Grant County

Glenn Palmer is Oregon’s most famous constitutional sheriff and has been in office since 2000.⁽¹⁾Les Zaitz, “State licensing board seeks investigation of Grant County sheriff who met militants,” Oregonian/OregonLive, February 18, 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/02/state_police_board_seeks_inves.html. He had a leadership role in the CSPOA for several years, and has refused to enforce state gun laws. In 2002 a Grant County ballot passed declaring it a “UN-Free Zone.” According to the Associated Press, “The measure states that the United Nations wants to take away people’s guns, seize private property, control the education of children and establish ‘one world religion-Pantheism (and) world taxation.’”⁽²⁾John Enders, “Eastern Oregon county bans U.N., frees trees for taking, notwithstanding applicable federal laws—Rebels With a Vote Vent Anger With Government,” Associated Press, June 1, 2002, www.citizenreviewonline.org/june_2002/eastern_oregon_county.htm.

In 2011, Palmer wrote to the Malheur National Forest supervisor and refused to enter into a cooperative policing agreement, claiming that the Forest Service’s jurisdiction “is limited in nature to the Federal Building in John Day.”⁽³⁾Letter from Glenn Palmer to Teresa Raaf, March 31, 2011, Freedom Advocates, www.freedomadvocates.org/download/research/us forest service opt out.pdf; “A Town Who’s Had Enough,” podcast audio, Liberty First by KrisAnne Hall, June 11, 2015, http://krisannehall.com/a-town-whos-had-enough, around 28:00. Soon afterward, he claimed that county sheriffs have the power to determine whether laws are constitutional or not.⁽⁴⁾Scotta Callister, “Grant sheriff takes case to the airwaves,” Blue Mountain Eagle, May 4, 2011, www.bluemountaineagle.com/news/local_news/20110504/grant-sheriff-takes-case-to-the-airwaves.

In 2011, Palmer was listed as member of CSPOA Board of Directors, and between 2012 and August 2015, he was listed on the CSPOA Council of Sheriffs, Peace Officers and Public Officials—along with Josephine County’s Gil Gilbertson.⁽⁵⁾Constitutional Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association, “Stand Up for the 10th Amendment & Attend the Constitutional Sheriffs Convention Jan 30!,” www.countysheriffproject.org/CSPOA_Invitation_Dec29.2011.pdf; “CSPOA Board of Directors,” https://web.archive.org/web/20130528133735/www.countysheriffproject.org/index.php/faq; CSPOA, “The Leadership—CSPOA Council of Sheriffs, Peace Officers and Public Officials,” https://web.archive.org/web/20150820114146/http://cspoa.org/about/leadership. As of September 2015, the Council was replaced by a new, three-person Advisory Board, which did not include Gilbertson or Palmer: https://web.archive.org/web/20150908164214/http://cspoa.org/about/leadership. In 2012, the CSPOA gave Palmer its “Sheriff of the Year” award at their founding conference. In 2013, he was among those sheriffs who wrote to Vice President Joe Biden announcing their refusal to enact “unconstitutional” gun controls passed by the federal government. In May 2015, Palmer said he would not enforce SB 941, the state law requiring registration of private gun sales.⁽⁶⁾“Sheriff Glenn Palmer: 2012 CSPOA Sheriff of the Year” YouTube video, 11:41, posted by “CountySheriffProject.org Channel,” February 10, 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_0Jm47Dyx8; Amanda Peacher, “DOJ Launches Investigation Into Grant County Sheriff,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, March 17, 2016, www.opb.org/news/series/burns-oregon-standoff-bundy-militia-news-updates/grant-county-sheriff-glenn-palmerdoj-investigation; “This Sheriff WILL NOT COMPLY With Burdensome Gun Laws,” YouTube video, 1:39, posted by “LaughingAtLiberals,” April 1, 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfCyhxQQ0qw.

