Crook and Deschutes Counties

The Prineville-Redmond area of Crook County and northwest Deschutes County are hotbeds for Patriot movement activity in Oregon, revolving around three intertwined local groups. The Central Oregon Constitutional Guard (COCG) is a militia-style group that is a member of the Pacific Patriots Network, while the Central Oregon Patriots (COP) is a more moderate group that has overlapped with the county’s Republican Party; additionally, the local chapter of the Oath Keepers has cross-membership with both groups.

Central Oregon Patriots

The Central Oregon Patriots is an influential local political organization in Prineville, in Crook County. The group’s politics are similar to the Patriot movement, although its tactics are more mainstream; the group says its “genesis” was in a September 2009 Tea Party march.⁽¹⁾“Our History,” Central Oregon Patriots PAC, https://web.archive.org/web/20160212180928/www.copatriots.org. The Central Oregon Patriots is also an independent affiliate of the Western Liberty Network, along with the Bend Patriots, the Liberators (see box, p. 80), and a number of Tea Party groups.⁽²⁾“WLN Independent Affiliates—OREGON,” Western Liberty Network, http://wlnexecdir.wix.com/wstlbtnet?ref=hl – !affiliates/cfvg. The Central Oregon Patriots has had two well-known leaders: Ken Taylor and Craig Brookhart.

Ken Taylor is the former chair of the Central Oregon Patriots, and, until August 2016, the co-coordinator of the Central Oregon Oath Keepers. He was also the Crook County Republican Party Chair, and, until he submitted his resignation in July 2016, the treasurer and budget chairman for the Oregon Republican Party. Taylor was an early supporter of the Harney County Committee of Safety, and recorded Ammon Bundy’s December 15, 2015 meeting, when it was formed.⁽³⁾Taylor has been identified as both the Central Oregon Patriots co-organizer and chair at different times. See “Ken Taylor,” LinkedIn page, www.linkedin.com/in/ken-taylor-59b24719; Jason Chaney, “Candidate forums slate is set,” Central Oregonian, April 26, 2016, http://pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/303547-181464-candidate-forums-slate-is-set. As of September 13, 2016, he was still listed as the treasurer and budget chair of the state GOP, as well as the chair of the Crook County GOP; see “Crook County,” Oregon Republican Party, www.oregonrepublicanparty.org/CrookCounty, “Executive Committee,” Oregon Republican Party, www.oregonrepublicanparty.org/executives. However, in an email, Taylor says he is no longer the chair of either the Central Oregon Patriots or the Crook County GOP; that he has submitted his resignation to the state GOP for treasurer and budget chair in July 2016; and that, although he is still listed as the Central Oregon Oath Keepers co-coordinator, he is resigning in August 2016. Email to author, August 8, 2016. Ammon Bundy pointed out during the original Harney County Committee of Safety meeting that Taylor was the person filming it. See “Harney County Town Hall #2 Dec 15, 2015,” YouTube video, 1:16:35, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” December 17, 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF2c6UYRdE0&feature=youtu.be; see 1:12:15. Taylor confirmed this in his email.

The day before the Malheur occupation, a number of prominent Oregon Patriot movement members discussed a possible scenario: What if the Harney County Committee of Safety asked the Patriot movement paramilitaries (including the Bundys) to leave, and they refused? This is exactly what happened later. Participants include Ken Taylor (Central Oregon Patriots), Jeff Roberts and David Samuel Hill (Oregon III%), and BJ Soper (COCG).

Craig Brookhart is the former chair of both the Central Oregon Patriots and the Crook County Natural Resources Political Action Committee (CCNR-PAC), as well as the former secretary of the Crook County Republican Party.⁽⁴⁾Craig Brookhart, telephone conversation with author, July 29, 2016.

