Oregon Occupation - the Unraveling Begins

Kenneth Medenbach

"The standoff with armed militia in Oregon escalated on Friday after police swooped in on one of the protesters to make the first arrest in connection with the two-week occupation of a federal wildlife refuge.

Kenneth Medenbach...was arrested for unauthorized use of a government vehicle...

...He appears to have driven from the occupied compound to a local supermarket in a vehicle allegedly stolen from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which runs the refuge.  The sheriff's office statement said that law enforcement officers recovered 'two vehicles stolen from the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.'...

...According to one local report, the two vehicles, one a pickup truck and one a passenger van, bore door signs reading 'Harney County Resource Center'--the new name occupiers have given to the sanctuary.  The man police suspected of driving the second government vehicle into town already had gone into the grocery store before police arrived, the report said."

eye'm thynkin':  Bet it was long, hard walk back to join his militia buddies, what with having to carry all those snacks and all.

"Armed militia have been seen driving the government vehicles around the refuge ever since they took over the site in protest over federal land management policies earlier this month.  Legal experts told the Guardian that occupiers could face hefty fines and more than 10 years of imprisonment.

It would not upset me to see the Hammonds at home watching the sun set over their land while these jerks are sitting in a jail cell.

A USFWS spokesperson Megan Nagel said: 'The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is grateful for the quick actions from law enforcement.  We will continue to work with law enforcement to recover vehicles bought and paid fo by the American people to care for their national wildlife refuge.'

It was unclear Friday whether the scheduled 7pm meeting between the militia and local residents would go ahead. The militia leaders had said they planned to speak directly with residents and explain their plans to leave he federal land.  Officials in rural Harney County, who have become increasingly outspoken against the militia, have denied them access to public buildings, saying they refuse to host a group that suports the illegal takeover of government property.

On Thursday, Bundy was expressing doubts about whether the meeting would happen at all if the militia couldn't find a venue."

Did these illegal occupiers really expect the county to give them free access to another government building, allowing them the opportunity to take over that facility too?  

I have seen no reports that the meeting took place; but, I guarantee that if Bundy canceled, there is a Republican somewhere blaming it on Obama.

Read more at the Guardian