In September 2015, he went even further, invoking “coordination” between the sheriff’s office and the federal government regarding public lands. This plan was devised in secret; Palmer deputized eleven people to create and adopt it; only afterward did he ask for the county commission’s support. The courts refused to allow it to be voted on as a referendum for technical reasons, and it was turned down by the commission for a more collaborative approach.⁽⁷⁾Sean Hart, “Judge: Petition for sheriff’s natural resources plan unconstitutional Judge rules initiative petition does not meet legal requirements,” Blue Mountain Eagle, February 2, 2016, www.bluemountaineagle.com/Local_News/20160202/judge-petition-for-sheriffs-natural-resources-plan-unconstitutional; George Plaven, “Grant County sheriff demands coordination with Forest Service,” East Oregonian, October 9, 2015, www.eastoregonian.com/eo/local-news/20151009/grant-county-sheriff-demands-coordination-with-forest-service; Sean Hart, “Local collaborative awarded $4 million in federal forest restoration funding,” Blue Mountain Eagle, April 5 (updated April 6), 2016, www.bluemountaineagle.com/Local_News/20160405/local-collaborative-awarded-4-million-in-federal-forest-restoration-funding.

The Malheur occupation in neighboring Harney County thrust Palmer into the national spotlight. Two occupiers, Ryan Payne and Jon Ritzheimer, left the refuge to meet with him on January 12, 2016; Palmer claims he was asked to attend a lunch, but did not know the occupiers would be present until he arrived. He attended a second meeting with Payne “two days or so” later.⁽⁸⁾Sean Hart, “Council says complaints against sheriff not solicited by city,” Blue Mountain Eagle, February 23, 2016, www.bluemountaineagle.com/Local_News/20160223/council-says-complaints-against-sheriff-not-solicited-by-city; Les Zaitz, “Oregon standoff: Grant County sheriff urges release of Hammonds,” OregonLive/Oregonian, January 24 (updated February 22), 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/01/post_2.html.

On January 26, 2016, the leadership of the Malheur occupation was captured and one killed when two cars of occupiers were stopped by law enforcement on the way to a community meeting in John Day. The local hosts were promoting the formation of a Committee of Safety, and Palmer was present. Just before his death, LaVoy Finicum shouted at law enforcement: “I’m going over to meet with the sheriff in Grant County” and “You can come along with us, and talk with us over there.” Upon hearing the news of the confrontation, Palmer attempted to drive to the scene, but was turned back at a roadblock.⁽⁹⁾Amanda Peacher, “DOJ Launches Investigation Into Grant County Sheriff,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, March 17, 2016, www.opb.org/news/series/burns-oregon-standoff-bundy-militia-news-updates/grant-county-sheriff-glenn-palmerdoj-investigation.

In March 2016, the Oregon state Justice Department opened an investigation into Palmer.⁽¹⁰⁾Les Zaitz, “State licensing board seeks investigation of Grant County sheriff who met militants,” Oregonian/OregonLive, February 18, 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/02/state_police_board_seeks_inves.html; Les Zaitz, “Oregon Justice Department opens investigation of Grant County sheriff,” Oregonian/OregonLive, March 17, 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/03/oregon_justice_department_open.html. The same month, news broke that Palmer had deputized a total of 69 citizens to serve under him. “I can tell you it’s not a standard practice in Oregon,” according to Malheur County Sheriff (and president of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association) Brian Wolfe.⁽¹¹⁾Amanda Peacher, “DOJ Launches Investigation Into Grant County Sheriff,” Oregon Public Broadcasting, March 17, 2016, www.opb.org/news/series/burns-oregon-standoff-bundy-militia-news-updates/grant-county-sheriff-glenn-palmerdoj-investigation. Les Zaitz later reported that 65 of the appointments had been made since 2010. See his “Sheriff Glenn Palmer makes his own rules in Grant County,” Oregonian/OregonLive, August 20 (updated August 22), 2016, www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/08/grant_county_special_deputy_co.html. As of July 2016, Palmer had raised $20,000 in donations for his defense fund.⁽¹²⁾Les Zaitz, “Grant County sheriff builds $20,000 defense fund through outside donors,” Oregonian/OregonLive, July 15, 2016, www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/07/grant_county_sheriff_builds_20.html. These include 20 “public lands deputies”; see Les Zaitz, “Sheriff Glenn Palmer makes his own rules in Grant County,” Les Zaitz, Oregonian/OregonLive, August 20, 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/08/sheriff_glenn_palmer_makes_his.html. Up for reelection in November election, Palmer is being challenged by Todd McKinley, who has denounced the “audacity of individuals who think they can dictate the course of Grant County, without the input of all.”⁽¹³⁾“Former Grant County undersheriff files to run against Sheriff Palmer,” Blue Mountain Eagle, January 25, 2016, www.bluemountaineagle.com/Local_News/20160125/former-grant-county-undersheriff-files-to-run-against-sheriff-palmer.

