The timeline for American Legislative Roleplay (ALRP).
2014[]
May[]
- 1st: Senator Wesson states her views on the situation in Bunkerville, Nevada during an interview on CNN, reiterating Cliven Bundy's comments on what he was attempting to explain. Wesson stated she is adamantly against the idea that African Americans were better off as slaves, however states that Cliven Bundy is not racist and cited a variety of comments from Bundy and his supporters, including an African American militiaman, that prove Bundy is not racist. "Mr. Bundy is a rural rancher and farmer from another era. He is not good with speaking and elegant use of the English language. While I do not condone his questioning of whether slavery was better for African Americans, Mr. Bundy has shown to me, and to others, that he holds no hatred or bias for people of African descent. But we cannot allow the issue of verbal remarks to deride the real issue of federal government overreach of power and use of violent armed force against a family of ranchers over cows eating grass."
April[]
- 5th: 200 agents with the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management surround the 600,000 acre Bunkerville, Nevada ranch, armed with SWAT teams, assault rifles, helicopters and snipers. BLM agents attempt to seize Cliven Bundy's cattle and kill two of them, while spending the next several days destroying the Bundy ranch property, claiming it is to protect an endangered species of desert tortoise.
- 6th: Cliven Bundy calls the situation a "range war", refuses to comply, inciting hundreds of protesters to descend on the property to rally against the BLM operation.
- 10th: BLM Rangers assault and batter protesters, injuring one cancer patient and tazing another man, after protesters attempt to blockade a BLM convoy suspected of using construction equipment to destroy private property and kill and bury cattle in the desert. In response, the Oath Keepers organization called to arms the militia. U.S. Senator from Nevada, Lindsay M. Wesson, joins the protesters in support of the Bundy family, along with Sheriffs from neighboring counties and states.
- 12th: Hundreds of armed civilian militia, gun owners and patriot groups descend on the Bundy Ranch in support of Cliven Bundy, causing an intense armed stand-off between BLM federal agents and civilian militiamen. The Bureau of Land Management surrenders, releases nearly 300 seized cattle, and vacates the Bundy property
- 14th: Democratic House Speaker Elizabeth Anderson commented on a remark made by a pro-Bundy supporter Former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack, "When you have men trying to position women on the front lines to make a point over theft, then you know you have a lost cause.."[1]
- 15th: Senator Lindsay Wesson condemns fellow Nevada Senator Harry Reid's comments referring to the pro-Bundy protesters as "domestic terrorists"; calls for investigation into Reid's alleged involvement in aggressive land grabs throughout the western states by federal agencies for industrial purposes.
- 16th: Senator Wesson submits request for criminal investigation into the BLM on claims of "destruction of private property, animal cruelty, destruction of natural habitats of an endangered species and the intentional slaughter of an endangered species.
- 18th: Anderson,Harry Reid and 150 other ranchers joined in front of the Nevada State Capitol building, all whom held signs saying "We paid our dues; pay yours too". Elizabeth Anderson insisted that the supposed 'victory' of Bundy and his men was because of fear for the BLM members lives, all of have families; and that dying for cattle would be unreasonable. Anderson defended Reid on recent attacks by fellow Nevada Senator Wesson.
- 30th: California Representative and House Speaker, Elizabeth Anderson interviewed on the Today Show, made the following remarks on Bundy and Senator Wesson; "Sure Mr. Bundy got his cattle, but he will live in history as a racist. I hope Senator Wesson will apologize on supporting such a disgusting man, it would only be reasonable.
September []
- 12th: Senator Lindsay Wesson condemns President Obama's announcement to engage in airstrikes in Syria as an "illegal war that violates the sovereignty of Syria and violates our Constitution by undermining and disregarding the authority of the Congress to declaring wars." Wesson has been outspoken against U.S. arming and funding of rebels in Syria, and has claimed ISIS was created by the United States' CIA and its Saudi allies. "This administration is pushing us towards World War III."
- 14th: House Democrats under Elizabeth Anderson voted in favor of American involvement in Syria and Iraq against ISIS. Anderson did say on the issue about arming rebels, "...for to long have we have equipped the wrong people with the wrong motives; I truly believe its best to do the job ourselves." Anderson has been labeled as a 'War Hawk Democrat'.
- 15th: Senator Percy Hunter (L-RI) expressed his support for the intervention against the Islamic State with the following message: "I do not at all believe the United States should act as a global police officer. It is a burden on the American taxpayer. It is a burden on the American economy. If it doesn't threaten US national security, it is generally not our problem. But in this case, we caused much of the problem. It would be highly irresponsible of us to not fix what we broke. We must henceforth cease entirely in funding and arming rebels or militants abroad, otherwise risk stepping into the same trap."