The Central Oregon Patriots is mainly focused on electoral politics; the organization formed a PAC in 2012 called the Central Oregon Patriots Political Action Committee (COP-PAC). As of August 2016, the Central Oregon Patriots chair is Tom Case.⁽⁵⁾Ibid. In the May 2016 primary race, it donated to three Crook County Commission or Judge candidates: Brookhart, Jodie Fleck, and Pete Sharp.⁽⁶⁾Central Oregon Patriots Political Action Committee, Campaign Finance Activity, Oregon Secretary of State, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/cneSearch.do?cneSearchButtonName=search&cneSearchFilerCommitteeId=15872. In the last year the Central Oregon Patriots has hosted community discussions, including ones about a new jail, and a controversial meeting regarding the tax assessor. Hundreds of local residents came to their January 2016 discussion about the proposed new Ochoco Mountains National Recreation Area (OMNRA) to voice opposition to the plan, and the commission has denounced it.⁽⁷⁾Kevin Sperl, “Patriots hosting local jail forums,” Central Oregonian, March 5, 2015, http://portlandtribune.com/ceo/162-news/252319-121196-patriots-hosting-local-jail-forums; Jason Chaney, “Patriots to host property tax forum,” Central Oregonian, November 6, 2015, http://pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/280351-155673-patriots-to-host-property-tax-forum; Jason Chaney, “Tax forum enjoys large turnout,” Central Oregonian, November 17, 2015, http://portlandtribune.com/ceo/162-news/281632-156789-tax-forum-enjoys-large-turnout; “Citizens Town Hall—Ochoco Mountains National Recreation Area,” Facebook event for December 10, 2015, www.facebook.com/events/527034360792809; Pedro Quintana, “Crook County residents speak, leaders reject proposed recreation area,” KTVZ.COM, January 22 (updated January 25), 2016, www.ktvz.com/news/crook-county-residents-speak-leaders-reject-proposed-wilderness/37568818; Jennifer Wade, “Prineville councilors join Crook Co. in rejecting rec area proposal,” KTVZ.COM, January 27 (updated January 28), 2016, www.ktvz.com/news/hundreds-gather-in-prineville-oppose-rec-area-proposal/37660430.

Out of the recreation area discussions, the Crook County Natural Resources Political Action Committee (CCNR-PAC) was founded.⁽⁸⁾Jason Chaney, “Citizens to form local natural resource plan,” Central Oregonian, February 2, 2016, http://pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/291526-167892-citizens-to-form-local-natural-resource-plan. Originally chaired by Craig Brookhart, the position passed to Jodie Fleck in June 2016.⁽⁹⁾Craig Brookhart, telephone conversation with author, July 29, 2016. Following what appears to be a typical Hard Right “coordination” strategy to assert local control in federal lands, CCNR-PAC developed a land use plan, and has asked the county commission pass a coordination resolution and to adopt the plan. It quickly won the support of at least one County Commissioner, Seth Crawford, who—according to the minutes from a public meeting—believes it will mean that federal “agencies would be forced to follow our plan.”⁽¹⁰⁾Minutes of Crook County Court, Regular Session, “Discussion of Natural Resource Planning,” Crook County, Oregon, February 3, 2016, 8, http://co.crook.or.us/Portals/0/minutes February 3 2016.pdf. (Later Commissioner Ken Fahlgren and Judge Mike McCabe also voiced support, but eventually voted against it.⁽¹¹⁾Amanda Peacher, “Crook County Leaders Unexpectedly Table Natural Resource Plan,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, July 20, 2016, www.opb.org/news/article/crook-county-leaders-table-natural-resource-plan.)

On February 20, 2016, CCNR-PAC brought Baker County Commission Chair Bill Harvey to Prineville to give a seminar on coordination.⁽¹²⁾“Public Presentation: ‘Coordination’,” Facebook event for February 20, 2015, www.facebook.com/events/945547642203123. Videos of the presentation are available as well: “Coordination meeting #1,” YouTube video, 57:41, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” March 4, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iSxfkIalHA; “Coordination meeting #2,” YouTube video, 57:36, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” March 4, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHpPuPtMaoo; “Coordination meeting #3,” YouTube video, 24:45, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” March 4, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN39G—-rpc. CCNR-PAC then gave a 63-page natural resources plan to the county court to adopt.⁽¹³⁾Crook County Natural Resources Political Action Committee, Crook County Oregon Natural Resources Plan, Revision 011D.1, 2016, www.ccnr-pac.org/plan/off-CCNR_PAC_Natural Resources Plan_r011D.1.pdf. However, at a July 20, 2016 meeting, the county attorney said it could lead to legal challenges. In August 2016, the CCNR-PAC ‘s plan was rejected by a vote of the county court.⁽¹⁴⁾Amanda Peacher, “Crook County Leaders Unexpectedly Table Natural Resource Plan,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, July 20, 2016, www.opb.org/news/article/crook-county-leaders-table-natural-resource-plan; Amanda Peacher, “Crook County Rejects Controversial Natural Resources Plan,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, August 30, 2016, www.opb.org/news/article/crook-county-rejects-natural-resource-plan. COP has also asked that the closed Rager Ranger Station be transferred from the Forest Service to the county government so that it can reopen it.⁽¹⁵⁾Jason Chaney, “Reopening rager?,” Central Oregonian, April 1, 2016, www.pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/300202-177778-reopening-rager

