Instruct: Given a question, retrieve passages that answer the question.
Query: Where did the 2014 Bundy standoff take place?
The 2014 Bundy standoff was an armed confrontation between supporters of cattle rancher Cliven Bundy and law enforcement following a 21-year legal dispute in which the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) obtained court orders directing Bundy to pay over $1 million in withheld grazing fees for Bundy's use of federally-owned land adjacent to Bundy's ranch in southeastern Nevada.
In May 2014, Bundy changed his political affiliation from the Republican party to the Independent American Party.[34]
In an op-ed, Chris Zinda of "The Independent" points out a book co-published by Cliven Bundy, the central figure of a 2014 standoff with the Bureau of Land Management. According to Zinda, it lays out Bundy's motivations behind the standoff, which he describes as "a combination of LDS theology and Skousen constitutional theory".
During a June 3, 2014, radio program Cliven Bundy spoke with a small group of candidates for Clark County sheriff. He did not endorse any candidate, but he said that he did not want a peacemaker in that position. "You gonna be a peacemaker," said Bundy, "you're gonna be on the BLM's side."[102]
Cliven D. Bundy (born April 29, 1946) is an American cattle rancher from Bunkerville, Nevada who was federally incarcerated awaiting a trial with bail denied for his alleged role in the 2014 Bundy standoff. On December 20, 2017, because of prosecutorial misconduct violating the federal Brady rule, his case was declared a mistrial by Judge Gloria Navarro and his charges were dismissed. He vocally advocated a philosophy opposed to what he views as federal government overreach. He initiated the 2014 Bundy Standoff in Nevada, an armed standoff with federal and state law enforcement over defaulted grazing fees. He is the father of Ammon Bundy, who in 2016 also led another armed standoff against the government, the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon.
In the spring of 2014, Bunkerville was the scene of the Bundy standoff, an armed confrontation between protesters and law enforcement over the non-payment of the grazing fees by Cliven Bundy, a local rancher.
About a week after the climax of the standoff, on April 19, 2014, Bundy spoke about witnessing a civil disturbance, the 1965 Watts riots. Bundy described his views about unhappiness at that time and criticized what he saw as government interference and its influence on African Americans. He recalled later seeing a public housing project in North Las Vegas where some of the older residents and the children sat on the porch. He said:
Bundy participated in the 2014 Bundy standoff in Bunkerville, Nevada, in which his father, Cliven Bundy, was the central figure. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) attempted to confiscate Cliven's cattle for grazing on public land for years without a permit.
In September 2016, Ammon and Ryan Bundy (through Ammon's lawyers, Philpot and Marcus Mumford), filed a motion seeking to permit his client to wear "cowboy" attire in court. The U.S. Marshals Service's policy barred the defendants from wearing ties, boots, and belts, for safety reasons. Denying the motion on grounds that this policy is rational and that the Bundys did not show their attire would prejudice their case, Judge Brown said Ammon was "dressed better than most people in the building, period." On October 27, 2016, a jury acquitted seven of the defendants. Five of them were released but Ammon Bundy and his brother Ryan remained in federal custody pending trial on charges related to the 2014 Bundy standoff.
The previous night, Cliven Bundy was arrested for events during the 2014 Bundy standoff, after he flew into Portland to support Fry, Banta, and the Andersons.
Ammon Bundy participated in the Bundy standoff in 2014 and led armed militants in the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in 2016. Bundy was scheduled to speak at the "I Will NOT Comply" event that Seim organized in 2014, but Bundy did not show up.
He is the son of rancher Cliven Bundy, who was the central figure of the 2014 Bundy standoff regarding unpaid grazing fees on federally-owned public land.
Ammon Bundy, who had participated in the Bundy standoff (which arose from a dispute between Bundy's father and the United States Bureau of Land Management), was scheduled to speak at the event, but did not show up.
