Ammon Bundy removed from Idaho Capitol twice in less than 24 hours. He’s banned for a year - East Idaho News
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Ammon Bundy removed from Idaho Capitol twice in less than 24 hours. He’s banned for a year

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Ruth Brown, Idaho Statesman

Ammon Bundy is dragged and then carried from the Idaho Senate Chambers gallery by Idaho State Police after returning to the Idaho Statehouse Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020 in Boise. Officers cited a statute before taking Bundy into custody a day after being arrested for refusing to leave a committee meeting. | Darin Oswald, Idaho Statesman

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Less than 24 hours after being arrested at the Statehouse, Ammon Bundy returned to the Capitol and was again removed by Idaho State Police on Wednesday.

Bundy was arrested around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when police claim he refused to leave the Lincoln Auditorium, which is a large hearing room in the Capitol. He was arrested on accusations of trespassing and resisting and obstructing police.

By 11 a.m. Wednesday, Bundy was seen in the Senate gallery at the Statehouse and was removed by Idaho State Police, the agency that patrols the Capitol grounds.

Keith Reynolds, director of the state Department of Administration, said an order of trespass has been issued against Bundy. In the past, they’ve used the orders for people who have been arrested in the building.

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This image taken from video shows anti-government activist Ammon Bundy, rear, being wheeled into an elevator in a chair following his arrest at the Idaho Statehouse in Boise, Idaho, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. Authorities arrested Bundy after he refused to leave a meeting room where a few hours earlier angry protesters forced out lawmakers. | Keith Ridler, Associated Press

Reynolds explained that the letter does state that if Bundy has legitimate business in the Capitol, he can contact the state security to make arrangements to come in. Meanwhile, he has been banned from the property for a year.

RELATED: Ammon Bundy, 2 supporters, arrested at the Idaho Statehouse. They’re accused of trespassing

The letter falls under Idaho Code 67-1602 to 1604, and 67-5709, regarding the Capitol building and its grounds.

The Idaho Statesman obtained a copy of the letter. The order, dated Aug. 26, 2020, states that if Bundy comes on the Statehouse property, including the Capitol exterior, he could be criminally charged with trespassing.

The order states that Bundy presents “a threat to disrupt the legitimate business there.”

Bundy is best known for being tried but not convicted in two federal standoffs. During the pandemic, he has been a regular faces in public meetings and speaks against government regulation. He has testified multiple times during the Legislature’s special session.

BUNDY, OTHERS ARRESTED AT IDAHO CAPITOL ON TUESDAY

The events leading to Tuesday’s arrest began when there was a disturbance in the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee, which was being held in the Lincoln Auditorium.

The meeting was disrupted when members of the public — at least some apparently part of the anti-vaccination advocacy group Health Freedom Idaho — refused to move out of reserved press corps seats.

The Lincoln Auditorium has a desk with a few seats for the Capitol Correspondents. The seats are for properly credentialed media members only. Committee Chairman Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, asked the people to move from the seats, after troopers had warned them that they did not qualify as credentialed media. When they moved back to the seats, Chaney told them they needed to leave.

Several people in the room started shouting and at least 10 ISP troopers came into the room.

Ultimately, the lawmakers left the room and moved to a different hearing room to continue with their legislative agenda.

ISP cited and released Bryan Bowermaster, a 33-year-old Boise man, for misdemeanor trespassing after he refused to leave the press desk.

Later, Bundy and several other people also reused to leave the auditorium when the Speaker of the House Rep. Scott Bedke ordered it be cleared.

Bundy, Aaron Von Schmidt, 42, of Coeur d’Alene, and Jill Watts, 38, of Nampa, were all arrested and cited with alleged trespassing. Bundy also faces a misdemeanor accusation for resisting and obstructing.

He posted bond on Tuesday night and was released from jail. He has not had a court date yet.

Bundy and his family have been in the news for the past five years following their involvement in two armed standoffs, one at a family ranch in Nevada in 2014 and one at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon in 2016.

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