One More For The Road

[{"type":"text","text":"A little to the left, a bit more to the left.... perfect...."}]

One more for 9 3 23

Cowboy State Daily is Wyoming’s largest newspaper with Wyoming’s most experienced journalists. 

<title>One More For The Road: Sunday, September 3, 2023 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A little to the left, a bit more to the left.... perfect....

One More For The Road: Sunday, September 3, 2023

 A little to the left, a bit more to the left.... perfect....

Kolby fedore

Kolby Fedore

Crime & Courts

Courts

A Lincoln County contractor could be facing serious criminal charges after allegedly beating a man, threatening him with a shovel, taking his phone and coercing him into signing over a truck and equipment during a daylong 

Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy Kale McGee outline the allegations in a 12-page affidavit filed Friday and made available Tuesday, seeking charges of aggravated blackmail and battery against Thomas John Robinson.

mother called 911 from Afton, reporting her son had been held against his will and was covered in blood, wrote McGee. 

The sheriff's deputy arrived to find the man wearing a white shirt stained with dried blood. McGee wrote that he also had dried blood near his nose and fresh bruising on his face.

The man claims Robinson arrived at his Thayne-area home around 10 a.m. demanding repayment from a failed equipment deal.

Robinson money, but said he couldn't immediately pay him, and that Robinson could not simply take vehicles and equipment 

He said he "originally owed Robinson $30,000, but Robinson kept bumping the price up.” 

The alleged victim said that Robinson then grabbed him by his sweatshirt collar, threw him to the ground and climbed on top of him, wrote McGee. 

"He popped me,” the man told investigators, later reported pain in his ribs, face, and mouth.

Next, he said Robinson loaded up a trailer and skid steer onto the man's truck and hauled him to a property on Rock Farm Road outside Etna.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Threats And A Shovel "}]

Once at the property, the man told investigators that the confrontation escalated, according to the affidavit.

He said Robinson began videotaping him and humiliating him while accusing him of fraud.

In a video taken by a witness, Robinson tells the man, "I honestly can't believe there's people like you around in this world,” the affidavit says. "Every one of us as a god — civilization and a community. 

"Every one of us that's a normal mother f***er that goes and works for their money needs to come together and f***ing catch people like you and string you up and flog you daily." 

In the video, Robinson calls the man a "piece of shit" multiple times, wrote McGee. "Like I said, I got him by the balls. I got him right by the balls; he just forfeited his truck and equipment to me and agreed to do so."

The man claimed Robinson threatened to hit him in the back of the head with a shovel and "bury him,” and also told him that he would come after him if he went to the cops. 

Robinson also allegedly threatened to burn down the man's house with his children inside and to "take him out of the community," again referencing striking him with a shovel, according to the affidavit.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Robinson Tells A Different Story"}]

Robinson acknowledged to the sheriff’s office that he confronted the other man over money, but described the encounter very differently.

According to McGee, Robinson told investigators he had been trying for months to recover money he believed was owed to him.

Robinson said he discovered the man had recently acquired a truck, trailer and skid steer despite owing him money.

McGee wrote that Robinson told investigators the man voluntarily drove the equipment to Robinson's property and later agreed to sign over his truck and equipment as collateral 

Robinson denied bloodying the man, telling investigators that he told him he was free to leave and ultimately agreed to work off the debt.

McGee wrote that Robinson produced six invoices totaling $43,589.16 and documents allegedly signed by the man transferring the truck as collateral.

Before investigators arrived at the property to talk to Robinson, they learned that he had an active warrant out to Idaho with full extradition. 

When they told Robinson there was a warrant for his arrest out of Fremont County, Idaho, Robinson began "using vulgar language and became agitated," wrote McGee. "He refused to let me place him in handcuffs behind his back and told me that he had shoulder issues.” 

He was ultimately placed in handcuffs and taken to the Lincoln County Detention Center, but according to the sheriff's department, he is no longer there. 

Court records in Fremont County, Idaho, show Robinson had been facing a felony DUI charge there. 

However, a plea agreement was filed May 28 and the case has been remanded to a lower court, according to a Fremont County District Court clerk. The clerk said the felony charge has been reduced to a misdemeanor and Robinson is expected to enter a plea in the lower court.

[{"type":"text","text":"Robinson is not being held in custody in Idaho."}]

Cowboy State Daily reached out to Fremont County prosecutors about whether Robinson may face any additional charges in Idaho and had not received a response by publication time.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Witnesses "}]

Several witnesses interviewed by investigators support portions of the alleged victim's account.

