of vision and discussing their available weapons and ammunition.

“You got enough rounds for the 12-gauge?”

“We’ve got, what, two SKS [rifles]?”

“Hey, Sean! I think these fit your gun – they won’t fit the AR [rifle].”

“Anybody got a .45 pistol?”

But by Wednesday night, the stream included an image of a campfire burning in darkness, with a few voices talking of topics ranging from their personal finances to marijuana, relationships and the stars above.

“Oh, another great night,” a woman said. “There’s the Milky Way.”
Still more.

Plus, from Jennifer Hayden on Twitter, "When I wake up, I’m hoping to read David Fry and the rest are hungover in a jail cell."

And from JJ McNab, "David Fry, 'I'm sitting around waiting to die, I guess.' The kid has lost it."

ICYMI, from last night, "Three New Arrests in Militia Occupation at #Malheur National Wildlife Refuge."

FBI and Oregon State Police: LaVoy Finicum 'reached down toward his waistband where he had a gun...'

We've got two clear and conflicting narratives on the shootout that killed LeVoy Finicum.

You're got the Bundy militia narrative of the "hands up don't shoot" variety, and you've got the official police narrative holding Finicum resisted arrest, charged officers, and now, reached for his "waistbelt."

The best thing about the latest news is that authorities are contemplating releasing the dashcam video. Obviously they're not going to have much of a choice. The truth needs to come out and soon.

CNN reports, "Oregon occupiers: What officials say happened at traffic stop":

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(CNN) A high-speed getaway attempt and a reach for the waistband are said to have prompted police SWAT team members to open fire on a group of leaders of the Oregon armed occupiers.

A law enforcement official described the dramatic showdown that occurred Tuesday night on a desolate stretch of U.S. 395, some distance away from the federal wildlife refuge where the group took over federal buildings nearly a month ago.

FBI and Oregon State Police at a command center in Burns were monitoring the group when they departed the refuge to attend a town hall meeting with local residents in the town of John Day.
(CNN)A high-speed getaway attempt and a reach for the waistband are said to have prompted police SWAT team members to open fire on a group of leaders of the Oregon armed occupiers.

A law enforcement official described the dramatic showdown that occurred Tuesday night on a desolate stretch of U.S. 395, some distance away from the federal wildlife refuge where the group took over federal buildings nearly a month ago.

FBI and Oregon State Police at a command center in Burns were monitoring the group when they departed the refuge to attend a town hall meeting with local residents in the town of John Day.

For days, they watched as members of the group came and went freely from the refuge. Some went home on weekends. Ammon Bundy, the group's leader, visited family near Boise, Idaho.

"They got quite comfortable coming and going. This was a 'standoff-lite,'" said one official who was monitoring the events as they went down.

Tuesday was the first time that the combination of top leaders was all together traveling away from their base at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the official said.

The FBI and state police teams knew the route they were going to take. They picked a spot away from populated areas to attempt a traffic stop. One vehicle stopped on command from authorities. The second, allegedly driven by LaVoy Finicum, took off at high speed, attempting to get away.

About a mile away, out of sight, the FBI and state police had set up a roadblock.

But Finicum, with police in hot pursuit, attempted to leave the main road and drove into a snow bank. When he emerged from the vehicle, FBI and state police ordered him to surrender. That's when, authorities say, Finicum reached down toward his waistband where he had a gun.

The SWAT team opened fire. Finicum was killed. Ryan Bundy suffered a light wound on his arm.

The shooting was captured on camera by the SWAT team. FBI and Oregon police officials are discussing possibly releasing the video, in part to counter claims by supporters that Finicum was gunned down while trying to surrender...
More.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Three New Arrests in Militia Occupation at #Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

From the FBI's Portland office, "Additional Arrests in the Occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge":
At approximately 3:30 pm, the FBI made probable cause arrests of Duane Leo Ehmer, age 45, of Irrigon, Oregon, and Dylan Wade Anderson, age 34, of Provo, Utah. At approximately, 7:40 pm, agents made a probable cause arrest of Jason S. Patrick, age 43, of Bonaire, Georgia. All were in contact with the FBI, and each chose to turn himself into agents at a checkpoint outside the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The arrests were without incident.

Each man faces one federal felony count of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 372.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty...
The agency posted some rather intense tweets yesterday, giving clear signal on the wind was blowing.

Just five militiamen were holding out at the refuge early this evening. I'm not sure how many will still be there tomorrow, but word is there's a couple of crazy mofos still left. More on that shortly.

Also at the Portland Oregonian, "Jason Patrick, 2 others linked to Oregon refuge occupation taken into custody."

RELATED: See OPB, "FBI In Active Negotiations With Remaining Militants."

ADDED: At USA Today, "FBI arrests 3 more protesters as standoff winds down."

No Détente as Donald Trump's Feud with Fox Takes Center Stage (VIDEO)

At USA Today, "On 'O'Reilly,' Trump goes on defensive about debate decision."

I was kind of surprised how aggressively O'Reilly implored Trump to reconsider. Watch, at Fox News, "Donald Trump weighs in on GOP debate controversy," and "Donald Trump weighs in on GOP debate controversy, Part II."