In the May 2016 primary, three candidates associated with COP ran for county positions. Brookhart ran for Crook County Judge—a position that, like in Harney County, is roughly equivalent to a county commission chair—and came in third with 1,611 votes (21.4 percent). Central Oregon Patriots member Pete Sharp also ran for Crook County commission; he received 1,071 votes (14.9 percent), coming in third place. Jodie Fleck, the former treasurer of the COP-PAC, ran for the same commission seat as Sharp, coming in fourth with 689 votes (9.6 percent).⁽¹⁶⁾“Crook County, Oregon, Primary Election, May 17, 2016,” Crook County Oregon, June 2, 2016, 7, www.co.crook.or.us/Portals/0/Clerk/2016 Primary Results Final.pdf. For Sharp as a COP member, see Jason Chaney, “Sharp joins county commissioner race,” Central Oregonian, December 4, 2015, www.pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/284047-159397-sharp-joins-county-commissioner-race. For Fleck as a COP-PAC treasurer, see “Persons Associated with Committee, Central Oregon Patriots Political Action Committee, 10/26/2012 to 03/08/2013,” Oregon Secretary of State, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/sooDetail.do?sooRsn=66762.

Central Oregon Constitutional Guard

The Central Oregon Constitutional Guard (COCG), a Pacific Patriots Network member group, was founded in April 2014.⁽¹⁷⁾BJ Soper, Facebook post, April 2015. Screenshot in possession of author. The group is unusual in that is, at least in part, compromised of twelve families.⁽¹⁸⁾Tyler Leeds, “For area conservatives, Burns frustrations resonate, Bulletin (Bend, OR), January 10, 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3888438-153/for-area-conservatives-burns-frustrations-resonate – . Its leader, BJ Soper of Redmond, was at the Sugar Pine Mine and White Hope Mine actions, and was one of the main organizers of the initial January 2, 2016 march in Burns in support of the Hammonds.

Flyer for the January 2, 2016 march in Burns, Oregon— “Sponsored by Oregon III% and B.J. Soper”—to support the Hammond family. Ammon Bundy and other gunmen left the march to take over the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

COCG members did “security” at the February 9, 2015 anti-SB 941 rally, where Soper also spoke.⁽¹⁹⁾Taylor W. Anderson, “Gun backers make it to Salem—before gun control bills do,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), February 10, 2015, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/2867910-151/gun-rights-protesters-beat-gun-control-bills-to-the; “7th speaker BJ Soper w/ Central Oregon Constitutional Guard,” YouTube video, 6:31, posted by “FuYing Bro,” February 13, 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVXs7LE8N7k&list=PLLhowYEoSpzs_e5GayuAy7C2jNQOHJ2Ys&index=7. Soper also organized another anti-SB 941 protest along the Bend parkway in April 2015. See Taylor W. Anderson, “All sides argue over gun control bill,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), April 2, 2015, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3030244-151/all-sides-argue-over-gun-control-bill. Soper and the COCG were involved in the Sugar Pine Mine action in April 2015.⁽²⁰⁾BJ Soper, Facebook post, May 2015. Screenshot in possession of author. In June 2015, he declared himself to be a Sovereign Citizen on social media.⁽²¹⁾BJ Soper, Facebook post, June 2015. Screenshot in possession of author. Around the same time, COCG also participated in the Adopt-A-Highway program.⁽²²⁾Tyler Leeds, “For area conservatives, Burns frustrations resonate, Bulletin (Bend, OR), January 10, 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3888438-153/for-area-conservatives-burns-frustrations-resonate – .

BJ Soper (COCG) declares himself a Sovereign Citizen.