Investigators also reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby Maverik that showed the victim later in the day kneeling on gravel with a cloth pressed against his nose while Robinson spoke on the phone about alleged fraud accusations.

A notary told investigators she notarized paperwork signed by Robinson and the man later that day.

The notary told investigators she sensed tension between the men and had received a text message from the witness who made the video beforehand, one of Robinson's employees, that said, "It's getting intense.”

McGee wrote that he asked the notary if the alleged victim "looked like he was willing to sign these papers," and she said, "Hmm, I mean, he signed.” 

She said he put his driver's license down on the table, and she didn't log anything in her notary book with the state because she "just has to make sure the signature matches the signature on the paper.” 

Lincoln County Attorney Ember Oakley did not return a request by publication time for clarification about Robinson's pending charges in Wyoming.

Lincoln County Sheriffs Office 12 11 25

<title>Lincoln County Man Accused Of Beating, Shaking Down Man Who Owes Him Money | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Lincoln County man is accused of beating a man to coerce him to sign over a truck and equipment during a daylong shakedown over a debt. “Catch people like you and string you up and flog you daily,” police say the contractor threatens on video.

Lincoln County Man Accused Of Beating, Shaking Down Man Who Owes Him Money

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's general assignment reporter, Clair McFarland.

Clair McFarland

Politics

A Cheyenne-based attorney who filed a complaint calling for a criminal investigation against Secretary of State Chuck Gray for releasing sensitive voter data to the federal government, asked the Wyoming Supreme Court on Tuesday to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the matter.

George Powers also asked the high court to issue an order “commanding” Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz and the AG’s office to recuse themselves from investigating whether Gray could have committed a crime.

It’s unclear whether the AG’s office already has, or has not recused itself from the matter. 

[{"type":"text","text":"The Journey Here"}]

Powers started filing public records requests after news broke that Gray had released sensitive voter data to the U.S. Department of Justice last year. The department had asked Gray’s office to hand over Wyoming voter rolls including driver’s licenses or partial Social Security numbers.

Powers, an attorney who beat the Wyoming Department of Education in a different public records challenge in 2023, has pointed repeatedly to a state law that says election records containing portions of Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers are not public record.

He filed a formal complaint against Gray with the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office on April 13 alleging “there is a reasonable basis to believe” that Gray violated the state’s election law.

Gray has said repeatedly in public comments that he released the rolls after  “close consultation” with the AG’s office. He’s also told reporters the AG approved the release of voters’ information.

Because of that attorney-client relationship, Powers has said that the AG has a conflict of interest and cannot investigate Gray for potential criminal culpability himself, but should task a judge with appointing a special prosecutor.

It is unclear whether Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz has appointed a special prosecutor.  

His deputy AG Mackenzie Williams parried with Powers initially on whether Gray has waived his attorney-client privilege to keep any advice the AG’s office gave on this matter private.

Powers had requested documentation of that advice, in public records requests.

Williams pointed to cases indicating that Gray hadn’t waived attorney-client privilege. Powers pointed to cases indicating that he had.

[{"type":"text","text":"The Final Letter"}]

Then Kautz, who is also a former Wyoming Supreme Court justice, told Powers in a May 4 email that he would handle the matter, but that it wouldn’t be a public display.

“This response is not an invitation for further communication,” wrote Kautz, according to the Tuesday petition. “A prosecutor’s investigation and exercise of prosecutorial discretion are not conducted in the public square. I previously told you that your complaint would be addressed in accordance with our office policies, the law and the Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys at Law.”

Powers sent Kautz “one final letter” on May 20, saying once again that Kautz cannot investigate Gray for potential wrongdoing in this matter, and warning that, “if necessary, (Powers) may seek a writ of mandamus concerning AG Kautz and the AG’s office to recuse themselves from investigating this complaint against Secretary Gray should AG Kautz and the AG’s office continue to refuse to do so voluntarily.”

Cowboy State Daily has not seen evidence that Kautz is investigating Gray himself.

Powers’ petition says that based on Kautz’s final, May 4 email to him, “Mr. Powers understands and believes” that the office is still processing, reviewing or investigating Powers complaint against Gray – “despite the conflict of interest here.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Kautz declined Tuesday to comment on the petition."}]

Gray did not respond by publication to a text message request for comment.  

A writ of mandamus is a request for a court to make an official perform a duty that the law "specifically" requires from that office.

A relevant case also says this mechanism is meant to command the performance of a "ministerial duty which is plainly defined and required by law," and that the function only works when the duty is "absolute, clear, and indisputable. The law must not only authorize the demanded action but require it."

