On Friday, talks between the Ammon Bundy-led militants and the FBI broke down when the FBI refused to allow the media to record the discussion. At some point over the weekend, talks resumed—by telephone—and one of Bundy’s inner circle recorded much of the conversation, releasing it to the public. What is clear from his many YouTube videos and the multiple discussions with the FBI and the Harney County sheriff’s department is this—Bundy is indeed interested in negotiations. But, he’s not negotiating an end to the armed standoff, he’s negotiating a total surrender of the federal government. He spoke with the FBI’s negotiator assigned to the standoff, a man identified only as “Chris.” Not only is Ammon Bundy seeking a complete turnover of federal land to private citizens, he insists on a litany of investigations involving almost every government department imaginable, with the exception of the local dog catcher (who may later be added to his list of demands). Watch the video and read the transcript below:
Ammon Bundy: The FBI does not have, really anything to do with the situation. It is the people, their county, and their land. And, the federal government simply needs to adhere to the constitution of the United States. Adhere to the rules and Article 1.817 and comply.
Our doors have been open. We’ve had hundreds of people come down into the ref, err, the resource center and we’ve talked to them extensively about the solutions to this, they have found hope in it. Uh, they are forming organizations and committees to be able to accomplish this. They are not happy. They are not happy you are there. The FBI is there. They are not happy they barricaded off their schools, you barricaded off their courtrooms and that you are walking around with literally weapons in the middle of their town and tactical gear and you name it, with a standing army. They’re not happy about that.
You were organized, the FBI was organized to investigate federal bureaus, not people.
FBI agent: Do you want us to investigation of BLM? Is that what you’re asking?
Ammon Bundy: I’m asking you to do your job, in which you were established to do, which was to investigate bureaucracies. Federal bureaucracies.
FBI agent: That’s something we do and we can certainly have that conversation.
Ammon Bundy: We’re having it. So now go do it! I understand you have a job to negotiate and I appreciate that. I really do. But, there’s literally hundreds of ranchers across this county, with very gross complaints against the Bureau of Land Management, the fish and wildlife service and frankly, the county. And it will not take you more than a few hours to get enough information to start an investigation. Once that’s started, I will assist you with all the information that I have. Um, and you can do the investigation as you see fit. By the way, what’s your last name? A lot of people ask me.
FBI agent: My last name? Right now my directions are not to give a last name at this point of the negotiations.
Ammon Bundy: Well, if you want to do something. Do an investigation of one of your own agencies. Uh, three of ‘em—Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the uh, U.S. Forest Service, the EPA, U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s office, Frank Papagni, that’s a good place to start.
FBI agent: When can we, when do you want to talk next?
Ammon Bundy: Well, you can—when you get your lead investigator, we can talk then. Whenever. When you start that investigation and you need that information, then we can talk. Let’s have conversations with them. Get your investigators out here. Get interviewing these ranchers. You know, get talking to them where they’re not afraid to tell you what’s really going on. Because they are afraid of retaliation from the Bureau of Land Management. From the Fish and Wildlife Service. From the U.S. Forest Service. They are afraid of retaliation from them. They are afraid of losing their ranches, losing their homes because they speak out against them and their abuses. So investigate that. (video cut)
So, get those things done because the Hammonds need come home and these people need their lands back. The federal government does not own these lands, does not have authority to be administrating or controlling these lands. It is clearly, clearly the people’s lands and not the government’s. You guys have blatantly and openly violated the Constitution and the people insist on standing or they will not have any law to protect them. And that is very simple, Chris. You guys need to recognize that you are acting outside the authority of the people and peacefully allow this transfer or transaction or however you want to say it and back to the the people and them using it as their rights. It’s very simple.
What Ammon Bundy and his armed militants are seeking is the total transfer of federally owned and managed public lands to private ranches like himself, not to mention private corporations for the purposes of mining, logging, generally plundering the land for private profit. Not just in Harney County, Oregon, but across the United States.
Bundy does not even recognize the authority of the FBI to be there in the first place. And if you are asking “why don’t they just storm the refuge?” Please bear in mind that there are armed militants throughout the county. They have been placing themselves strategically around the city of Burns and around the county at-large. Going in and arresting Ammon Bundy is a risky proposition. Not only because there are men and women at the refuge who’ve said they will die for this cause, but because there are growing numbers of armed militants throughout the county. They haven’t just taken over the refuge at this point, they’ve effectively taken over the county. Unfortunately, it grows more complicated and more dangerous by the day. The FBI and local law enforcement are in a bad spot and Bundy knows it. Stay tuned.