The COCG—along with Oath Keepers, Southern Oregon Constitutional Guard, and a group of Sugar Pine miners—were part of a Grants Pass Memorial Day weekend parade in 2015, called the Boatnik Parade.⁽²³⁾“Join Us in the Boatnik Parade with Oath Keepers of Josephine County, Oregon,” MeetUp event for May 23, 2015, www.meetup.com/Oath-Keepers-Oregon/events/222652949; photo of “Sugar Pine Mine Owners” float at parade, Facebook post, May 2015. Screenshot in possession of author. On July 9, 2015, a new Central Oregon Oath Keepers group held its first meeting in Redmond. Originally Soper was the group’s Coordinator, but in September 2015 Kathleen Brady and Central Oregon Patriot’s Ken Taylor took over as co-coordinators.⁽²⁴⁾Oath Keepers of Central Oregon, Facebook page, September 22, 2015, www.facebook.com/OKCentralOregon/posts/893402937400909. See comment by Kathleen Brady. Taylor said he resigned in August 2016; email to author, August 8, 2016. In July and August, the Oath Keepers participated in the “Protect the Protectors” action at the Bend recruiting station; both Soper and Taylor participated.⁽²⁵⁾Lauren Martinez, “‘Oath Keepers’ stand guard at Bend military recruiting center,” KTVZ.COM, July 27 (updated July 28), 2015, www.ktvz.com/news/oath-keepers-stand-guard-at-bend-military-recruiting-center/34390958.

Soper spent the end of 2015 planning the January 2, 2016 Burns demonstration, and spoke at it. (Oregon III% Vice President Jeff Roberts said, “BJ Soper is sponsoring this rally with me and is closely connected with the COS” [Committee of Safety].)⁽²⁶⁾Jeff Roberts, Facebook comment, December 2015. Screenshot in possession of author. When a Patriot movement caravan left from Bend on the morning of January 2 to join the march in Burns, it was met by a counterprotest organized by the Rural Organizing Project.⁽²⁷⁾“Bend convoy to Burns, counter-protest,” KTVZ.COM, January 2, 2016, www.ktvz.com/news/bend-convoy-to-burns-counter-protest/37239592.

Soper was upset that the Bundys’ occupation of the Malheur refuge ruined months of planning and attempts to cultivate support from the community’s residents. He told a local paper, “Not only was the community’s trust hijacked by what happened, but mine was.”⁽²⁸⁾Tyler Leeds, “Central Oregon activists in Burns: Occupiers hijacked trust,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), January 4, 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3875998-151/central-oregon-activists-in-burns-critical-of-occupation. On social media, he was a more explicit, saying: “I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS FOOLISH ACTION. You have put myself and my family at risk and destroyed what was a wonderful rally. You have set this movement back decades by taking a stupid step.” He also said, “Absolutely disgusting! I worked exceptionally hard to work and gain the trust of this community and know this!!! I will back this community 100% and not leave here until it’s fixed.”⁽²⁹⁾BJ Soper, Facebook posts, January 2016. Screenshots in possession of author.

At first, BJ Soper angrily denounced the Malheur occupation.

Soper was in Burns during most of the occupation.⁽³⁰⁾Dylan J. Darling, “Occupation draws Central Oregonians to Harney County,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), February 6, 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3973896-151/refuge-occupation-draws-central-oregonians-to-harney-county. On January 28, the day after the occupation leadership was arrested, he called for thousands to come to Burns, force the FBI out of Oregon, and make county officials resign.⁽³¹⁾BJ Soper, screenshot of Facebook post. Posted by Gargoyle, Twitter post, January 28, 2016, 8:44 a.m, https://twitter.com/Patztense/status/692750185819213824 He attended the rally at the Harney County Courthouse on February 1, 2016—and again was met by a counter-rally that the Rural Organizing Project supported.⁽³²⁾“Rural Oregon speaks out!,” February 8, 2016, Rural Organizing Project, www.rop.org/7744-2. Spring 2016 found Soper to be mostly preoccupied with support work for his fellow activists who have been imprisoned following the Malheur occupation.