Casper-based attorneys Rob Shively and Ryan Semerad filed the writ Tuesday on Powers' behalf. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Some More History Stuff"}]

The DOJ last June asked Gray for information about Wyoming’s compliance with federal election laws. It also asked for Wyoming’s statewide voter registration list, public documents show.

Gray wrote the federal agency back July 24, 2025. He described Wyoming’s handling of election security and maintenance measures, and said a public-facing copy of the voter rolls had been uploaded into a federal database.

U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon voiced dissatisfaction with that in an Aug. 14 response to Gray.

“We have received Wyoming’s statewide voter registration list,” wrote Dhillon. “However, as the Attorney General requested, the electronic copy of the (voter rolls) must contain all fields, including the registrant’s full name, date of birth, residential address, his or her state driver’s license number or the last four digits of the registrant’s social security number.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Dhillon said that was required under the Help America Vote Act."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Gray wrote back in an Aug. 28 letter."}]

“We are satisfying this request,” he wrote. “Upon review of the provisions cited in your letter, and discussion of the applicable provisions of the Civil Rights Act with the Wyoming Attorney General, we agree that disclosure of the requested records is proper under the Civil Rights Act.”

Gray referenced “assurances” from Dhillon that federal privacy protections would apply.

Powers’ complaint says the DOJ had no authority to demand the voter rolls under the Help America Vote Act, and the DOJ didn’t make any claim Wyoming had violated the act in the first place.

Dhillon had also hinged her demand on the National Voter Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1960. 

Powers noted in his complaint that Wyoming is exempt from the National Voter Rights Act (NVRA), and he asserted that the Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 1960 doesn’t authorize the DOJ’s demand.

He said the DOJ is trying to “bootstrap” a broad investigative provision in the Civil Rights Act to requirements found in laws Congress passed much later, though the Civil Rights Act “was intended to address racial discrimination.”

“When Congress wrote the CRA, it could not have intended the CRA to serve as a vehicle to mandate disclosure of information in voting records … developed years later,” wrote Powers. 

He also claimed that Wyoming’s voter rolls don’t fit the description of shareable documents under the relevant part of the Civil Rights Act.

Many states, including multiple Republican-led states, are fighting the DOJ to keep their non-public-facing voter rolls private. Numerous cases on the matter are ongoing, and courts in Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, Arizona, California, Maine, Michigan, and Wisconsin have found that the DOJ lacked legal authority under any federal law to compel the states to release those unredacted voter rolls.

[{"type":"text","text":"Powers has emphasized Wyoming statute 22-2-113(d), which says:"}]

“Election records containing Social Security numbers, portions of Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, birth dates, telephone numbers, tribal identification card numbers, e-mail addresses and other personally identifiable information other than names, gender, addresses, unique identifying numbers generated by the state and party affiliations are not public records and shall be kept confidential.”

[{"type":"text","text":"A Word From Gray"}]

Gray is currently running a campaign for the state's lone U.S. House representatives seat. He faces nine contenders in the Aug. 18 Republican primary, as well as whoever wins the Democratic primary election that same day - and Libertarian Party nominee Shawn Johnson. 

Gray in a Tuesday text message called the petition a "clear attempt by Leftist attorney George Powers to weaponize the legal system against a conservative for my work on election integrity during a campaign, just like the radical Left did against President Trump." 

"I stand by our office's election integrity work with the Trump Administration," wrote Gray. "We have maintained compliance with the law and these actions have been carried out in close consultation and approved by the Attorney General."

Gray said 20 states have worked with the top law enforcement agency "on this election integrity work," including Utah, "making almost every single red state in the nation to engage in this important work that is in compliance with the law." 

Utah has not capitulated fully, and its lawsuit with the DOJ is ongoing. The state has, however, completed an audit of its voter rolls that revealed found 27 confirmed noncitizens, whom clerks have since removed from the voter rolls, says a 

by the office of Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson. 

Idaho continues to fight the DOJ's push for sensitive voter data, though its case is stayed while the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals evaluates the law in other, similar cases. 

This story has been updated to include a post-publication comment by Secretary of State Chuck Gray. 

Kautz powers 6 2 26

<title>Attorney Asks Wyoming Supreme Court For Special Prosecutor To Investigate Chuck Gray | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Cheyenne attorney George Powers, who filed a complaint calling for a criminal investigation against Chuck Gray for releasing sensitive voter data to the federal government, asked the Wyoming Supreme Court on Tuesday to appoint a special prosecutor.

Attorney Asks Wyoming Supreme Court For Special Prosecutor To Investigate Chuck Gray

Government & Politics

officially declared this week that June is “pride month” in the southwest Wyoming city.