And see the New York Times, "With No Détente, Donald Trump's Feud With Fox Takes Center Stage":
For months, Donald J. Trump had kept up a relentless and sometimes personal barrage against the Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, in retaliation for the tough — and, he said, unfair — questioning she submitted him to in the first Republican debate last summer. And for months, Fox News and Ms. Kelly had avoided taking the bait, intent on sticking to Ms. Kelly’s vow to avoid becoming part of the story.

Fox’s decision to fight back this week after Mr. Trump demanded Fox remove her from its panel of moderators at a debate scheduled for Thursday sent the already unconventional Republican race for president into uncharted territory just days before the first critical contest in Iowa.

With Mr. Trump declaring he will skip the debate, the most potentially consequential fight on the campaign trail is not between Mr. Trump and his fellow candidates, but between Mr. Trump and the top-rated cable television news network, which is also one of the most important forces in Republican politics.

Neither Fox News nor Mr. Trump showed any indication of budging on Wednesday. That was in spite of furious discussions inside the network, inside the campaign, and in direct and indirect communications between the two sides. The talks even included a conversation between Mr. Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and the influential Fox News chairman, Roger Ailes, who contacted her to gauge Mr. Trump’s seriousness but, network officials said, did not seek to change his mind.

Mr. Trump said the final straw was a sarcastic press statement Fox News released on Tuesday, which jokingly questioned how he would handle President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran if he could not handle Ms. Kelly. On Twitter on Wednesday evening, Mr. Trump called it “childishly written” and “taunting.” But network officials said the statement was, in fact, an attempt at levity composed by Mr. Ailes, who they said had reached his limit with Mr. Trump’s rants against Ms. Kelly, which ramped up over the weekend. Still, Fox’s stance was primarily about journalistic principles, the officials said.

Fox News said it would never accede to Mr. Trump’s demand that it remove Ms. Kelly from its panel of moderators, which also includes the network anchors Bret Baier and Chris Wallace...
Keep reading.

RELATED: At Politico, "With no Trump, will Cruz be left out in the cold?"

Oregon Public Broadcasting's Amanda Peacher Featured on the 'News Hour' with Judy Woodruff (VIDEO)

I've been following Ms. Peacher on Twitter for updates.

She's featured in this informative clip:


'There Has to Be Retribution' — Nevada Rancher Cliven Bundy Says LaVoy Finicum Murdered in 'Cold Blood' (VIDEO)

Whoa!

Talk about throwing down the gauntlet.

At the Las Vegas Sun, "‘There has to be retribution’: Bundy family says slain Oregon protester unarmed'":

In an audio clip posted to Facebook on Tuesday, Cliven Bundy echoed his nephew's [Steve Bundy] message.

“(Ammon Bundy) said (Finicum) had his arms in the air, he said he was unarmed, and they shot him cold-blooded.”

Cliven Bundy was not available for further comment Tuesday night, but the family spokesman said the Nevada ranch militia members would seek to avenge Finicum's death “very soon.”

“There has to be retribution,” Steve Bundy said. “But we’re not going to ruin the element of surprise.”
RTWT.

PREVIOUSLY: "Report: Militia Spokesman LaVoy Finicum 'was shot three times while he had his hands up in the air...'"

The Mechanics of the Iowa Caucuses

The caucuses are even more complicated than this piece indicates, at the Wall Street Journal, "Iowa Caucuses: How Do They Work?"

Years ago, when I was still at UCSB, I used to assign Elaine Kamarck's research. She's at Harvard Kennedy School, and according to her bio there, "In the 1980s, she was one of the founders of the New Democrat movement that helped elect Bill Clinton president." And she's an expert on the party nomination process. Here's her new book, Primary Politics: Everything You Need to Know about How America Nominates Its Presidential Candidates.

More here, "First in the nation: The all-important early states of Iowa and New Hampshire."

She's on Twitter as well, heh.

Jackie Johnson's Weather Forecast for Thursday

I dropped my kid off at school and picked up a cup of coffee at 7/11, and that's about it.

I've been blogging the Malheur arrests almost non-stop since yesterday around dinner time. I slept this afternoon for a couple hours, after the news settled down a bit with the press conference and the arraignments in Portland.

In any case, I haven't sampled the weather much today, although it was mild out compared to yesterday.

And with that, here's Jackie with tomorrow's preview:



Witness Raymond Doherty Tells Portland's KOIN 6 News There Was 'Lot of Shooting Going On' During Bundy Militia Arrest (VIDEO)

Watch:



And ICYMI, "WATCH: Exclusive Video Shows Shots Fired in Ammon Bundy Traffic Stop Outside Burns, Oregon."

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Statement on the Occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day (VIDEO)

Just having him in office over there makes me feel a little better.

But our election's coming, and I'm confident that the change we have this time's going to be for the better.


Militia Leader Ammon Bundy Urges Occupiers to Leave Malheur Refuge (VIDEO)

At USA Today, "Ammon Bundy urges protesters to leave refuge":

BURNS, Ore. — Oregon militia leader Ammon Bundy is urging his followers at a wildlife refuge near Burns, Ore., to leave, according to a statement released by his attorney.

