Nevada governor and senator join criticism of federal cattle roundup

Nevada's governor and one of its U.S. senators have joined a chorus of criticism of a month-long federal government roundup of a recalcitrant rancher’s 900 cattle that for decades have grazed on hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands near here. Gov. Brian Sandoval said in a statement that his office has received numerous complaints about the operation by the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service to collect cattle belonging to southern Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who for decades has refused to pay the required fees to graze his animals on public land. The Republican governor called the operation, which has closed off to the public huge tracts of land while workers in trucks and helicopters round up the cattle, a violation of the rights of everyday Nevadans. He singled out the BLM’s so-called “1st Amendment area,” far from the collection of the cattle, for critics to protest the move. In a statement Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) also expressed "disappointment” over the court-ordered roundup. “Law-abiding Nevadans must not be penalized by an over-reaching BLM. After hearing from local officials and residents, and receiving feedback from the Nevada Cattlemen’s Assn. in a meeting this morning, I remain extremely concerned about the size of this closure and disruptions with access to roads, water and electricaepidl infrastructure,” the statement said. “I will continue to closely monitor this situation, and urge the BLM to make the necessary changes in order to preserve Nevadans’ constitutional rights.”...more

For some reason the word tepid comes to mind when considering the politician's statements. 


On Wednesday, Bundy’s daughter, Bailey Logue, said the governor’s statements did not go far enough.  "He could have said anything and all he does is request that the free speech zones be taken down,” she said from the family ranch near the town of Bunkerville, 80 miles north of Las Vegas. “He gave us a crumb of support, so I guess we’re thankful for that.”

I guess a "crumb" is better than the mickey mousin' they got from the semi-sheriff.

A resident is thrown to the ground and arrested for filming, armed agents surround a ranch house, state and county roads are shut off...and Senator Heller is just "disappointed"?

Surely everyone knows that both these politicians were briefed by the feds before the operation started.  Did they object or raise any concerns then?  Apparently not.       
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