By Leo Wolfson, State Politics Reporter
Leo@Cowboystatedaily.com
Perennial Republican candidate Rex Rammell, a fixture on Wyoming and Idaho ballots for two decades, is accused of breaking the law on the road during this past election season.
Rammell, who ran for Wyoming governor in the August primary election, has been cited for operating a vehicle in a prohibited area on federal land.
The alleged violation, which happened July 31, took place on Bureau of Land Management land about 11 miles east of Green River, roughly 150 feet off Interstate 80.
The Citation
According to the citation issued last week, Rammell was allegedly driving his white-and-blue RV in a limited-use area where vehicles are prohibited.
Although it can’t be said definitively whether it was the same RV, Rammell campaigned this past summer in a white-and-blue RV emblazoned with his name and a large bald eagle and other wildlife on it. His campaign was in full swing at the time of the issued citation.
During his most recent campaign for governor, Rammell vowed that if elected, he would immediately confiscate all federal lands in Wyoming and put them under state control.
Rammell did not respond to a request for comment on the citation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also didn’t respond to a Cowboy State Daily request for more information.
He is scheduled for a Dec. 9 initial appearance, which means he is contesting the violation.
Rammell was charged $230 for the offense and is seeking a refund for the fine.
Rammell In A Nutshell
Rammell has run in nine elections in Idaho and Wyoming over the past 20 years, winning none.
He has consistently asserted a conservative Libertarian stance, running as a member of both the Republican and Constitution parties in various elections.
During this year’s campaign, Rammell accused Republican opponent Brent Bien of failing to meet the Wyoming law requiring five years of residency prior to running for governor because Bien was serving in the military.
He later filed a lawsuit against outgoing Secretary of State Ed Buchanan for allowing Bien to participate in the race.
The moves were harshly criticized by many conservatives who saw Rammell’s rhetoric as an attack against Bien’s military service.
Not First Brush With Law
In 2006, former Idaho Gov. Jim Risch ordered an emergency hunt to kill nearly 160 elk that had escaped from Rammell’s ranch about 10 miles from Yellowstone National Park. Rammell opposed the hunt and sued the state unsuccessfully.
In 2010, Rammell was cited by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game after he killed a cow elk in the wrong hunting zone. He contested the citation, which was upheld. In 2011, Rammell was cited for buying a hunting tag after his hunting privileges had already been revoked because of the 2010 offense.
Also in 2011, Rammell was charged with felony battery for allegedly choking another man Rammell accused of trespassing on his property. The charge was eventually dismissed.
In May 2021, Rammell was found guilty in Wyoming for not having proper brand inspections for four horses and a colt. He appealed the conviction and lost.
