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
Trump's Popularity On Trial In Lawmakers' Defamation Case
Whether backing Trump makes a person a true Republican in Wyoming is a key point in the defamation case two lawmakers are waging against Wyoming Freedom Caucus' campaign group. The group falsely claimed the lawmakers voted to keep Trump off the ballot.
Clair McFarlandMarch 30, 2026
Wyoming House Rep. Abby Angelos — Not John Bear — Runs For Barlow’s Senate Seat
Wyoming Rep. Abby Angelos is running for the Gillette-area Senate seat now held by Eric Barlow — which means House Appropriations Chair John Bear will not. Bear said he resents when conservatives "split the vote," and hasn't announced if he'll run again.
Clair McFarlandMarch 28, 2026
Cheyenne Cops Win Two Lawsuits On The Same Day, Under Different Judges
Cheyenne police won two civil cases this month on the same day, on the same grounds, with the same lawyers. The different, federal-court judges ruled that people they took to the ground during arrest failed to show excessive force.
Clair McFarlandMarch 27, 2026
Fremont County Man Says He ‘Snapped’ When He Slit Friend's Throat Over Dead Sister
A 32-year-old Fremont County man confessed Thursday in court that three years ago he “snapped,” stabbed his drinking companion and slit his throat. He claimed the former friend bad-mouthed his deceased sister.
Clair McFarlandMarch 27, 2026
Wyoming Reporter Now Facing An Additional 10 Felony Charges
A Wyoming reporter is facing an additional 10 felony charges after allegedly forging USDA loan documents for a property purchase. She's already facing 10 felony charges for submitting forged documents and lying under oath before the Industrial Siting Council.
Clair McFarlandMarch 26, 2026
Major Conservative Group Confuses Two Frank Chapmans, While One Runs For Congress
The Conservative Political Action Conference has confused which Frank Chapman of Wyoming is speaking at its Texas event this week. They promote the Frank running for U.S. House, but credit him wrongly with being Wyoming's first public defender in 1978 - when he was 10.
Clair McFarlandMarch 26, 2026
Biden-Era Social Media Censorship Lawsuit Ends; Hageman: "It Was Pretty Blatant"
Long before the famous COVID-era censorship lawsuit Missouri v Biden ended Wednesday, Rep. Harriet Hageman called out the federal government for badgering social media companies. “It was pretty blatant what was going on,” she told Cowboy State Daily.
Clair McFarlandMarch 26, 2026
Rep. Allemand DUI Case: Body Cam Video Shows Arrest, Now Judge Considers Legality
In a Buffalo courtroom Wednesday, a magistrate watched body cam video of Rep. Bill Allemand’s Dec. 28 DUI arrest and listened to a combination of evidence, testimony and closing statements. Now the magistrate is deciding whether that arrest was lawful.
Clair McFarlandMarch 26, 2026
Former Gov Policy Advisor Announces Bid For Superintendent Of Public Instruction
Chad Auer, who served recently as a senior policy adviser for the governor, declared Tuesday he's running for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Auer said he hasn’t sought any endorsements yet, but the governor has encouraged him to run.
Clair McFarlandMarch 24, 2026
Becky Hadlock Says The State Doesn't Have Grounds To Remove Her From Office
Weston County Clerk Becky Hadlock asked a court Tuesday to dismiss the Wyoming Attorney General’s effort to remove her from office. “The chain of events leading to the filing of this petition is tortured and petty,” Hadlock’s attorney Ryan Semerad wrote in the filing.
Clair McFarlandMarch 24, 2026
Must Be Campaign Season: Rasner, Gray Blast Each Other
Reid Rasner this week accused Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray of hypocrisy for backing wind leases despite criticizing the industry frequently. Gray fired back, calling Rasner’s attacks desperate and linking him to “Las Vegas values.”
Clair McFarlandMarch 24, 2026
Reid Rasner Sues A Fifth Person For Defamation
Wyoming U.S. House candidate Reid Rasner has sued a fifth person for defamation — this time in federal court. That brings the total case count to four. "Mr. Rasner has been the victim of individuals making hateful and untrue statements about him," the lawsuit reads.
Clair McFarlandMarch 23, 2026
Wyoming AG Says Pulling Retired Judge Into Abortion Case Amounts To Judge Shopping
Trying to convince a retired judge to add a fresh challenge against Wyoming’s newest abortion ban into a case that’s been ongoing for a year amounts to “judge shopping,” a Wyoming Attorney General’s deputy argued. A hearing is set for March 30.
Clair McFarlandMarch 23, 2026
Big Horn Prosecutor Seeks Trial For Manhunt Escapee Accused Of Drugging, Raping Teen
Big Horn County’s top prosecutor is asking for a trial date in the case of a man accused of force-feeding a 15-year-old girl Adderall before sexually assaulting her and evading law enforcement for two months. Anthony Pease faces four counts of first degree sexual assault and numerous other charges.
Clair McFarlandMarch 23, 2026
Gordon Declines To Fire Two Hot Springs County Commissioners
Gov. Mark Gordon declined Friday to remove two of Hot Springs County’s three commissioners from office, despite seven locals asking him to do so in October. He said although he disagreed with their actions, they don't rise to the level of misconduct.
Clair McFarlandMarch 21, 2026
Wheatland Man Accused In Hatchet Standoff Says He Wasn’t Sane Enough To Be Guilty
A Wheatland man accused of kicking police officers as they wrestled him away from a standoff where he’d wielded a hatchet has told the court that he’s wasn’t mentally well enough during that incident to be found guilty of a crime pertaining to it.
Clair McFarlandMarch 20, 2026
Wyoming's U.S. Attorney Says Jackson-Area Cocaine Ring Has Links To Mexican Cartel
Wyoming's U.S. Attorney Darin Smith on Friday said federal, Wyoming and Idaho law enforcement have taken down a Jackson-area drug ring with ties to a Mexican drug cartel. "This cooperation works; we take the bad guys off the streets," he said.
Clair McFarlandMarch 20, 2026
Bar Nunn Mayor Says ‘Sleazy’ For Rasner Lawsuit To Be Served At Council Meeting
Bar Nunn’s mayor said it was “sleazy” that a Reid Rasner defamation lawsuit was served against a councilman during a public meeting Tuesday. “That’s probably the lowest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said.
Clair McFarlandMarch 19, 2026
Why Didn't The Legislature Ask Wyoming Voters To Decide If Abortion Is Health Care?
Some lawmakers say the Legislature didn't ask voters to settle whether abortion is health care because they fear the pro-abortion lobby will flood Wyoming with out-of-state money to block a pro-life vote and cement the right to abortion.
Clair McFarlandMarch 19, 2026
Chair Of The Wyoming Freedom Caucus Runs For Secretary of State
Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams has entered the race for Wyoming Secretary of State. She supports Chuck Gray’s conservative platform but said she'll collaborate well with clerks. Robert Short also vies for the GOP nomination, and Bryan McCarty's running as a Democrat.
Clair McFarlandMarch 19, 2026
Evanston Man Accused Of Killing Dad Not Freed After Self Defense Claim
An Evanston man accused of killing his father in their home will not have his case dismissed early on self-defense grounds, a judge ruled. Court documents say the defendant texted his grandma, "If he tries to break into my room I will defend myself."
Clair McFarlandMarch 18, 2026