Opinion

Tom Lubnau:  Checkgate Theater — Everyone Knows The Ending To The Investigation

Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "Disband the committee. Stop wasting time. Stop pretending the outcome is uncertain. What happened stinks. It may not be illegal, but it damaged the institution — and pretending otherwise only deepens the damage."

Bill Sniffin: Smells Permeate Our Lives — Fresh Sage Is My Favorite Wyoming Odor

Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “With a last name like Sniffin, it was probably inevitable that someday I would write a column about smells. Today is that day. My favorite is the odor of sagebrush after a fresh rain. I also love the odor of grilled steak!”

Joan Barron: This Will Be 'The Check-Gate Session'

Columnist Joan Barron writes, "The check passing wasn’t just an amazing error of judgment. It was a monumental breach of protocol and the ethics of the Legislature."

Jonathan Lange: Is This About 'Bad Optics,' Or A Witch Hunt?

Columnist Jonathan Lange writes,  “Maybe we should pass a rule that campaign donations can only be hand delivered on the House floor. That would give the people of Wyoming unprecedented transparency.”

Dennis Sun: Should Producers Worry About Beef Imports?

Ag columnist Dennis Sun writes, "Since President Donald Trump announced the U.S is expanding the annual tariff rate quotas for Argentinian beef from 20,000 metric tons (mt) to 80,000 mt a year on Feb. 6, beef producers have been expressing their concerns."

Scott Clem: When Campaign Cash Matters More Than The People's Work

Columnist Scott Clem writes, "We’re being told it’s Rep. Provenza’s fault for taking the picture. It’s Rep. Yin’s fault for raising the issue on a bill supported by the lobbyist who handed out the checks. It’s everyone’s fault except the people who accepted the money."

Tom Lubnau: When the Weakest Take a Back Seat to Hunger for Power

Tom Lubnau:  Saving Pennies, Burning Dollars

Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "Here's one that will hit you in the wallet – and one you didn’t see coming. How would you like it if your tax relief cost you more in insurance premiums than your discounted tax bill – or cost you your homeowners insurance, all together?"

Dave Simpson: Laramie County Sheriff Enters 'CheckGate' Scandal

Columnist Dave Simpson writes, “Laramie County's sheriff might have to open a satellite office at the Capitol, with 93 lawmakers, receiving campaign donations from long lists of folks, and each lawmaker casting multiple votes on hundreds of bills each session.”

Ray Hunkins: The History, Tradition And Future Of UW Football

Columnist Ray Hunkins writes, "Times have changed, but principles haven’t. Most fans want loyalty from athletes who choose to play for UW.  Most Wyoming people also want the state’s only university to excel in all its endeavors, including intercollegiate athletics."

Gail Symons: Who Is Really Out Of Touch On The University Of Wyoming's Budget?

Columnist Gail Symons writes, "Freedom Caucus leaders keep calling the University of Wyoming “out of touch.” Their presentation of the budget to the House this week exposed who is actually “out of touch.”

Cassie Craven: The Republicans And Democrats Are All Over The Place 

Columnist Cassie Craven writes, “Too much important work depends on this Legislature’s ability to act with precision. In my opinion, the lives of innocent babies and the ability of a working class to survive depend on it.”

Tom Lubnau: We Need Answers About CheckGate

Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "Traveling to Cheyenne with $15,000 worth of checks to give to candidates who have not filed for office yet looks, at minimum, like sloppy influence peddling — particularly when the influence peddler is championing legislation opposed to affordable housing rules in Jackson. At worst, it’s bribery."

Bill Sniffin: W. Edwards Deming, Wyoming Genius Who Taught World About Quality

Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Ed Deming grew up on a dry farm near Powell. And yet he changed the world. Those early tough years helped frame his business genius.”

Joan Barron: Budget Session Starts With A Stunner

Columnist Joan Barron writes, ''The defeat of the election reform bills and others supported by the hard-right-wing Freedom Cause was a surprise.”

Jonathan Lange: Restoring Protections To Wyoming Women

Columnist Jonathan Lange writes,  “Rep. Martha Lawley (R-Worland) has introduced legislation that restores to women protections that the Court stripped away. HB 117 will be heard by the House Judiciary Committee on Monday morning.”

Dennis Sun: Cattle Numbers are Dropping

Ag columnist Dennis Sun writes, "Cattle producers who liked cattle prices in 2025 should be happy with the 2026 price predictions."

Scott Clem: Checks On The House Floor? Absolutely Not.

Columnist Scott Clem writes, "Every lawmaker who accepted a check under those circumstances revealed something troubling: a lack of awareness of the Wyoming Constitution and a disregard for the moral obligations of public office."

Tom Lubnau: Puppets, Phones, and Power — Inside Wyoming’s Shadow Legislature

Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "We know money changed hands – on the house floor. And during floor debate, you can routinely watch legislators read directly from their phones. We do not know who is scripting the debate."

Ken Buck: Rising Gold Prices Underscore Uncle Sam's Spending Problem

Columnist Ken Buck writes, "Every U.S. resident is $115,000 in debt, and that number is rapidly climbing. The national debt is growing by $70,000 per second. Interest costs, which exceed national defense spending, are now the fastest-growing piece of the U.S. budget."

Dave Simpson: These Lunatics Want Open Borders

Columnist Dave Simpson writes, “There was no country of the 11 we visited that didn't take its borders seriously. Unlike our country during the four disastrous years of the Biden presidency."

Cassie Craven: Without Virtue There Will Be No Liberty

Columnist Cassie Craven writes, "Columns have come out kicking and screaming about ways to not let the Freedom Caucus get 'their way.' You aren’t attacking the Freedom Caucus when you say that. Instead, you are attacking the majority of voters who voted for them."

Gail Symons: Budget Session Land Mines

Columnist Gail Symons writes, "Watch your mailbox between now and the August Republican primary. You're going to see glossy mailers with bold claims about what your legislator 'voted for' or 'voted against.' The accusation fits. The truth won't.'"

Bill Sniffin: Hell Isn’t Freezing Over? Where Is Normal Wyoming Winter Hiding?

Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Wyoming has not seen a winter this mild in 50 years. It was 60 degrees this past week in Lander. Amazing.”