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<title>Daily Darwin: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

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Daily Darwin: Tuesday, October 15, 2024

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

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Politics

Second-quarter campaign finance reports for Wyoming’s GOP primary House race are in, and four candidates have loaned themselves more than $1 million each.

Steve Friess has amassed the largest war chest with $2.5 million, which includes a $2 million self-loan. Reid Rasner is second, loaning himself $1.7 million out of $2 million, while two others, Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Teton-County-based attorney Frank Chapman, also hit above the $1 million mark with self-funding. 

Those four will face off against six other Republican contenders for the GOP nomination in Wyoming's Aug. 18 primary election in the hopes of winning the state's lone U.S. House race soon being vacated by Rep. Harriet Hageman. 

Friess has “invested $2 million of his own money in the effort,” as his Wednesday statement describes the self-loan. 

That puts Friess’s principal campaign committee Friess For Wyoming at nearly $2.2 million after another $92,361 in other contributions and $81,136 in transfers from other authorized committees.  

While U.S. Federal Election Commission reports for the second quarter surfaced this week, Friess’s financial lead is more notable because he declared his run later than most candidates in April.

Recognizable names appear in Friess’s donations receipts, such as National Museum of Military Vehicles founder Dan Starks and major 

The joint fundraising committee Friess Wyoming Victory Fund also raises money for the Friess campaign and has logged $363,626 in receipts, all from individuals.

Those include conservative media giant Tucker Carlson, Turning Point USA board member Doug DeGroote, and Friess’s mother Lynne.

Friess’s principal committee has $606,907 cash on hand — the most of any candidate.

[{"type":"text","text":"He’s spent about $1.49 million so far."}]

Friess's spokesman Tim Edson noted that within the past three months, Friess has outraised all opponents combined. 

"Republicans are rallying around Steve because they want a political outsider and businessman who can't be bought," wrote Edson in a Friday text message. "With a month to go, Steve has the money and the momentum — he's now tied for the lead and poised to overtake Chuck Gray and win this race." 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Next Up, Reid"}]

For total receipts, Rasner is second at nearly $2.044 million for his primary committee, Reid Rasner for Wyoming.   

That includes a nearly $1.71 million self-loan and $328,762 in other contributions.

Rasner’s committee’s ending cash on hand is $81,017.78, and he’s spent nearly $2 million.

His campaign did not return a Thursday text message request for comment by publication.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Chuck Gray"}]

Gray’s committee Citizens for Chuck Gray has logged $1,378,842 in receipts, including $230,936 in contributions and a $1.147 million self-loan.

[{"type":"text","text":"He’s spent about $852,365 so far."}]

Gray’s individual receipts show giving by Drake Hill, who is a Cheyenne-based attorney and husband to former Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill; Gray’s father Jan Charles Gray; and Gore-Tex heiress Susan Gore, among others.

Gray told Cowboy State Daily in a Thursday text message that his campaign is “in the lead, is gaining momentum and remains in a strong financial position.”

“Thank you to the people of Wyoming for your support,” wrote Gray, who said he has a proven track record of advancing Wyoming values “and will continue that work as a member of Congress.”

He added a critique that surfaces in many of his public statements against the media and an undefined group of “insiders.”

“That track record is why our campaign is in the lead, and it’s why the leftwing media and the insiders continue to attack me,” wrote Gray.

The PAC Protecting Wyoming Values dispatches mailers regularly in Gray’s favor. Its receipts total $657,009, all contributions from Gray’s father.

Gray’s committee’s cash on hand nearly rivals Friess’, at $526,476.60.

To Matt Micheli, a longtime politico and former chair of the Wyoming Republican Party, Gray’s name recognition and Friess’s momentum are honing the race.

Micheli donated money to another contender, Senate President Bo Biteman, but has since endorsed Friess.

“Listen, money matters in elections, and you need to have enough money to get your message out to voters,” Micheli said Thursday. “We’re at the point now people are starting to pay attention.”

Micheli added, “Right now, I see it as a two-person race. I think it really comes down to Steve Friess or Chuck Gray. They’re the two candidates right now that have a chance of winning this race.”

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

Chapman told Cowboy State Daily he believes his campaign is doing “very well finance-wise in the race.”

“You’ve got four main, you know, candidates that have gone out and raised money or contributed money to make themselves viable in responsible campaigns,” said Chapman, listing himself among Friess, Gray and Rasner.

His main campaign committee Chapman for Congress lists just over $1.09 million in receipts with $31,622.89 in contributions and a $1.06 million self-loan.