Bundy's lawyer, Mike Arnold, read a statement by Bundy, arrested Tuesday, on the steps of a courthouse in Portland.

"Right now, I am asking the federal government to allow the people at the refuge to go home without being prosecuted," the statement read. "To those remaining at the refuge, I love you. Let us take this fight from here. Please stand down. Go home and hug your families. This fight is ours for now in the courts. Please go home."

The statement also paid tribute to Lavoy Finnicum, the protester who died on Tuesday, as federal and state authorities arrested Bundy and seven more at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Bundy and the protesters had holed up there since Jan. 2. Authorities said the arrests came after futile efforts to end the standoff peacefully for 25 days.

Bundy's reported request came after mounting pressure from authorities for the protesters to abandon the site.

"They have chosen to threaten and intimidate the America they profess to love and through their criminal actions bring these consequences upon themselves," said Greg Bretzing, FBI special agent in charge, said earlier Wednesday.

In a particularly emotional statement before reporters, Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward spoke directly to the remaining half-dozen holdouts at the refuge.

"It is time for everybody in this illegal occupation to move on," Ward said, stopping periodically to regain his composure. "There doesn't have to be bloodshed in our community. (When) we have issues with the way things are in our government, we have a responsibility as citizens to act on them in an appropriate manner. We don't arm up, we don't rebel. We work through the appropriate channels. This can't happen anymore, this can't happen in America, and it can't happen in Harney County."

The brief statements by the FBI, sheriff and federal prosecutor came one day after law enforcement officers stopped a group of the protesters at a roadblock about 20 miles north of the refuge.

Arizona resident Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, 56, the soft-spoken but defiant co-leader of the protest group victim, was shot and killed. Officials refused to provide details, but his identity was confirmed by his family and reported by The Oregonian and NBC News.

Meanwhile, several members of a self-styled militia continued to defy authorities and maintain their occupation of the federal facility...
Still more.

And at the Portland Oregonian, "Ammon Bundy, via attorney, tells refuge militants to go home."

Official Statement from Pacific Patriots Network on Arrests of the Bundy Militiamen

This following-up from a couple of weeks ago, "Pacific Patriot Network Opposes #Malheur Occupation, Issues Call for Peaceful Resolution of Standoff (VIDEO)."

Here's the group's statement, "Pacific Patriots Network - Official Statement for Immediate Release":
On January 26, 2016, Ammon Bundy Ryan Bundy, Shawna Cox, Brian Cavalier, Ryan Payne and LaVoy Finicum were involved in a traffic stop between the town of Burns and John Day, Oregon. They were on their way to a meeting with local ranchers. Ammon Bundy, as well as the passengers of his vehicle were stopped, arrested, and taken into federal custody by the FBI. We can confirm that one man has been shot and taken to the local hospital and that another was shot and killed. We can also confirm that separate from the traffic stop, both Joe O'Shaugnessy and Pete Santilli were also arrested and taken into custody.

It has come to the attention of PPN that many individuals are responding to this news as a ‘Call to Action’. The Pacific Patriots Network is issuing an immediate “STAND BY” Order to all those who are mobilizing to the peaceful city of Burns, Oregon. We will not pursue any action until all of the facts have been pieced together regarding the traffic stop and the arrest of Ammon Bundy. During this time, cooler heads must prevail. We do not wish to inflame the current situation and will engage in open dialogue until all of the facts have been gathered.

Again, we must reiterate the current standing order. No mobilization of any kind is to take place until every piece of speculation and hearsay have been verified or dismissed...
Via Memeorandum.

Remaining Malheur Militimen Broadcast Siege from Inside Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)

Following-up, "Ammon Bundy Militiamen Make Appearance in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon."

At the Portland Oregonian, "Live: Remaining occupiers broadcast from inside Malheur National Wildlife Refuge":
After eight leaders of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation were arrested Tuesday and spokesperson Robert "LaVoy" Finicum was killed, the remaining occupiers are still holding their ground.

They somehow have maintained enough Internet bandwidth to continue streaming video from inside the 187,000-acre refuge, located 30 miles south of Burns, Oregon in remote Harney County.

In one segment of a live broadcast that clearly appears to have been made within the refuge Tuesday morning, at least three armed occupiers kept watch for law enforcement.

"They're coming to kill us," one said into the camera as hundreds watched and commented on the YouTube stream...
Yes, ICYMI, "'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)."

The livestream video is here, active as of 1:30pm Pacific, "The Watchman News 01/27/2016 - Burns Oregon Standoff Live Video from Inside the Refuge."

Ammon Bundy Militiamen Make Appearance in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon

Shawna Cox is a woman, but I'm keeping the "militiamen" moniker I've got going, lol.

At KOIN News 6 Portland, "Bundy, militia in court: What to expect: Militia took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Jan. 2, 2016."


UPDATE
: At the Oregonian, "Ammon Bundy and other Oregon standoff leaders appear in court in Portland."


Emily DiDonato, Erin Heatherton, and Irina Shayk Back for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2016

Well, here's the big tease the editors were promoting.


PREVIOUSLY: "Kate's Tiny Bikinis — Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (VIDEO)."

