The wild, wild horses are a pawn in a dangerous political game

(note to our readers: a fast update on Appropriations. We just want you to see this “Stewart alliance” is moving and you are not being shown all of the paperwork. Update 5/15: here is the Stewart alliance agreement. We have not seen the new BLM Report to Congress that incorporates it. 

This morning our founder was scheduled on NPR to discuss this alliance with Gillian Lyons of HSUS. Gillian cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. We were told it was work related. We will update you if the program is rescheduled. We are sorry. We know many of our readers were looking forward to it. )

Yesterday at the FY20 Interior Committee on Appropriations hearing, Chris Stewart (R-UT) made the HSUS, ASPCA, Return to Freedom, Public Lands Council, et al document front and center.

David Bernhardt, Secretary of the Interior, sat in the witness chair. Addressing the Secretary, Stewart had no hard hitting questions for the witness on ethics or protocol violations, instead he just waved his own in public. Stewart said he had something emotional to discuss, his “agreement” on wild horses.

“What Do They Have In Common?” said Chris Stewart as he listed off his invite only working group.

We place the entire video of the over two hour long hearing at the bottom of the page for you to watch. We apologize for the poor quality of this screen grab of Stewart. We place it here, so our answer to Stewart in this article will be completely understood. (note to Chris Stewart: get the names right. American Mustang Foundation. We know that one is particularly hard to remember because it is new and just a lobby shell)

Chris Stewarts “wild horse agreement” needs a probe into ethics violations. It is a corporate interest document he is masquerading as a public interest document. 

What all these “groups” have in common:

1. They are all lobbyists, have paid lobbyists, and their main interest is in agriculture bills and subsidies.
2. They all have members that would/do benefit from financial subsidies created under, and exist already within, Appropriations.
3. Operate with a severe lack of transparency to the interest they supposedly represent.
4. Made campaign contributions to get support on Ag bills to multiple members of Congress and/or direct to Stewart.
5. Made “deals” with John Ruhs (when he was BLM NV State director and then Deputy Director of BLM National) involving other individuals not in the agreement (to keep them out of conversation), illegal activity on public lands, directly related to the document presented by Stewart.
6. Made deals with Brian Steed (as he sat as Chief of Staff in Chris Stewarts office and later as Deputy Director of BLM after Ruhs stepped down) involving multiple actions directly related to, and indirectly through agriculture and misconduct, the document presented by Stewart.
7. All have an interest in other bills with a domestic animal framework such as; the double decker transport bill, SAFE Act and most have interest in bills related to farm animals, dogs and cats. (a bit of “bill trading” for cosponsors took place).
8. They all have individuals that make 6 and 7 figure incomes and represent orgs that draw in 7 and 8 figure, or more, bottom lines. 

Did we answer his question? This is not a diverse group. It is painted with a single color, green (not the kind good for the environment or wild horses).

If Stewart is so proud of this “agreement” he should post it on his website. (edit: it has since been posted).

In no way is this based on any sound principle, it is based on soundbite.

Wild horses are not dogs, cats or cows; they are public lands management of a public resource. Wild horses are like the grass, not the cow. They are not a permitted use for profit.

Danger Zone

If you listen to the hearing you will see multiple members of Congress ask Bernhardt about his industry interests.

At one point Congressman Mike Quigley says that he would respect him (Bernhardt) more if he just came out and said he sees his job as representing his corporate cronies and does not see his job as protecting the land or the public interest.

It is easy for the public to understand that we have serious issues in the Department of Interior that are likely to reveal criminal activity.

However, wild horses are still a footnote, oddity, throw away. It is becoming a very real possibility that we will see investigations into many aspects of the DOI, but not wild horses.

Wild horses are public lands management. Wild horses are not dogs and cats. Wild horses deserve to be debated under the merits of wild horses, not traded away in a high stakes poker game.

That poker game has also been highly involved in manipulating what the public might believe is “opposition.” They have also been using domestic bills, inaccurate representation of roundup EAs and their own subsidy program at that end of the game. Remember; fertility control is not a solution, it’s a tool. Fertility control is not management; it’s a tool of management.

Be careful out there in “unsocial media” land. Remember there is no such thing, sadly, as a magic wand. This is public lands management and wild horses do not live in a bubble, they live on the land. That stuff is not easy to make into a meme.

Understand the Foundation

This 4 year long, multimillion dollar game, is the doorway to understanding the wild horse program at the broken foundation.

Take the BLM Report to Congress and do a serious investigation into how and who was involved in it’s construction. You will find two documents that were, if BLM follows it’s usual document  construction method, copied and pasted into the report: the one created in the Utah Summit of the Wild Horse (funded by proslaughter and blessed by BLM through John Ruhs) and this “Ten Year to AML Stewart Alliance.”

The way the report was constructed is the same way the entire BLM program is structured; deal making, not facts. The only facts will be symptoms and the amount of money requested to make the symptoms worse, so they can come back in 5 years and ask for more money “or they will kill horses.” It’s how it all rolls, for fifty years.

Even if the “Stewart alliance” document disappears? It can not be forgotten. 

Remember, the Devils really are in the details. (an in depth look HERE)

Obstruction of Informed Public Participation?

The so called “agreement,” that has no agreement from a single organization in the wild horse world that has a real boots on the ground stake in this fight, has been active since 2015. Last year it was incorporated into the BLM Report to Congress. (see HERE)

It has already been incorporated into the new BLM report to Congress through the office of Brian Steed.

The public has not seen the actual text of the Stewart alliance document. Update 5/15, text of Stewart Alliance

The public has not seen the new BLM report to Congress (that already incorporates the Stewart alliance document).

Yet, the debate in the subcommittee has begun.

The public is being intentionally hamstrung in their ability to fully participate in open government. 

Do you feel fully capable to address two documents you have not even seen (in full text) as Congress debates how to use your tax dollars?

TAKE ACTION

It’s time to hold the myth makers, and those that manipulated the myths for personal gain, accountable. 

The BLM Report to Congress will drop into full debate in about two weeks.

That Report needs intense scrutiny. The content needs scrutiny. More importantly, the content creators need a hard look before one word is read.

Find your Representatives. (find them here: http://govtrack.us)

Ask for:

A serious investigation into corruption, waste of tax payer funding, intimidation in the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program.

Start an investigation into the BLM Report to Congress, and all those involved in the creation of the report. 

Before they open that report and read one single word, they need to know who bought and paid for it. The public deserves to know, before wild horses pay a permanent price.

Both men that were the Deputy Directors of BLM, while this report was being utilized by BLM and incorporating documents created by corporate interests, need intense scrutiny. The two men are John Ruhs and Brian Steed. 

In addition, all involvement of Brian Steed with these alliance members, as he sat as Chris Stewart (R-UT) Chief of Staff and then moved the agenda from the helm of the BLM, need more than a “notation,” it needs a close look. 

Chris Stewarts “wild horse agreement” needs a probe into ethics violations. It is a corporate interest document he is masquerading as a public interest document. 

We, the public, demand accountability and the end of sweeping wild horses aside in political debate, by regulators that are bought and paid for (gifts, promotions, job security, campaign contributions, etc).

Learn more:

The Devils are in the Details (what is coming in the next BLM Report to Congress) 

Wild Horse Education Response to HSUS et al 

The same dirty hands hold both National Monuments and wild horses

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We will update you soon on multiple fronts, including the debate in Appropriations.

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Help us stay in the fight.