Casper Star-Tribune Online

Advanced Search

Candidate builds house of sticks

Story Tools

Print this story

E-mail this story

Rate this story

Text Size

Share This Story:

trib.popular

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 2:06 AM MDT

Editor:

Wolf in sheep's clothing:

On July 18, a Montana Federal Court issued an order to halt Wyoming's management of the wolves within the boundaries of our state. As one might expect in this election year, this decision has drawn nearly universal criticism from our politicians seeking elected office.

I was amazed, however, to receive a copy of a press release from Mark Gordon condemning this decision. The Montana Federal Court's decision to remove Wyoming's power to manage the wolves came about because the Sierra Club, among other groups, petitioned the court to make this change. Mr. Gordon has long ties with the Sierra Club including a stint on the national Sierra Club Foundation Board of Directors and as the director of the Sierra Club. Mr. Gordon has also given extensively to the Sierra Club. You can see this Web site for detailed documentation of Mr. Gordon's donations (http://conservablogs.com/wyovotes/2008/04/16/7500-reasons/).

Most Wyomingites don't need to be reminded of the Sierra Club's role in bringing the wolves to Wyoming in the late '80s and early '90s. Then, once the wolves were being introduced, in 1995, the Sierra Club sued, seeking to limit Wyoming's role in managing the wolves. Similar to the 2008 complaint filed in Montana, in 1995 the Sierra Club sued to have the wolf receive full protection under the Endangered Species Act and to remove any management control from the state of Wyoming (see 95-CV-01015).

Despite the Sierra Club's efforts to bring the wolf to Wyoming and despite the Sierra Club's efforts to remove power to manage the wolves from the state of Wyoming, Mr. Gordon continued to serve the Sierra Club and continued to make donations to the Sierra Club.

Mr. Gordon has never acknowledged that he served on the board of the Sierra Club when wolf reintroduction was a key goal of that group. Nor has Mr. Gordon acknowledge that he continued to contribute to the Sierra Club after the Sierra Club brought a lawsuit to remove control of the wolf management from the state of Wyoming.

How is it that a politician that was so involved in this process can now condemn the fruits of the group that he led? Perhaps before Mr. Gordon misrepresents his opponents in shameful attacks, he should address his own history.

MATT MICHELI, Cheyenne


Present giving returns future reward		Consumption drives energy crisis

Article Rating

Reader Comments

There are 10 comment(s)

Comments to this story.

TR wrote on Aug 12, 2008 8:01 AM:

" Mr Gordon knows that there wouldnt be any wolves on his land , so he could care less about the rest of us that have to deal with these wolf problems. He was bought off by big city ideas. "

floyd wrote on Aug 12, 2008 8:39 AM:

" Why would Gordon want wolves when he is paying predator control to kill coyotes? No rancher wants to have either wolves or coyotes! This is career politician stuff and I for one am sick of it. Micheli is attached to the central committee at the hip and they are ripping the party apart from within. If this continues it will be a Trauner victory in November. "

Otter wrote on Aug 12, 2008 9:04 AM:

" Mark Gordon proudly recognizes that he worked with Sierra Club to try to advance multiple use and holistic resource management practices in their policies. THAT WAS 15 YEARS AGO! I know the Lummis campaign wants us all to think that was yesterday and that Mark lead the charge on all of their advocacy in Wyoming, but that is just not the case. It's too bad she and her crew are trying to mislead us all. Do your research, like I have, and learn the TRUTH! "

Experience counts wrote on Aug 12, 2008 9:06 AM:

" Mark Gordon is a Wolf in sheep's clothing! Don't believe his lies. He's all Democrat and a proven environut who wants wild, vicious wolves to run rampant ALL over Wyoming (except, of course, on HIS ranch!) "

Brown Eyes wrote on Aug 12, 2008 9:57 AM:

" Matt M. isn't a menber of the State Republican Central Comm. He isn't a State committee man from Laramie Co. where he resides. How can "floyd 'make such a claim? "

Linda M wrote on Aug 12, 2008 11:18 AM:

" Experience counts are you kidding? That doesn't even make sense. It's lies like you and others are spreading that make the average Joe want to bury their heads in the sand and ignore politics. Oh wait a minute, that's exactly what you want! Let the very few who have already picked their candidate go to the polls. Maybe we should have just had a coronation! I hope that the voters of Wyoming decide on the best candidate and the turnout is more than just the cabal of lie-spewing folks such as yourself! "

floyd wrote on Aug 12, 2008 11:19 AM:

" Haley Micheli is on Lummis' staff....any relation????? "

Real Rancher wrote on Aug 12, 2008 11:55 AM:

" Dear Mr. Micheli-
I am a sheep rancher and find your comments offensive. I also checked the cites you use and think it is funny that they are from some crack pot blogger in Cody "

Scott in Cody wrote on Aug 12, 2008 2:46 PM:

" Real Rancher, the "crack pot blogger in Cody" cited thorough evidence from the Federal Elections Commission.

Mr. Micheli, thanks for a good editorial and the plug. And thanks to the CST for keeping it in. "

Trueconserv wrote on Aug 13, 2008 11:12 AM:

" Thanks Matt for this expose', good honest information that needs to come out. I am so sick and tired of this Gordon B.S. that "I joined the Sierra Club so I could bring sense to them". Kinda like "I joined Al-Qaeda so I could talk sense to Osama Bin-Laden". HORSE PUCKEY!!!! "

Submit a Comment

We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.

Please note: We provide our story commenting feature in order to solicit feedback, debate and discussion on topics of local interest. Please keep in mind that civility is a necessary component of productive conversation. All blatantly inflammatory or otherwise inappropriate comments (i.e. vulgarity, marketing, etc.) are subject to rejection and/or removal. Comments will appear if and when they are approved. Thanks for reading, and thanks for participating.