#OregonStandoff Emails Show Concerns over Actions of Sheriff

On January 15, the 13th day of the armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, things took an interesting turn.

Since the occupation started, law enforcement officials from around the state had, by and large, been unequivocal in their support of Harney County Sheriff David Ward.

The occupation was happening in his county and his fellow sheriffs wanted to let him know that they had his back.

Except, apparently, Sheriff Glenn Palmer from neighboring Grant County.

He had publicly expressed views similar to those of the occupiers and the rumor was that he was offering his support.

On the 15th, the governor’s advisor for natural resource policy, Brett Brownscombe, wrote to senior advisors for the Governor summing up a conversation with Grant County Commissioner Boyd Britton who had several concerns related to Palmer and goings on in the county.

According to Brownscombe, Britton “confirmed that members of the Harney occupation had been to John Day/Grant Co at least twice, including today, meeting with the county sheriff over lunch…He says he is seriously concerned.”

Why was Britton concerned about Palmer, who has since come under investigation by the state agency that licenses law enforcement officers?

According to Brownscombe: “Grant Co. Sheriff Glenn Palmer is potentially highly sympathetic to the occupiers/Bundy message….Commissioner Britton does not know where Sheriff Palmer stands. (He believes that if the Harney occupiers come to Grant Co. and occupy the county courthouse, Forest Service office, etc., it is possible the local sheriff will not enforce the law.”

Brownscombe ends on a prescient note. he writes “there is a lot of open road traveling between Harney and Grant Co. Doesn't it seem like an opportunity for law enforcement to stop (t)he occupiers on their way and make some arrests?”

When, 11 days later, that is exactly what happened, Sheriff Palmer was kept out of the loop.

As recounted in a complaint since filed against him, there was a sense that he could not be trusted.

Sheriff Palmer is now the subject of an investigation by the state department that licenses law enforcement officers.

The email from Brownscombe is one of about 1,000 pages of emails and texts released to Patch and other news organizations in response to public records requests.

GOVERNOR BROWN: LET'S NOT REPEAT MISTAKES

The documents paint a vivid picture of what was going on behind the scenes while the occupation was underway.

Governor Kate Brown, who was forced to publicly remain on the sidelines for much of the 41-day standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, tells Patch that she is now focused not only on helping Harney County heal but also on making sure problems that arose are not repeated.

“I have directed staff to work with Oregon’s Congressional delegation and local officials to assist with moving forward productively to address remaining issues,” she told Patch.

Brown’s spokeswoman, Kristen Grainger, elaborated, pointing out that the Governor believed the interests of Harney County residents were underserved by federal agencies responsible for addressing the situation.

The frustration felt by the governor and her staff is detailed in about 1,000 pages of documents, mostly emails and texts, that were released to Patch and other news organizations in response to public records requests.

Some of that frustration is evident from emails just two days into the occupation.

On Sunday night, January 3, the spokeswoman for the FBI’s Beth Anne Steele, sent out a media release saying the FBI was the lead agency in regards to the situation.

The next morning, White House Spokesman Josh Earnest described the situation as a local matter, saying federal agencies were assisting local law enforcement in dealing with it.

Grainger wrote to the White House, pointing out that Earnest’s comments “contradict” the FBI statement and he needs to correct them because “the error is confusing and otherwise problematic.”

Nearly 15 hours later, the error had still not been corrected, prompting Grainger to once again write the White House.

“Gov. Brown is pretty frustrated about this,” she wrote.

Three hours later, the issue was finally resolved.

THERE WERE SIGNS OF WHAT WAS COMING

Even before the armed takeover of the refuge had occurred, there was a lot of discussion about what to expect and concerns about who would be in charge and what the reaction would be.

On December 29, Judge Steven Grasty from Harney County called the Governor’s Office to express several concerns, including wanting to “make sure the Governor is aware (that something might happen) and that something doesn't go wrong between locals and demonstrators,” according to an email Karmen Fore, the Governor’s Senior Director for Federal/Regional Affairs.

