burns chronicles nos 1 - 10

8/18/2019 Burns Chronicles Nos 1 - 10

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Burns Chronicles No 1

Introduction

Gary Hunt

Outpost of Freedom

February 2, 2016

This is the first of a series of articles about the events surrounding the investiture of the

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge administration buildings by a group headed by Ammon

Bundy, son of Cliven and Carol Bundy. The Bundys are well known for the events in

Nevada that played out in April 2014. In that incident, the Bundys, along with hundreds of

other patriotic Americans, went beyond "civil disobedience" and entered the realm of "civil

defiance", defying, with arms, the intrusion of the Bureau of Land Management into the

long time operation of the cattle part of the Bundy ranch operation - denying rights thathad existed for years and denying them their pursuit of the family business.

Though this writer only spent five days in Burns, he was able to meet many of the key

players on the side of the patriots, some townspeople from Burns, and some of those who

gathered, on one side or the other, to observe, or attempt to affect, the ongoing activities.

As the world knows, the events neared completion when the motorcade, on a peaceful

mission to a community meeting in John Day, Grant County, Oregon, met the undue wrath

of the federal government, and local and state law enforcement, resulting in the death of

Robert "Lavoy" Finicum and the arrest on rather interesting charges of 11 participants of

the activities at the refuge.

In an effort to be as factual as possible, many witnesses still have to be interviewed to

ensure that what will be written is as factual as possible. Due to the rampant, and most

often unsubstantiated, rumors in social media, those stories that will follow should finally

put to rest many of those false claims.

Every effort will be made to corroborate the factual aspects of these stories, which will

result in each story only "going to press" after exhaustive research and interviews have

been completed.


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Due to the nature of the interdependence of some activities, conjecture may be used to

bridge gaps. This is deemed necessary as the government, at all levels, is notorious for

misrepresentations, omissions, concealing evidence under the guise of "ongoing

investigation", or simply to cover their misdeeds. Absent available facts, though

circumstantial evidence tends to support conclusions of that interdependence, such

conjecture will be appropriately indicated.

If subsequent evidence becomes available, the original article will have an addendum, at

the online site, rather than revision of the original story.

This article can be found on line at Burns Chronicles No1 - Introduction


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Ambush

LaVoy Finicum's last ride

"I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

Gary Hunt

Outpost of Freedom

February 2, 2016

The Death of LaVoy Finicum

Note: Times given are referenced to the aerial time stamps, minus eight hours. Quotations

are based upon the best recollection of the witnesses.

I had lunch with Ammon Bundy while the Sharp family sang. It was the first time I hadmet Ammon, and we went over the articles I intended to write about the events that led up

to the actions of January 2, 2016, with the investiture of the Malheur National Wildlife

Refuge administration complex, since renamed the Harney County Resource Center. The

subjects for the articles were the misunderstanding of the people of Burns as to what source

resulted in the fear and anxiety then extant in the town of Burns, and the information

available in the "public" records contained in the filing cabinets at the refuge that might

show the use of subterfuge in the obtaining of land to extend the federal "ownership", not

only in the Refuge, but throughout Harney County.

Ammon also indicated his pleasure for the upcoming meeting in the Grant County town of

John Day, expecting to get additional support from Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer. As

we discussed, it was to the backdrop of the Sharp family's vary harmonious singing.

I then visited Ryan Payne, an old friend and fellow board member of the Operation Mutual

Defense (OMD) Advisory Board. Ryan, too, was looking forward to a productive meeting

with the Grant County community, hoping to establish a Committee of Safety to become a

voice from the disenfranchised people of that County, as they had in Harney County.


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The meeting was to begin at 6:00 PM on January 26, 2016. The drive, which in that part of

the country, is a rather fixed route. From the Refuge, you go west on Sodhouse Lane to

State Road 208, then North into Burns where you pick up US 395 North, through Malheur

National Forest, through Seneca, and finally to John Day. The trip is just over 130 miles

and is, unquestionably, the only practical way between the two locations.

Vehicle #1, the lead vehicle, LaVoy's white 4-door pickup truck, contained Robert "LaVoy"

Finicum driving, Ryan Payne at shotgun, and, from driver's side to passenger side in the

back seat, Ryan Bundy, Victoria Sharp, and Shawna Cox. Vehicle #2 contained Mark

McConnell, driving his brown 4-door Jeep, with Brian "Budda" Cavalier at shotgun and

Ammon Bundy in the rear. This was the position of all of the people as they left the HCRC,

and the position of each until they left their respective vehicles. Thus, they began their 33-

mile drive to Burns, which resulted in an unexpected and tragic termination.

After leaving Burns, they traveled up US 395 about 15 miles north of the intersection with

US 20. As they passed National Forest Road 2820 (NF 2820) on their right, they noticed a

line of trucks and other vehicles stacked up to enter US 395. There were at least eight

vehicles, rather odd for the middle of a forest. This was about 4:25 PM, and about an hour

out from their destination.

Once those vehicles turned north, the same direction they were traveling, it dawned on

them that this might just not be a coincidence. However, optimistically, they continued on

their way.

Less than a minute later, Vehicle #2 pulled over in response to flashing lights and sirens.

Those who pulled over Vehicle #2 identified themselves as FBI HRT (Hostage Rescue

Team) with a loudspeaker. They then instructed the driver to exit the vehicle and walktoward them, hands on his head. He approached them, he was instructed to lie on the

ground, head away from them, and "low-crawl" back to them, where they disarmed him,

cuffed him and patted him down. The same procedure was then addressed to the man in

the back seat (Ammon), and finally to the man in the front seat (Budda), until all three

were "secured". All three acted without resisting, and fully compliant with the instructions

given. They were then placed on the ground with their backs against one of the FBI

vehicles, where they remained until after those from Vehicle #1 were finally returned to

that area. Ammon's hat and briefcase were still in the Jeep when it was recovered from

impound, two days later

Vehicle #1, realizing that Vehicle #2 was no longer behind them, and not wanting to

separate from and abandon their friends, slowed to a stop just beyond NF 31, about 3/4 mile

from where the ambush began. They were followed by two FBI vehicles that stopped about

40 feet behind them. Ryan Payne then stuck his hands and head out of the passenger side

window and a single shot was fired, striking the truck near the outside rear-view mirror.


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The first shot having been fired, Ryan's concern was for the women who were well within

that line of fire. He exited the truck, hands held about shoulder level, and yelled, "There

are women in here". Seeing the number of guns pointed at him, when the command was

given, "hands on your head. Walk toward us", he complied. He was then searched,

handcuffed, and taken back to where the three from Vehicle #2 were detained, a few

hundred yards behind Vehicle #1.

After Ryan left the vehicle, LaVoy, seeing laser dots around him, and the observers in the

back seat seeing a laser dot directly on LaVoy's hat, he sticks his head and one hand out the

window and yells, "Go ahead and shoot me." He follows that with, "We are going to meet

with the Sheriff [Palmer of Grant County]. We have a meeting with the Sheriff. You are

going to have to shoot me. We are going to see the Sheriff. We are going to see the Sheriff."

LaVoy then turned to the remaining occupants and said, "We are going to see the Sheriff. If

you girls want to get out, then you can." Victoria then replied, "I am not getting out." She

was terrified because Ryan had been shot at.

Shawna, a grandmother herself, was not going to leave a little girl by herself, opted to go

with the flow. So, the three in the back seat slid down, knees against the back of the front

seat, getting their heads as low as possible. In the forest, there was no cell phone service,

so efforts to call out were futile. Shawna, however, had her phone video camera on and was

filming these events, as they happened.

At 4:33:47 PM, LaVoy accelerates and the chase was on. Shawna then asked how far they

would make it before the tires would be shot out. Receiving no answer, she asked, "How far

is it to John Day?" LaVoy replied, "Fifty miles."

Just over a mile up the road, at the end of a left sweeping curve, three vehicles block the

roadway. The roadside has a snow bank about 2-3 feet high. After just about 1 minute of

flight, hoping to get to Sheriff Palmer at John Day, their hopes decelerate as rapidly as

LaVoy's truck before it turns slightly to the left and plows through the snow. As an agent

runs into the path of the truck, LaVoy swerves further to the left, probably to avoid injuring

the agent. The truck comes to its final rest. Although past the vehicles blocking the road to

John Day, the failed momentum of LaVoy's efforts to reach sanctuary with Sheriff Palmer.