Prineville also became a hot spot for Hard Right speakers. In 2016, these have included CSPOA’s Richard Mack on March 25; Harney County Committee of Safety member Chris Briels on March 26; COWS’s Gavin Seim on April 5; and the Central Oregon Patriots-sponsored April 18 talk by lawyer and author KrisAnne Hall.⁽³³⁾“Sheriff Richard Mack (ret) founder of the CSPOA presents in Crook County, OR,” YouTube video, 2:26:22, posted by “Juliet H,” March 28, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yisY-8SsoXQ; “Prineville Library, OR. Chris Briels 3 26 16,” YouTube video, 1:22:16, posted by “Juliet H,” April 1, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZOUgL2bzh4; “Gavin Seim speaks in Prineville,” KTVZ.COM, April 5, 2016, www.ktvz.com/news/gavin-seim-speaks-in-prineville/38888776; “KrisAnne Hall—Constitutional Educator,” Facebook event for April 18, 2016, www.facebook.com/events/1696616303929713. Rallies and memorials were held for LaVoy Finicum on several occasions.⁽³⁴⁾“Prineville Rally at Courthouse Feb 1, 2016,” YouTube video, 5:30, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” February 1, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7VuYumTCos; “BEND OREGON PATRIOT RALLY ‘Stand By Me’,” Facebook event for March 5, 2016, www.facebook.com/events/1687511084867341. In nearby Bend, a rally in March attracted 100 people, and about another 40 attended a June demonstration waving signs saying “No more land grabs” and “Justice for LaVoy.”⁽³⁵⁾Abby Spegman, “Supporters rally in Bend for Malheur occupiers,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), June 26 (updated June 27), 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/4458357-151/five-months-later-supports-rally-in-bend-for.

These Prineville and Redmond Patriot movement groups—some of which are more secretive than others, and some of which are armed—have caused unease in the community. “I think there’s more going on here than we know about,” one Crook County resident interviewed for this report said. Others said it was not unusual for activists from this general milieu to attend public political meetings with firearms, creating a more generalized climate of fear and intimidation.

One particularly disturbing incident involved a November 2014 talk on the Second Amendment, by Pancho Savery, a professor at Portland’s Reed College. Attendees apparently came to the Crook County Public Library armed and constantly disrupted the talk, although Savery himself was not threatened.⁽³⁶⁾Jason Chaney, “Second Amendment discussion set,” Portland Tribune, November 4, 2014, http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=239240; Pancho Savery, telephone interview with author, December 20, 2015. Savery said he did not see any weapons but the Crook County sheriff—who was in the crowd—stood up and asked attendees to leave their guns at the door, at which point some people walked over to where they were asked to put them. Savery said another disruption happened at his talk in Vernonia, in Columbia County.

References[+]