“OSP (Oregon State Police) would respond only in the event of danger to the public,” answered the Governor’s Public Safety Policy Advisor, Heidi Moawad. “They are otherwise not involved.”

And the Governor’s General Counsel, Benjamin Souede, contributed: “Adding for clarity: this outcry relates to a federal criminal case. The State has no role.”

The documents also make it clear that by the time the armed takeover the refuge occurred, the level of tension had been building for months.

In November, Moawad received an email from Cara Shuffle of the Rural Organizing Project, wanting to make her aware of what she referred to as a “series of escalation” of aggression being experienced by a staffer.

This includes: “chatter on facebook/social media pages with vague threats/intimidation tactics, approaching of friends and family” and “vehicle tampered with: loosened lug nuts.”

Cara’s note indicates the worker had been contacted by an FBI agent “who expressed concerned for her safety & security.”

The night of the takeover, things started to move quickly.

Andrew Phelps, director of the state’s Office of Emergency Management, wrote to Moawad and the head of the Oregon National Guard, Major General Michael Stencel, letting them know that he had spoken with Judge Grasty and “he is nervous about the escalation.

“He hasn’t made a request, but may seek additional law enforcement/security resources.”

THE FBI WAS IN CHARGE

By Sunday morning, the FBI was taking over.

Just after 11AM Sunday, the FBI’s Spokeswoman, Beth Anne Steele, said as much in an email to the public information officers for about a dozen agencies.

“I have spent 15 years being very careful about not saying we are the lead, but I don't know any way around it at this point in this particular situation,” she wrote.

With the FBI in charge, the Governor’s Office was being asked to stay in the background.

The Governor’s Spokeswoman, Kristen Grainger, explained the strategy in an email to some in the administration.

“State officials are working with local and federal agencies to respond to the situation,” she wrote. “The Governor’s Office is abiding by law enforcement’s request not to gratify or aggrandize the militia with media attention, hence the low profile.

“This strategy has contributed to the successful resolution of similar situations elsewhere.”

While there was a concerted effort to try and dampen publicity of the situation, the growing media presence and different agencies and officials with different agendas didn’t make things easier.

While the FBI was the lead agency, and they were trying to get elected officials to refrain from commenting, the Bureau was not always getting its way.

On January 5, Steele of the FBI wrote that Harney County Sheriff David Ward was “adamant” that he be the one who communicates with Harney County residents.

And the silence from law enforcement and elected officials was leading some to question the overall strategy.

“We are hearing from multiple sources the Harney County residents’ sentiment is shifting very quickly to a higher degree of sympathy toward the occupation because they feel like their way of life is under siege,” Jim Desmond, director of The Nature Conservancy, wrote on January 14.

“It is very disturbing for them to see ranchers being called welfare cheats and guys in cowboy hats mocked as Y’AlQaeda, dumb hicks, etc.”

Twelve days later, several leaders of the occupation were arrested in a traffic stop.

Robert “LaVoy” Finicum was killed in the incident. In all, 25 people have been indicted so far in connection with the takeover. Prosecutors have said more indictments, with potentially more defendants, are expected.

GOVERNOR FOCUSED ON HEALING

Governor Brown, meanwhile, is trying to stay focused on the future and helping Harney County and its people heal.

“My focus now is on supporting Harney County residents’s efforts to heal and move on,” she told Patch. “In addition to securing $2.5 million recoup costs associated with responding to and managing the occupation, I am working with federal officials to seek reimbursement of the state funding.”

Asked if the Governor would have done anything differently, her spokeswoman, Kristen Grainger said:

“Hard to say at this point. Governor Brown has expressed repeatedly how impressed she is with the courage of the people of Harney County; their determination to stand up for their community and not let the lawbreakers and outsiders dictate the course of their lives and livelihoods."

READ MORE ON THE REFUGE TAKEOVER AND THE BUNDYS

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