Unknown to those in the truck, and those back down the road, an effort was made to warn

them of what was to come.

Victoria and Shawna were last minute passengers in Vehicle #1 because Victoria was late

in preparing for the trip to John Day. Her family had left more than ten minutes ahead of

LaVoy, in that they were scheduled to sing at the Community Meeting, the destination of

all.


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When the Sharp family passed the checkpoint at Seneca, they tried to contact those behind

them, but cell reception was non-existent where these events were unfolding. Any chance

to forewarn them of what they might expect was not able to be conveyed.

Within seconds, LaVoy is out of the truck, hands raised, and observing where the agents

are, walks widely away from the truck and towards its rear to assure that if gunfire begins,that the truck and those inside of it are not in the line of fire.

[Note: A Witness has provided a correction -- that the gunfire started even before LaVoy

got out of the truck. opf ]

The rear seat occupants slowly rise, after LaVoy exits. They are still trying to stay low, but

also to observe, as best they can, what is occurring outside of the vehicle. They see LaVoy,

hands in the air, trying to negotiate deep snow and probably uneven ground, stumbling,

occasionally, probably because he was wearing his narrow cowboy boots.

[Note: Ryan Bundy is recording, verbally, on his cell phone, what is transpiring. ShawnaCox is taking video of the events, as they go down. Neither phone nor camera have been

returned to their owners. opf ]

LaVoy then, probably still attempting to remove the threat from those still in the vehicle,

yells, "Shoot me, just go ahead and shoot me." As he is being shot, he turns back towards

his friends, still in the truck, as if in a final good-bye. Just 13 seconds after LaVoy left the

truck, he falls to the ground, dead. However, his arm does move, slightly, after he lay on

the ground, perhaps as a last gesture to those still inside, perhaps a reflexive reaction.

Note: Second person information from one of the witnesses, indicates that LaVoy was shot

[Note: The witness has provided a correction to the article - that the witness observed atleast three shots that hit LaVoy, though there may have been more. opf ]

Those inside are terrified; they see that LaVoy is shot, while unarmed. In reflection, if

soldiers (or Marines) in Afghanistan, had acted as the agents and shot an unarmed man,

without provocation, would have violated the Rules of Engagement (ROE) of war, and

would have stood Court Martial, then probably imprisoned or discharged from service.

Unfortunately, the ROE do not apply here, in our own "free" country.

At the same time that the gunfire was directed at LaVoy, by two agents clearly aiming at

him, those inside of the truck begin seeing laser dots, perhaps thirty or forty at any given

time, and Ryan Bundy is shot in the shoulder. Bullets begin to pierce the truck; windows

break, impacted by bullets. All hell breaks loose as perhaps hundreds of bullets penetrate

the vehicle or hit the snow, outside, sending clouds of snow into the air. All of the windows

had been broken by gunfire, which was described as "coming from every direction".


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Ryan and Victoria had gotten on their knees, ducking as low as they could while Shawna

remained in the previously described position. They began to wonder if the gunfire would

ever stop, and that eventually they, too, would be killed by the agents.

Laser dots were appearing on knees, seats, all over, inside of the truck and they realized

that other agents had come out from behind trees on the left side, and perhaps the rightside of the road, firing randomly into the truck and surrounding area. Whether through the

grace of God, or simply poor marksmanship, after nearly six minutes, those inside began

yelling, "Stop, stop". Then, gunfire, flash-bang grenades, and tear gas projectiles, ceased.

During this ordeal, Victoria, who had, just finished EMT school, said, "They shot him. I

want to help him", though she was restrained from doing so by Ryan and Shawna. At

eighteen years of age, gentle Victoria had seen war come to her own country.

The right side of the truck had plowed snow, so the occupants were told to exit the left door,

Ryan Bundy, being first, walks, with hands up, onto the paved roadway and is secured.

Next comes Victoria, and finally, Shawna. With no female agents present, Shawna watchedvery closely as an agent simply ran his fingers around Victoria's waistband of her pants.

The three were then detained, but allowed to lean against a van, in an effort to stay warm,

as opposed to those from Vehicle #2, where they were forced to sit on the cold ground.

After a while, Shawna and Victoria were loaded in a van (not sure of the vehicle type) and

driven back to pick up Payne, McConnell, Ammon and Budda. Ryan Bundy was

transported by ambulance back to Burns.

They were detained at that location for what seemed like hours. Ryan Payne, after

learning of LaVoy's death, berated the forty, or so, agents, calling them murderers and thatthey had blood on their hands -- something that those who took over the refuge had

attempted to avoid, since January 2. However, those who had constantly expressed a desire

for a "peaceful resolution" had, finally, drawn first blood in a contemptible act against

American citizens, thereby proving the assertions made by Ammon Bundy throughout the

course of the occupation of the refuge.

Victoria was extremely upset and constantly expressing her outrage over what the

government had done. Mark McConnell, surely upset himself, took it out on Victoria, for

her vocal expressions, until quieted by the others.

Somehow Ammon, when searched, managed to sneak his cell phone past the pat down, and

as they drove towards Burns, the interior lights of the vehicle being left on, was able to call

his wife, Lisa, and began telling her what had happened, including the first outside

knowledge of LaVoy's death. As they approached Burns, the interior lights were turned off,

probably so that those on the street could not see who the occupants were. The glow from

the phone face now showing brightly on Ammon's face. They then stopped, pulled them out

of the vehicle and found the cell phone.


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Next stop was the hospital to check on Ryan Bundy, who still had a bullet in his shoulder,

then on to a rest area west of Burns, where everybody was removed. About the same time,

Ryan Bundy was also delivered to the rest area.

All were given their Miranda Rights, and it is unknown whether anybody answered any

subsequent questions. They were then advised that they were being charged with"conspiracy to impede officers". The document, the Criminal Complaint, must have been

prepared after the arrests were made. A nefarious practice, and probably illegal even by

the standards of justice that were intended by the "due process" concept of law. This is

abundantly clear by the fact that "Robert 'LaVoy' Finicum" is not listed on the Complaint,

for if it were prepared before the arrests were made, his name most surely would have been

included, unless they had already intended to kill him. More logically, the Criminal

Complaint, a requisite for this type of arrest, was prepared after the FBI Special Agent,

Katherine Armstrong, signed the Complaint, and Stacie F. Beckerman, U. S. Magistrate,

signed the document, purportedly in Portland, some 300 miles away by road. Certainly, not

what we should expect from our government.

Finally, all were together, though, then, each was placed in a separate vehicle for transport

to their final destinations. Two vehicles transported Mark McConnell and Victoria Sharp

back to Burns, where they were released. The remainder went in the opposite direction,

presumably directly to Multnomah County Jail.

As far as firearms, one witness said that LaVoy had a 9-mm in his shoulder holster, well

under his armpit, and there is no indication that he reached high enough or deep enough

under his jacket to even get his hand close to it. With the exception of Shawna and

Victoria, all were probably armed, as was the practice. Ryan Bundy appears to have

dropped his firearm into the snow as he exited the vehicle. Mark McConnell had his takenwhen he was "apprehended" at the first stop. LaVoy's well recognized revolver was left

beside the seat when he exited Vehicle #1 to draw fire away from the remaining occupants

of that vehicle.

This article can be found on line at Burns Chronicles No 2 - Ambush

http://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/documents/Burns_doc_14_Redacted_Criminal_Complaint.pdfhttp://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/documents/Burns_doc_14_Redacted_Criminal_Complaint.pdfhttp://outpost-of-freedom.com/blog/?p=1328http://outpost-of-freedom.com/blog/?p=1328http://outpost-of-freedom.com/blog/?p=1328http://outpost-of-freedom.com/blog/?p=1328http://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/documents/Burns_doc_14_Redacted_Criminal_Complaint.pdf


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Operation Mutual Defense (OMD)

Gary Hunt

Outpost of Freedom

February 6, 2016

An understanding of just what Operation Mutual Defense (OMD) is, as the MSM has often

referred to OMD in their articles, but have failed to explain its nature, is now in order. It is

best compared with the Committees of Correspondence, first established in the 1760s, to

communicate between colonial communities, and to request assistance, when warranted. As

the events began unfolding in Harney County, a few months before, the Advisory Board

consisted of five members, with positions available for another two seats. The Advisory

Board structure was intended to ensure that, unlike many patriot appearing organizations,

the leadership is not vested in one person. Instead, a matter before the Board would be

discussed, with various ideas, suggestions, concerns, and other considerations, and then the

majority would determine the viability of a proposed operation.

