Editor's note
This story is part of an ongoing collaboration between WyoFile and the Jackson Hole News&Guide.
CHEYENNE—House Speaker Chip Neiman asked his third-ranking member to take over the helm of the lower chamber. He stepped down to a lectern on the House floor. It was close to 10:30 p.m. Neiman turned on the microphone. He had something to say.
“I’m up to this in my eyeballs. Certainly nothing I asked for,” Neiman, R-Hulett, told the chamber he leads. “But, ladies and gentlemen, from my perspective, I want this over yesterday.”
It was Wednesday evening, the House’s second late night of budget deliberations in a row. The chamber was working on little sleep. The first proper snowfall of the 2026 legislative session was settling outside the Capitol. Inside, lawmakers were debating whether a House special committee should proceed with its investigation of a conservative activist who handed out campaign checks to lawmakers on the House floor on day one of the 2026 legislative session. Outside, they faced a storm of criticism over a controversy that has dominated the budget session.
Minutes before, House lawmakers had adopted a rule that will ban them from knowingly accepting any campaign donations during the legislative session, as well as in the Capitol or at interim committee meetings year-round.
Over the weekend, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office also launched a criminal inquiry into the checks, which complicated matters for the House investigation. Suddenly, a predicament that lawmakers wanted resolved quickly was threatening to drag on for weeks if not months, Neiman warned.
“I’ve been very tight-lipped about how I was involved in this,” Neiman told the House. “I have tried to retain any information I had.”
Moments later, for the first time since the controversy began unraveling, Neiman acknowledged that he had received one of the checks in question. He said he had “hoped and wished” to first share his story with the House investigatory committee — a panel of seven lawmakers Neiman had appointed himself. He could wait no longer, he said.
“Do you think about how difficult my situation is now?” Neiman said. “It’s going to call everything into question. I took a check, evidently, according to Don Grasso. And I did. What am I gonna do? Deny it?”
By the time he stepped to the mic Wednesday night, three of Neiman’s Republican colleagues had said that Rebecca Bextel, a Jackson conservative activist, handed them a campaign check from a Teton County donor. Two of those lawmakers said the money was exchanged on the House floor. The third said the exchange happened elsewhere, but declined to say when and where.
“Media is just going crazy,” Neiman said. “I can just hear pens being broke and papers ripping and people’s typing like crazy.”
Before WyoFile and the Jackson Hole News&Guide broke the story on Feb. 11 with a photo of a check handover, Bextel confirmed in a social media post that she had hand-delivered “lawful campaign checks” to lawmakers. She has denied wrongdoing. Two days later, Don Grasso, the Teton County donor, shared with a reporter the names of the 10 intended recipients, including Neiman.
Since then, Neiman has not responded to multiple requests for comment, with journalists seeking answers about whether he received a check, as well as when and where it happened. In his Wednesday remarks, Neiman shared those details for the first time, including that Bextel handing him a check for $1,500 in his speaker’s office a few feet from the House floor, in front of his wife on the session’s first day.
Bextel called Neiman in early January, he said, to tell him that a Teton County donor appreciated his voting record and wanted to financially support Neiman in his reelection campaign. Under the impression that an unnamed opponent planned to spend $75,000 to oust him, Neiman said he welcomed the support. He expected Bextel to mail the check, Neiman told his colleagues, but did not think much of it when she hand-delivered the donation instead.
“Now there it is,” Neiman said. “That’s the whole story. You got the motive. You got who did it. You got where I was standing. We were not on the floor. We were in my office.
“Some would say, ‘Oh, that’s worse yet,’” he continued. “Show me in the rules. Show me the law that was broken.”
In his remarks that followed, Neiman denied any wrongdoing or allegation of bribery, took aim at the media, and without naming names, criticized the whistleblower lawmaker for making the information public instead of filing a private complaint with him through a formal process known as Joint Rule 22-1.
At several points, many members of the House stood and applauded Neiman, a break from the usual decorum of the lower chamber. Neiman insisted neither he nor any other legislator in the House did anything improper.
“I’ll go to my grave knowing I didn’t do anything wrong. Not a thing,” Neiman said. “But you can’t unring that bell now. I have tried to be the fairest speaker you can possibly imagine. I’ve gone out of my way to make sure that I was respectful of everyone and I believed I could be trusted to handle things correctly.
“But evidently, somewhere in this folks couldn’t trust me to handle this correctly,” he said. “So we went around that piece and went straight to the media.”
Some lawmakers also cast doubt on the legitimacy of the sheriff’s office investigation, accusing Sheriff Brian Kozak of launching an inquiry for both political and personal reasons.
“In 2022, I helped the campaign that ran against this sheriff and then he’s held malice against me ever since that time,” Rep. Gary Brown said. The Cheyenne Republican is one of 10 lawmakers who was set to receive one of the checks in question. He has not responded to a request for comment as to whether he accepted the donation. Neiman interrupted Brown before he could go any further.