LeVoy Finicum Preached a 'Cowboy's Stand for Freedom' (VIDEO)

He went out blazing, in all the ways that one can go out blazing.

At the Los Angeles Times, "Man killed in Oregon standoff had preached what he called a 'cowboy's stand for freedom'":

Where some activists at an occupied federal wildlife refuge preached rowdyism and brimstone, Robert “LaVoy” Finicum was wistful, almost sad.

Bedecked in his trademark earmuffs and cowboy hat, the Arizona rancher would wonder aloud with a shake of his head why reporters couldn’t simply see the rightness of his position: that the federal government was illegally possessing land it had no right to take.

He insisted he and the other occupiers were helping the people of Harney County, Oregon. He often carried a handgun at his side and sometimes set up watch with a long gun across his lap.

He maintained a blog — “One Cowboy’s stand for Freedom” — in which he posted videos of himself denouncing the federal government and demanding that federal land be turned over to local authorities and private ranchers. He also wrote a novel, a post-apocalyptic Western thriller called "Only By Blood and Suffering."

Finicum, 55, was killed Tuesday night by an Oregon State Police trooper during an altercation between authorities and some who had occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. About 20 occupiers have squatted for three weeks while they protested the incarceration of a father-and-son pair of ranchers and demanded federal agencies leave the land to local authorities and landowners.

The exact circumstances of the altercation between occupiers and authorities have not yet been released. "My dad was such a good good man, through and through," Arianna Finicum Brown, 26, one of Finicum's 11 children, told The Oregonian newspaper Tuesday. "He would never ever want to hurt somebody, but he does believe in defending freedom and he knew the risks involved."

When speaking to the media or the public, Ammon Bundy, putative leader of the activists, was gruff and dismissive. Jon Ritzheimer, a Phoenix-area anti-Muslim activist arrested Tuesday, would stay silent for long stretches before exploding in anger. But Finicum kept his cool.

“I can point to the page, here,” Finicum told the Los Angeles Times during the second week of the occupation, holding aloft a pocket Constitution. “I can tell you where to look if you want to see why we’re here.

“You say we’re breaking things up. [But] we’re keeping something together here.”

Finicum often served as a spokesman for the group, reading statements into cameras and then chatting with reporters when the cameras were off. He told reporters that the occupiers were going through federal files looking  for proof of federal malfeasance.

One day with reporters watching, he scaled a ladder to the top of a telephone pole to remove a camera lens. He later held it up for reporters, saying it had been placed by the FBI to monitor the occupiers.

Finicum was, for most of his life, a rancher who paid his grazing fees to the federal government...
Still more.

Bernie Sanders Meets with President Obama at the White House

Heh.

The Democrat-Socialists had to coordinate talking points before the Iowa caucuses.

At PuffHo, "Obama meets with Bernie Sanders at the White House."

Bernie Sanders photo Communism_zpsisk2hg8p.jpg

Image CreditWoodsterman.

News Conference on Occupation of #Malheur National Wildlife Reserve (VIDEO)

Following-up, "'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)."

Here's the Portland Oregonian, "Oregon standoff news conference: FBI says occupiers had 'ample' time to leave."

And watch, via CNN:



I'll post updates throughout the day (and pray that this standoff ends peacefully).

'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)

That was an extremely tight-lipped press conference. The FBI, U.S. Attorney Bill Williams, and Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward all spoke, but none took questions.

Here's the reported tweeted from KOIN News 6 Portland, "FBI: Militia occupiers still at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge given ample time to leave," and "U.S. Atty: Numerous law enforcement working together to 'stop the threats'."

Also, "Harney Sheriff: Those arrested 'gave me ultimatums I could not meet'"; "Harney Sheriff: 'This has been tearing our community apart'"; and "Harney Sheriff: 'We don't arm up and rebel. This can't happen anymore'."

In any case, I'll bet authorities are going back out to the refuge to bring this standoff to and end, by any means necessary.

Here's the occupiers' livestream highlights from the Portland Oregonian:



I'll have updates shortly.

Mammoth Bones Discovered at Oregon State University (VIDEO)

Heh.

Not something you find everyday.

Watch, at the Portland Oregonian, "Mammoth bones uncovered at Oregon State University."

U.S. Representative Greg Walden (R): 'Our Hopes Were Shattered' With the Shooting Last Night

From KOIN's Jennifer Dowling, "Walden: Sadly, our hopes were shattered with the shooting that occurred during last night's arrest."

The congressman's been speaking out on the siege. See the Portland Oregonian, "Highlights from Rep. Greg Walden’s tearful, angry speech to U.S. House about Oregon standoff (VIDEO)."

The Malheur press conference has been pushed back to 11:00am, perhaps to give LEOs more time to negotiate the occupiers' exit from the refuge.

Expect updates...

And ICYMI, "FBI Surrounds #Malheur Wildlife Refuge — Media Crews Told to Leave #OregonStandoff."

FBI Surrounds #Malheur Wildlife Refuge — Media Crews Told to Leave #OregonStandoff

Just now, at KOIN News 6 Portland, "FBI surrounds Malheur refuge, militia not leaving."

