In a sealed document leaked online late Thursday afternoon, a Bureau of Land Management employee alleges vast misconduct by his agency during its investigation of the 2014 armed standoff between the government and supporters of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy. The document is the latest twist in a tumultuous federal trial of Bundy, his sons Ammon and Ryan, and Montana militiaman Ryan Payne that began Nov. 14.
The bulk of the leaked document is a correspondence from BLM Special Agent Larry C. Wooten to Associate Deputy Attorney General Andrew D. Goldsmith.
In 18 pages, Wooten alleges nearly three years of misconduct including what amounts to suppression of evidence and discriminatory behavior toward the Bundys. “I routinely observed, and the investigation revealed a widespread pattern of bad judgment, lack of discipline, incredible bias, unprofessionalism and misconduct,” Wooten wrote, “as well as likely policy, ethical, and legal violations among senior and supervisory staff at the BLM’s Office of Law Enforcement and Security.”
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