From there, Neiman, alongside 37 other lawmakers, voted against pausing the House investigation, doing so against the advice of the chairman of the investigatory committee, which the House unanimously created. Casper Republican Rep. Art Washut, the committee’s chairman and a retired police officer, had recommended pausing the house inquiry while law enforcement conducted its investigation. He said Tuesday that the pause was needed to avoid interfering with law enforcement. Coming out of committee, all seven appointed members voted to delay the investigation, but their votes split on Wednesday night.
The House’s investigation will now proceed along with the criminal inquiry. Public proceedings could happen as soon as next week.
Response
Following Neiman’s remarks, Rep. Bob Wharff, R-Evanston, pledged his allegiance to the speaker.
“I will tell you this, Mr. Speaker, I’ll follow you into battle anywhere, anytime, any day,” Wharff said.
Rock Springs Republican Rep. J.T. Larson thanked Neiman for his remarks, but lamented their timing.
“I appreciate you telling your story and I think that that story should have been told a lot sooner. But I appreciate you telling it now,” Larson said. “When the first accusations were made on the floor, there were members that were quick to throw that member under the bus who made the accusations rather than just standing up for the members who did receive checks and just admitting that it did happen and telling the story right on the spot.”
Larson was referring to a day exactly one week before when Minority Floor Leader Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, broached the subject of the checks on the House floor. The chamber had been debating legislation to prohibit local governments from requiring developers to pay mitigation fees to fund affordable housing programs. Bextel and Rep. John Bear, the bill’s main sponsor, have said the change is needed to stop local governments from infringing on private property rights.
When the bill was up for introduction, Yin spoke in opposition, saying the measure came from “a specific person in Teton County” who wanted to revive legislation that failed last year.
“This is not an accusation. This is solely just optics for the Legislature,” Yin said. “My understanding is that that person handed out checks on the floor of the Legislature during the session.”
Bear, a Gillette Republican and former Wyoming Freedom Caucus chairman, then interrupted Yin, calling a point of order. Yin was “making accusations of an individual that cannot be substantiated,” Bear said, and “that accusation is offensive to this body.”
Neiman also objected to Yin’s comments, asking the lawmaker if he could substantiate or verify his claims. But Neiman did not reveal that he had received a check from Bextel in his office two days earlier.
After Grasso identified Bear as one of the intended recipients, Bear told a reporter he accepted a check from Bextel. Bear did not receive it on the floor, he said, but declined to say where or when the exchange took place. On Thursday, he told another media outlet that he received the check Feb. 10 in the third-floor hallway of the Capitol — one day before his exchange with Yin.
Besides Bear, Neiman and Brown, Grasso said he intended the checks for seven other Republicans: Reps. Marlene Brady, Green River; Christopher Knapp, Gillette; Tony Locke, Casper; Darin McCann, Rock Springs; Joe Webb, Lyman; Sen. Bob Ide, Casper; and former lawmaker, Mark Jennings of Sheridan. All 10 Republicans have a tie to the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. By publication time, Bear, Neiman, McCann and Webb were the only recipients to publicly confirm they accepted checks.
After Yin first raised questions, Cody Republican Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, chair of the Freedom Caucus, accused him of making “a defamatory statement.” If checks were distributed on the House floor, Rodriguez-Williams said, that “essentially would be bribery and unethical.”
None of the check recipients spoke up at the time to offer any clarifying details, including Rep. McCann, who told a reporter that morning that he had received a check from Bextel on the floor. A photograph, taken by Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, showed the exchange.
Attacking the press
McCann criticized the press in his remarks Wednesday night.
“You guys in the moderate side have no idea what it’s like to have a aggressive and malice press against you. You have no clue,” he said, before Rep. Julie Jarvis, R-Casper, called a point of order.
“Can you call a point of order on this? Because I believe there’s a woman up there daily that does that and not a single one of you say anything,” Jarvis exclaimed.
Jeanette Ward, who Jarvis defeated in 2024 in the race for House District 57, is regularly seen in the House gallery taking photos and videos of Jarvis whenever the lawmaker speaks. Records indicate that Ward is neither a credentialed member of the media nor a registered lobbyist.
“I stand corrected,” McCann said. “I have seen the malice against this particular representative and it’s not right and I apologize to you for that.”
“I have seen that and it’s gross,” he said.
Before Neiman’s remarks, Rep. Locke also criticized the media and encouraged the body to shift its focus elsewhere. More specifically, he asked why lawmakers did not use the formal, confidential process in Joint Rules, known as 22-1, to file an ethics complaint.
“I’d like to understand why that is the case,” Locke said, adding that “when you look at 22-1, there are ways to approach this.”
The Open Range Record, the media outlet Bextel co-owns with David Iverson, has focused on the same point.
