Trump issues full pardons to Oregon ranchers forced back into prison under anti-terrorism law

[240B]

BPR
Michael Bastasch
July 10, 2018

Kim Rollims, 64, holds a sign in support of the Hammond Family in front of the Harney County Chamber of Commerce January 27, 2016 in Burns, Oregon. Authorities called January 27, 2016 on anti-government protesters refusing to leave a US federal wildlife reserve in Oregon to ‘move on,’ after a member of the group was killed as police tried to arrest him. The gunmen originally took over the reserve in protest at the jailing of two local ranchers, Dwight Hammond and his son Steven, who were convicted of arson.

President Donald Trump pardoned two Oregon ranchers forced back into prison in 2016 to serve out the rest of the mandatory minimum sentence required under an anti-terrorism law.

“The Hammonds are multi-generation cattle ranchers in Oregon imprisoned in connection with a fire that leaked onto a small portion of neighboring public grazing land,” the White House said in a statement. “The evidence at trial regarding the Hammonds’ responsibility for the fire was conflicting, and the jury acquitted them on most of the charges.

(more)
https://www.bizpacreview.com/2018/07/10/trump-issues-full-pardons-to-oregon-ranchers-forced-back-into-prison-under-anti-terrorism-law-653024

[txradioguy]

President Trump on Tuesday pardoned the father and son ranchers from Oregon whose imprisonment for setting fires on federal land sparked a 41-day takeover of a wildlife refuge in the state.

Trump signed the order granting clemency to 76-year-old Dwight Hammond and his son, Steven Hammond, 49, who were convicted of arson in 2012 for fires that burned on federal land in 2001 and 2006.

Though they served their original sentences for the conviction -- Dwight serving three months, Steven serving one year -- an appellate judge ruled in 2015 that the terms were too short under federal minimum sentencing laws and the Hammonds were resentenced to serve the mandatory minimum. This decision led to the 2016 protests. 

"The Hammonds are multi-generation cattle ranchers in Oregon imprisoned in connection with a fire that leaked onto a small portion of neighboring public grazing land,” the White House said in a statement. â€œThe evidence at trial regarding the Hammonds’ responsibility for the fire was conflicting, and the jury acquitted them on most of the charges.”

The statement added: “Justice is overdue for Dwight and Steven Hammond, both of whom are entirely deserving of these Grants of Executive Clemency.” 

Dwight has so far served about three years in prison and Steven has served about four years. They have also paid $400,000 to the United States to settle a related civil suit.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/07/10/trump-pardons-ranchers-whose-arrests-led-to-armed-occupation-wildlife-refuge.html

[Right_in_Virginia]

Trump signed the order granting clemency to 76-year-old Dwight Hammond and his son, Steven Hammond, 49, who were convicted of arson in 2012 for fires that burned on federal land in 2001 and 2006.

Clemency is mercy ... not a pardon.

[txradioguy]

Good for him.  The BLM was way out of bounds on this if I remember correctly.

[Free Vulcan]

Good for him.  The BLM was way out of bounds on this if I remember correctly.

Very much so, and there were questions whether there was deeper govt corruption going on there.

[txradioguy]

Very much so, and there were questions whether there was deeper govt corruption going on there.

I remember reading the articles on that.  And it wasn't just with the Oregon rancher either.  It went all the way back to the kerfuffle with the Bundy's on their ranch as well.

[darroll]

The feds are geniuses. They ordered us to kill the buck brush. No fire or spray, we had to use chain saws. You counted your legs when you finished.

[RoosGirl]

Is this the same case where the man, whose name I cannot remember, was killed by the FBI in a sort of road ambush?

[Suppressed]

Good for him.  The BLM was way out of bounds on this if I remember correctly.

Yes, both sides were.

[Sanguine]

The feds are geniuses. They ordered us to kill the buck brush. No fire or spray, we had to use chain saws. You counted your legs when you finished.

@darroll, what is buck brush?

[Elderberry]

Ceanothus cuneatus
narrow-leaved buckbrush

Habit: evergreen, round or spreading shrub with gray fuzzy bark when young becoming smooth and gray-brown with age. Branches are thorny, rigid and growing at right angles to the main stem. Leaves are opposite, small and spoon shaped, sometimes slightly toothed at the tip, arranged in clusters they appear to be whorled. Fragrant, small flowers vary from white to occasionally light purple forming dense, round clusters. Fruit is a small 3 lobed round capsule with each lobe minutely horned, fire is required for germination. Blooms in early summer.

Ecology: found from Oregon south into Baja California, in dry locations such as bare mountain slopes, rocky ridges, chaparral woodlands and old streambeds from elevations of 300-4000 ft (90-1200 m).

[roamer_1]

Ceanothus cuneatus
narrow-leaved buckbrush

Habit: evergreen, round or spreading shrub with gray fuzzy bark when young becoming smooth and gray-brown with age. Branches are thorny, rigid and growing at right angles to the main stem. Leaves are opposite, small and spoon shaped, sometimes slightly toothed at the tip, arranged in clusters they appear to be whorled. Fragrant, small flowers vary from white to occasionally light purple forming dense, round clusters. Fruit is a small 3 lobed round capsule with each lobe minutely horned, fire is required for germination. Blooms in early summer.

Ecology: found from Oregon south into Baja California, in dry locations such as bare mountain slopes, rocky ridges, chaparral woodlands and old streambeds from elevations of 300-4000 ft (90-1200 m).

Well, around here that ain't right. Buck brush is any thick, under-story... Too thick to navigate easily. an area of thick bushes, likely to be mostly dogwood around here.

[Elderberry]

The one I truly hate to clear is Cat's Claw.

[Sanguine]

Thanks, @Elderberry.

[darroll]

@darroll, what is buck brush?

It's very invasive. It kills the evergreens (timber) and everything around it.
The Forrest Service fly's over your tree farm and sends you a nasty gram in the mail to remove it.

[Sanguine]

It's very invasive. It kills the evergreens (timber) and everything around it.
The Forrest Service fly's over your tree farm and sends you a nasty gram in the mail to remove it.

Ah.  We have yaupon, mesquite and cedar.  But we can use chainsaws.

[darroll]

This whole thing started with the government trying to punish the (rich) ranchers that used open range for many years to feed their cattle that they paid for. They fenced off the federal lands (government) and threw people that burned brush in jail.
Cutting brush with a chain saw is very dangerous.

[Elderberry]

Ah.  We have yaupon, mesquite and cedar.  But we can use chainsaws.

Cedar is so prolific, a cedar shredder is the only way.

! No longer available

[darroll]

That thing might work on brush.