A packed town hall in John Day waited for the Malheur occupiers that January day in response to a call to “consider forming a Committee of Safety.”⁽¹⁴⁾Les Zaitz, “Oregon standoff: Grant County sheriff urges release of Hammonds,” OregonLive/Oregonian, January 24 (updated February 22), 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/01/post_2.html; January 26 meeting (video, but poor audio): “John Day, OR. Jan. 26, 2016 Community Meeting” YouTube video, 1:52:25, posted by “Juliet H.,” March 11, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTfVRvGjKyo; same meeting, clear audio but no video: “Town hall carries on in John Day after occupiers arrested,” YouTube video, 1:55:19, posted by “Blue Mountain Eagle,” January 27, 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw5_K8krdZo. The meeting was attended by members of the Harney County Committee of Safety, and—initially at least—by a uniformed Sheriff Palmer. The meeting was met by protests from the local community.⁽¹⁵⁾Ryan Haas, Twitter post, ‏January 26, 2016, 7:22 p.m., https://twitter.com/ryanjhaas/status/692185874243665920; George Plaven “Town hall carries on in John Day,” East Oregonian, January 26, 2016, www.eastoregonian.com/eo/local-news/20160126/town-hall-carries-on-in-john-day. This proposed new shadow government was the first direct attempt to spread the politics of the Malheur occupation outside of Harney County.

While Grant County did not form a Committee of Safety, it did attract a new resident: Michael Emry and his wife Becky Hudson, who had been running The Voice of Idaho, a media outlet affiliated with the 3% of Idaho. Emry came to Oregon in December, and stayed with Ammon Bundy and others.⁽¹⁶⁾“United States of America vs. Michael Ray Emry,” Seditionist Movement, www.seditionists.com/emry14.pdf. Emry was “embedded” with this Three Percenter group at Malheur and reported from the occupation.⁽¹⁷⁾Les Zaitz, “’Embedded’ reporter tied to militia arrested in John Day on weapons charges,” Oregonian/OregonLive, May 6, 2016 (updated May 7, 2016), www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/05/militia-tied_embedded_reporter.html.

After moving to John Day, he started a new online media project, The Voice of Grant County.⁽¹⁸⁾“The Voice of Grant County, Oregon,” Facebook page, www.facebook.com/The-Voice-of-Grant-County-901946629902924; The Voice of Grant County, www.thevoiceofgrantcountyoregon.com Emry also started to establish a “Committee of Correspondence” with several men that Palmer had deputized. A flyer stated, “The goal is to provide a venue for verifying, through public discussion, the accuracy of information published by the various news agencies of Grant County.”⁽¹⁹⁾“A Word from the Voice of Grant County Oregon,” picture in possession of author.
He later told local businesses that he was starting a print newspaper. However, this project seems to have been put on hold by his arrest in May 2016 for illegal possession of a stolen machine gun that had its serial numbers removed.⁽²⁰⁾Les Zaitz, “‘Embedded’ reporter tied to militia arrested in John Day on weapons charges,” Oregonian/OregonLive, May 6 (updated May 7), 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/05/militia-tied_embedded_reporter.html.

Emry was the second person affiliated with the Malheur occupation who was later arrested in Grant County. Scott A. Willingham was arrested in March 2016 after demanding that he be arrested or else he would start shooting law enforcement; he was held on weapons charges and later charged with destroying property at the Malheur refuge. He reportedly had asked Sheriff Palmer to grant him protection, but was refused.⁽²¹⁾Les Zaitz,“Oregon standoff figure arrested after threatening to shoot federal officers, DA says,” Oregonian/OregonLive, March 17 (updated March 18), 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/03/oregon_standoff_figure_arreste.html; Les Zaitz, “‘Embedded’ reporter tied to militia arrested in John Day on weapons charges,” Oregonian/OregonLive, May 6 (updated May 7), 2016, www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/05/militia-tied_embedded_reporter.html.