“I am angry at the fact that this got to this point because I really do believe we missed a step,” Neiman said in his own remarks. “As long as I’ve been in leadership, if there was a complaint, it was brought to leadership and they were asked to investigate. We’ll look into it. If there’s something wrong, then we’ll get on to it. It didn’t go [to] the media first.”
Provenza did not address her decision to go public. Instead, she said she would only speak to the Wyoming Constitution and how those who might become subjects of the criminal investigation could still be compelled to testify in front of the investigative committee. Their legislative testimony could not be used against them if criminal charges were pursued, unless they lied under oath, Provenza said.
Rules
Before the debate about the investigation began, lawmakers spent around 45 minutes discussing two rule changes.
The first banning campaign contributions mirrored a rule recently passed by the Senate.
After discovering that legislators were handed campaign checks on the floor, and at least one senator at the time had received a check in the Capitol, the upper chamber’s leaders acted quickly. The top five senators, from both sides of the aisle, spent the last week in Rules Committee discussing the language later introduced in the House. The Senate passed the Rule 31-0 with no debate on Tuesday.
The House adopted its rule 59-0, with three lawmakers excused, late Wednesday night. The rule was brought by Rep. Mike Yin.
The three-part rule bans any person from knowingly soliciting, offering, delivering or accepting “by affirmative action” a campaign contribution in the Capitol or any area under control of the House Speaker, like a committee meeting across the state. It bars representatives from soliciting or accepting a contribution “by affirmative act” while the Wyoming Legislature is in regular or special session, even outside of the Capitol.
Additionally, representatives will now be barred from knowingly accepting checks in person in the Capitol at any time of the year.
The rule specifies that the ban will not apply when a legislator receives a campaign contribution without knowing about it. For example, the Senate discussed how the rules would allow a check that arrives in a legislator’s mailbox without them soliciting it or knowing it was coming.
“It’s about honoring the space where we all work and also the period of time that the session takes place, where we have a lot of legislation in front of us,” Rep. Liz Storer, D-Jackson, said on the floor. “I’m just really cognizant of the fact that campaign contributions really need to be divorced from the legislative process.”
There were questions about the rule, such as how far the speaker’s authority reached, if gifts like food or flowers count and whether online campaign contributions could be accepted. Yin and other lawmakers tried their best to explain the change.
“We’re at a little bit of a disadvantage, right?” Yin said. “Because they [the Senate] actually debated their rule very thoroughly through multiple rules committee meetings.”
Others didn’t think the rule went far enough. Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, wanted the Legislature to consider “blackouts,” where lawmakers couldn’t take any campaign checks throughout certain periods of the year — like the week before the Appropriations Committee starts its work. He said the House could suspend its rules, introduce the bill and “easily pass that.”
However, he wanted the rule for now.
“We’ve got to get this fixed,” he said. “We’re in a new world, and this thing’s bigger than all of us.”
The rule won’t make campaign contributions at the Capitol or in leadership’s purview illegal, but it will make it clear they’re not permitted. A person who gives a donation could receive a complaint or be kicked out of the Legislature, and a lawmaker could face an ethical complaint, censure or even expulsion.
Majority Floor Leader Scott Heiner, R-Green River, agreed that it would “help with this perception that we have right now.”
The second rule — which the Senate didn’t consider — was brought next by Rep. Ann Lucas, R-Cheyenne, a Wyoming Freedom Caucus member.
The first part of Lucas’ rule bans any registered lobbyist or person “who is attempting to influence legislation” from entering the legislative lounge room or from soliciting or accepting office supplies or any other goods “purchased using” state funds “by or for the use of the House of Representatives.”
It also would have banned the same people from offering or delivering gifts, food, beverages or any item of any value, or of any amount, within the “area under control of the Speaker.”
“This rule does not silence anyone,” she said. “Lobbyists may still meet with members, provide research, testify and advocate. What they may not do — inside House-controlled spaces — offer items of value. This is not an anti-lobbyist. This is pro-institution.”
“Ambiguity leads to public suspicion, media controversy, criminal inquiry and institutional strain,” she added.
The House was less convinced, with even other members of the Freedom Caucus wary of unintended consequences, like being unable to accept Bibles or attend breakfasts hosted by advocates. The rule would have also only applied to the House and not the Senate.
“What we don’t want to do is create a rule that then creates a gotcha game for lobbyists or legislators,” Speaker Pro Tempore Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, said. “Where they thought, ‘Well, we’ve done this forever and now all of the sudden we can’t do this.’”
Yin recommended taking a look at the Legislature’s Ethics and Disclosure Act and letting the Management Council do its work in the interim. There are many aspects to the law, including that legislators are required to disclose gifts, but food, beverage, travel and hospitality are excluded.
The first part of her rule failed in a 42-17 vote. Lucas withdrew the second half.
