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Ammon Bundy Calls on Elected Officials to Aid His Supporters

2 minute read
By Maya Rhodan

Ammon Bundy, who led the armed standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Oregon, issued a statement from jail calling on elected officials in 8 states to come to the aid of his supporters.

Bundy’s audio statement was issued February 6. In it, he called for leaders in Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Ohio, and Washington to voice their support for their constituents who remain in federal custody for their occupation of the wildlife reserve.

Bundy and 15 other militants were indicted on counts of conspiracy and threatening officers throughout their armed insurrection.

Transcript of the audio, provided by Oregon Live, can be found below:

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.

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