Chapman’s cash on hand notation tallies $495,161.33 — the third most after Friess and Gray. He’s spent at least $596,462.50 from his principal committee, says the FEC.

Chapman noted that independent political action committees (PACs) may also play a huge role in the race.

 has dropped $2.5 million into the super-PAC Fighting For Wyoming, which has 

 “a conservative rancher ready to fight with President Trump for the people of Wyoming.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Chapman said strategy is also important."}]

“When you’re running a campaign, a responsible candidate will buy the last three weeks (of TV ads) three months out,” said Chapman, adding that his campaign did that for prominent Wyoming TV channels. He also spoke of going to forums and gaining momentum in the field.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"David Giralt"}]

The other six candidates in this 10-way primary election are Biteman, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow, military veterans David Giralt and Kevin Christensen, former lawmaker Keith Goodenough and Richard Dodson.

Giralt has raised at least $184,529.88, including one $64,691.48 self-loan, and spent $31,449, the FEC says.

[{"type":"text","text":"He narrowly outpaced Balow for that fifth-place earner slot."}]

He said he’s honored to have donations and support from members of Congress, but more humbled when he’s out door-knocking and a Wyomingite “decides to wrap a contribution check for $50 in an envelope and send us on our way with it.”

“As someone who’s new to politics I’m very proud of the work, the momentum we’ve been able to build,” he said.

[{"type":"text","text":"Giralt said he was out knocking doors during his Friday phone interview."}]

“As someone starting on this journey as a bit of an outsider I’m just very humbled to out-fundraise people who’ve been in the political realm for years or even decades, for some,” he said, adding that people’s giving is more touching since he started out his campaign as “a long shot.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Jillian Balow"}]

Balow’s primary campaign committee Jillian Balow for Wyoming has raised $166.451.09 as of the July FEC filing deadline. That includes $41,449 in individual contributions and $125,000 of her own money.

The FEC shows her at $124,051 cash on hand and $42,399.75 in expenses as of the July report cutoff.

“I’m incredibly proud of the groundswell of support that is providing my campaign with the critical resources I need to connect with undecided voters,” said Balow in a Thursday text message. “I’m the only candidate in the House race with Wyoming roots, a conservative record as a leader, and the tenacity to fight hard and win for Wyoming.”

Balow added, “Slick television ads and endless family wealth will not win this race. Shoe leather and grit will.”

Both Balow and Biteman have garnered donations from multiple former state lawmakers.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Bo Biteman"}]

Biteman promised this year that he would not declare for higher office at least until the legislative session was over, saying he wanted to focus on leading the Senate rather than campaigning. 

As a result, he declared his run later than Rasner and Gray, but still a few days earlier than Friess.

He’s raised $94,342.45 as of his second-quarter FEC report, nearly all donations from individuals.

The FEC lists his cash on hand at $20,407.69 and his expenditures at nearly $74,000.

“We also have a number of outstanding donor commitments that were made after the close of the reporting period or have not yet been received, so this report doesn’t reflect all the support behind our campaign,” said Biteman in a Thursday text message.

He said his campaign has been disciplined with its spending out of respect for the donors who “expect us to be good stewards of every dollar.”

“I’d rather be known for running an efficient campaign than an expensive one,” Biteman said. “Every dollar we save today is another dollar we can invest in reaching voters when it matters most. 

"Campaigns aren’t built to accumulate cash — they’re built to communicate with voters and earn support, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Biteman said many donors are watching to see how the crowded primary contest develops before making larger commitments, but said his campaign is budling support across Wyoming, adding volunteers and meeting with voters every day.

“I feel very good about where this campaign is headed because we have the experience, the record, and the grassroots support to win,” he said.

At a Wednesday morning coffee gathering in Riverton, Biteman had quipped at the incongruity of some candidates spending more than $2 million to win a nearly $180,000 a year job.

“That was simply to say that public service should be about serving the people, not building a career in politics,” said Biteman.

He said he prefers to deliver his message in person, “not through a $125,000 mailer or a late night Roku ad buy, as most Wyomingites don’t want to believe that this election can be outright bought or that the voters can be enticed by shiny objects over proven, consistent and effective leadership.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kevin Christensen"}]

The Christensen campaign has raised $13,258.21. That’s $10,258.21 in contributions and $3,000 of Christensen’s money.

[{"type":"text","text":"The FEC lists him as having $4,573.98 cash on hand."}]

Christensen acknowledged in a Thursday phone interview that he can’t match many others’ fundraising.

“I’m going off of, you know, people that know me and people who are Wyoming residents. I haven’t accepted any PAC money,” he said. “But you know for value on the dollar, I’m doing very well for the amount of money I’m bringing in.”