Any proposal for a call to action was first reviewed and a "brief" prepared, based upon

available information and contact with the individual(s) who were under consideration for a

call to action to afford them protection of Life, Liberty, or Property, if threatened, unjustly,

by a government agency.

If the Board determined that a situation warranted a call to action, then word would be

sent to supporters/volunteers. There are no members of OMD, except the Advisory Board

and a second tier of volunteers who assist in the various "functional disciplines".

Operation Mutual Defense evolved from its predecessor, Operation Mutual Aid, which set

out the initial call up for the Bundy Ranch Affair, back in April 2014. That evolution

resulted in the structure of the Board, as described above.

If an action is initiated by the Advisory Board, a callout would be made via the Operation

Mutual Defense webpage, the Operation Mutual Defense Facebook page, and through the

OMD Mail List where supporters/volunteers would receive notification of any call to, action,

or other pertinent information regarding OMD activities.

Since there are no "members" of Operation Mutual Defense, there is no "command

structure", hence any participation is strictly voluntary. OMD is only the messenger,


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though the process described provides an understanding of the circumstances surrounding

any event, and expectation as to what to expect when volunteers arrive, a point of contact,

and an "Organizational Plan for Militia Response" that explains how command will be

developed, sets up protocols for operations, and other information regarding details as to

expected responsibilities of those participating.

Unlike any other organization, where an individual, or a small group, dictates control over

participants, OMD provides a structure not unlike those used by Militia in both the

Revolutionary War and the Civil War, a "shared command" (historically referred to as

"Council of War"), assurance that bad decisions would be minimized, as all decisions are

made by elected "officers".

This article can be found on line at Burns Chronicles No 3 - Operation Mutual Defense (OMD)


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Stand Up; Stand Down

Gary Hunt

Outpost of Freedom

February 7, 2016

On the morning of January 26, 2016, I traveled to the Harney County Resource Center(HCRC), formerly known as the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, from Burns. I hadarranged to get the necessary information for some articles I intended to write.

When lunchtime came, I went to the mess hall. The Sharp Family had just begun with

one of their songs, and I saw Ammon Bundy sitting with others at a corner table. I walked

up and asked if I could sit at that table, and Ammon, graciously said, "Yes, please sitdown."

I had spoken with Ammon a number of times, in the months prior, though we had never

met. As I introduced myself, I realized that he had been looking forward to our meeting,

as I had.

We discussed the stories I intended to write, and he was fully supportive of the story lines,

especially the one that would be about the people of Burns and their reactions to certain

events, both in and out of town.

Before I left, the Sharps began another song. I had heard audio tapes of their singing

during the Bundy Affair, but they didn't compare to the live performance I heard that day.

After lunch, I located Ryan Payne. We had spent over a week together in November

finishing a PowerPoint Presentation for Committees of Safety (CoS). This presentation

had been used to explain the concept of CoS to some of the residents of Harney County.

They then formed their own Harney County Committee of Safety.

I gave Ryan an inscribed copy of a biography of Robert E. Lee, which now still sits where

he placed it. I had also forgotten to bring long johns, and needed some bottoms. Ryan

went to the storeroom and retrieved a pair, explaining that they were from the delivery

made through III Percent Patriots, just a few weeks before.

Both Ammon and Ryan had expressed their interest in the upcoming meeting at John

Day, Grant County, and another meeting with Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer. Little

did we know, then, what was soon to come.


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I returned to my room in Burns and began writing. About an hour later, I received a

phone call that reported that there had been a shooting and that LaVoy Finicum and Ryan

(later to learn it was Ryan Bundy, not Ryan Payne) had been shot. About 15 minutes

later, after some confirmation of the shooting, I headed back down to the HCRC.Realizing that most of the leadership at the HCRC was traveling to Grant County, and

recognizing that it was imperative that some additional forces might be necessary to

retain the public lands open to the public, I picked up my role of Public Relations for OMD.

We had previously discussed and approved a call out to bolster the efforts at the HCRC.

We felt there was time to prepare a call out, but suddenly, that call out becameimperative.

I contacted my team (not a part of OMD, rather some wonderful, unpaid, people that

assist me in research, audio/video editing, and other mundane tasks) and began dictating

a call out, as I drove the thirty-three miles to the HCRC. Though not properly proofread,

it was prepared and the remaining requirement was to get affirmation from those at theHCRC -- that they wanted their forces supplemented.

Upon my arrival, I found a number of team leaders and other higher-level members

discussing the shooting, the determination to hold their ground, and a refusal to accept

orders from outside. It seems that a lot of people calling the individuals tried to talk them

into abandoning their mission. I asked if they wanted a call out, and to a man, they said,

"Yes". So, I instructed my team to spread that dictated call out around the Internet. Itwas sent out at 7:56 PM PST, January 26, 2016:

From Gary Hunt, Outpost of Freedom in Burns, Oregon.

Attention all Oathkeepers, Idaho Three Percenters, Pacific Patriots Network, especially Brandon

Curtis, Joe Rice, Eric Parker, and Stewart Rhodes.

This is a call-out to the membership of Operational Mutual Defense (OMD) and friends.

You have an obligation to proceed to the Harney County Resource Center (the wildlife refuge),

immediately, in order to protect the patriots still there. If you fail to arrive, you will demonstrate

by your own actions that your previous statements to defend life, liberty, and property were

false.

To members of Operation Mutual Defense, this is an emergency. The purpose of Operation

Mutual Defense is to respond to overbearing actions by the federal government that has

become threatening to life, liberty, or property. Lavoy Finicum has been murdered by the FBI,

and Ryan Payne [Bundy] has been shot.

They were en route to a meeting where had been invited by the Grant County sheriff to address

the citizens in Grant County, a peaceful mission.

The time for all good men to come to the aid of their country has come -- to the Harvey County

Resource Center, which is 30 miles south of Burns, Oregon.


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Stand by your oath. God Bless America.

You will note that it was directed at certain organizations present in Burns since January2, or earlier. Though we didn't know what the government's next step would be, time was

of the essence. There were a number of members of those organizations just 30 miles

away, and they were absolutely necessary if the HCRC was to be held. They were present

in order to discourage a "Waco type" raid, according to all of their public statements.

In my haste to get to the HCRC, I had failed to take my computer. I had mail lists that

went to upwards of 800 people, and getting the call out to them was imperative. The "hot

spot" at the refuge was no longer active, but efforts were being made to get it

reestablished, so I opted to return to Burns to get my computer. When I returned to

HCRC, I learned that women and children, as well as many of the men, especially from

those organizations, had left. However, there was hope that they would soon be replaced

by some of those who had been staying in town.

I had stopped at the bridge on Sodhouse Lane (the road to the HCRC) where a front-end

loader had been placed on the bridge to prohibit traffic. Jason Patrick was there, as was a

wonderful "young" lady named Barbara Berg. I found that the hotspot had not been

restored, so I decided to wait in the press area (west of the bridge) and assist Jason in

coordinating interviews with the various press. This task ended up going until about 7:45

the morning of the 27th.

Shortly before, a press crew had come in and said that a roadblock had been set up on SR

205, the direct route to Burns and the last of the available roads out from the area. They

had been told that once you go out, you could not return.

At about 7:45, a lady from ABC called the press together and explained that she had

received a call from the FBI. They had told her that there were "armed forces" on eachside of us, and that the FBI could not provide for anyone's safety, unless they left the area.

About that time, a friend called and said that she had been told that I would be

assassinated when I left. I knew that the government did not like my writing, but I

shrugged off the warning. However, that message remained in my mind and created a bitof apprehension.

I had intended to go to the Narrows (restaurant, store, and campground) about six miles

west and cover what I could from there. Instead, I decided that I might be better off returning to Burns, though I was still a bit anxious about the message. I determined toplace discretion ahead of valor, and return to Burns.

I asked one of the press members who I had spoken with, before, if I could leave with him

so that there was someone present if the rumor were true. He said that he could notethically do so, but informed me that he would be leaving shortly.

Most of the press proceeded to the Narrows, where he and I also went. When he was

ready to leave, I pulled out behind him. At the stop sign, he remained conspicuously

longer than necessary, so I pulled around him as he nodded at me.