The Wyoming Legislature’s Management Council plans to take an even deeper dive into campaign contributions and other ethical matters during the interim.
The floor
After Wednesday night’s vote to move the House investigation forward, Yin asked to make remarks.
One of the consequences of raising questions, Yin said, was “there are definitely people who will not speak to me on this anymore.” Another consequence, he said, was the accusation that he defamed someone.
“You should see the malice that I get as the minority party leader,” he said. “I get a lot of it.”
Yin also said he wished that the sheriff had never opened an investigation.
“I think that created a real problem for everyone involved,” Yin said. “We could have had a swift committee move very swiftly, and I know the chairman of the committee really wanted to move swiftly. I’m not sure what he does now.”
Lastly, Yin asked that Wednesday’s discussion be the last of its kind on the House floor.
“It’s tough to keep having this debate over and over on the House floor,” Yin said. “So I guess what I would ask of all the members is that we make this the last time that we do an airing of grievances as you do in a Festivus.”
“I do wish it all could have been avoided,” Yin said. “And frankly, I think that campaign politics and legislative politics shouldn’t mix. And I’m glad that we did enact a rule to deal with that. And hopefully it makes very clear what the bright line looks like in the future.”
For the second time Wednesday night, Neiman rose from the speaker’s chair and stepped down from his desk. He approached the lectern where he had spoken minutes before. He raised his hand to shake Yin’s. Lawmakers began to clap.
“I don’t want any applause. Please do not applause,” Yin said. “We’re on the House floor.”
For more legislative coverage, click here.
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“Emotions” are not the point here. Everything about the handling of this matter by the Freedom Caucus members is unprofessional, irrational, and childish, that’s another thing we should be worried about. Vote them out.
No Mister Lasseter, it’s all ten of the members of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus who should and will be held accountable, for accepting “campaign” checks, on the floor of the State House, or any where else within the Capital building that day. To add insult, to the perception of bribery, all ten of these individuals voted to a bill, championed by the check passer, to proceed, and move forward in the legislative process. Mr. Neiman, knowingly accepted said check, from the check passer, in his Capital office, and due to the outcry, formed a committee to investigate said improprieties, with he as its leader, and only came clean after said Sheriff of said county, advanced a legal investigation into possible bribery and wrong doing. I, as a former elected official within the State of Wyoming and a Veteran, took, and take my military oath and elected oath of office seriously and to heart, as written, to defend and protect the Constitution of America, against enemies, foreign and domestic. Whether you like it or not, we as elected officials are held to higher standards, and what happened at we the people’s Capital building, was the lowest form of impropriety politically, from the very individuals elected on our behalf, who work on or behalf, and for us, to have done, and now in indignant protest, want it swept under the State of Wyoming’s rug. Mr. Nieman, due to the way he has handled this controversy, and all of his comrades as members of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, can never be trusted with the governing of Wyoming ever again, and no matter what comes from said investigation into bribery and malfeasance of office, thousands of Wyoming citizens will always have a bad taste in their mouths, and an already mental conviction of bribery, concerning all involved! Had not Yin and Provenzanot had the courage and ethical duty to Wyoming’s citizens, knowing had they not chosen a different path to full transparency, rather than lodging a complaint with Neiman, knowing better, as Neiman later proved thru his silence and committee formation, we the people of Wyoming would have never been wiser, excluding the rumor mill. No!, Mr. Lasseter, we don’t need your kind meddling in Wyoming Government and Politics, as yes, you and your kind are the true definition of Carpetbaggers, along with the current elected officials, aligning with said Wyoming Freedom Caucus, directed and spoon fed the very drivel you posted. By the way, how is Missouri doing under your personal and obviously inflated grandiose ego, working on overtime in Wyoming now. Jussayin
When is it that a legislator takes money not a bribe from someone who is trying to influence the outcome of a vote and how can this be a campaign contribution when they are not running for office?
$1500, freedom caucusers? Chump change! Your fearless felon of a leader in DC made- literally- more than a million times that in grift his first year back in office. Bribery, big and small, pays.
When I was reading Tim Lasseter’s comments, I was wondering if they were tongue in cheek. But I gather not based on previous news coverage in Park County. Not to distract from the bigger picture at hand, including Rachel Rodriguez-Williams’ comment about check passing on the House floor (this “essentially would be bribery and unethical”), is this Tim Lasseter the same Timothy Lasseter who placed dead last by a wide margin in the 2015 race for Blue Eye School Board in Stone County, Mo.?
Outstanding piece of reporting. Thank you, Maggie Mullen and Jasmine Hall. And Thank you Representative Lin (D), and Representative Provenza (D).
This is like watching a really exciting episode of Saturday Night Live except someone used a script they found on the floor behind the toilet of the ladies bathroom from 5 years ago. It smelled bad but with a few drops of perfume purchased from Walmart maybe no one will notice.