Christensen said he believes is campaign is gaining momentum, and he’s looking forward to proving it.

FEC reports for Dodson and Goodenough were not publicly available as of publication time.

Mix Collage 17 Jul 2026 05 49 PM 9333

<title>FEC Report: Four Wyoming House Candidates Loan Themselves More Than $1 Million Each | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Second-quarter campaign finance reports for Wyoming’s GOP primary House race are in. Steve Friess has amassed the most with $2.5 million, which includes a $2 million self-loan. Reid Rasner is second, loaning himself $1.7 million out of $2 million.

FEC Report: Four Wyoming House Candidates Loan Themselves More Than $1 Million Each

Heinz mark

Mark Heinz

Outdoors

Activists want the famous Mollie’s Pack spared from hunters this fall and say the matter is, once again, drawing worldwide attention to Wyoming’s wolf management policy.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission on Tuesday followed the Game and Fish Department’s recommendation and voted to approve a 20-wolf quota for the 2026 hunting season. Most hunts run from Sept. 15 to Dec. 31.

Prior to the vote, Lisa Robertson of Wyoming Untrapped and Marke Cooke of Wolves of the Rockies called in to the meeting via Zoom and admonished the commission to carve out an exception for Wolf Hunt Area 1, where the Mollie’s Pack is.

The commission unanimously approved the wolf hunting seasons as recommended, including for Area 1.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Mollie’s Pack Leaves Park"}]

Included in the 20-wolf quota are four tags in Wolf Hunt Areas 1 and 2 (Clarks Fork, North Fork).

For most of its 31-year history, the Mollie’s Pack has lived within the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park, where hunting is prohibited.

However, the pack strayed outside the park, probably late last year.

The Mollie’s Pack is denning and raising pups on the Shoshone National Forest, in Wolf Hunt Area 1.

Wolf advocates worry that members of the pack could get shot this fall, particularly Wolf 1090F. At age 12, she’s the oldest living Yellowstone wolf and has gained a global fan base.

The Mollie’s Pack is thought to be the first pack to form in Yellowstone, in 1995, shortly after wolves were reintroduced into the park. It was originally called the Crystal Creek Pack.

In 2000, the pack was renamed the Mollie’s Pack. That was in honor of the late Mollie Beattie, the first woman director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Emails From All Over"}]

Robertson and Cooke told Cowboy State Daily on Friday that they, and many others, haven’t given up on trying to save the Mollie’s Pack.

Wyoming Untrapped is leading a social media campaign to keep pressure on the Game and Fish Commission to change its stance. Wolves of the Rockies and other groups are joining in.

Robertson said the matter will likely be brought up again at the commission’s next meeting, scheduled for Sept. 21 and 22 in Evanston.

Commissioner Carlisle "Fonzy" Haskell said he’s received "dozens of emails" about the Mollie’s Pack, including some from across the United States and other countries.

He doesn’t think the campaign will die down anytime soon but isn’t certain if, or how, it might affect any decisions from the commission.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"What Could the Forest Service Do?"}]

Robertson is encouraging people to reach out to the Shoshone National Forest headquarters in Cody.

The Forest Service could possibly order that cattle on grazing leases there be moved away from the Mollie’s Pack to avoid any possible conflicts, she said.

And she thinks there’s a chance that the Forest Service could halt wolf hunting in that area.

There could be precedent for that. A similar move has been attempted before, albeit unsuccessfully.

In the spring of 2023, environmental groups sued to have the Forest Service declare a "no-kill zone" for wolves on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, near the Colorado-Wyoming state line.

That was proposed to protect wolves crossing into Wyoming from Colorado.

The Forest Service has authority to shut down wolf hunting in its jurisdiction—and indeed at one time shut down prairie dog shooting in parts of Wyoming, the Center for Biological Diversity claimed at the time.

A message left at Shoshone National Forest headquarters on Friday wasn’t returned by publication time.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Aggressive Policy"}]

The growing controversy over the Mollie’s Pack mirrors that over Daniel resident Cody Roberts running a wolf over with a snowmobile and then capturing, torturing and killing the animal in February 2024, Robertson said.

The push to save the Mollie’s Pack, especially Wolf 1090F, is gaining momentum, she said.

"This is an extreme situation, something nobody expected. We need to address this now, not later," she said.

"A $27 wolf tag could take her life, and the pack’s life, with a long-range rifle," Robertson added.

The Mollie’s Pack not only has great social value, it’s "the most studied wolf pack in history" and could still offer a wealth of scientific knowledge about wolves, she said.