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As I approached the checkpoint, I saw that the woman in front of me had gotten out of her

car, held up her hands, and walked toward the motioning agent. I was behind her about

50 feet, where the first stop was implemented. I removed my bulky jacket, not wanting to

appear to have any place in which to hide weapons.

Finally, her car was driven forward by an agent, and I was motioned to the next stop. I

arrived with head and hands out the window, except to the extent that I had to steer the

truck. I then exited, walked across the road, then forward, hands raised, to the awaiting

agent. I was patted down, asked my name, did I have weapons, and showed identification.

He asked if I was press, I told him yes, he asked for my press credentials, I told him theywere on the dashboard of my truck. Another agent verified that they were there.

Then, on to what was referred to as "Clearance #1", where I was again questioned. By

then, I was shivering; perhaps both from cold and apprehension, and the agent asked if I

wanted a coat out of the truck. I affirmed, and as the agent drove my truck by, I was ableto retrieve both coat and hat.

My truck, again, left me, and I was escorted up to "Clearance #2", where I stood and

talked with the agent. He was from the mid-west, and I asked him where he was staying.

He said he had just arrived and immediately went on duty.

Finally, he received a report that I had passed clearance at #2, and I was allowed to go tomy truck and drive up to "Clearance #3".

At #3, I found that the agent was from "up north", and had not stayed in Burns. So, it

appears that they were deployed from their home bases directly to duty. This would

explain why there were so few battle dressed agents staying in Burns or at the airport.

While waiting for my final clearance, the reporter behind me was passed through, drove

around me and up the road. About 600 feet up, he stopped, and both he and his partner

got out and took pictures, showing that I was still alive at Clearance #3, and the last of the

checkpoints.

However, his passing me was a cause for apprehension. This was heightened when the

next vehicle behind him was cleared and drove by me. I had been at #3 for almost twenty

minutes, when I was finally cleared when he repeated what had been transmitted through

his radio, "White hat is cleared", and allowed to continue on toward Burns. A total of fifty

minutes, filled with rising anxiety, and finally relief.

I had agreed to an interview with a reporter, in exchange for lunch, but first, I had to

attend a press conference at eleven o'clock. After the press conference, we did the

interview, and I returned to my room and a mountain of phone calls. After returning the

calls, I was finally able to, after 34 hours, lie down and get some sleep.

When I awoke, I found that nobody had shown up at the HCRC to bolster the force, and

even worse, that more had left. Concerned that many might be driving toward Burns, and

not sure how long the few remaining there (down from the 8 or 9 that had been there at

last report), I realized that circumstances, as they were, could not be improved by


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additional people arriving, with no place to report to, and the final door being shut. That

12-hour window when people could easily enter the area was closed. So a stand down wasin order. I sent out the following at 9:21 PM PST January 27, 2016.

From Gary Hunt, Outpost of Freedom

In Burns, Oregon

Based on existing circumstance, support is too late, and would be dangerous, or at least result

in your arrest if you attempted to get into the Refuge.

As I left the Refuge, this morning, troops were still arriving, according to those I talked with were

arriving from various points as far east as Iowa, and further north. They appeared to have been

staged at their home bases until they deployed directly to their field assignments. My estimateof perimeter troop strength would be 200-300, and one of these that I spoke with explained that

he was "external perimeter"; they had even developed a protective perimeter concept, so that

there were two lines that had to be overcome to gain entry.

At this point any effort to provide support for those inside by joining them would serve no useful

purpose, and would be a fool's errand.

OMD is currently working with others to establish a foundation upon which to build, so

that the work begun in freeing public lands can be completed.

This article can be found at Burns Chronicles No 4 - Stand Up; Stand Down


16/41


The Burns Community

Gary Hunt

Outpost of Freedom

February 8, 2016

I arrived in Burns, Oregon on Sunday evening, January 24. After checking into the Silver

Spur Motel, I drove down to the Refuge. At the gate (a truck blocking the roadway into the

building complex), I was questioned. I mentioned both Ryan Payne and Ammon Bundy, as

they both knew that I was coming up to write some articles about subjects peripheral to the

story that was currently hitting the news, social media, and anywhere a listener or reader

could be found. Unlike Waco, where fax networking was the patriots’ media, this modern

age has made information access a whole new world. I was more interested in the back

stories than what was readily available.

After a few radio calls, I was escorted down to the Admin building, then directed to MOB

(Militia Operational Base), where I found Ryan. I was welcomed, warmly, and assured that

access would be less difficult, in the future. It was mid-evening, so I returned to Burns and

got a good night's sleep.

I had picked up an ATT phone on the way up, but was unable to "initiate" it, so the next

morning, having learned that only Verizon service is available at the newly named Harney

County Resource Center (HCRC), I went to the local Verizon store and purchased a phone

and a month's worth of unlimited calls.

While waiting for nearly an hour to get my phone, another man that was waiting for service

went outside to have a cigarette. I joined him and asked if I could interview him regarding

what was happening in Burns. He agreed, so I got my recording out of the truck, and began

my first, and only recorded, interview. His name is Chuck, and he had lived in and around

Burns for over forty years. He drives a truck for a living.

When asked what he thought about what was going on down at the Refuge, he said, "I think those guys

are on the right track."

What about what is going on here in Burns? "I stopped at the airport yesterday and got treated like I was

flying the ISIS flag, when I drove up there."


17/41

Same thing when I went to the Courthouse. All I wanted to do was talk to a state cop. I had a horse

missing. I had guys pointing guns at me; FBI agents pointing guns at me. I said, 'Guys, I'm not packing'.

They wouldn't back off. You probably won't print this, but they are a bunch of assholes. They need to back

off from treating us locals like we're gonna shoot them... I don't want to be treated like an outlaw just

because I live in this town."

I asked him about the influx of Oregon State Police and the Sheriff's deputies from other counties. He

said, "They need to go home. I don't want to be paying these federal agents and all these extra County

Sheriffs and all of the State Police, when those guys out there are on the right track. All they need to do is

go out and talk to them. We just don't need them."

I asked him if he believed that the federal government ever gave in, once they had made up their mind.

He answered, “I don't think so. If the jerk-off in the White House would just release the Hammonds, like

he has done with all of the drug dealers and all the other federal prisoners -- just sign a pardon. All they

did is light a fire to protect their ranch. Just sign a pardon and let them go. This would all settle down."

What about the aspect that those at the Refuge want the land to go back to the people? "I think that is

where it ought to be. Not only in the Refuge, but in the Forest Service, and the BLM. I go out here and try

to ride my 4-wheeler, I can't. Cause every time I jump my 4-wheeler out of the back... Here's the BLM cop

telling me he's gonna write me a ticket; because I'm going to ride me 4-wheeler on public land.”

You've seen the signs that say, 'Enjoy Your Public Lands', haven't you? "No, no, not in this county. I've

seen them. They're bullshit. You wanna camp, you have to camp in one of their campgrounds that you

gotta pay them to camp in. Then, they come and harass you. You can't go to the woods anymore, cause

they burned all the timber off, so now they got it all blocked off so they can do their experiments, or

whatever the hell they are doing up there."

Did they burn some timberland here, in Harney County? "Oh, hell yea. They let the first get away, andthen they come in and build backfires twenty miles away from the fire that was going. And, the two fires

never, ever, got together. Thousands of acres have been destroyed by the Forest Service. One time, they

brought in firefighters out of Georgia and they went out and built backfires along the roads, twenty miles

from the original fire. They didn't even fight the fire. And, they burned all of the timber off. I think they

burned the timber off because they don't want any logging. It's not job security for these loggers to go out

and log it. If they log it, we don't have wild fires. We used to log this country and keep that timber thinned

out and moved back, and the brush was kept down. Them loggers would replant, but they never clear cut.

They go out and selective cut after the Forest Service marked the trees they wanted out. And, they would

go out and they would cut them, drag 'em out, knock the brush down. We didn't have fires. Now, we

don't have loggers, but we got fires everywhere; All the time.”

He continued, "There was a big fire out here towards John Day. It burned all of that country off, cause it

hadn't been burned in fifty years. The Forest Service just won't sell the timber. If they won't sell the

timber, the loggers can't have it. What's the Forest Service got to do with selling timber? They don't own

those trees. It belongs to us. They won't sell the timber. The timber revenue used to pay for our schools.