“Neiman said evidently, somewhere in this folks couldn’t trust me to handle this correctly,” he said. “So we went around that piece and went straight to the media.”
Chip Neiman
That’s right! I don’t believe any of them would have handled it correctly. Next week it will all be done behind closed doors instead of in the open.
Chip Neiman has been a strong and fearless leader. The real culprits are Mike Yin and Karlee Provenza, who violated the privacy of Ms. Bextel and those fine public servants that received checks from her when then bypassed procedure to report this imaginary legislative violation to the proper leadership and instead went crying to all of the liberal media outlets. Many of us in the Freedom Caucus have been called carpetbaggers due to not being native to Wyoming. You all should be glad we came as this great state is struggling and if wasn’t for outside direction for places like South Dakota, Illinois and California, Wyoming would be bankrupt. I personally came from Missouri to rescue this great state and save it from the rino’s who’ve been running Wyoming into the ground. The proud work of the Freedom Caucus is not not faltering, it’s just begun and Yin and Provenza should be held accountable for creating this checkgate farce. Carry on dear leader Neiman, god will see that you prevail.
So glad that you came to rescue us.
Seriously? You and family rolled from Missouri into Cody like the Beverly Hillbillies, minivan running on fumes and you spend your last $9.99 on a cheap walmart cowboy hat to fit in, then immediately ran for office for anything and everything, always coming in first to be laughed at but dead last at the polls. You also have created gofundme pages to have the rest of us finance your bunch so you can move from rental to rental. The true definition of a carpetbagger and no, we were doing just fine before you and will be ok when you finally get tossed out. The FreeDumb Clownfest suits you just fine but don’t be holding your breath thinking that your Fuhrer Neiman has a bright future in Wyoming politics. The Chipster stepped into it deep this time and perennial clowns like you won’t be able to rescisitate his political career. He can go back to S. Dakota, your other hero Rachel Rod can go back to Cali and please, go back to the Ozarks, Timmy
Here’s a fun little Timmy fact for ya’ll: the “reverend” Tim Lasseter is a tenant of the UnFreeDumb Clownshow herself, Ms. H.D. 50 Rachel Rodriguez Williams. In fact, lives in the mother in law house right in Williams’ back yard. Can’t make this shit up. Welcome to Wyofile, Timmy, you’ve been a Jester and laughingstock around Cody and we always can use a good laugh!
I have lived in Wyoming for a long time and I certainly didn’t need a bunch of know it alls to move in and tell me how to live and all of us how to run our state.
Those who received those checks need to ask themselves what the donor expected them to do. If it was to vote a certain way, then yes it seems bribery to me.
It is really is time to limit contributions, so the wealthy don’t run the country.
We are supposed to be one person one vote, but it is not when big money is involved.
Mr Lasseter, So good of you and all the other “greasy bag outfits” that have come to Wyoming to save us from ourselves. Seriously, I thought at first that this was a tongue in cheek post, but golly, you’re serious.
No worries Tim. I came in ’72 and within the first week I had a band of brats rag on me for not being ‘native Wyo’. Yep, pay your taxes, raise you kids, but don’t have a say until your grand kids or great grand kids grow up. There are a LOT of 4th – 6th generation Wyos who are definitely bright RED. Not conservative red mind you, but commie bulshevik red. They’d love to see Wyo turn into NY or CA. On with the Grand Revolution and all.
Again, anyone who believes in qanon should never be taken seriously.
Chuck, I’ve got to agree with you 100% there.
Pete, please explain your comment “There are a LOT of 4th – 6th generation Wyos who are definitely bright RED. Not conservative red mind you, but commie bulshevik red. They’d love to see Wyo turn into NY or CA.” This just seems like an oxymoron to me. Bright red to blue, hard to fathom how that could happen. Oh and one more comment, it appears to me that lately we’ve been seeing a number of “political refugees” moving into Wyoming and immediately weaving themselves into the Wyoming political tapestry. Howe’s that working out for us? My position is; shut up, listen and observe. It’s a attribute that some of our newcomers need to learn.
we didn’t need saving! there is NO moral dilemma of “uplifting” Wyoming, when you’re GETTING PAID to stay in office?? WE THE PEOPLE do NOT support the Freedumb KauKkus. Wyoming has and always will be the first frontier. we don’t need outsiders pushing an agenda and gutting everything this state has stood for. if you’re not a native, you have no say in the development and progression of this state. you guys are seriously killing us, annexing local farms in order to build data centers that will poison us, literally taking the bread and milk from our hands and siphoning the water supply too. establishing ICE protocols into local law enforcement is fascist behavior. sure the checks came from Teton County but we all know where they’re really coming from. Trump is threatening the hell out of you guys to uphold Wyomings “97%” Republican voting status. that’s also why you passed the SAVE act! to restrict those who could be eligible to vote, ESPECIALLY after all those brave kids protested at the capital. they were saying GET OUT. they have the power to vote and make the changes your guys are working adamantly to uphold. ITS MORE THAN THE CHECKS (which is an obvious sign of corruption, coupled with the multiple attempts to cover it up.) When Neiman accepts applause on the House Floor for “standing up” to the allegations and “coming clean” is a text book narcissistic maneuver. the fact he doesn’t call a point of order is telling, because Rep. Lin did so when Neiman asserts himself into the limelight at the end of the hearing. THANK YOU REP. LIN AND REP. PROVENZA FOR BEING HONEST LAWMAKERS!