It’s done so for years, but this year’s proclamation 

a surge of backlash, as shown through 543 comments on the city's Facebook post and 43 shares as of Tuesday afternoon.

than the three comments and five shares a similar post 

Mayor Max Mickelson told Cowboy State Daily this year’s heated election cycle — not just municipal, but at all levels — is driving public vitriol.

“There’s just a lot of strong feelings,” said Mickelson in a Tuesday phone interview. “And people are expressing those which again, absolutely (that’s their) protected First Amendment right. But it is the whole purpose of a city to create an environment where people can thrive. That’s it.”

The majority of Rock Springs City Council members who spoke to Cowboy State Daily said the proclamation is about honoring diverse groups within Rock Springs, and the backlash is 

Rick Milonas, a city councilman who is running against Mickelson and another candidate for the mayor’s seat, said he has nothing against gay people, but 

 city government shouldn’t be advancing any sexual agenda.

The city government’s Monday Facebook post proclaiming June as pride month shows Mickelson standing in his suit along with City Councilwoman Jeannie Demas, and a half dozen other people, most holding rainbow pride flags.

The photo backdrop features a banner above the city logo which reads, in gothic calligraphy, “In God We Trust.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Milonas cast that as an irony."}]

“He made the whole month gay pride month and boy oh boy, people are upset,” said Milonas in his own Tuesday interview. “Then he took that picture underneath ‘In God We Trust.’”

The city’s post advertises four events: a pride game night at Pin Up Coffee, “A Magical Night with Michael Carducci” at the city’s Broadway Theater, a Pride Celebration at Bunning Park, and a PrideFest Pub Crawl at Square State Brewing.

[{"type":"text","text":"Mickelson said the city isn’t giving money for any of these events."}]

“Yeah, in terms of city resources — other than the paper (the proclamation) was printed on — zero,” he said.

The city is allowing its theater and park to be used for the events, he added. The First Amendment calls for government forums like those not to censor speakers within them based on viewpoint alone.

“My practice as the mayor has been for any local, state, or nationally-recognized event, if a resident asks for a proclamation, then we do one,” said Mickelson, adding that Rock Springs has proclaimed June as pride month every year he’s been mayor. 

“I’m not going to gate-keep and pick and choose which events matter to the residents,” he said. "That would be inappropriate.”

He said the photograph was shot Friday. The city used to do public occasion proclamations within City Council meetings, he said, but now it issues those proclamations during scheduled times instead.

But the meetings have “become very long and not focused on business,” said Mickelson.

Milonas said this ties back to his fears from around two years ago, that a the city’s Urban Renewal Agency (URA) manager tried to redesign official government messaging to tout the LGBTQ agenda.  

Milonas said a city employee was involved in designing the new, multicolored city logo in an effort to “(promote) his gay agenda.”

Mickelson called that claim false and said he’s growing frustrated with Milonas’ 

[{"type":"text","text":"Conflict in the city government has been ongoing for months at least."}]

Former state Rep. Chad Banks, who now serves as the URA manager, filed an ethics complaint against Milonas earlier this year over Milonas’ claims that Banks redesigned the city logo to advance a “gay agenda.”

“This moves beyond policy disagreement and into personal targeting,” Banks wrote in the complaint, according to 

[{"type":"text","text":"Banks’ complaint was upheld."}]

“They found me guilty as charged. So basically, they took away my freedom of speech,” said Milonas.

In turn, Milonas filed a complaint against the mayor claiming the latter “weaponized the ethics process,” which the council threw out for lack of evidence.

[{"type":"text","text":"Milonas contends he wasn’t given the chance to defend his allegations."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Mickelson said the complaint was simply unfounded."}]

“It’s very difficult to produce evidence of something that did not happen,” said Mickelson 

Mickelson said he formed a committee to look at the city logo. The city hired a marketing consultant but didn’t use his work. And the committee chose the new colors — blue, yellow and green — “because we wanted to update the old logo.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The mayor said Banks had no part in choosing the colors."}]

“I am beyond frustrated that an elected official would continually, despite being shown factual evidence, misrepresent to the voters the process that was followed for his own personal reasons,” said Mickelson. “It is reckless, it is irresponsible and it is frankly a dereliction of what we all took an oath to uphold.”

[{"type":"text","text":"About Pride Month"}]

Pride month, widely observed under the Democratic administration of former President Joe Biden, celebrates people of alternate sexual orientations, as well as transgender and “questioning” people.

The administration of President Donald Trump, who has touted more socially conservative approaches, declared last June that the president didn’t plan to declare June as pride month.