There is no timber sold, anymore. There ain't no logging goes on here. The mill is shut down, it's gone.”

What do you know about ranching and cattle?

"I know a little bit about it. Most of the ranchers around here, they deal with them, because they have to.

I've lived here my whole life. I like to take my 4-wheeler out and ride. And, I can't, anymore. That's what's

got me siding with the guys at the Refuge. The Forest Service and the BLM are the gardeners that we


18/41

hired to take care of our garden. They are not the law enforcement, they don't own it. And, they need to

quit telling me what to do on our property. They should just go out there and tend to our trees, go out

there and tend to our water holes, make sure that grass is growing, and shut the hell up.

“It's really not just my 4-wheeler, it's that they think they own it. Many years ago, the first Forest Service

cop I saw, she was in the county parade. She's riding a horse and all Ramboed up; guns, tazers, all the

Rambo BS, and she's setting on a horse, and I asked her, what the hell does the Forest Service have that's

worth shooting somebody over. And, she says, 'Well, I have to protect myself.' So, I said, 'Well, if you

weren't an asshole when you walked up to someone in the woods, you wouldn't need protection. You

wouldn't need a gun to protect yourself. If you walked up to someone who was cutting a tree down, to

burn in their house, and you weren't a jerk about it, you wouldn't need protection, you wouldn't need a

gun.

“It's like these jerks up here. You know, treating me like I'm an outlaw walking up to the Courthouse.

That's my Courthouse up there. I paid for that Courthouse and the Sheriff's Office. I can't even go to the

Sheriff's Office. Can't get anywheres close to it. I pay that guy's wages. I pay for his building, I pay for his

heat, we pay for all of that. But, we can't go up there, because that idiot FBI agent has got it all

surrounded. They challenge me with automatic weapons. They've got it surrounded up there. You can go

to the Courthouse, but you got to get through FBI agents to get into the Courthouse. The Sheriff's Office is

right behind it, but you can't go to the Sheriff's Office. That's my Sheriff, and I had a horse out. I went to

the Sheriff's Office to see if see if I could just get somebody on patrol to just watch out for it. State cops,

and the Sheriff's deputies. I wanted to talk with the State Police, but I had to have the cop come outside

of the barricades to talk to me because I couldn't go inside of the barricades to talk to him. A cop that I'm

paying for. It's horseshit, it is all horseshit!”

What about Judge Grasty? "He needs to be in the Sheriff's jail. I don't know him all that well. I know who

he is.”

I did interview others, though more informally. At restaurants, standing in line at the

Safeway, and a couple of them just stopping someone on the street.

The interview with Chuck is consistent with most of what I heard. There were some

common aspects, as everybody I interviewed had no problem with what was happening 30

miles away, whether they agreed with what they were doing, or not. Thirty miles distance

had no effect on the Burns community, except a little additional business, such as more

outsiders in the motel and at the local diners.

Their concerns, apprehension, and "fear", as expressed by Sheriff Ward, had nothing to dowith those at the Refuge. There was concern over the FBI and multitude of Sheriff's

deputies from other counties coming into their community, setting up barricades, and

otherwise the presence of so many law enforcement people in town. However, the greater

concern seemed to be the number of people walking around their otherwise peaceful

community, armed. These would be those who professed to keep things peaceful, and avoid

another "Waco" at the Refuge, while arrogantly walking the streets, almost like the

gunfighters of the past, though holstering automatic pistols instead of Six-guns.


19/41

Though both sides blamed the peaceful occupants of the Refuge, they chose to impose upon

the community rather than direct their efforts at what they claimed to be the problem, or

those to be protected.

When I asked if they had been to the Refuge, most answered that they already had, or that

they intended to go down and meet the people that were standing up for their rights.

This article can be found on line at Burns Chronicles No 5 - The Burns Community


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Burns Chronicles No 6 - Is There a Peaceful Solution?

Gary Hunt

Outpost of Freedom

February 09, 2016

I have heard professed patriots, such as Melvin Lee (especially, beginning at the 19:27

mark), on behalf of Pacific Patriot Network (PPN), claiming that what was accomplished by

Ammon Bundy and others was wrong, that there is a peaceful way to achieve what they

were trying to achieve. When what Ammon did is compared with our own history, they

argue that there was no Constitution then, but there is one now, and we must abide by it.

So, let's set the record straight by starting with the Constitution. There was an English

Constitution, however, it was a compilation of acts and court decisions, beginning with the

Magna Carta, and insuring the "Rights of Englishmen". It was the Crown's refusal to

recognize the rights of the colonists, as they were enjoyed in England that led to the

Revolution.

Our Constitution is written in a single document, with amendments in addition to the

original. However, the Supreme Court will not pass on the constitutionality of a matter

before it "unless absolutely necessary to a decision of the case". In other words, only as a

last resort. This was explained to the country in a 1936 Supreme Court decision,

Ashwander v. T.V.A.

Lee also claims that there is a peaceful solution, suggesting demonstrating, petitioning

politicians, etc. Well, those are fine words; however, they are nothing more than words.

But, I don't want you to take my word for it. I think that the best source would be a person,

Representative Greg Walden, who had firsthand knowledge of the abuse by the

administrative agencies, even though an act of the Congress was passed to set some rigid

rules against such abuse. If our lawmakers pass a law and the agencies ignore, or

circumvent, the law, perhaps you can explain to me just how a peaceful resolution can be

achieved. Listen to the entirety of his Speech on the Floor of the House of Representatives

(Published January 8, 2016 - 24 minutes).

So, what can we do to change things, peacefully? To get government back to being the

servant rather than the master? I have read the OathKeepers post where they are trying to

get Ammon and his people to leave. They suggest that a "lateral move" to another, friendly,


21/41

county, would solve the problem. Well, it surely would have gotten them off the Refuge.

And, we heard both the Sheriff and the FBI constantly touting that they were seeking a

"peaceful resolution", but, then, we have the aerial footage showing just how that turned

out for LaVoy Finicum, Ryan Bundy, and the others who are currently facing 6 years of

"peaceful" solitude.

Surely, had Ammon done so, they would have gone directly into the hands of the feds, or

ended up being murdered, as happened to LaVoy Finicum on the 26th. So, words, whether

from the feds, law enforcement, or professed patriots, mean nothing. Only actions speak

loud enough to generate the attention, and the support of other freedom loving Americans.

Consider, too, that we have passed the point of even thinking that words, unless backed up

by the threat of defensive force, are worth any more than the words of those who are

destroying our country, and those who seem to, under the guise of "patriotism", support

those deceptive words.

This article can be found on line at Burns Chronicles No 6 - Is There a Peaceful Solution?


22/41


23/41

When I told Pete that I was trying to reach Brandon, he said, "just a minute", and he

handed his phone to Brandon. Brandon was cordial in the first part of the discussion,

though he was rather assertive. "Any militia that come to Burns are under my command",

he said. That sounded like a sort of militia martial law, and Brandon, with 8 or 9 years of

law enforcement experience, but no military experience, has taken command. But, then, I

knew this was the "prime directive" when I called for Brandon. He also claimed to have

secured forty acres for camping purpose, directly across from the Refuge, though I found out

later that it was directly across from the Narrows, about six miles from the Refuge.

Perhaps he "secured" it, or perhaps it was a fantasy, as he did not even know where it was.

I had been directed by the OMD-AB to ascertain whether, if Brandon decided to order

everyone to go home, would he release those who came under the OMD banner? For him to

understand what this question was being posed, seeking a solution, I prefaced it with the

"drop guns" concern.

Can I say that I was surprised when he "dropped the phone and ran"? Well, I wasn't as

surprised as I might have been, since the first few minutes on the phone, I was mostly

listening, while Brandon appeared to want to both ask and answer his question as well as

the reason for my call.

Pete, endeavoring to get patriots to work together, reestablished communications by having

Brandon call me. This time, however, it sounded as if we were on speakerphone, and

additional parties were present, including Eric Parker and Brooke Agresta.

I tried to explain that I am old school, and when you seek a solution, you must understandthe problem. I don't believe that they ever fully digested that thought, as they spent quite a

few minutes berating me, telling me what I said, which is not what I said, since I didn't

have the opportunity, and finally concluded with Brooke telling me that she would destroy

me in the patriot community if I didn't do something (I don't recall what) in the next three

minutes, as she spoke for the next two minutes and then hung the phone up.

