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Amazingly, no one has been held accountable for allegedly pointing guns at federal officials at Cliven Bundy’s Nevada ranch. And despite a renewed promise last Junefrom Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to “continue to pursue” Cliven Bundy’s huge unpaid fees and penalties, he has yet to pay a cent.
It’s easy to imagine what law-abiding ranchers who pay grazing fees think of a rancher who invents his own rules to avoid paying what he owes. Or how armed militias might be emboldened to take over a federal wildlife refuge, assuming they will face no punishment.
Federal officials in Oregon have refused to be provoked into a confrontation. Caution should continue to be their guiding principle. But ultimately, law breakers must be compelled to pay their bills and be held accountable for holding government agents at bay with guns. Otherwise, the government risks sending a dangerous message — that you can break the law and defy lawful authorities as long as you carry a gun.
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