Cooke said the goal isn’t to shut down the 2026 wolf hunting season altogether, but rather to push the commission to at least suspend hunting in Area 1 to ensure the pack’s safety.

He said that Wyoming and his home state of Montana have gained a reputation for being overly aggressive toward wolves and other predators.

"The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission botched an opportunity" to boost the state’s reputation by moving to spare the Mollie’s Pack, Cooke said.

 wolves have huge value for the tourism industry.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"'Humans They’ve Never Met'"}]

Haskell said he understands the tourism value of Wyoming’s wildlife, including wolves.

However, wildlife policy must be guided by the best available science, not sentimentality, he said.

"Do we not take the science into consideration just because it doesn’t match your socio-political viewpoint?" he said.

"I think that’s a risk we run into when we try to humanize or name animals and make them somehow more special than other wolf packs," Haskell said.

"They (wolves) are a species of animal that doesn’t know they’ve been named by humans they’ve never met," he said.

He said that during Tuesday’s commission meeting, he was satisfied by the explanation from Ken Mills, a Game and Fish large carnivore biologist and wolf management specialist, regarding whether the Mollie’s Pack has special scientific value.

Mills indicated that all packs have equal value in that regard.

Haskell noted that some Wyoming animals, such as Grizzly 399, have gained celebrity status, particularly with the advent of social media.

Game and Fish field personnel should work according to hard science, Haskell said. That leaves the department’s top administrators and the Game and Fish Commission to deal with controversy or politics regarding wildlife.

The commission wants all sectors of the public to have a voice while also respecting the hard work and scientific approach of the Game and Fish Department, he said.

Game and Fish is obligated by state statute, in agreement with the FWS, to maintain a population of at least 100 wolves and 10 breeding pairs in the state’s trophy game zone for wolves—adjacent to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, he said.

Mills and other Game and Fish biologists demonstrated a good plan to have at least 160 wolves and 13 or 14 breeding pairs by the end of the year, Haskell said.

Mollies pack 7 17 26

<title>Oldest Yellowstone Wolf Pack Strays Into Hunt Area, Activists Want Pack Protected | Cowboy State Daily</title>

The Mollie’s Pack is Yellowstone's oldest wolf pack and includes the famous Wolf 1090F. The pack has strayed outside the park into a Wyoming wolf hunt area, and activists worry that 1090F will be shot this fall. They are requesting the pack be protected.

Oldest Yellowstone Wolf Pack Strays Into Hunt Area, Activists Want Pack Protected

Kolby fedore

Kolby Fedore

Crime & Courts

More than 50 years after he admitted using dynamite to blow up a Fremont County undersheriff's patrol car, and nearly four decades after federal prosecutors convicted him of running a major methamphetamine trafficking enterprise, Alfred "Buzz" Apodaca is once again headed to federal prison.

Apodaca, 72, of Riverton, was sentenced July 6 to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence in Cheyenne.

The sentence closes a case that began with a 

 by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in Fremont County.

Federal prosecutors say investigators identified Apodaca as one of the area's primary meth suppliers. Agents completed two controlled purchases totaling more than 52 grams of methamphetamine before executing search warrants on his pickup, camper trailer and storage unit.

The searches uncovered about four pounds of methamphetamine, more than 1.6 pounds of marijuana, drug distribution materials, records of suspected drug transactions and two loaded handguns. Because Apodaca is a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Apodaca was indicted Sept. 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty April 14. The investigation involved DCI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Fremont County Sheriff's Office.

For many longtime Wyoming residents, Apodaca's name is inseparable from one of the state's most infamous crimes.

As a teenager in 1973, he admitted planting dynamite that destroyed the Fremont County undersheriff's patrol car. The explosion became one of the most memorable acts of violence against law enforcement in Wyoming history. No one was injured.

The bombing cemented Apodaca's notoriety, but it wasn't the end of his criminal record.

In the early 1980s, federal authorities accused him of leading a large methamphetamine manufacturing and distribution operation spanning central Wyoming.

In 1988, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his convictions under the federal Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute — often referred to as the federal "drug kingpin" law — finding prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence that he organized or supervised at least five participants in the operation.

[{"type":"text","text":"Back In Federal Court"}]

Federal authorities say the latest investigation showed Apodaca had returned to trafficking methamphetamine decades after those earlier convictions.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the evidence recovered during the searches demonstrated continued drug distribution activity, along with illegal firearm possession by a convicted felon.

U.S. Attorney Darin Smith said repeat offenders remain a priority for federal prosecutors.