↑1	“Our History,” Central Oregon Patriots PAC, https://web.archive.org/web/20160212180928/www.copatriots.org.
↑2	“WLN Independent Affiliates—OREGON,” Western Liberty Network, http://wlnexecdir.wix.com/wstlbtnet?ref=hl – !affiliates/cfvg.
↑3	Taylor has been identified as both the Central Oregon Patriots co-organizer and chair at different times. See “Ken Taylor,” LinkedIn page, www.linkedin.com/in/ken-taylor-59b24719; Jason Chaney, “Candidate forums slate is set,” Central Oregonian, April 26, 2016, http://pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/303547-181464-candidate-forums-slate-is-set. As of September 13, 2016, he was still listed as the treasurer and budget chair of the state GOP, as well as the chair of the Crook County GOP; see “Crook County,” Oregon Republican Party, www.oregonrepublicanparty.org/CrookCounty, “Executive Committee,” Oregon Republican Party, www.oregonrepublicanparty.org/executives. However, in an email, Taylor says he is no longer the chair of either the Central Oregon Patriots or the Crook County GOP; that he has submitted his resignation to the state GOP for treasurer and budget chair in July 2016; and that, although he is still listed as the Central Oregon Oath Keepers co-coordinator, he is resigning in August 2016. Email to author, August 8, 2016. Ammon Bundy pointed out during the original Harney County Committee of Safety meeting that Taylor was the person filming it. See “Harney County Town Hall #2 Dec 15, 2015,” YouTube video, 1:16:35, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” December 17, 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF2c6UYRdE0&feature=youtu.be; see 1:12:15. Taylor confirmed this in his email.
↑4, ↑9	Craig Brookhart, telephone conversation with author, July 29, 2016.
↑5	Ibid.
↑6	Central Oregon Patriots Political Action Committee, Campaign Finance Activity, Oregon Secretary of State, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/cneSearch.do?cneSearchButtonName=search&cneSearchFilerCommitteeId=15872.
↑7	Kevin Sperl, “Patriots hosting local jail forums,” Central Oregonian, March 5, 2015, http://portlandtribune.com/ceo/162-news/252319-121196-patriots-hosting-local-jail-forums; Jason Chaney, “Patriots to host property tax forum,” Central Oregonian, November 6, 2015, http://pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/280351-155673-patriots-to-host-property-tax-forum; Jason Chaney, “Tax forum enjoys large turnout,” Central Oregonian, November 17, 2015, http://portlandtribune.com/ceo/162-news/281632-156789-tax-forum-enjoys-large-turnout; “Citizens Town Hall—Ochoco Mountains National Recreation Area,” Facebook event for December 10, 2015, www.facebook.com/events/527034360792809; Pedro Quintana, “Crook County residents speak, leaders reject proposed recreation area,” KTVZ.COM, January 22 (updated January 25), 2016, www.ktvz.com/news/crook-county-residents-speak-leaders-reject-proposed-wilderness/37568818; Jennifer Wade, “Prineville councilors join Crook Co. in rejecting rec area proposal,” KTVZ.COM, January 27 (updated January 28), 2016, www.ktvz.com/news/hundreds-gather-in-prineville-oppose-rec-area-proposal/37660430.
↑8	Jason Chaney, “Citizens to form local natural resource plan,” Central Oregonian, February 2, 2016, http://pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/291526-167892-citizens-to-form-local-natural-resource-plan.
↑10	Minutes of Crook County Court, Regular Session, “Discussion of Natural Resource Planning,” Crook County, Oregon, February 3, 2016, 8, http://co.crook.or.us/Portals/0/minutes February 3 2016.pdf.
↑11	Amanda Peacher, “Crook County Leaders Unexpectedly Table Natural Resource Plan,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, July 20, 2016, www.opb.org/news/article/crook-county-leaders-table-natural-resource-plan.
↑12	“Public Presentation: ‘Coordination’,” Facebook event for February 20, 2015, www.facebook.com/events/945547642203123. Videos of the presentation are available as well: “Coordination meeting #1,” YouTube video, 57:41, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” March 4, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iSxfkIalHA; “Coordination meeting #2,” YouTube video, 57:36, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” March 4, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHpPuPtMaoo; “Coordination meeting #3,” YouTube video, 24:45, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” March 4, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN39G—-rpc.
↑13	Crook County Natural Resources Political Action Committee, Crook County Oregon Natural Resources Plan, Revision 011D.1, 2016, www.ccnr-pac.org/plan/off-CCNR_PAC_Natural Resources Plan_r011D.1.pdf.
↑14	Amanda Peacher, “Crook County Leaders Unexpectedly Table Natural Resource Plan,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, July 20, 2016, www.opb.org/news/article/crook-county-leaders-table-natural-resource-plan; Amanda Peacher, “Crook County Rejects Controversial Natural Resources Plan,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, August 30, 2016, www.opb.org/news/article/crook-county-rejects-natural-resource-plan.
↑15	Jason Chaney, “Reopening rager?,” Central Oregonian, April 1, 2016, www.pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/300202-177778-reopening-rager