Rescue us from what?
OK, so none of the politicians receiving “campaign checks” did anything illegal. But, what they did do was show us their moral character; honesty, integrity, empathy, and courage. It dictates how an individual consistently thinks, feels, and acts ethically across various situations. The public has no way of knowing whether the checks distributed by Ms. Bextel did or did not help to cement votes in favor of her pet project, but I do know this, just because you have the right to do something, doesn’t make it the right thing to do. I applaud Yin and Provenza for taking action on this matter, I say to all of you “honorable” politicians that accepted these checks when and how you did; shame on you. If you don’t have the brains to understand how your actions are viewed by the public, then why should we, as your constituents, have any faith that you will do what’s best for the good of all, and not your pocketbook. And to WoodChip Neiman, the very fact that you allowed the House to drag their feet on forming a committee to investigate and held off on announcing that you were “up to your eyeballs in this” makes me even more suspicious that you were hoping the whole thing would blow over. There are words that are not printable that describe how despicable a man I think you are.
Love how the response by those who have been caught is always something along the lines of “we didn’t do anything illegal.” That may be true, but Rep Nieman (along with others who accepted the checks) have lost public trust. What is being shown now is not remorse for their actions of accepting checks (that when looking back reflects poorly on those that accepted the money), but rather the responses of those who accepted checks is defensiveness for being caught.
The minimizing of the actions and blaming of others continues. Blame the person giving the check instead of looking at themselves for accepting a check. Blame Rep Provenza for taking the picture and sharing it with the media because she wasn’t sure that she could trust house leadership. Blame Rep Yin for bringing this matter up when the bill that was going to be voted on would directly affect the person who was handing out the checks. And the knee jerk defensive reactions by FC leadership when Rep Yin brought this to everyone’s attention.
Deny, blame others, redirect, give timid excuses, etc. The consistent response has been that this is the fault of everyone else except those that accepted the money.
We have the best democracy money can buy.
Was I supposed to shed a tear when Mr. Neiman admitted he took a check? The fact is he can not even file to run for his seat again for a few months. None of them can, but the first day the legislature starts working money is being handed over. A surprise not really. But “optics” the word used so much, has not only tarnished the look of the “Freedom Caucus”, it should crumble it! Only those in the “Freedom Caucus” received checks. That is very telling. Please vote in August!
A Trump-like defense: It’s everybody else’s fault, not mine. Not a good look, Mr. Speaker. And complaining that Rep. Provenza went public, instead of taking it to you, is a feeble and hair-splitting argument. If she had gone to you first, you could have hidden it indefinitely, which more than likely would have done.
Very interesting how this all went down, so openly transpiring to include pictures of the literal handover.
Almost like it was a scripted stage production.
Neiman has put himself in quite a spiral down and I think we’ll hear a resounding thud soon bu,t meanwhile, would someone PLEASE expose who this mysterious Louisiana Heiress woman is? Why was she allowed on the floor of the house? Is she some part time Jacksonite that flits around between the Gulf Coast and Wyoming? Why is she hanging around that unhinged Bextel woman and what was her purpose being in Cheyenne?
Is it just me, or have the rest of you enjoyed watching the NotFreeDumb Caucus and all of it’s little flying monkeys self implode? Chip Neiman being exposed for the con man-hide behind god that he is reminds me of Dorothy (Yin and Provenza) throwing a bucket of water on the wicked witch (Neiman) and watching her melt away. OH WHAT A WORLD!!!!!
The GOP needs to clean house. They need to be more transparent in their dealings. I’m kind of ashamed to be a republican right now.
Deana, don’t worry. The Freedom Caucus aren’t Republicans. How I wish they could be designated as FC members on the ballot so we could be sure who not to vote for.
Having grown up here for going on 40 years now, it’s down right pathetic to hear the near constant excuse that liberals are ruining Wyoming. Republicans control it all. Which means ya’ll own it when ya’ll screw up. Which is constantly. This is straight up bribery, from some out of state person, for $1500 lol, on the house floor. There’s no excuse. John Bear has no shame, no ethics and no real reason to even be in cheyenne now. None of them do. They should all be removed from office. Iverson and his girlfriend should be investigated as well for being a part of this to dissuade others from trying this. And Jeannette ward should be thrown out for stalking.