John Sepulvado tweeted earlier, "@OPB was told by FBI that we were on our own -- essentially stuff is going down and we need to move."

And from Andrew Dymburt:


UPDATE
: Welcome Instapundit readers.

Today's joint press conference concluded moments ago. The FBI, U.S. Attorney Bill Williams, and Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward all spoke, but none took questions.

See my updates, "'They're Going to Murder All of Us!' — #Malheur Occupiers Livestream Siege at Wildlife Refuge (VIDEO)," and "News Conference on Occupation of #Malheur National Wildlife Reserve (VIDEO)."

Military-Style Preparations Taking Place at Airport in Burns, Oregon (PHOTOS) — #MalheurOccupation

Found just now on Twitter:


I joked about a "Janet Reno-style" assault on the occupation headquarters earlier this month. That doesn't sound so funny right now.

ADDED: Seen just now. Folks better look out.

Kate's Tiny Bikinis — Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (VIDEO)

SI's supposed to be teasing some of the new swimsuit issue today, so expect updates.

Here's Kate:


WATCH: Video Shows Ammon Bundy Being Handcuffed During Arrest on U.S. Highway 395

Following-up, "UPDATE: LeVoy Finicum 'Charged at Law Enforcement,' Then Shot and Killed, Driver Says (VIDEO)."

I'm still waiting for video of LeVoy Finicum allegedly charging officers before being shot and killed. There's footage out there. Obviously the authorities are getting their ducks all in a row.

A press conference is scheduled for 1030am Pacific, and I'll be updating with reports throughout the day.

Here's ABC News:



Reward in Orange County Jailbreak Raised to $200 Thousand (VIDEO)

At the O.C. Register, "Reward for 3 escaped inmates now $200,000 as Board of Supervisors adds $150,000."

And at KCAL News 9 Los Angeles:


UPDATE: LeVoy Finicum 'Charged at Law Enforcement,' Then Shot and Killed, Driver Says (VIDEO)

More details are emerging.

But frankly, I'm not giving any of the reports credibility until I see video of the engagement.

At the Portland Oregonian, "Militant shot and killed while charging police, driver says":


BURNS – Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, the spokesman of the refuge occupation, was shot and killed after he charged police during a roadside stop north of Burns on Tuesday, according to a man on Facebook who claims to be the driver of one of two vehicles involved in the highway shooting.

Mark McConnell posted a video to Facebook Wednesday morning, recounting the Tuesday afternoon scene that led to Finicum's death and the subsequent arrest of eight people involved in the Jan. 2 takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

His account emerged as police established new checkpoints on roads leading to the refuge, where an unknown number of occupiers remained. Police said only local property owners would be allowed through. The number and exact location of the checkpoints couldn't immediately be established.

In his video, McConnell said Ammon Bundy and Cavalier were in the vehicle he was driving to John Day for a community meeting. He said Finicum was driving a pickup that carried Ryan Bundy, Payne, Cox and an 18-year-old girl.

He said as they traveled on U.S. 395 police vehicles pulled in behind them and stopped them. McConnell said he was removed by police first, then Ammon Bundy then Cavalier.

He said Finicum's pickup was stopped about 200 yards away, and one passenger already was on the ground in handcuffs.

McConnell said Payne and Cox later recounted how Payne and Finicum got into a "heated discussion" about what to do.

"LaVoy was passionate about this, about the movement," McConnell said.

McConnell said he noticed movement, and Finicum "took off" in the pickup with the remaining passengers. He said Payne and Cox described encountering a police roadblock about a mile north on the highway and apparently tried to get around it, becoming stuck in the snow.

"When he exited the vehicle, the rear wheels were still spinning," McConnell said. "He charged at law enforcement" and was shot.

McConnell disputed earlier accounts on social media that Finicum was shot while on his knees with his hands up.

McConnell said he and the 18-year-old were taken to Burns for questioning and later released.

His account couldn't be immediately confirmed, but several details matched accounts from law enforcement sources...
Keep reading.

McConnell's recorded a second video with additional details of the arrest, "Mark McConnell eyewitness account of Bundy arrests."

#Malheur Militiaman Jon Ritzheimer Booked Into 4th Avenue Jail in Phoenix (VIDEO)

Following-up from last night, "Malheur Occupier Jon Ritzheimer Surrenders to Authorities, Says Goodbye to Daughter in Facebook Video."

Here's the local report, at ABC News 15 Phoenix:



French Justice Minister Quits Over Plan to Strip Citizenship of French-Born Dual Nationals Convicted of Terrorism (VIDEO)

Screw the bitch.

At the New York Times, "French Justice Minister Quits Over Plan to Strip Citizenship From Terrorists":
PARIS — The French justice minister, one of the most outspoken and progressive voices in the government, resigned on Wednesday after a clash with her own government over a proposal to strip the citizenship of French-born dual nationals convicted of terrorism.

President François Hollande’s office said in a statement that he had accepted the resignation of the minister, Christiane Taubira, a native of French Guiana. She had held the position since Mr. Hollande’s election in 2012 and has disagreed with his government on several issues.

