Oregon's governor calls on feds to act against armed group occupying wildlife refuge

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon's governor expressed anger Wednesday over federal authorities' handling of the occupation of a national wildlife refuge by an armed group and said she intends to bill the U.S. government for what the occupation is costing state taxpayers.
Gov. Kate Brown said federal officials "must move quickly to end the occupation and hold all of the wrongdoers accountable."

"The residents of Harney County have been overlooked and underserved by federal officials' response thus far. I have conveyed these very grave concerns directly to our leaders at the highest levels of our government: the U.S. Department of Justice and the White House," she said at a news conference.



Exasperated by a tense situation that has caused fear among local residents since it began Jan. 2, Brown said, "This spectacle of lawlessness must end, and until Harney County is free of it, I will not stop insisting that federal officials enforce the law."

She said the occupation has cost Oregon taxpayers nearly half a million dollars. She didn't say what those costs entailed.

"We'll be asking federal officials to reimburse the state for these costs," she said