Well, that discussion didn't go to well, so I had to find an alternative for those who didn't

want to risk the possible consequences of staying inside of the HCRC. That, however,

would have to be put off to another day.

That was my first 'introduction' to Brandon Curtiss, though his name had come up earlier.

In a report given by Ryan Payne to an OMD-AB special meeting, November 19, nearly two

months before the above incident, Ryan Payne explained some circumstances surrounding

the meetings held with both the Hammonds and Sheriff Ward. The report, though second

hand, bears out what subsequent events tend to substantiate. The pertinent part of the

report can be heard in this 12: 30 - clip, Ryan Payne speaking.

The foundation for subsequent activities by PPN, Idaho III%, and to some degree,

OathKeepers, is clearly established.


24/41

My next dealing with Brandon Curtiss occurred on January 28, two days after the murder

of LaVoy Finicum. Due to the arrests made during the Ambush, I no longer had access to

people and information that were necessary to what I intended to write. Though my room

was booked for another night, I had decided to return home where I am accustomed to

writing. So, I began loading my truck for the return journey.

The evening before, I had written a call out (explained in Stand Up; Stand Down). In that

call out, I had recognized the necessity of an immediate response, and that response would

have to come from the Harney County area, to be effective. What it said in part, was:

"Attention all Oathkeepers, Idaho Three Percenters, Pacific Patriots Network, especially Brandon Curtiss,

Joe Rice, Eric Parker, and Stewart Rhodes.

. . .

You have an obligation to proceed to the Harney County Resource Center (the wildlife refuge),immediately, in order to protect the patriots still there. If you fail to arrive, you will demonstrate by your

own actions that your previous statements to defend life, liberty, and property were false.

As I was carrying some things to the truck, a man walked up to me. I recognized him as

Curtiss, and I noticed that there were 4 other men with him, all in their twenties or

thirties, and 3 of them quite husky. Brandon introduced himself, and as is my habit, I

extended my hand. He replied that he would not shake my hand and then accused me of

calling him a coward. Now, the circumstances didn't warrant, in most cases, my attention

to exact words, however, my reply was something along the lines that I did not call him a

coward, only his action, or lack thereof, would make that determination.

One of the, let me call them, "goons", was taking video with his phone, so there exists a

record of these dealings. So, if I am in error, let them come forward with the entire video.

As I continued to go to the room and return to the truck to load it, Eric Parker challenged

me, as well. They tried to block my passage, and I had to walk around them. At one point,

I was putting things in the back seat (4-door) and when I turned around, Curtiss had

blocked as much of the area between the door and bed of the truck as he could block. There

is no doubt that he wanted me to "push" my way through, and then claim that I had

assaulted him. However, I turned sideways and managed to slide out and go about my

business.

During the course of my coming and going from the room, I called the manager and asked

him to call the cops; that I was being threatened and harassed. It might seem ironic to

some that I ended up calling the cops on someone who spent 8 or 9 years as a cop, but why

not give him a taste of his own medicine?

While the harassment continued, and threats were being made, I heard a voice from behind

me saying, "Leave him alone!" One of the beefier goons went up and faced this rather short,

wiry guy. When I glanced back over that way, a few seconds later, the goon had decided not

to take on the little guy.


25/41

The manager walked by and told me that he had finally gotten through to the police. Just a

minute or so later, Brandon offered me his hand. I told him that he had his chance, and

chose not to take it. At about the same time, the little guy said, quite loudly, "Don't do it",

meaning don't shake his hand. I was really beginning to like this guy.

When I had the truck nearly loaded, I went over to see who this supporter was. I asked him

if I knew him. He simply replied, "Wolf". He explained that he was a friend of KC Massey,

and it struck me that I had interviewed him when I did the story of the shooting by the BPS

agent. I couldn't recall, at that time what his real name was, and now that I do, I think I'll

just leave it at "Wolf".

He told me that he had been asked to go to Burns to protect me, though he refused to say

who gave him those instructions. So, that will remain a mystery to both the reader, and me

but it was nice to know that someone, besides my family, was concerned for my safety.

While still talking with Wolf, the police finally arrived. I explained what had occurred to

the officer. In the meantime, another patriot that I had met the night before had been

watching from the second floor balcony, and he came down and joined us. Both he and Wolf

confirmed what I told the cop.

Meanwhile, other cops were interrogating Brandon and the goons, so that head cop, the one

that I had spoken to, went over to put the pieces together. Soon, he returned and said,

"Everything has been taken care of. You have nothing to worry about. If there is a

problem, call us and we well be here, right away." I thanked him and wished him a good

day.

Meanwhile, the second floor patriot was joined by his girlfriend. I offered to take all to

breakfast, but Wolf decided it would be his treat. We went to a local truck stop and had a

great breakfast, and a wonderful conversation between real patriots.

Interestingly, my dealings with Brandon Curtiss were not over. On February 4, just after

11:00 AM, I received a Facebook PM from him. It started out, "All bullshit aside with our

differences, I am not planning on storming any barricades. That would be insane. This is

getting spun up and out of control."

This led to a rather extended PM exchange, and a phone call (identified in the PM), that ledto what I thought would be a resolution of our differences and beginning to work together.

It had to do with a conversation that I had earlier with someone who contacted me as he

was traveling to Oregon.

The post in question, which will also appear in the PMs, states that PPN "will march

through the barricades and through the FBI." This information was passed on as

unconfirmed, but would be necessary for the person to get to the Narrows and be prepared

to bring those who were not affiliated with PPN to join them, if it were true.


26/41

My team continued to track the source of that information in an effort to confirm, or deny,

the "information". It had become quite apparent that many absurd stories had been

circulating, by that time.

At 11:03 AM, February 4, I get a Facebook PM from Brandon Curtiss.

At 11:27 AM, begins the explanation as to what had occurred, and what the OMD position

was in the matter. To aid the four inside (Fry, 2 Andersons & Banta), we wanted to see if

we could get them some relief so that we could be sure of "holding the fort" long enough to

put out a general call, hoping for many more to come to Burns to assist in keeping the

public lands open to the public.


27/41

At 11:32, I suggest that we begin working together. Brandon agreed. Then, I indicate what

the OMD position is, that we need the relief to get in to the Refuge.

At about 12:30 Brandon wanted to go telephonic. Not yet being sure that I could rely on

what he said, based upon the previous experience, I recorded the call. A timeline to keyparts of the conversation follows:

0:24 - 4:00: Explanation of how we can hold the ground. Brandon builds obstacle to

discourage any real action. Then, he explains that he got a call from Oregon State Police

(OSP) -- based upon what he had sent me (in PM at 11:18 AM). So, I have to wonder why

they called him. They didn't call me, though I appear to be an instigator. Does Brandon

have some special relationship with the OSP? Did they call him to get him to thwart any

action that might provide relief to those inside?


28/41

5:06 - 7:50: He suggests that this would be a "point of no return". Darn, someday, if we

want constitutional government restored, there will be a "point of no return". He thinks

that we would need a thousand "well trained patriots". To form the battle line that has

been suggested would only require discipline. If we cannot get our country back without

"well trained patriots", then we just might as well put our hands behind our backs and back

up to the nearest FBI agent. That is nothing more than an obstacle, really, an obstruction -

- which has little merit. When you have to fight, you fight with what you have. Patriots

have been training for many years. Do we train into oblivion? However, I continued to

discuss a tactic that has been presented, as that tactic would be both unanticipated and

difficult to defend against.

8:29 - 9:00: Brandon talks about the call outs that they have done. Those call outs will be

discussed, elsewhere, but they have been absent any show of force, rather, they are

intended to just get people to Burns and let them be a burden on the town (See The Burns

Community). Quite frankly, what he had, and continues to call for, has hurt far more than

it helped those in the Refuge. He then states that those who had come to Burns, and the

Refuge, scattered after LaVoy was shot. The cause and effect of that reaction is discussed

in "Stand Up; Stand Down", and there were persistent phone calls and text messages, from

PPN, to those inside, to abandon their positions. This resulted in only 8 or 9 defenders by

the next morning.

