Justice for Threatened Feds, says FLEOA

August 4, 2015


The Honorable Loretta Lynch
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001


Dear Attorney General Lynch:


On behalf of 26,000 federal law enforcement officers from 65 federal agencies, I am writing to express deep concern regarding a group of armed individuals who remain free, without arrest or indictment, after threatening federal law enforcement officers at gunpoint last year. I am referring to the incident that occurred approximately one year ago during the standoff at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nevada.


As you know, last year the lives of federal agents and officers were threatened while they performed their official duties related to a court order obtained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). These armed individuals, acting at the behest of scofflaw rancher Cliven Bundy, presented high-powered rifles and other weapons and pointed them directly at federal law enforcement officers to prevent them from carrying out the court order. While the standoff eventually ended peacefully—mostly because of the patience and wisdom of federal authorities—the fact remains that we narrowly avoided a devastating and deadly incident of national consequence.


Any further delay in bringing these individuals to justice sends the message that the lives of law enforcement officers are trivial, and the rightful authority of the government to act on behalf of the American people is feeble. Notwithstanding the BLM issues related to the scofflaw Bundy, to let these armed and dangerous individuals go without answering for their crimes only encourages more violence against law enforcement officials and other civilians.


To cite an example of this, in June of this year, unarmed BLM researchers came under fire near the Bundy ranch, forcing them to retreat to a place of safety. This is not going to stop at the Bundy ranch, and it is going to encourage other weak-minded individuals to take violent actions against those who enforce the law and protect others. Now is the time to take action. We know who they are, and they must be brought to justice.


Thank you for your understanding and attention.


Jon Adler
FLEOA National President