Jeff “Dawg” Kagan arrived at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon on Thursday with Lewis Arthur, the leader of a group called Veterans on Patrol. Lewis describes himself as an "anti-violence patriot" who was there to talk Ammon Bundy into forcing any women or children out of the refuge during the standoff. Lewis and J Dawg set up a tent across from the refuge building. Lewis says he was also there to warn Bundy and the other Y’All Qaeda members that one of their own, Ryan Payne, was dangerous and should leave immediately:
Arthur's tension with Payne goes back years, to the standoff at Cliven Bundy's Nevada ranch. Both attended the standoff, and Arthur said the two were once friends but the relationship devolved when Payne became radicalized and "suicidal."
"He made it very clear out there that he wanted the federal government to go and take him out," Arthur said, adding that Payne believed he would be a martyr in the so-called patriot community if he died for the cause. "I had to come up here because I know what he wants."
That didn’t sit well with Y’All Qaeda and one of the key members of Bundy’s crew, Blaine Cooper (aka Stanley Blaine Hicks, who's never been in the military despite playing the part), allegedly went on the attack. From “J Dawg’s” Facebook page:
Yesterday myself and the VOP CRT made its way up to Burns Or. We arrived at the refuge and set up camp across the street and outside property lines of the refuge. While setting up camp in the desert we were approached by Mr Ryan Payne and one other armed individual. He talked to the founder of Vop briefly without any conflict or violence. Later on lewis had to run to town and while i was at camp i was approached by Mr. Bundy, Ryan and 2 other individuals. At this time we told him lewis was not here and we would talk later and there was no conflict or violence. Each time we let them onto our camp with no resistance or violence at any point. When lewis returned to camp we than peacefully made our way to the refuge. As soon as we made it on property an individual approached lewis and immediately put his hands on lewis and the same individual kneed another CRT member as well. He tried hitting them with a black flashlight. Pete Sentelli told him to stand down marine multiple times. We than advanced down the driveway into the refuge. While walking a white truck containing individuals with Blain Cooper in it. He called lewis and lewis stated not now Blain. Blaine cooper ran after lewis and punched him from behind. Lewis than turned around and hot hit again. I ran over to try and say we don't need this and than Mr. Cooper stuck me in the face and than i called 911 at that time. Lewis ordered us to leave the property and not return violence...we left property. Media followed from halfway up the driveway. This is my statement regarding the assault.
And now all hell is breaking loose amongst the patriots, most seem to be turning on the crew holed up at the wildlife refuge. John Hildinger, another well-known patriot in militia circles (who is alleged to be under the watchful eye of the Secret Service and U.S. Marshall) took to social media with a scathing video that includes accusations of stolen valor and harsh words for the men in Oregon.
Watch as he accuses Blaine Cooper of being a government plant, accuses Ryan Payne and Brian “Booda” Cavalier of stolen valor (confirmed accusation against Cavalier) and promises retribution for the attack on J Dawg and the patriot movement:
Oh, snap! And that isn’t the only patriot-on-patriot drama coming out of Oregon. Yesterday, accusations were flying that Joe “Captain O” Oshaugnessy had abandoned the refuge and used donation money for a drinking binge at a nearby hotel. Joe took to his page to defend himself, calling it a smear campaign because he disagreed with their actions. That prompted the Arizona State Militia to put out a statement saying he'd done the same thing in Arizona:
About 1 year ago Capt. O showed up in southern AZ along with members of other groups from around the country to take part in a border exercise that we were helping facilitate at the request of the Colorado Militia. He arrived not as a member of those groups but as a lone individual who had been told about the dates and locations for the operation by third parties. Again, after only a few days Joe began telling Militia members that he had used crowdfunding to purchase a brand new jeep, though these crowdfunding requests for donations said the money was going to be used to fund the border exercise which upset many of the members on site. His presence came to a head when it was discovered he had purchased a few large bottles of Jack Daniels which he had been drinking both on and off duty in his tent, just to clarify he was using donation money to buy himself a new Jeep as well as liquor just as he is accused now. When the chain of command found out that he was intoxicated while handling firearms he was expelled from our camp and told never to return.
The plot thickens! But, wait—there’s more. Saad Kooza Salman, aka “the American Infidel,” took to his Facebook page with a video (from his cozy home in Louisiana) to his 53,000 followers that blasted anyone sitting “in their cozy homes” criticizing his brothers in Oregon.
Saad Kooza Salman blasts “patriots” critical of the Oregon gang
And conservative radio host Pete Santilli, who’s been live streaming the action from the refuge and acting as self-appointed spokesman for Ammon Bundy’s crew leveled a threat at the newly arrived patriots:
"I'm about to (expletive) your day up!" Santilli yelled as he stormed away from the outsiders' tent. "You (expletive) with the wrong person, you (expletive) crackhead!"
So the plot thickens. Like sands through the stolen valor hourglass, these are the days our lives.
In the end, it appears the Oregon standoff has indeed sparked a great civil war—just not the one they wanted.