"Methamphetamine traffickers who repeatedly ignore the law will be held fully accountable," Smith said in a statement. "This defendant's lengthy criminal history, combined with his continued trafficking of dangerous drugs while illegally possessing firearms, posed a serious threat to Wyoming communities."

ATF Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge said the case highlighted cooperation among federal, state and local investigators.

"Firearms are all too frequently used by violent offenders to facilitate other illicit crimes," Ashbridge said. "This case is a prime example of how seamless collaboration with our local and federal partners delivers significant sentences and tangible results that builds safer communities."

With the sentence now imposed, Apodaca will spend the next decade in federal prison.

Mix Collage 17 Jul 2026 01 32 PM 3549

<title>Decades After Bombing A Patrol Car With Dynamite, Riverton Man Back To Prison For Meth | Cowboy State Daily</title>

More than 50 years after he admitted using dynamite to blow up a Fremont County patrol car, and four decades after being convicted of running a major methamphetamine trafficking enterprise, Buzz Apodaca, 72, is once again headed to federal prison.

Decades After Bombing A Patrol Car With Dynamite, Riverton Man Back To Prison For Meth

 to bring a 12-year-old Oklahoma girl back to Wyoming has pleaded no-contest to three felony charges, ending the criminal case short of trial and leaving prosecutors free to seek the maximum possible sentence.

Christopher Steven Gravenmier, 31, entered no-contest pleas Wednesday in Lincoln County District Court to two counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor and one count of kidnapping.

Lincoln County Attorney Spencer Allred and Deputy Lincoln County Attorney Ember Oakley prosecuted the case.

Rather than agreeing to a negotiated prison term, the plea leaves sentencing open, allowing both sides to argue for the punishment they believe is appropriate.

"We're really pleased with this because we can argue up to the maximum," Oakley told Cowboy State Daily. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Sentencing is scheduled for July 29."}]

If the court orders the sentences to run consecutively, Gravenmier faces mandatory prison terms of 25 to 50 years on each of the two first-degree sexual abuse convictions, along with up to 20 years on the kidnapping conviction — a combined maximum of 120 years in prison.

[{"type":"text","text":"No-Contest Plea "}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Several other felony counts were dismissed as part of the plea agreement."}]

Although a no-contest plea differs procedurally from a guilty plea, it has the same legal effect in a criminal case.

"'No-contest' is legally the same as a guilty plea," Allred said. "No-contest pleas basically mean the defendant does not contest the charges against him, but it acts the exact same way as a guilty plea. He's still convicted of those counts. It's procedural. He says, 'I don't contest those charges,' but it acts the same way as a guilty plea."

By entering the plea, Gravenmier gave up his constitutional right to a trial, and the case now moves directly to sentencing.

[{"type":"text","text":"Taken From Home"}]

 April 22 when the girl, who had been reported missing from Oklahoma days earlier, called her grandmother from a Wyoming gas station and said she had been abducted.

Investigators initially encountered Gravenmier after the girl said she had borrowed his cellphone. But once she was safe, authorities say she identified him as the man who had brought her to Wyoming.

The girl told investigators she had communicated with Gravenmier for months on Snapchat before he drove from Kemmerer to Oklahoma. She alleged he told her he knew where she lived, prompting her to leave home with him because she feared what might happen if she refused.

Prosecutors allege Gravenmier drove the girl back to Wyoming, where he sexually abused her during the trip and after arriving in Kemmerer. Charging documents also allege he threatened her, attempted to prevent anyone from tracking her cellphone and warned her not to report what had happened.

Gravenmier was arrested later that day and charged with multiple felony counts. Several of those charges were dismissed as part of Wednesday's plea agreement.

[{"type":"text","text":"Police Station"}]

At the police station, Gravenmier admitted to investigators that he had driven to Oklahoma and picked up the girl several days earlier.

The affidavit says agents noticed that he became "very emotional" during questioning and appeared nervous, grabbing at his shirt, wiping his face and developing a noticeably dry mouth.

[{"type":"text","text":"After requesting an attorney, the interview ended."}]

While investigators obtained search warrants for his home and vehicle, Gravenmier remained at the police station.

The affidavit states he was crying, slumped over in his chair and told agents he was "really sorry for what happened."

Gravenmeier and Lincoln County courthouse 4 30 26 1

A Kemmerer man accused of driving 16 hours to Oklahoma to bring a 12-year-old girl back to Wyoming pleaded no-contest to kidnapping and two sex abuse charges and now faces up to 120 years in jail. The affidavit said he told police he was "really sorry."

Daily Darwin: Tuesday, October 15, 2024

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