Report: Bundy Owes US Gov't More Money Than All Other Ranchers Combined
Source: TPM
CATHERINE THOMPSON JUNE 5, 2014, 3:32 PM EDT
Out of 16,000 ranchers who graze cattle on property managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management, only one reportedly owes more money in late grazing fees than all the others combined -- Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy.
Data from the Bureau of Land Management shows that Bundy owes over $1 million to the federal government for grazing fees he's refused to pay since 1993 combined with separate trespassing fees he began accruing in 1998, Environment & Energy Publishing reported Wednesday. That's significantly more than what 458 other ranchers owe in late grazing bills, which totals up to to $237,000 combined, according to the agency's data. The BLM didn't indicate how many ranchers owed trespassing fees, however.
Bundy won a tense standoff with the BLM in April when he refused to remove his cattle from federal property, citing his family's claim to the land dating back to 1877, and rallied militiamen to his ranch to protect his claim. Court records obtained by local TV station KLAS later shed doubt on Bundy's land rights.
The bulk of Bundy's unpaid fees likely come from trespassing, E&E reported. The standard grazing fees on BLM lands are just $1.35 per cow per month, while a 1998 court order required Bundy to pay a whopping trespass fee of $200 per month per cow. That was later modified to $46 per day that Bundy's livestock continued to graze on federal lands.
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Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cliven-bundy-grazing-fees-ranchers-combined
bigworld
(1,807 posts)Otherwise, what message is their inaction sending to other scofflaws?
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)QuestForSense
(653 posts)I'm sure these two would never admit to having anything in common with Bundy, but they do: colossal arrogance.
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)...for a breast-cup holderer.
- He never looks that heavy in suits when he's testifying to Congress about why we should all Kiss Hank's Ass......
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)csziggy
(34,136 posts)Any time he tries to take any cattle to market, show up with federal marshals and have the checks made out to the BLM.
Swede Atlanta
(3,596 posts)hopefully the gun nut cases will grow tired of manning the roads and will disperse to go home to watch Duck Dynasty and whatever else they watch.
But at some point the government must take action against this asshat and throw him in jail. He can pretend he doesn't recognize the federal government but when they have his tiny nuts in their jumpsuit it will become real for him.
DavidDvorkin
(19,475 posts)I'm sure many of his supporters are the same people who attack the administration for not defending the southern border -- not enforcing the law.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)olddad56
(5,732 posts)sybylla
(8,509 posts)If he were late on property taxes, it would have been sold out from under him years ago. At least it would put a stop to his continued fucking over of the people and everyone else who owes will think twice about what they are doing.
onecaliberal
(32,852 posts)That is after all what would happen to me if I failed to pay money I owed to the government. They would take every last thing I have.
geomon666
(7,512 posts)who have no problem using women and children as human shields protecting your assets? Cause he does, for now.
I'm starting to think the government should fake some event that will draw the armed mouthbreathers away from Bundy's camp, that way we can take this idiot into custody and nobody has to die or be shot at.
olddad56
(5,732 posts)Why not just surround the place and wait them out. Time is on the governments side.
olddad56
(5,732 posts)the government is just gonna blow the money on a hammer or something anyway.
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)VA_Jill
(9,966 posts)surprises you exactly how?
Downwinder
(12,869 posts)from the Sheriff's Office in Florida perhaps they will find time to pay Bundy a visit.
tom_kelly
(959 posts)going on with the armymen out there at the ranch. Are they still playing and junk?
Thor_MN
(11,843 posts)After all, talking to Bundy is negotiating with a terrorist. Why were they not calling for swift action?
JoeyT
(6,785 posts)will back the government off on collecting the fees, I'm sure other ranchers will be trying to catch up in short order.
lark
(23,097 posts)Threatening law enforcement officers with a gun, ringing their cars with gas and threatening to light it, pointing guns at law officials, theft, etc. etc. etc.
WHEN CRABS ROAR
(3,813 posts)Why wasn't his cattle confiscated to pay for back fees?
panader0
(25,816 posts)I tried looking up news about Bundy and saw that he had renounced the Republican party and registered as an Independent.
But no news about his fan club of idiots. Are they still out in this heat?
agentS
(1,325 posts)The Oath Keepers left after being threatened by another militia, which claimed the Oathkeepers were freeloaders and not sharing supplies. And something about a drone strike. Yeah I know; they're nuts.
Other than that, they've been sorta quiet the past 2 weeks. If you go to the top of DU.com, then type in "Bundy Ranch" in the google site search bar, you'll see everything DU members have posted on the guy and his Taliban wannabes. It's a quick way to get caught up on any zaniness you wouldn't find in a standard Google search.
NealK
(1,867 posts)A racist and a thief. Screw him and his braindead followers.
n2doc
(47,953 posts)BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)Every dollar he shirks is a dollar that you and I get taxed in order to cover the cost of managing these lands.
Where are all those voices of "personal responsibility"?
Warpy
(111,255 posts)including his house, his cows, any equipment, etc.
It's been in the upper 90s here in the high desert in NM. It must be getting pretty miserable in those tents chez Bundy. Once the swaggering ninnies with Big Ugly Guns have thrown in the towel and headed home until September, perhaps the government can act.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)blackspade
(10,056 posts)Surrounded by his criminal militia friends.
olddad56
(5,732 posts)until those murders are locked up, this guy is small potatoes.
blackspade
(10,056 posts)agentS
(1,325 posts)Ain't no way he got the money to pay all those fees.
Now let's see; what kind of high-profile jobs can this guy get to pay off his debts?
1) Fox news analyst. I'm sure they need another guy for the old-white-racist-male demographic
2) High stakes poker player. He'll have to place bets in cows at first...
3) Gay-for-pay. There will be interested bidders from many walks of pay.
4) Bestiality-for-pay. Yes, there will be interested bidders for this too.
5) GoldenPalace.com tattoo on his forehead. I think they still do that sorta thing.
6) And finally, the refuge of the damned: Kickstarter.