Ammon Bundy
Conrad Wilson / OPB
The leader of militants at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge gave two demands to FBI officials Friday for negotiations toward a resolution to continue. The exchange happened outside an FBI staging area near Burns, Oregon.
In a brief meeting with FBI officials, Ammon Bundy made it clear he will not talk about or negotiate a resolution to the three-week occupation of the refuge until his demands are met.
First, he required someone from the FBI meet him face-to-face for the discussions. A brief negotiation
took place over the phone Thursday between Bundy and an FBI negotiator
.
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Second, Bundy wanted to know if Harney County Sheriff David Ward gave authorization for the FBI to operate in the county.
“If you’re not acting under the authority of the sheriff, then that’s another constitutional violation,” Bundy said to the FBI during a brief phone call.
“If you haven’t got sanctioned by the sheriff, then there’s no reason for me to be talking to you,” Bundy added. “I need to just go down to the sheriff and talk to him.”
Bundy then went to the sheriff’s office, but Ward declined to meet with him,
.