Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy is suing the federal judge handling his criminal case stemming from an armed standoff with government agents, with a complaint that accuses President Barack Obama, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid and one of Reid’s sons of plotting to steal Bundy’s property.
Bundy lawyer Joel Hansen handed a copy of the lawsuit to U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro in open court in Las Vegas on Tuesday, and he told her that because she’s a named defendant, she should remove herself from Bundy’s case.
The judge responded that case law doesn’t let a defendant create such a conflict.
But Navarro invited Hansen to identify whether her work as a prosecutor in the Clark County district attorney’s office before she was nominated to the federal bench created for her a conflict in the Bundy case. She set a May 25 date to rule whether she’ll step aside.
Hansen said that Navarro is beholden to Reid because the then-Senate Democratic majority leader recommended her for the federal bench. Obama nominated her before she was confirmed by the Senate on a 98-0 vote in May 2010.
The filing of the lawsuit came during a detention hearing at which Hansen, with outspoken conservative attorney Larry Klayman in the audience, argued that Bundy’s constitutional rights are being violated and that charges against the 70-year-old cattleman should be dismissed.
The judge said she’ll decide that question if she remains on the case.
Bundy and 18 other defendants have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, obstruction, weapon, threats and assault charges that could get each the equivalent of life in prison for the tense gunpoint standoff in April 2014 near Bundy’s ranch outside Bunkerville, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
In court, Hansen accused Reid of tainting public opinion against Bundy by branding him a domestic terrorist after the April 2014 standoff, which Hansen alleged followed a Reid order for the federal Bureau of Land Management to round up Bundy cattle from the scenic Gold Butte area near Bundy’s ranch in Bunkerville.
Reid owns property nearby, Hansen said, on which he wants Chinese interests to build a solar power plant. Hansen alleged that Reid’s son, attorney Rory Reid, is negotiating that deal. Rory Reid declined to comment about the lawsuit.
A spokeswoman for Reid and officials at the White House didn’t immediately respond to messages.
Federal prosecutor Steven Myhre dismissed as “outrageous, irrelevant and offensive” the idea that there was “some grand conspiracy by political leaders to take over the land.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
This whole thing is insane!!!!! The Federal govt is out of control and hopefully Trump can reign them in or get rid of them.
Rein them in, not reign them in. Check your dictionary, and you’ll see I’m right. Sister Mary Godzilla (aka Gonzaga) told us that if you don’t use English properly (spelling, punctuation, the correct word, etc.) you will be considered to be untutored. Any point you are trying to make, or argument you are trying to support, will be dismissed. I’m trying to be helpful, and not critical. It is a fact that we are judged by the manner in which we speak. No offense is intended, so please do not take it as such. I’m not perfect either, and I appreciate well intended constructive criticism.
Another of my pet peeves is the now common (and incorrect) use of the word “that” in place of the words “who” and “whom”. Maybe I should get off my high horse, quit wasting my time, and be as “stupit” as those around me. English is a beautiful language, and it bothers me to see people being dumbed down to the level of rappers. Just sayin’.
Jim, Man , I reely want to just smick your pompos ass for tring to correct peoples anglash heir. Every body got the original point and you didn’t need to rain on on her paraide . youde kan now correct all of thse porpose fill spellein errars or youde coud get a real life. Just a thought!!!
Claudia Johnson-
This whole thing is insane!!!!!
i agree; how did the BLM get tyrannical control of land the USG never paid for w/in the borders of a State of the Union, and who authorized them to bear arms against the American People? Any honest reading of the Constitution would find ZERO support for a Federal “Bureau of Land Management,” so it should be stricken from existence entirely…just like many other federal agencies like the Dept. of Education, Dept. of Energy, the BATF, ad nauseum. i personally feel that any Bureau or Agency that can point to NO part of the Supreme Law which would justify their existence should CEASE to exist. Arrogation of powers not delegated is You Surp Ay Shun( u sur pa tion seems to be a word which triggers The Horn’s screening software), which is a High Crime.
The Federal govt is out of control and hopefully Trump can rein them in or get rid of them.
Your lips to God’s ears – and maybe the Trump people, too.
i have to admit that i remain quite skeptical of Trump – after all, he’s IN the 1%, and is likely to favor his co-equals(especially those who helped him in his business endeavors) over your ordinary American. In addition to that, i recently saw a youtube video compilation of clips in which his current positions are totally refuted by the positions he’s taken in the past: e.g. THEN: FOR gun control/confiscation, but now, a 2nd Amendment proponent, or THEN: for universal healthcare, but now, favoring non-mandatory individual health care savings plans.
He’s definitely vulnerable to the “flip-flopping” accusations often quite legitimately leveled at politicians, and no doubt the democrat nominee will hit him there – but, knowing this in advance, i expect him to have a strategy in place. IIRC, when Reagan was accused of the same, he said something like “Yes, i know i contributed to the problem – but that was when i was still a Democrat.”
Jim-
In the Grand Eternal Cosmic Scheme of Things, an extra letter ain’t gonna amount to a hill of beans; sometimes, it’s better to just let it go – or if you must, cut’n’paste their reply to YOUR reply, and correct to your heart’s content – like i did, above. It will make you seem MUCH less pedantic and schoolmarm-ish.
Claudia: I agree with you completely: Many of our elected officials are either “TESTING OUR LAWS’ or purposely attempting to override laws with their High and Mighty attitudes. And forget the spelling critics as it is the message that counts. I truly believe the biggest government shakeup for the Betterment of America is just around the “CORNER’
I’ve read where there’s also illegal acts by the BLM’s in other states.
I believe this comes down to the Iranian Deal, the Clinton Foundation, thr Uranium deals made between (Russia’s)a Uranium Corp -U.S.State Dept.-Bill Clinton- and of course Hillary Clinton.
There’s plenty of (conservative) news articles out confirming it. I think it’s time to vote out every “career dinosaur politician”!
Just so you’ll know, it’s “rein”, not “reign”. Look it up so you won’t be considered to be untutored. Accept it
any way you like, but I’m just trying to
help you.
Oops! I didn’t think the previous reply went through. Sorry for the unintended repeat. “Stupit”, huh?
The government is abusing its power to commit criminal acts, Outside of government. Defending your property from the federal government is legal, When government dictates to landowners and property owners. Who is there to say the federal government has planted drugs on peoples properties to confiscate all possessions that belong to the law abiding citizens. The right to defend the property from tyranny.