I second that motion by Ms. Ray. These members of the State of Wyoming Legislature should not be allowed to step into the Capitol again. Not only does it show their lack of integrity and ethics, is shows their level of intelligence. Accept a bribe in plain sight on the House Floor. I think even Butch Cassidy would have had the smarts to wear a mask!
This isn’t about money. $1500 is chump change. This was a display of “We don’t care. We do whatever we want.” Same as the stuff coming out of this administration.
“I’m just really cognizant of the fact that campaign contributions really need to be divorced from the legislative process.”
I find this statement unbelievable. When has money ever been divorced from the “legislative process”? Slavery was built right into our Constitution from the start.
I have viewed the whole thing as a tempest in a tea kettle. If these checks were not over the campaign limit then I do not understand the issue? While it is true we usually have to wait for campaign finance reports to see who made contributions up to the limit, this way was more honest and instructive to the public of how it works. Who knows what favors are not reported?
I have been to the Capitol during the session and you see any and everyone from around the country mingling with Legislators all over the place. For my part I have always wanted TMZ DC, but alas no such luck yet; however, this little incident gives us a flavor of what would happen to the body if that type of reporting became a regular occurrence.
I will say the unidentified Louisiana heiress shops at all the best places and I cannot wait to see what she wears during Mardi Gras or some other Don Grasso soiree.
PS. J T Larsen confirms the cover up was the only “crime” committed. I agree.
The Speaker revealed a great deal when he criticized “the whistleblower lawmaker for making the information public.” If he and the others did nothing wrong, then why should he be concerned that the situation was made public? The public knows that their legislators accept “campaign contributions.” By expressing concern that this particular “contribution” situation was made public, he made it clear that this situation needed to remain quiet. The smarter move would have been to thank Mr. Yin for identifying the issue so changes, if needed, could be made. Perhaps the Speaker has forgotten that he was elected to represent the very public he hoped would not hear about this issue, a public that expects transparency from their legislators. His constituents should question what else he thinks they should not know about.
Clean Lines, Clean Process
Speaker Chip Neiman’s admission that he accepted a campaign check in his office, feet from the House floor, is a thud against a basic Wyoming expectation. We send representatives to the Capitol to do public work, not to handle private money.
The facts are messy. A lobbyist delivered checks to multiple lawmakers on the first day of session. While participants claim convenience, the setting creates a stain. If that check had been mailed or given at a coffee shop in Hulett, we would not be questioning the timing. On the House floor, however, it leaves the public wondering what was expected in return.
Does this violate Wyoming bribery law? Likely not. W.S. 6-5-102 requires an explicit agreement that a vote was “bought.” Without a smoking gun, handing over a check is reckless and corrosive, but not automatically criminal. Still, the Wyoming Ethics and Disclosure Act bars officials from using their position for “private benefit.” Even if it is not bribery, it is an egregious failure of the “appearance of impropriety” standard the people expect from leadership.
Outrage is only useful if it leads to repair. Governor Gordon’s recent executive order banning contributions on state property is a start, but it does not reach the House floor. We need a permanent, statutory “Bright Line” rule: No fundraising, no check handoffs, and no money “pop-ins” in any state building during the session. Period.
Wyoming does not need more theater around money. We want clean processes and a Capitol that belongs to the people again.
Respectfully,
Jimmy Skovgard Mills, Wyoming
Seems? like a lot of people don’t like TRANSPARENCY, especially up front. This reminds me of the buzz words ESSENTIAL and TRANSPARENCY administered during the COVID ERA. The opponents of this up front money donation, do they ever wonder why the candidates with the largest war chests win election?
Follow the smell.
Outstanding article.
Chip Neiman is a disgrace, not only to himself and his family but also to those who elected him and his colleagues in the legislature. His political career is over with. He should resign from his position as Speaker of the House and save the great state of Wyoming any further embarrassment. His deceit and dishonesty will be his legacy!
If this is all so fine and ethical, why did they try to hide it?
Mr. Yin also happened to think that this was a rotten idea as well:
Legislative committee votes to restrict journalists’ access to State Capitol https://wyofile.com/legislative-committee-votes-to-restrict-journalists-access-to-state-capitol/
I believe that he just might be on to something here…
“I’m just really cognizant of the fact that campaign contributions really need to be divorced from the legislative process.”
I find this statement unbelievable. When has money ever been divorced from the “legislative process”? Slavery was built right in from the start.
I have viewed the whole thing as a tempest in a tea kettle. If these checks were not over the campaign limit then I do not understand the issue? While it is true we usually have to wait for campaign finance reports to see who made contributions up to the limit, this way was more honest and instructive to the public of how it works. Who knows what favors are not reported?
