Citing his “understanding,” a Wyoming House representative on Wednesday alleged that a Jackson-area Republican party leader was distributing checks on the floor of a legislative chamber.
Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, launched the claim during a Wednesday morning debate on House Bill 141, a bill geared toward curbing affordable housing mitigation schemes.
Bill sponsor Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, told his colleagues that the bill would uphold the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and its counterpart in the Wyoming Constitution, which ban the taking of property for public use without just compensation.
Yin said the bill “comes from a specific person in Teton County that wanted to turn one of our bills from last year into a new bill.”
“What I would say to you, members - and this is not an accusation - this is solely just optics for the Legislature,” said Yin. “My understanding is that that person handed out checks on the floor of the Legislature during the session.”
“What I don’t want,” continued Yin, “is to have the optics …"
“Point of order,” said Bear
House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, asked, “Representative, what is your point?”
Bear said, “I believe the representative is making accusations of an individual that cannot be substantiated, and that accusation is offensive to this body.”
Bear’s bill later survived its introductory vote.
Rebecca Bextel
Yin confirmed to Cowboy State Daily in a later interview in the House lobby that he was referring to Rebecca Bextel, who ran unsuccessfully last year to become state Republican Party chair.
Cowboy State Daily observed Bextel on the House floor Monday but did not note any checks at that time from the outlet’s second-floor vantage point.
Rep. Ann Lucas, R-Cheyenne, had thanked Bextel Monday via Facebook for bringing her a “beautiful orchid.” The post included a photograph of an orchid.
Lucas told Cowboy State Daily in a Wednesday text message that she's never received a check while on the floor, and her finances are public. She said she's received very few contributions in person, and none in-person, ever, from anyone outside of Cheyenne.
"I have received flowers from many people over time," added Lucas. "Do you want a list? My husband and children are at the top of that list. Thanks for your interest."
Neiman asked Yin on the House floor if Yin could substantiate his claim.
“I’m not going to present anything here because I don’t do props in the Legislature,” said Yin, referencing a House rule against using props. “I don’t think we should have the Legislature be affected. I’d say vote down this bill to make a statement that we won’t have our Legislature be affected by things like that.”
Bextel told Cowboy State Daily in a text message response to a request for comment, “I have not written any campaign checks so far this year.”
Cowboy State Daily asked whether she distributed anything on the floor and if so, what it was.
“None of your business,” answered Bextel.
She did not respond to a later inquiry about whether she requested Bear or the House to run House Bill 141.
Official Protest
Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, announced an official protest against Yin’s actions, under House Rule 8-5, which says protests can be logged as part of the record.
Rodriguez-Williams said there’d been an “allegation of quid pro quo” during debate on the bill.
“A representative made a defamatory statement that ‘checks’ were distributed on the floor, and this alleges that legislators accepted these checks from the floor — which essentially would be bribery and unethical,” said Rodriguez-Williams.
“I would urge the body that we have policies, procedures in place as a body, if there’s any type of allegation of that behavior, how it’s reported,” she added.
Neiman said the protest would be “duly noted in the journal.”
A Cowboy State Daily request for floor video via the Wyoming Highway Patrol, which runs Capitol security, is pending.
Bear answered a series of questions about whether the allegations are true with a simple “no.”
“No need to add anything,” wrote Bear in a text message. “A lie should be retorted with the truth, and the truth is a one-word answer.”
During her run for GOP chair last year, Bextel had raised at least $130,000 for the state party in addition to around $300,000 for individual state Legislature candidates and political action committees, and $450,000 for President Donald Trump’s campaign, Cowboy State Daily reported previously.
In 2024 she gave $3,400 to the WY Freedom PAC, the political arm of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, Wyoming Campaign Finance filings show.
She is a state central committee woman for the Teton County GOP.
Bextel is also registered this session as media, the Legislative Service Office confirmed Wednesday to Cowboy State Daily.
What Proof
Yin told Cowboy State Daily he didn’t have proof to give to the outlet Wednesday. He said he didn’t personally witness the alleged maneuver.
“And I can’t tell you who told me, but I trust that it is correct,” said Yin.
“This bill is brought by Rebecca Bextel,” said Yin. “I don’t want any optics that the two (events) are even linked and I think that passing this bill after that event happening or introducing this bill after that event happening sends a terrible message to the people of Wyoming. Whether or not that was the reason for the checks I don’t know and I can’t tell you that they were the reason for the checks; but I think having her be the prime mover of a bill that attacks my community after she has handed out checks to legislators is something we should speak out against and frankly not pass those bills - because you’ve already tainted it by those optics.”
Yin said he didn’t know if there were other actions unfolding in the Legislature to address this situation, except for Rodriguez-Williams' protest.
He said there may be an ethical complaint against him.
“I didn’t break any law, I didn’t do anything unethical because I know that that happened,” he said.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