9:01 - 10:29: Discussion of passive and active support. Brandon seems to prefer passive

(demonstrations), though he is Idaho III% (III% is the John Adams estimate of how many

colonists FOUGHT, like with muskets, against the British). This is also the differencebetween Civil Disobedience, which might get you arrested, and Civil Defiance, which is

defying the presumed authority with arms, as at the Bundy Ranch in April 2014. Then, he

mentions LaVoy, and says that he doesn't "want anyone else losing their life." So, now we

step into the world of "peaceful resolution". That was the mantra of the FBI, Sheriff Ward,

Judge Grasty, and, apparently, PPN, Idaho III%, and the OathKeepers.

13:40 - 16:40: Brandon explains that he spoke with Ammon and Ryan about letting them

(Brandon) know when they were going to be "out and about" so they could be "over watch

and scouting around". So, they (Brandon) took a lot of hits since they weren't there (at the

shooting). However, the run into town has no good place for an ambush. It is wide open.

Now, if someone wanted to provide "over watch and scouting around", there was no reason

for Brandon to drop that mission, since he should have known that the road to Grant

County went through the Malheur National Forest, with plenty of trees, rolling country,

and many curves -- ideal for an ambush. As far as not being notified, the meeting in John

Day was well advertised as much as a week, or more, before that fateful day. However, it is

probably much easier to be sitting in a restaurant, enjoying a meal paid for by contributions

made to support the operation, than to take the initiative and scout the route. If they had

done so, it is quite apparent that the ambush location was established at least a day before,

when branches were cut from trees to facilitate firing positions, snowmobile tracks, and the


29/41

entire ambush area prepared, and probably quite obvious, at least to someone who could

"scout" an area -- before, not after, the fact.

18:25 - 19:10: Brandon has both numbers and was going to give them to B. J. Soper,

presumably to let him know that we are "working together".

21:44 - 22:04: Here, Brandon includes the FBI, along with OSP, as having contacted him.

Why they have so much faith in getting answers from Brandon is a matter for speculation,

at this point.

22:32 - 23:22: Brandon says, "Well, we will work through it. It's okay. And the, by all of us

coming to gather, and then working together, it just makes us stronger".... We then, finally,

"shook hands", over the phone -- that is the honorable thing that real men do. Then, he

says, "This is what we all need to be doing, working together and building our network, you

know, larger."

So, we end the conversation with what should be a good and honorable working

relationship.

On the morning of February 5, I discovered that, without notifying me, nor having received

that call that Soper was supposed to have made to me, the "Call to Action" at the blockade

had been changed to a demonstration at the site of LaVoy's murder. Though I don't have

the original message that I received that morning, the following is the wording from

pacificpatriotsnetwork.com:

So, what had been discussed (above) was simply tossed out the window, the location

changed, and raises the question as to the sincerity of Brandon Curtiss, as we have learned

to expect from government officials.

My comment, with regard to this "working together", then continues the PM conversation.

Needless to say, Brandon Curtiss' true colors were amply demonstrated, not only by this

most recent episode, but not in the least, inconsistent with what was reported by Ryan

Payne, Brandon's asserting authority over any militia that came to Burns, his abrupt

rudeness and unwillingness to talk in the early conversations, and finally, this attempt to

obtain information, suggest that he was honorable, and then assigning the responsibility,

not on himself, as leader of Idaho III% and PPN, but on Soper, who was probably neverinformed of the telephone conversation and the agreement to work together.

This article can be found on line at Burns Chronicles No 7 - What is Brandon Curtiss


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Active Patriots v. Passive Patriots

image © 2016 Militia News

Gary Hunt

Outpost of Freedom

February 16, 2016

"...As to the history of the revolution, my ideas may be peculiar, perhaps singular. What do we mean by

revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution' it was only an effect and consequence of it. The

revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760 to 1775, in the course of fifteen

years, before a drop of blood was drawn at Lexington. The records of the thirteen legislatures, the

pamphlets, newspapers in all the colonies ought to be consulted during that period, to ascertain the steps

by which the public opinion was enlightened and informed concerning the authority of parliament over the

colonies".

John Adams to Thomas Jefferson August 24, 1815.

I believe that Adams's description of the Revolution, being the period in which the populace

transitioned from faith in government to distrust of government, is probably appropriate for

the 18th century as well as today.

Since Ruby Ridge, Idaho and Waco, Texas, we have seen a very substantial change in the

attitude of large portions of our people, with regard to the government. The recent murder

of LaVoy Finicum, with the full knowledge that those who murdered him will have absolute

and complete protection from the government, is indicative of that distrust. The question,however, is not about that distrust, rather, which of us are truly Patriots, and which are

only pretend patriots?

There was a transition, 241 years ago, where those who were loyal to the Crown and

presumed that they would never fight against their government, found a moment in time

had come to decide as to whether to maintain that obedience to the government, or take up

arms against it.

On April 19, 1775, that time had come. Those within a reasonable distance of Lexington

and Concord, thousands of them, picked up their arms and ventured out into the beginning


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of a struggle that would last for another six years. They left home and family, not knowing

if they would ever return. They crossed the line, not because of what had happened to

them, but rather what had happened to their neighbors, many of them from other colonies.

As word spread through the other colonies, many thought the problem was only between

Massachusetts and the Crown. In time, they realized that the violation of the British

Constitution and the loss of their "Rights of Englishmen" were in jeopardy, just as in

Massachusetts. They, then, chose their course. They became Active Patriots.

The passive patriots that had not bought or drunk tea were split. Some became Active

Patriots, while others remained passive patriots, throughout the Revolutionary War.

We are at that point in our history where we are facing quite similar circumstances. Some

have already become Active Patriots, while others, though appearing to be active patriots,

are, in fact, passive patriots, or worse.

The passive patriot simply needs to sit back and watch the world go by. Perhaps he might

express support for the Active Patriots, or for their cause, or even make contributions to

that cause, financially, or otherwise. But at best, he is a sideline supporter. Some might be

more active by participating in interim forms of government, such as Committees of Safety.

Some of those passive patriots went to Burns, Oregon, recently. They were willing to

demonstrate, carry signs, sound off in public meetings, and show support for those Active

Patriots who had taken a step in Civil Defiance by opening the Malheur National Wildlife

Refuge administration area to the public.

Of course, the Active Patriots went armed; the Second Amendment does provide for the

"security of a free State", which they had declared the Refuge to be. However, they made

clear that the arms were solely for self-defense, and those who had the opportunity to visit

the Refuge during these events found that the people inside were peaceful, unoffending,

and courteous to all who visited them. They were not the haughty bureaucrats who

normally occupied those buildings. And, those who visited them, without nefarious

thoughts on their minds, were clearly passive patriots.

Now, there is a third side to this equation. We don't find them in the historical context.

But, we find them in proliferation in our current era of "revolution". These are the onesthat would have traveled to Concord to discourage colonists from firing on the Redcoats,

diverted them to another activity (perhaps carrying signs or pitchforks), or perhaps even

have told the British what the Active Patriots were up to.

Today, however, they are comprised of people who want to take charge; they want to control

the situation; they may even want to help save the lives of Active Patriots by convincing

them to submit to arrest. And, they will tell others that they were simply trying to avoid

any bloodshed -- even after blood had been shed. Let's refer to them as false patriots. (See

The Burns Community)


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Those who went to Concord knew that blood was to be shed. The idea is to shed the blood of

the enemy, and endeavor to keep your own from being shed, however, that consequence was

a part of the effort.

During the course of events in Burns, there were many who contacted me, and others,

asking whether the time had come. These were Active Patriots, simply waiting for that day

we all know was coming, but not wanting to simply go to an event (Sugar Pine Mine;

Montana Big Sky Mine) and camp out, away from family and digging into their own purses

to act out a role. They really wanted to know if the British had fired on colonists, and if the

colonists were going to fire back.

Some went to Burns. Some remain, and some have since left. They were insufficient in

number to have any effect, because the false patriots had done everything that they could to

divert as many as possible in the wrong direction.

If others are ready to go to a barricade and protest, or possibly for other purposes, they

might divert them to over fifty miles away in a gesture of sympathy for a life lost. So, let's

look at the three, and put them in rather simple terms.

Active Patriot -- One who is ready and willing to take up arms, regardless of costs, affect on

family, or fortune, and is committed to the cause to that extent. These would properly be

considered the real III% that are willing to take up arms.