I have been to the Capitol during the session and you see any and everyone from around the country mingling with Legislators all over the place. For my part I have always wanted TMZ DC, but alas no such luck yet; however, this little incident gives us a flavor of what would happen to the body if that type of reporting became a regular occurrence.
I will say the unidentified Louisiana heiress shops at all the best places and I cannot wait to see what she wears during Mardi Gras or some other Don Grasso soiree.
PS. J T Larsen confirms the cover up was the only “crime” committed. I agree.
At the very least Mr. Yin deserves several apologies; and Speaker Neiman you don’t show leadership by hand picking your judge and your jury, you lead by example. It is time to repent and resign your post. That is if you still care to retain the slightest bit of respect from those people who voted you into a position you are obviously not equipped to handle.
How is that affiliation with the Fascist Carcass cartel working out for you, Chip? Putting your political career and reputation into the hands of a bunch of rubes, carpetbaggers and whackjobs that turn most everything they touch into shit pretty much proves you’re not speaker material. Nice knowing you, don’t let the door smack you in the ass. and we’ll be accepting your letter of resignation
Let me get this right, Rebecca Bextel and the unidentified Louisiana heiress, who weren’t even supposed to be on the house floor, were able to saunter right into Chip Neimens private office to give him a check? Huh? Yep, Neiman, it looks like your days are few
In a State that as a whole villifies Democrats, it took 2 of ’em to do the right thing in Cheyenne. What in Sam Hill happened to my GOP? We’re now the party of grifters, shady goin’ ons in the speaker of the house’s office and con artists.
I believe the GOP started heading in the wrong direction about the same time as the “tea party” arrived Lane. Soon to be replaced with Trump (the ultimate con-man) coming down that escalator and his MAGA cult following blindly behind him (Barrasso, Lummis, Hageman,Gray, Rasner would qualify). It sure isn’t the party of solid, decent conservatives anymore. This group of “Republicans” would never elect people like Reagan, Simpson, or probably even Abraham Lincoln considering how far they’ve gone towards the fringes of right wing society. It’s a sad time for the United States indeed.
Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of the so called “freedom” caucus. Can’t wait for August 18th!
The rot doesn’t stop with the caucus. We have 3 congressionals who confidently voted to sell public lands and a party that backs them.
1000000%!!!
Chip, for all practical purposes, you’re finished. Stick a fork in it. At the most, you’ll get tarred and feathered and dragged out of the Capitol building. In the least, this stench won’t wash off and will follow you forever. Thank goodness Karlee Provenza notified the press about checkgate along with photographic evidence, otherwise there’s no doubt you and your fascist caucus cohorts would of swept this all under the rug.
The real point is the purchase of votes, that’s what it really is. Think about the result of an election that’s bought and paid for by wealthy people. I don’t care if it’s a Democrat or Republican, it’s wrong and an extreme danger to democracy. The best thing to do is to vote the entire freedom caucus out of office.
Where have you been Gordon? ……. Money is Free Speech! ….. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010)!!!!!!!!! Democrat or Republican!!
Reverse this terrible SCOTUS decision post haste!!!
“One “Anonymous(?)” Person one Vote” !!!! …. and people wonder why young people are so disillusioned with “America(?)” & “American” Politics!!!!!??????
Tax the hell out of the Rich and make Estate & Inheritance Taxes punishing for them!
“Democracy is about one person, one vote. It’s about all of us coming together to determine the future of our country. It is not about a handful of billionaires buying elections, or governors suppressing the vote by denying poor people or people of color the right to vote. Our job is to stand together to defeat the drift toward oligarchy and create a vibrant democracy.”
― Bernie Sanders, Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In
Love your passion for ‘one person – one vote’ Tom. That implies citizenship counts. Our elections can’t be open to anyone on the planet filling out a voter registration form on line and getting added to the voter rolls like some States allow. We can’t give away registrations to tens of millions of illegal aliens invading into the country either so their ballots can be printed, harvested and filled out a month after an election closes. Can’t have thousands and thousands of dead people, underage, non- registered voting either. No more millions of counterfeit ballots printed off and filled in by anyone and being shipped all over the nation one State to the next. No more weird hidden modems in the election machines where anyone anywhere can log in and do whatever they want. One person – one vote means every legal vote is counted, while illegal votes are not!
Bring yourself back to reality. The only election fraud is from your hero, the felon in the white house.
Pete-
I remember when Rudy Giuliani took your comments to 60 judges in 60 courtrooms and was dismissed 60 times for having no evidence.
Sorry Gene. The judges simply threw out the challenges rubber stamping each as ‘lacking standing’. No actual evidence was ever presented. Same thing Colorado did to Mesa county clerk Tina Peters to throw her in jail presumably for life. That may change shortly however.
And this chrump fan fiction written above is why you shouldn’t be taken seriously….