On the morning of April 12, an armed crowd rallied under a banner that read "Liberty Freedom For God We Stand". Most had signs, many of which chided "government thugs". Addressing the protesters, Bundy said, "We definitely don't recognize [the BLM director's] jurisdiction or authority, his arresting power or policing power in any way" and "We're about ready to take the country over with force!" After the BLM announced a suspension of the roundup, Bundy suggested blocking a highway.[66] Armed protesters blocked a portion of Interstate 15 for more than two hours, causing traffic backups for three miles in both directions.[77] Protesters also converged at the mouth of Gold Butte, the preserve where the cattle were corralled, and a tense, hour-long standoff ensued. BLM rangers warned over loudspeakers that they were prepared to use tear gas.[66] Former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack, who was with the protesters, said that they were "strategizing to put all the women up at the front. If they are going to start shooting, it's going to be women that are going to be televised all across the world getting shot by these rogue federal officers".[16] Protesters with rifles took positions on a highway overpass, seemingly offering cover as horse-mounted wranglers led protesters to face off against heavily equipped BLM rangers and snipers.[66] Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, who officially traveled to the Bundy standoff to convey that Utah did not want the cattle, put the number of federal agents present at over 200.[78] According to Las Vegas assistant sheriff Joe Lombardo, there were 24 BLM rangers and Las Vegas deputy sheriffs present at the standoff.[79] Las Vegas police were not allowed to wear protective gear because of fear that it would be seen as a provocation.[80] Clark County Sheriff Gillespie blames the escalation of the situation on the BLM, stating to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the BLM has lied to him about having a place to take the cattle and the BLM did not attend town-hall meetings and disregarded his advice as County Sheriff.[81]
On February 10, 2016, Cliven Bundy was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at the Portland International Airport while he was on his way to support the Malheur Standoff. He was placed in federal custody, facing federal charges related to his own standoff with the Bureau of Land Management in 2014. His trial was scheduled for 2017. On January 8, 2018, judge Gloria M. Navarro dismissed with prejudice all charges against Cliven Bundy and his sons, criticizing prosecutors for willful violations of defendants' due process rights, including failing to properly turn over evidence to their lawyers.
In 2016, Klayman unsuccessfully applied in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada for permission to represent Cliven Bundy in the criminal case stemming from the 2014 Bundy standoff. Klayman did not formally represent Bundy at his criminal trial, but rather conferred with Bundy and his family members. The judge dismissed the case, the government appealed the dismissal, and Klayman said he would represent Bundy on appeal. Following the dismissal of the federal criminal charges against Bundy, Klayman, on his behalf, sued in state court for a declaration that the federal government cannot own land in Nevada. Klayman also filed a lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of two of Bundy's codefendants who were found not guilty; Klayman filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of Bundy's son, Ryan.
After the BLM announced that it would release the gathered cattle, Bundy demanded that the county sheriff disarm the National Park Service "at Lake Mead and Red Rock park and all other parks where the federal government claims they have jurisdiction over."[90] He requested that the arms be delivered within one hour.[90] Bundy further demanded that county bulldozers or loaders be used to "tear down that entrance places where they ticket us and where they injure us and make us citizens pay their fees."[91] The demands, which he described as a "mandate from we the people",[92] were not met.
About 1,500 Bundy supporters attended a celebration on April 18, where they ate Bundy beef, read cowboy poetry, and wore "domestic terrorist" name tags,[18] referencing a comment made by Nevada Senator Harry Reid.[130] Bundy said he would continue holding a daily news conference.[18]
In April 2014, Thorpe travelled at his own expense to meet with people gathered at Cliven Bundy's ranch in Nevada. During the weekend of his visit, Bundy supporters engaged in an armed standoff with law enforcement officers. Upon returning to Arizona, Thorpe reportedly urged Arizona state legislators to support Cliven Bundy.
