Ammon Bundy urges elected officials to support their imprisoned constituents

Ammon Bundy, the leader of the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, continues to make his voice heard while sitting in jail on a federal conspiracy charge -- his latest call urges elected officials from eight states to support his co-defendants. "This is a call to action for any elected representative in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, the state of Washington and Ohio,'' Bundy says. "You have constituents in federal custody. Please visit and contact them to voice your support for free speech, the right to assemble and civil disobedience.''  Bundy made the recording Saturday. It was released Monday by his lawyers, Mike Arnold and Lissa Casey of the Eugene-based Arnold Law Firm.  Here's a transcript of Bundy's latest statement:


Ammon Bundy, February 6, 2016. This is a call to action for any elected representative in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, the State of Washington, and Ohio.  You have constituents in federal custody.  Please visit and contact them to voice your support for free speech, the right to assemble, and civil disobedience. It is your duty to hold federal agencies at bay, protecting the people in your state.    And to those who disagree with my speech, or our civil disobedience, and may dislike our ideas regarding that the land belongs to the people:  Please remember that you do not want free speech to be retaliated against by government officials.  If you do not advocate for government to tolerate ideas that it hates, then the First Amendment and free speech mean nothing. Arm yourself with ideas. Arm yourselves with education. Argue and disagree.  Be free.  Thank you...more