Changes

The major test of the political strength of the American Redoubt movement was prompted by the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, which was an armed standoff in Harney County, Oregon, between armed anti-government militants and county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.  The militants occupied the headquarters building from January 2 to February 11, 2016.  The occupation was prompted by the sentencing of ranchers Dwight Hammond and his son, Steven Hammond for arson on federal lands.<ref name="KCS-splitoff">{{cite news |last=Thomas |first=Judy L. |date=January 6, 2016 |title=Experts: Oregon standoff may be small, but it's just the tip of a growing militia iceberg |url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/government-politics/article53351000.html |newspaper=[[The Kansas City Star]] |location=Sacramento, CA |publisher=[[The McClatchy Company]] |issn=0745-1067 |accessdate=July 17, 2016 |quote=The rally was peaceful, authorities said....But afterward, a group of armed militants split off, went to the wildlife refuge 30 miles away and took it over. Ammon Bundy has been acting as the group's leader, and they say they won't back down until the government relinquishes the federal refuge to the people.}}</ref>

The major test of the political strength of the American Redoubt movement was prompted by the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, which was an armed standoff in Harney County, Oregon, between armed anti-government militants and county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.  The militants occupied the headquarters building from January 2 to February 11, 2016.  The occupation was prompted by the sentencing of ranchers Dwight Hammond and his son, Steven Hammond for arson on federal lands.<ref name="KCS-splitoff">{{cite news |last=Thomas |first=Judy L. |date=January 6, 2016 |title=Experts: Oregon standoff may be small, but it's just the tip of a growing militia iceberg |url=http://www.kansascity.com/news/government-politics/article53351000.html |newspaper=[[The Kansas City Star]] |location=Sacramento, CA |publisher=[[The McClatchy Company]] |issn=0745-1067 |accessdate=July 17, 2016 |quote=The rally was peaceful, authorities said....But afterward, a group of armed militants split off, went to the wildlife refuge 30 miles away and took it over. Ammon Bundy has been acting as the group's leader, and they say they won't back down until the government relinquishes the federal refuge to the people.}}</ref>

During the occupation, the occupation's leaders attempted to organize meetings with local citizens to secure wide-spread popular support for their actions.  At first, these meetings were held at the local high school in Burns, Oregon.  However, when attendees were bringing guns to the meetings and the meetings proved to be acrimonious, Steve Grasty, the chair of the Harney County commission, ordered the meetings move to a local senior center which did not allow guns.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/01/oregon_standoff_cancelled_meet.html|title=Oregon standoff: Canceled meeting is latest casualty of online discord|date=January 25, 2016|accessdate=July 17, 2016}}</ref>  In general, the occupation did not draw widespread public support. Eventually, the occupiers surrendered and were arrested, but the dissatisfaction with Gasty's curtailing of the meetings lead to Harney County residents filing a petition to hold a recall election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/05/recall_petition_filed_against.html|title=Recall petition filed against Harney County Judge Steve Grasty|date=May 12,2016|accessdate=July 17, 2018}}</ref>  On June 28, 2016, 70% of the voters cast ballots to retain Grasty.  The results were:

During the occupation, the occupation's leaders attempted to organize meetings with local citizens to secure wide-spread popular support for their actions.  At first, these meetings were held at the local high school in Burns, Oregon.  However, when attendees were bringing guns to the meetings and the meetings proved to be acrimonious, Steve Grasty, the chair of the Harney County commission, ordered the meetings move to a local senior center which did not allow guns.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/01/oregon_standoff_cancelled_meet.html|title=Oregon standoff: Canceled meeting is latest casualty of online discord|date=January 25, 2016|accessdate=July 17, 2016}}</ref>  In general, the occupation did not draw widespread public support. Eventually, the occupiers surrendered and were arrested, but the dissatisfaction with Grasty's curtailing of the meetings lead to Harney County residents filing a petition to hold a recall election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/oregon-standoff/2016/05/recall_petition_filed_against.html|title=Recall petition filed against Harney County Judge Steve Grasty|date=May 12,2016|accessdate=July 17, 2018}}</ref>  On June 28, 2016, 70% of the voters cast ballots to retain Grasty.  The results were:

{| class="wikitable"  

{| class="wikitable"  

|+Grasty Recall Election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Steve_Grasty_recall,_Harney_County,_Oregon_(2016)|title=Steve Grasty recall, Harney County, Oregon (2016)|work=Ballotpedia|accessdate=July 18, 2016}}</ref>

|+Grasty Recall Election<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Steve_Grasty_recall,_Harney_County,_Oregon_(2016)|title=Steve Grasty recall, Harney County, Oregon (2016)|work=Ballotpedia|accessdate=July 18, 2016}}</ref>