Passive patriots -- These are those who will go to varying extent to support the Active

Patriot, by any number of means. They are the support every army needs, and they do so,

willingly. Often, their activities might put their lives at risk, but that is inconsequential to

the completion the efforts that they have begun. Time and money are their primary

contributions. These are the Supporters of the III%.

Finally, we come to the false patriot. His actions tend to support the enemy, whether

through disruption, diversion, intelligence gathering (frequent communication with the

enemy), and often the attempt to discredit or ridicule those who are of the other classes.

These people are not patriots; rather, they are, in fact, simply false. In years past, they

would be referred to as "culture vultures" or "patriots for profit", if their concern wasprimarily their monetary gain. However, others might be more accurately defined as

"snitches", "informants", "spies", or worse.

Since we have progressed from Civil Disobedience, where one might get arrested and spend

a few hours or days in jail, to Civil Defiance, where we stand, firmly, against the enemy,

and endeavor to turn the continued encroachment of our rights, then we can fully expect

that the time will come, soon, in which the line is drawn and the point of no return has been

reached. It behooves us to identify which role our neighbors will take. If they are to be

Active Patriots, or passive patriots, then we are in need of both. However, if they are false


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patriots, then they need to be excluded from any aspect, no matter how mundane, of our

work. They need to be expelled from our community, for they serve no useful purpose,

except that purpose which serves the enemy.

This article can be found on line at Burns Chronicles No 8 - Active Patriots v. Passive Patriots


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Civil Defiance or Submission?

Gary Hunt

Outpost of Freedom

February 18, 2016

"But that it was clear that no act they [the state legislature] could pass, could by any means repeal or alter

the constitution, because if they could do this, they would at the same instant of time destroy their own

existence as a legislature and dissolve the government thereby established."

Bayard v. Singleton, 1 N.C. 42 (1787) [North Carolina Supreme Court]

The unfortunate circumstances of January 26, 2016, which resulted in the death of LaVoy

Finicum and the arrest of Ammon Bundy, Ryan Payne, Ryan Bundy, and Brian Cavalier

was a blow to an effort to expose the dishonesty of the federal government in its pursuit of

acquiring land belonging to ranchers in Oregon.

In fact, the story behind what happened in Burns, Oregon actually goes much further. Ithad begun to show the underbelly of the beast we call the US government, its failure in

obedience to the Constitution, the very document that created it, and its failure to abide by

established judicial "due process of law". Perhaps most significant is its absolute disregard

for human life, and especially so if that life is of one who believes in the Constitution.

Now, many have said that what was happening at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

was of no concern to them. Some have said, "We (the militia) are here to protect our state.

What happens in Oregon is not our concern." And, they are right, but only to an extent.

In the hours that followed the events at Lexington Green and Concord, in Massachusetts

Bay Colony, Militia from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York, marched on dirt roads

to come to the aid of those from another colony. Within days, many more colonies had sent

their forces to join those surrounding Boston. Of course, it was not their concern, though

they did realize what had happened in Massachusetts would, eventfully, happen in their

own backyards.

Many have stated that their greatest concern is that the government will come to take their

guns, and that will be the time to act. However, they fail to respond to the slow and

meticulous erosion of the Second Amendment, constantly progressing, bit by bit. But, they

still have their guns, so there is nothing to worry about.


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However, just a week after the Indictments were issued in Oregon, a Grand Jury in Nevada

issued Indictments against five people who were involved in events at the Bundy Ranch, in

Nevada, in April 2014, nearly two years prior.

Both acts, Nevada and Oregon, were acts of Civil Defiance. Let's be clear about that term.

Civil Disobedience is a term applicable to participating in something that might result in

ones arrest, or perhaps being assaulted by law enforcement. These activities are conducted

with the hope of political change. They are, at best, inconveniences.

Civil Defiance, however, is an act in real defiance against unlawful authority. Whether

firearms are used actively, or passively, there is no doubt that Civil Defiance has the

possibility for not just incarceration, but death.

During the Bundy Ranch affair, hundreds of armed patriots stood defiant against the

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees and contractors who were trying to arrest

cattle for grazing on public lands. The patriot weapons were simply for self-defense, fully in

compliance with the Second Amendment. BLM was the aggressor, with force of arms and a

"judge's edict".

In Oregon, once again, the patriots' arms were for self-defense, fully in compliance with the

Second Amendment. There is no instance of those at the Refuge, or away from the Refuge,

ever threatening or intimidating anyone. In fact, they had a policy to let anyone venture

into the occupied area, without threat, or harm. Their arms were for self-defense.

The government, in this instance, under the control of the FBI, was the aggressor, however,unlike Nevada, the aggressor chose to shoot and kill LaVoy Finicum. As can be clearly seen

in the aerial footage, Mr. Finicum never had a gun in his hand. He was lured into an

ambush and shot. He had no opportunity to defend himself, even if he had been armed.

Quite simply, the government that he was exposing murdered him.

So, let's put a little perspective on things. Whether you are in Massachusetts, Nevada,

Oregon, or elsewhere, what you have been reading about is your future, as much as those

who have been directly affected by those events. To "reason" that "it didn't happen to me"

is both acceptance of the legitimacy of the government's proven practice, and submission to

it. When it finally gets to you, those who had more courage than you, have already been

taken by the forces of government, either to prison, or to the cemetery.

If you cannot stand up for your fellow patriots, and instead, make excuses as to why you did

not come to their aid, whether by location or disagreement of purpose, then you have

submitted, and you can clearly see your own future.

I was asked the question "Is there anything that we can do about this?" After some

thought, I realized that the Indictment from Nevada was a message that the government is

in the process of taking control. This raises the question as to whether we can back them

down. If more of us begin standing up by occupying federally owned facilities, like the


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Is There a Peaceful Solution?

Redux

Representative Greg Walden

Gary HuntOutpost of Freedom

February 22, 2016

In a previous article, "Is There a Peaceful Solution?", I included a link to a video. Based upon a

number of comments, it appears that many decided not to watch the video, instead filling in the

answers, for themselves. They continue to assume that there is a peaceful solution to the problems

that we are facing in dealing with the federal government.

Understand that Representative Walden spoke to the House of Representatives on January 5, 2016, just 3

days after the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was occupied, though the occupation had nothing to do with

being "armed"; and the day after Dwight and Steven Hammond turned themselves over to the Bureau of

Prisons, at San Pedro, California -- to serve the harsh sentence imposed by the Appellate Court, not by the

trial court.

I have underlined the more significant portions of what Rep. Walden had to say, so that you can fully

understand that the administrative agencies tend to ignore the laws enacted in accordance with the

Constitution, by that branch that has the sole authority to enact laws. The specific wording of that provision

of the Constitution:

Article I, Section 1:

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States,

which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives .

For those who believe that there is a peaceful solution, I can only ask, "Just how do you propose to achieve

that solution, when the laws are ignored by the government, when they choose, and misapplied (as in the

Hammond case) when they choose?"

* * *

Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues are aware of the situation in Harney County, Oregon, where a group of armed

protesters have overtaken a Federal facility in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

This group is led largely by people who are not necessarily from Oregon, although they obviously have supporters from

Oregon. They were originally there to protest the sentencing of Dwight and Steve Hammond.

I know the Hammonds. I have known them for probably close to 20 years. They are longtime, responsible ranchers in

Harney County. They have been sentenced to prison not once, but now twice. I will get into that in a moment.

The point I want to make at the outset is for people in this Chamber to understand what drives people to do what is

happening tonight in Harney County.


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I have had the great honor and privilege to represent Harney County for a number of years. I have seen the impact of

Federal policies from the Clinton administration to the Obama administration. I have seen what happens when overzealous

bureaucrats and agencies go beyond the law and clamp down on people. I have seen what courts have done. I have seen

the time for Congress to act and then it has not.

I want to put this area in perspective because I think it is really important to understand how big this region is. By size,my congressional district in Oregon is something like the seventh or eighth biggest in the Congress. If you overlaid it over

the east coast, it would start in the Atlantic and end in Ohio.

The county where this occupation is taking place--Harney County--is over 10,000 square miles. There are 7,000 souls

inhabiting it. If my math is right, that is one person for every 1.4 miles. One person for every 1.4 miles.

Just this one county is 10 times the size of Rhode Island. It is larger than the State of Maryland. And 72 percent of it is

under the command and control of the Federal Government.

It is the public's land. That is true. But what people don't understand is the culture, the lifestyl

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