Clair McFarland
Clair McFarland is a general assignment reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Riverton, Wyoming. She specializes in crime and court reporting and social issues coverage. Clair also writes a twice-monthly column on motherhood and country living.
Previously, Clair wrote for The Ranger, the Lander Journal and the Wind River News. She is an award-winning journalist, columnist and poet, who joined Cowboy State Daily on Valentine's Day, 2022.
Latest from Clair McFarland
Carbon County GOP Calls For Reps To Resign Over Silence On ‘CheckGate’
The Carbon County GOP is calling for resignations of four state reps for their silence on the ongoing “CheckGate” scandal. The party says they knew defamation claims aimed at Rep. Mike Yin for making the check-passing public were wrong, but didn’t speak out.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2026
House, Senate Brace For Showdown Over $40 Million Cut to University Of Wyoming
The Wyoming House on Wednesday voted to keep a proposed $40 million cut to the University of Wyoming. The Senate did the opposite - setting the two chambers up for a clash in a compromise committee later this month.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 18, 2026
Gordon Bans Campaign Donations On State Property, Chuck Gray Silent
Gov. Mark Gordon on Tuesday banned campaign contributions on state property. So did the Senate, in areas it controls, in response to the "CheckGate" controversy. Meanwhile, the state's top election official, Chuck Gray, remains silent on the controversy.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 17, 2026
"Ain't Nobody Stabbing Nobody": Wyoming House, Senate Battle Tuesday Over Budget
The Wyoming Senate voted Tuesday to restore the governor's $11 billion budget, but the House voted against it. Things got heated when Rep. Mike Yin said budget-planners stabbed agencies they disliked. "Ain't nobody stabbing nobody," House Speaker Chip Neiman said.
Clair McFarland & David MadisonFebruary 17, 2026
CheckGate Committee Votes To Pause Investigation Because Of Sheriff's Involvement
The chair of the Wyoming legislative committee investigating the check-passing controversy that unfolded last week told his colleagues Tuesday the committee wants to pause its work – because the local sheriff's office has undertaken its own investigation.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 17, 2026
Senate Committee Advances Bill To 'Freeze,' Rebuild Wyoming Business Council
The state Senate advanced a bill Monday that would rescue the Wyoming Business Council by rebuilding the controversial agency. It also would freeze its work while lawmakers and others reevaluate the council.
Clair McFarland & David MadisonFebruary 17, 2026
Wyoming Senator Offers $126 Million Compromise To Embattled School Funding Bill
Sen. Chris Rothfuss on Monday offered a $126 million increase to Wyoming's $3.6 billion, two-year grant to its public schools. That's a compromise that followed months of educator outcry and debate between lawmakers. Soon the full Senate may consider his amendment.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 16, 2026
Teton County GOP Condemns Check Passing On House Floor By Its Own Committeewoman
The Teton County Republican Party on Saturday condemned the actions of its committeewoman, Rebecca Bextel, for handing out checks on the House floor. The Wyoming Republican Party distanced itself too, saying she was not representing the party.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 16, 2026
Sheriff Investigating Check Passing Scandal In Wyoming Legislature
Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak told Cowboy State Daily on Saturday that his agency is investigating the Monday incident in which a Teton County GOP leader handed checks to lawmakers on the state House floor after adjournment — after multiple citizens voiced bribery concerns.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 15, 2026
Bill To Purge Sexually-Explicit Library Books From Children's Section Heads To House
A bill seeking to remove sexually-explicit materials from children’s sections of public and school libraries is headed to the Wyoming House of Representatives, after the House Judiciary Committee advanced it Friday on a 6-1 approval vote.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2026
Wyoming Senate Formally Condemns GOP Activist For Passing Out Checks On House Floor
All 31 Wyoming senators Friday condemned a GOP activist for handing out campaign checks on the floor of the House. “The appearance of vote-buying on the House floor or the Senate floor is absolutely unconscionable," Sen. President Bo Biteman said.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2026
Senate Rescues Wyoming's Attempt To Rework Public School Funding
Under pressure to pay the schools in a way that satisfies Wyoming's courts, the state Senate on Friday rescued a bill attempting to do just that - moments after the House rejected its own school funding bill a second time.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2026
In Full Debate On University of Wyoming Budget Cuts, Lawmakers Ask If It's Retaliation
The Wyoming House and Senate debated a $40 million cut to the University of Wyoming on Thursday, with the budget committee co-chair John Bear confirming the number was meant to "get their attention." He said legislative directives on DEI were ignored.
Clair McFarland & David MadisonFebruary 13, 2026
Wyoming Anti-Abortion Amendment Dies In Senate By One Vote
The Wyoming Senate on Thursday killed a proposed constitutional amendment that would have let the legislature restrict abortion - by redefining health care. Voting against it, Sen. Cale Case said, “It’s crazy to give us that much power.”
Clair McFarlandFebruary 12, 2026
House Forms Investigative Committee To See If Checks Passed Were Bribes, Misconduct
All 59 Wyoming representatives who were on the House floor Thursday afternoon voted to convene a special committee to investigate the checks given to lawmakers on the House floor Monday - and if it was an act of bribery or legislative misconduct.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 12, 2026
Wyoming House Will Hear Bill To Investigate How Data Centers Impact Water Supply
A Wyoming House committee advanced a bill Thursday that would provide funding for a study on how data centers, carbon capture, or other large-scale industrial projects might sap or impact the state's water supply.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 12, 2026
Teton County GOP Leader Handed Out Checks To Lawmakers On House Floor
Teton County Republican Party leader Rebecca Bextel handed out checks to lawmakers on the Wyoming House floor Monday, according to interviews, a photograph and her own later statement. She said there was "nothing wrong" with the maneuver.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 12, 2026
Wyoming Senate Kills Bill To Revamp Courts - Three More Still Alive
One piece of Wyoming legislation aimed at changing the way Wyoming chooses judges and structures courts failed its introductory vote Wednesday in the state Senate — but at least three more reform bills remained viable.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 11, 2026
Wyoming Lawmakers Look To Fix Grooming Bill, Which Had Worse Penalties Than Murder
What Elon Musk may not have known when he shared a post calling out Wyoming lawmakers who voted against an anti-child-grooming bill is that the initial version had harsher penalties for grooming than those Wyoming imposes for some murder cases.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 11, 2026
Rep. Mike Yin Claims Jackson GOP Leader 'Handed Out' Checks On Floor Of Legislature
Rep. Mike Yin claimed Wednesday that Teton County GOP leader Rebecca Bextel "handed out" checks on the floor of the state legislature. The accusation prompted outrage and a formal protest. Bextel countered, "I have not written any campaign checks this year so far."
Clair McFarlandFebruary 11, 2026
Supreme Court Grills Wyoming Education Association Over Challenge To School Choice Program
Three Wyoming Supreme Court justices grilled the Wyoming Education Association on Tuesday after the advocacy group called Wyoming’s school-choice scholarship program unconstitutional and harmful.
Clair McFarlandFebruary 11, 2026