↑16	“Crook County, Oregon, Primary Election, May 17, 2016,” Crook County Oregon, June 2, 2016, 7, www.co.crook.or.us/Portals/0/Clerk/2016 Primary Results Final.pdf. For Sharp as a COP member, see Jason Chaney, “Sharp joins county commissioner race,” Central Oregonian, December 4, 2015, www.pamplinmedia.com/ceo/162-news/284047-159397-sharp-joins-county-commissioner-race. For Fleck as a COP-PAC treasurer, see “Persons Associated with Committee, Central Oregon Patriots Political Action Committee, 10/26/2012 to 03/08/2013,” Oregon Secretary of State, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/sooDetail.do?sooRsn=66762.
↑17	BJ Soper, Facebook post, April 2015. Screenshot in possession of author.
↑18, ↑22	Tyler Leeds, “For area conservatives, Burns frustrations resonate, Bulletin (Bend, OR), January 10, 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3888438-153/for-area-conservatives-burns-frustrations-resonate – .
↑19	Taylor W. Anderson, “Gun backers make it to Salem—before gun control bills do,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), February 10, 2015, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/2867910-151/gun-rights-protesters-beat-gun-control-bills-to-the; “7th speaker BJ Soper w/ Central Oregon Constitutional Guard,” YouTube video, 6:31, posted by “FuYing Bro,” February 13, 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVXs7LE8N7k&list=PLLhowYEoSpzs_e5GayuAy7C2jNQOHJ2Ys&index=7. Soper also organized another anti-SB 941 protest along the Bend parkway in April 2015. See Taylor W. Anderson, “All sides argue over gun control bill,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), April 2, 2015, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3030244-151/all-sides-argue-over-gun-control-bill.
↑20	BJ Soper, Facebook post, May 2015. Screenshot in possession of author.
↑21	BJ Soper, Facebook post, June 2015. Screenshot in possession of author.
↑23	“Join Us in the Boatnik Parade with Oath Keepers of Josephine County, Oregon,” MeetUp event for May 23, 2015, www.meetup.com/Oath-Keepers-Oregon/events/222652949; photo of “Sugar Pine Mine Owners” float at parade, Facebook post, May 2015. Screenshot in possession of author.
↑24	Oath Keepers of Central Oregon, Facebook page, September 22, 2015, www.facebook.com/OKCentralOregon/posts/893402937400909. See comment by Kathleen Brady. Taylor said he resigned in August 2016; email to author, August 8, 2016.
↑25	Lauren Martinez, “‘Oath Keepers’ stand guard at Bend military recruiting center,” KTVZ.COM, July 27 (updated July 28), 2015, www.ktvz.com/news/oath-keepers-stand-guard-at-bend-military-recruiting-center/34390958.
↑26	Jeff Roberts, Facebook comment, December 2015. Screenshot in possession of author.
↑27	“Bend convoy to Burns, counter-protest,” KTVZ.COM, January 2, 2016, www.ktvz.com/news/bend-convoy-to-burns-counter-protest/37239592.
↑28	Tyler Leeds, “Central Oregon activists in Burns: Occupiers hijacked trust,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), January 4, 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3875998-151/central-oregon-activists-in-burns-critical-of-occupation.
↑29	BJ Soper, Facebook posts, January 2016. Screenshots in possession of author.
↑30	Dylan J. Darling, “Occupation draws Central Oregonians to Harney County,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), February 6, 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/3973896-151/refuge-occupation-draws-central-oregonians-to-harney-county.
↑31	BJ Soper, screenshot of Facebook post. Posted by Gargoyle, Twitter post, January 28, 2016, 8:44 a.m, https://twitter.com/Patztense/status/692750185819213824
↑32	“Rural Oregon speaks out!,” February 8, 2016, Rural Organizing Project, www.rop.org/7744-2.
↑33	“Sheriff Richard Mack (ret) founder of the CSPOA presents in Crook County, OR,” YouTube video, 2:26:22, posted by “Juliet H,” March 28, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=yisY-8SsoXQ; “Prineville Library, OR. Chris Briels 3 26 16,” YouTube video, 1:22:16, posted by “Juliet H,” April 1, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZOUgL2bzh4; “Gavin Seim speaks in Prineville,” KTVZ.COM, April 5, 2016, www.ktvz.com/news/gavin-seim-speaks-in-prineville/38888776; “KrisAnne Hall—Constitutional Educator,” Facebook event for April 18, 2016, www.facebook.com/events/1696616303929713.
↑34	“Prineville Rally at Courthouse Feb 1, 2016,” YouTube video, 5:30, posted by “Crooked River Currents View,” February 1, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7VuYumTCos; “BEND OREGON PATRIOT RALLY ‘Stand By Me’,” Facebook event for March 5, 2016, www.facebook.com/events/1687511084867341.
↑35	Abby Spegman, “Supporters rally in Bend for Malheur occupiers,” Bulletin (Bend, OR), June 26 (updated June 27), 2016, www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/4458357-151/five-months-later-supports-rally-in-bend-for.
↑36	Jason Chaney, “Second Amendment discussion set,” Portland Tribune, November 4, 2014, http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=239240; Pancho Savery, telephone interview with author, December 20, 2015. Savery said he did not see any weapons but the Crook County sheriff—who was in the crowd—stood up and asked attendees to leave their guns at the door, at which point some people walked over to where they were asked to put them. Savery said another disruption happened at his talk in Vernonia, in Columbia County.