Nevada Politics Today: Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore

Federal prosecutors should face criminal charges for actions they took in prosecuting the Bundys, according to Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore. Fiore has been on the frontlines of confrontations between the Bundys and the federal government and is their closest elected ally.

Fiore made her comments Tuesday while filming Nevada Politics Today.

On Monday, a federal judge dismissed charges against Cliven Bundy and two of his sons. The charges stemmed from a 2014 confrontation between the Bundy family and Bureau of Land Management agents trying to round up his cattle. BLM officials maintained that Bundy owed $1 million in back grazing fees and fines. The judge dismissed the case after a BLM whistleblower accused prosecutors of withholding evidence from the defense and a host of other wrongdoings.

“The investigation also indicated that on multiple occasions, former BLM Special Agent-in-Charge (Daniel) Love specifically and purposely ignored U.S. Attorney’s Office and BLM civilian management direction … in order to command the most intrusive, oppressive, large scale, militaristic trespass cattle impound possible,” wrote Larry Wooten. Wooten is the BLM whistleblower who wrote an explosive 18-page memo detailing federal wrongdoing in the Bundy case.

Bundy supporters have long claimed that federal agents overreacted, and Fiore feels vindicated by the whistleblower’s revelations.

“The truth is the truth, right?” said Fiore. “I’m just glad that someone beside myself is saying it. Because now maybe people are listening. Obviously they were, because the case is dismissed with prejudice. This is something we’ve been saying for a long time.

It has been a battle, and I’ll continue to battle and get the truth out.”

For Fiore, the next fight is punishing the government officials who broke the law and internal policy. “Two things should happen,” said Fiore. “Number one: their immediate termination. Number two: criminal charges.”

Cliven Bundy was held in prison for more than 700 days, but Fiore says the family remains strong.

“The Bundy family just cannot be shaken at all,” said Fiore. “Their whole reaction to this is, ‘Thank God. God did this.’ I was with Shawna Cox until midnight last night and she said, ‘I kept telling the attorneys don’t worry about it. God told me it was going to be okay.’ ”

Fiore also disputed the amount owed by Cliven Bundy in grazing fees and accused the media of helping federal officials spread misinformation.