The statement said that Mr. Hollande had expressed “gratitude” for Ms. Taubira’s work and that she had reformed the justice system with “conviction, determination and talent.”

Although Ms. Taubira’s resignation came abruptly, she was widely known as an independent spirit with a bent more leftist than that of the Socialist government.

Ms. Taubira said on Twitter that she was “proud” of her time at the Justice Ministry. “Sometimes to resist is to stay, sometimes to resist is to leave,” she wrote in a second post. “By loyalty to oneself, to us,” she said. She added that the last word went “to ethics and to law.”

The proposal to strip the citizenship of French-born dual nationals convicted of terrorism was put forward by Mr. Hollande in the aftermath of the attacks in the Paris area in November that killed 130 people.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who was presenting the proposal on Wednesday at the National Assembly, France’s lower house of Parliament, said the legislation would make no reference to dual citizenship and that it would only apply to the most serious crimes...
You're a communist if you're "more leftist" than the Socialist government.

Still more.

And watch, at Euronews, "French justice minister resigns over anti-terror plan."

Ridership on SoCal Public Transportation Continues to Decline, Despite Billions of Dollars Invested

And that's with gas prices still near three bucks a gallon. Elsewhere around the country folks are filling up for low prices not seen since the 1970s. We'd have even further declining ridership if taxes and regulations weren't so onerous in the once-Golden State

At the Los Angeles Times, "Despite billions invested, ridership on Southern California public transit continues to decline":
For almost a decade, transit ridership has declined across Southern California despite enormous and costly efforts by top transportation officials to entice people out of their cars and onto buses and trains.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the region's largest carrier, lost more than 10% of its boardings from 2006 to 2015, a decline that appears to be accelerating. Despite a $9-billion investment in new light rail and subway lines, Metro now has fewer boardings than it did three decades ago, when buses were the county's only transit option.

Most other agencies fare no better. In Orange County, bus ridership plummeted 30% in the last seven years, while some smaller bus operators across the region have experienced declines approaching 25%. In the last two years alone, a Metro study found that 16 transit providers in Los Angeles County saw average quarterly declines of 4% to 5%.

Years after the end of the worst recession since World War II, which prompted deep service cuts, transit agencies are still trying to figure out where their riders have gone and what can be done to bring them back, including major changes to routes and schedules.

Officials say ridership is cyclical and customers will return as traffic congestion worsens, bus service improves, new rail lines open and more of the region's population moves to walkable neighborhoods near transit stops.

But some experts say the downturn could represent a permanent shift in how people get around, propelled by a changing job market, falling gas prices, fare increases, declining immigration and the growing popularity of other transportation options, including bicycling and ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft.

"I don't know if this is long-term, but it doesn't feel like it's temporary when we've been dealing with 36 straight months of declining ridership," said Darrell Johnson, chief executive of the Orange County Transportation Authority...
We're governed by idiots. How much money is being wasted on the "bullet train" right now, the train no one wants and of which few will ride? The state's Democrats will have to outlaw single-family cars before any boondoggle like this gets anywhere near viable.

But keep reading, FWIW.

LaVoy Finicum Died Defending Freedom, Says Daughter Arianna Finicum Brown (VIDEO)

At the Portland Oregonian, "Oregon standoff spokesman died defending beliefs, daughter says":


Robert "LaVoy" Finicum was a law-abiding man who preferred to spend time with his large family and his 100-head of cattle on their land in northern Arizona along the Utah border, one of his daughters said Tuesday.

The cowboy and self-published novelist had only a traffic ticket or two on his record and encouraged his children to follow a righteous path, said daughter Arianna Finicum Brown.

Yet the quiet man found his voice — and a more confrontational calling — in 2014 after joining Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and dozens of others who stood up against a federal government they believed had overstepped its bounds.

"He came into his own — even though that wasn't necessarily his preference," she said of Finicum, who became one of the more well-known faces of the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns.

"My dad knew he needed to stand up for what was right, to defend freedom," Brown said. "He was willing to die defending them."

Finicum, 55, was killed Tuesday after the FBI and Oregon State Police moved to arrest several of the occupation's leaders as they drove to a meeting in neighboring Grant County.

Occupation leader Ammon Bundy, who was with Finicum, reportedly told his wife that Finicum was cooperating when he was shot, but sources told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Finicum resisted arrest...
I'll believe when I see it. The shootout's gotta be on video somewhere. The scene of the arrest was swarming with law enforcement officials.

Keep reading.

PREVIOUSLY: "Bundy Militiamen Booked Into Multnomah County Jail; FBI Maintaining Checkpoints Outside Refuge (VIDEO)."

Bundy Militiamen Booked Into Multnomah County Jail; FBI Maintaining Checkpoints Outside Refuge (VIDEO)

Here's KOIN News 6 Portland, on the incarcerations, "Bundy brothers, 5 others booked into Mult. Co. jail."

And here's the FBI Portland's statement from earlier this morning, "Joint Statement by the FBI and Oregon State Police on Law Enforcement Activity Near Burns, Oregon."

Plus, from Pat Dooris on Twitter, "FBI and state police locking down roads leading into wildlife refuge. we are on the inside...for now," and "Anyone trying to get to refuge will be stopped. Trying to get past check point gets you arrested. Anyone leaving will be ID'd and searched."

