Bundy standoff
There are no legally recognized inherited grazing rights, preemptive rights, special rights, or grandfathered public-domain land-use rights held by the Bundy family or Bundy's ancestors. Bundy lost his special-rights arguments in the "United States v. Bundy" cases. Bundy had only base property and normal AUM grazing-allotment permits, like the permits of thousands of other ranchers throughout the western United States. The court found that Bundy and his father actually first began grazing their cattle on the Bunkerville Allotment in 1954 and used it for several years. They paid for cattle grazing again from 1973 until 1993, when Bundy paid the last fees for his final grazing application for the period from December 1, 1992, through February 28, 1993. On January 24, 1994, the Bureau of Land Management delivered a "Proposed Decision Order to Remove and Demand for Payment" to Bundy by placing it on the dashboard of Bundy's vehicle while he was in the vehicle. BLM officials allege that Bundy became agitated, descended from his truck and accused the BLM of harassing him. He then returned to his truck, threw the proposed order out of the window and drove away. One of Bundy's sons then picked up the document, tore it to pieces and threw it on the ground. On February 17, 1994, the BLM issued a final decision canceling Bundy's range-grazing permit. Bundy subsequently informed the BLM in several administrative notices that he intended to graze cattle "pursuant to my vested grazing rights". Bundy failed to demonstrate the existence of any such special rights when given an opportunity to do so in court.
Timeline of the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
On January 19, Ammon Bundy and several other militant occupiers appeared unannounced at a community meeting in Burns without addressing the crowd. Attendees of the meeting were roughly split between supporters and opponents of the occupation, with some jeering Bundy to leave. Harney County Judge Steven Grasty directly addressed Bundy with the statement, "It is time for you to go home," provoking cheers from the crowd. Others expressed support for the occupation and its goals. An open letter from the staff of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was read to the crowd, marking the first time the staff had broken their silence since the occupation began. The letter was posted to the refuge's official Facebook page; it expressed a reminder to the community that the staff members are part of said community too, that their silence was out of a desire not to make the situation more inflamed, and that the employees hoped to return to their homes and jobs within the community soon. The next morning, Ammon Bundy gave a 90-minute lecture at the refuge firehouse to his supporters describing his views on law and the United States Constitution, which he claims are justification for lending control over land rights from the federal level to the state level.