Bundy accumulated more than $1 million in unpaid grazing fees and court-ordered fines.[18][19] The Portland Oregonian newspaper reported in May 2014 that the amount that Bundy owed stood in "stark contrast" to the situation in Oregon, where just 45 of the state's roughly 1,100 grazing permit holders collectively owed $18,759 in past-due payments to the BLM, and only two ranchers had unpaid fees more than 60 days past due.[20] Excluding Bundy's unpaid fees, the total of all late grazing fees owed nationwide to the BLM was only $237,000.[21]
After the roundup was suspended, Cliven Bundy received several certified letters from the BLM that he refused to open.[97][98] A BLM spokesperson said that the letters included notices that "provide Mr. Bundy the opportunity to buy back the gathered cattle." The spokesperson did not explain why the agency had sent Bundy notices regarding cattle that had been released to him.[99]
Two people who were briefly at the ranch during the standoff were later involved in a shootout in Las Vegas. Cliven Bundy said that the couple, Jerad and Amanda Miller, had been asked to leave the ranch after a few days because they were "very radical" and did not align themselves with the protest's main issues.[120] According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Jerad and Amanda Miller were two of "perhaps hundreds of thousands" who saw the outcome of the Bundy standoff as "a huge victory against the federal government," which "may have pushed them over the edge."[121] This shooting occurred on June 8, 2014, when Jerad and Amanda Miller killed two Las Vegas police officers and an armed civilian before Amanda Miller took her life. Jerad Miller was fatally wounded and died during a shootout with police.[122] Interior Secretary Sally Jewell reacted to the shootings, saying, "It's very important to bring lawbreakers to justice. ... [Bundy] put our people in grave danger by calling in armed civilians from around the country, and that's not okay." Carol Bundy said, "I have not seen or heard anything from the militia and others who have came to our ranch that would, in any way, make me think they had an intent to kill or harm anyone."[123]
Before the round-up, the Bureau of Land Management contacted state and local authorities.[9] The bureau advised Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto of the agency's proposed actions.[9] Clark County sheriff Doug Gillespie relayed information from the BLM and helped negotiate an end to the standoff.[58] In 2012 and again during the 2014 roundup, the BLM had reportedly offered to buy Bundy's cattle and give him proceeds from their eventual sale. According to Cliven Bundy's son, Ammon Bundy, Gillespie also delivered an offer for the bureau to leave the area and keep the cattle.[9]
On October 27, 2016, Ammon Bundy and six other defendants were found not guilty of conspiracy to impede federal officers and possession of firearms in a federal facility by a jury. One defendant was found not guilty of theft of a government-owned truck, and the jury was hung on charges of theft of surveillance cameras by another defendant. The judge released five of the defendants, but returned Ammon and Ryan Bundy to federal custody because they also face trial related to the 2014 Bundy standoff in Nevada. At the end of the trial, Marcus Mumford, Ammon Bundy's lawyer, argued with the judge that Bundy should be released immediately on the grounds that the court did not have a detainer, and the United States Marshals Service had no document authorizing Bundy's detention. Both of the Bundy brothers had been ordered to be held without bail in January when they were charged. After the judge admonished him for yelling at the bench, six U.S. Marshals surrounded the defense table and then tackled Mumford and tased him when he resisted. A spokesman for the Marshals Service said Mumford was arrested because he "was resisting and preventing Marshals from taking Ammon Bundy out of the courtroom and back into custody." Other lawyers described the Marshals' actions as a sharp break from customary courtroom decorum. On March 13, 2017, federal prosecutors dropped the unusual charges brought against Mumford for his outburst at his client's verdict.
During the April 2014 Bundy standoff, in which the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) attempted to round up cattle belonging to rancher Cliven Bundy, who refused to vacate public land, Jerad Miller was said to have been among the armed protesters who joined Bundy during the incident. According to Bundy's son, Ammon Bundy, the Millers were present during the standoff for a few days, but had been instructed by a militia member to leave due to "their radical beliefs", which did not align with the protest's main issues. They were also instructed to leave because Jerad Miller was a felon in possession of a firearm. Carol Bundy later commented, "I have not seen or heard anything from the militia and others who have came to our ranch that would, in any way, make me think they had an intent to kill or harm anyone."