Stay tuned for updates throughout the day.

Donald Trump, in Feud with Fox News, Won't Attend Thursday's GOP Debate in Iowa (VIDEO)

Here's the report at the Washington Post, via Memeorandum, "Trump will ‘definitely not’ participate in Fox debate, campaign says."

And at the New York Times, "Donald Trump, in Feud With Fox News, Shuns Debate."

My sense is that he should participate, although this could be another masterstroke at dominating news coverage heading into the Monday caucuses. (And of course, he might actually want to "freeze" his lead in the polls heading into Iowa, and deny Ted Cruz a chance to score some last-minute points.)

In any case, here's KCAL News 9 Los Angeles:



SNL Cold Open: Sarah Palin (Tina Fey) Endorses Donald Trump (Darrell Hammond) for President (VIDEO)

You gotta love it.


Reports: Convoys of Military 'Assault Vehicles' Descend on Headquarters at Malheur Wildlife Reserve

I'm seeing multiple reports of intense military-style mobilization taking place in the vicinity of Burns, Oregon.

See Lauren Martinez, at KTVZ News 21 (Bend, Oregon), "Convoy w armored vehicles are leaving from where the airport is," and "We've seen at least 3 separate convoys head towards the Malhuer Refuge."

And from Arun Gupta, "After Ammon Bundy takedown, military convoy in Burns, may be moving on militants in Malheur," and "[Assault] may be in works on Malheur militants after Ammon Bundy arrest, FBI, OR St police assault vehicle gassing up."

Also, "In Burns, OR after Ammon Bundy arrest, assault vehicles, LEOs in full battle-rattle. Assault on Malheur militants?"

Plus, from Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Malheur Occupation: Militants Still Inside Refuge After 1 Dead, 8 Arrested."

And OPB's Ryan Hass reports that one militiaman is in for the fight, "Just spoke to militant David Fry. He said there are no children inside the refuge, but women are present according to him," and "Fry said he's willing to die after Finicum was killed. 'You guys took him out, now you're going to have to take me out'."

Plus, "Fry also said he spoke to his family tonight and 'said his goodbyes'," and "Fry wouldn't confirm how many militants at the refuge. But said the people who are there are 'armed to the teeth'."

Still more, from JJ McNab, "Militant says that the FBI has given them a final warning."

UPDATE: From Les Zaitz, at the Portland Oregonian, "FBI tells Oregon refuge occupiers to leave as authorities set up roadblocks."


Report: Militia Spokesman LaVoy Finicum 'was shot three times while he had his hands up in the air...'

The Wall Street Journal reported that Finicum had drawn his weapon after being stopped by the FBI. See, "Report Suggests LaVoy Finicum Exchanged Gunfire with FBI Agents During Highway Traffic Stop."

But this Los Angeles Times report says Finicum had his hands up, "Oregon occupation spokesman reportedly killed, eight other protesters arrested":
One person died and eight others were taken into custody Tuesday when authorities confronted an armed protest group responsible for a nearly monthlong occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon, officials said.

Killed in the confrontation was Arizona rancher Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, who had acted as a spokesman for the group of self-styled defenders of the Constitution, according to Nevada state Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, who spoke with the wife of Ammon Bundy, the son of a renegade Nevada rancher and a leader of the group.

Bundy was among five people initially taken into custody, including his brother, Ryan, who was shot in the arm during the incident, Fiore said.

She said Ammon Bundy told his wife in a phone call that the group had been cooperative. He told her that Finicum was shot three times while he had his hands up in the air, according to Fiore.

“It’s very unfortunate. The only saving grace is there’s six witnesses to it,” said Fiore, a supporter of the Bundy family who called the federal Bureau of Land Management, one of the targets of the protesters' ire, a “bureaucratic agency of terrorism.”

“My perspective is our government has acted lawless and we have got to stop" it, she said...
I cited Assemblywoman Fiore at last night's post, "CONFIRMED: Spokesman LaVoy Finicum Killed in Shootout at #Malheur Refuge Near Burns, Oregon."

She hasn't updated her Twitter feed yet.

I'll have more later...

ADDED: From the Portland Oregonian, "UPDATE: Sources say that LaVoy Finicum and Ryan Bundy disobeyed orders to surrender and resisted arrest."

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Report Suggests LaVoy Finicum Exchanged Gunfire with FBI Agents During Highway Traffic Stop

Following-up from my earlier report, "WATCH: Exclusive Video Shows Shots Fired in Ammon Bundy Traffic Stop Outside Burns, Oregon."

Here's the report at the Wall Street Journal, which has a rough sketch of the firefight that killed LaVoy Finicum, "Oregon Occupation Leader Ammon Bundy Arrested, One Dead, After Confrontation With FBI":
Law-enforcement officials familiar with the matter said the incident took place as Mr. Bundy and a handful of other leaders were driving to a public event nearby. Agents with the FBI stopped the vehicle, at which point one of the individuals in the vehicle pulled out a weapon, the people familiar with the incident said.