“But I can tell you,” said Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt at the time, “this president is very proud to be a president for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Other City Council Members"}]

Facebook commenters on the city’s proclamation post ventured expressions of delight and approval, as well as consternation and frustration.

Other city council members, besides Milonas, who returned Cowboy State Daily’s calls on Tuesday cast the social media outrage as overblown.

“Any group can come and proclaim a day or month or week,” said Councilman Rob Zotti. “We do it all the time for nonprofits, for cancer awareness, for domestic violence. You name it.”

Regarding whether celebrating certain sexual preferences is the role of government, Zotti said, “I’m kind of at a loss, because it’s just a recognition of people … it’s just a matter of people wanting to be recognized and affirmed as people. And (recognizing) they have the same rights as everybody else.”

Councilman David Thompson said the city tries to include everyone and recognize numerous different awareness drives, “whether we agree with them or not.”

Thompson said that on a volunteer basis, he plans on helping with security for a pride event in the park.

[{"type":"text","text":"“There might be some people overreacting,” said Thompson."}]

Councilman Dan Pedri said that, “we have a lot of people within our community. We’re always recognizing different groups, different people. I don’t personally have a problem with it.”

He called some of the negative comments “disheartening” and harmful to their targets.

He also said that some of the people making derogatory comments on social media are silent on the issue when out in public.

“So, a lot of people can be pretty bold and say the things that they feel they should say — at a distance,” said Pedri.

Cowboy State Daily left voicemails for all city council members. The others did not comment by publication.

The outlet also tried, without success, to reach and interview some of the boldest commenters under the Facebook post.

Rock Springs Pride month 1 6 2 26

<title>City Of Rocks Springs Catches Backlash For ‘Pride Month’ Declaration | Cowboy State Daily</title>

The city of Rock Springs declared June is “pride month” — and is catching backlash. The city "made the whole month gay pride month and boy oh boy, people are upset,” says a councilman. The mayor countered that he wouldn't play gatekeeper on events.

City Of Rocks Springs Catches Backlash For ‘Pride Month’ Declaration

Employee kate meadows cropped

Kate Meadows

Wyoming Life

Sports

A Bozeman, Montana, woman has returned home following a 24-day hospital stay after her hand was ripped off in a terrifying horse accident at the Montana State University rodeo practice arena.

Presley Whitaker, wife of Montana State University Head Rodeo Coach Kyle Whitaker, arrived home from Salt Lake City via a private last Thursday, nearly a month after the May 4 accident.

She came home wearing a neck brace, having also suffered a broken jaw in the altercation, and her right arm tucked into a black sling, without her hand.  

“She’s still in a lot of pain,” Kyle Whitaker told Cowboy State Daily.

The reality of hard days ahead started sinking in for the mother of two when she arrived home and saw her saddles for the first time since the accident, Kyle said.

“She’s really frustrated,” he said, adding, “that’s part of the process.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Accident"}]

On May 4, Presley was pen roping a young horse — a horsemanship technique that teaches young horses how to handle cattle and grow accustomed to working with a rope — when the horse she was on threw her and took off.

[{"type":"text","text":"Presley was dragged behind with her right hand wrapped in the rope. "}]

She was thrown into a fence, which broke her jaw and severed her hand, Kyle said.

Kyle was moving some other horses out of the way of where his wife was working when he heard a commotion. 

He said he was a couple hundred yards away and didn’t see what happened, but his assistant coach, Savanna Bolich, saw the whole thing.

[{"type":"text","text":"She called out to Kyle and then called 911."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Kyle ran to his wife."}]

“I was holding Presley and I really thought she was going to die,” he told Cowboy State Daily.

Two members of the MSU rodeo team who were there searched for the missing hand and found it outside the arena.

“The boys, they had to go find her hand — it had gotten thrown out of the arena,” Whitaker said. “It’s big stuff for college kids.”

Presley was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and then flown by helicopter to Salt Lake City.

That was the only way she stood a chance of getting her hand reattached, Kyle recounted.

[{"type":"text","text":"However, the damage proved too severe for surgeons to reattach her hand."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"MSU Family Springs Into Action"}]

Dean Folkvord was getting on a plane to Italy when he heard about the accident.

Folkvord is president of the Chute Boss Club, an organization that supports MSU’s rodeo team by donating and raising money to cover travel, equipment and ways to enhance the college rodeo experience.

A Bozeman woman is home following a 24-day hospital stay after her hand was ripped off in a terrifying horse accident at the Montana State University rodeo practice arena. “The boys, they had to go find her hand,” said her husband and MSU rodeo coach.

One More For The Road: Sunday, September 3, 2023

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