At that point, FBI agents fired. The individual who was brandishing the weapon suffered fatal injuries, officials said. Officials didn’t identify the dead suspect. Another suspect suffered non-life-threatening injuries, these people said. No FBI agents were injured, according to these people...
The "dead suspect" would be Finicum.

He'd apparently been talking apocalyptically in recent days, and in an interview with the Oregonian said that the feds were becoming "hardened" and loaded for bear. See, "Just Yesterday, LaVoy Finicum Warned That Feds Had 'Become Hardened', Brandished Rifles (VIDEO)."

WATCH: Video Shows Ryan Bundy Arriving at Hospital After Standoff with FBI and Oregon State Police

Via Ruptly:



Here's the report at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Shots fired, 1 killed in arrest of Oregon militants."

Previous standoff blogging links are here.

Malheur Occupier Jon Ritzheimer Surrenders to Authorities, Says Goodbye to Daughter in Facebook Video

Interesting that he fled home to Arizona just hours before the highway shootout that killed LaVoy Finicum.

Troubling too.

More on that later, I guess.

In any case, at the Portland Oregonian, "Watch: Occupier Jon Ritzheimer says goodbye to daughters in Facebook post asking for donations."

The Facebook clip is here, "I came home to visit my family. The Feds know I am here and are asking me to turn myself in."

Previous shootout blogging here.

Just Yesterday, LaVoy Finicum Warned That Feds Had 'Become Hardened', Brandished Rifles (VIDEO)

Previous reporting is here, "CONFIRMED: Spokesman LaVoy Finicum Killed in Shootout at #Malheur Refuge Near Burns, Oregon," and "Updated: Reports — One Dead as Shots Fired at #Malheur Wildlife Reserve; Ammon Bundy Said to Be in Custody."

Also, "VIDEO: Highlights of LaVoy Finicum's Role During Occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge," and "WATCH: Exclusive Video Shows Shots Fired in Ammon Bundy Traffic Stop Outside Burns, Oregon."

Now watch, via the Portland Oregonian:


Donald Trump Rallies Evangelicals (VIDEO)

Well, if he siphons off enough religious voters, then Ted Cruz is going to be finished.

At the Los Angeles Times, "Donald Trump, hoping to slow Ted Cruz's surge, makes inroads with evangelicals":
In the final days before Iowans begin the presidential nominating process, Donald Trump, whose candidacy has both perplexed and enlivened various factions of the Republican Party, is focused on shoring up the support of the state’s evangelical voters who could propel him to victory and bolster his momentum in the upcoming primaries.

Trump announced Tuesday the endorsement of Jerry Falwell Jr., an influential evangelical leader and president of Liberty University, who called the billionaire businessman a "successful executive and entrepreneur, a wonderful father and a man who I believe can lead our country to greatness again.”

The endorsement from Falwell comes a week after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin tossed her support behind the billionaire’s candidacy. Palin has a strong following of evangelical and tea party supporters.

Each of those endorsements arrives as Trump seeks to slow the surge of his top rival in Iowa, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who has strong support from evangelicals.

“It’s all calculated and really shows how he can morph himself so that he’s appealing,” Steffen Schmidt, a professor of political science at Iowa State University, said of Trump’s support from Falwell and Palin. “He does what he needs to. ... He's not a tried and true politician, but ... in many ways, he has become a politician. Has Trump ever talked about evangelicals in his career? I would say not so much.”

Indeed, over the weekend Trump attended church in Iowa and last week he spoke at the invocation at Falwell's Liberty University.

National polls show Trump is succeeding in winning over evangelicals -- who are also influential in South Carolina, another state with an early vote.   An NBC News/Survey Monkey poll released Tuesday showed Trump with 37% support from white evangelicals nationwide, while Cruz had 20%, a 9% drop since last week.

Still, a mix of state and national polls reveals the race for evangelical support appears to be a toss-up...
More.

And watch, via Greta Van Susteren, "Jerry Falwell Jr Endorses Donald Trump - On the Record."

WATCH: Exclusive Video Shows Shots Fired in Ammon Bundy Traffic Stop Outside Burns, Oregon

Previous reporting is here, "CONFIRMED: Spokesman LaVoy Finicum Killed in Shootout at #Malheur Refuge Near Burns, Oregon," and "Updated: Reports — One Dead as Shots Fired at #Malheur Wildlife Reserve; Ammon Bundy Said to Be in Custody."

Also, "VIDEO: Highlights of LaVoy Finicum's Role During Occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge."

Now, here's a video of the traffic stop, with shots fired, via KOIN News 6 Portland:


Jackie Johnson's Weather Forecast for Wednesday

It was hot today, man!

I guess we're really having global warming (not).

Via CBS News 2 Los Angeles:


VIDEO: Highlights of LaVoy Finicum's Role During Occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

I'll update with highlights of this man's wonderful life as I get them.

Previous reporting is here, "CONFIRMED: Spokesman LaVoy Finicum Killed in Shootout at #Malheur Refuge Near Burns, Oregon," and "Updated: Reports — One Dead as Shots Fired at #Malheur Wildlife Reserve; Ammon Bundy Said to Be in Custody."

And watch, via the Portland Oregonian: