ROCK SPRINGS—Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, is adamant that Wyoming is nothing like Minnesota and said he is working on a bill that shows the state’s support for federal agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by making it a felony to impede their work.
Kolb spoke with the Rock Springs City Council on Tuesday evening about the upcoming legislative session beginning Feb. 9. Kolb described the recent incident at the Four Points By Sheraton Hotel, formerly known as the Clarion, in Rock Springs between U.S. Border Patrol agents and protesters as being a catalyst for his proposed bill. The Rock Springs Police Department alleges protesters blocked ICE agents in at the hotel and Sweetwater County Sheriff John Grossnickle denounced protesters’ actions, while protesters say Grossnickle and RSPD misrepresented what happened. Kolb said he was quickly motivated to act.
“I was so motivated I talked with you, mayor, … about just what happened, how it happened, what people knew, what they didn’t know,” Kolb said. “What I know is, is people don’t have the right to block your travel with a vehicle.”
Kolb said the bill is in draft form and hasn’t been introduced yet. As the upcoming legislative session will focus on the state’s budget, the bill will need a two-thirds majority vote to be introduced as it isn’t a topic related to budgetary issues.
Kolb, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the penalty for being convicted of the felony would be a prison sentence of between five and 25 years. The proposed penalty would make it potentially one of the more severe crimes to be charged with; it would have a minimum sentence requirement and a high maximum potential sentence. For example, aggravated vehicular homicide, a felony charged when someone kills another person by recklessly driving a vehicle, has a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. A manslaughter sentence is also capped at 20 years, and unlike Kolb’s proposal, has no mandatory minimum.
Kolb said he isn’t the only person investigating a means of punishing someone who impedes federal agents. Kolb said Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, is looking at enhancements through the existing interference with a peace officer laws.
“We’re not Minnesota … and I’m proud to support law enforcement officers no matter who they are,” Kolb said. “Because they’re trying to do the right thing and they’re people.”
You have a right to protest under the First Amendment; but that right doesn’t extend to interfering with law enforcement.
Wyoming Fascism at work. They want 1939 Germany , they’ll get 1789 France… be careful what you wish for!
I guarantee this guy also has a “Dont tread on me” sticker on his truck
What a frickin joke. We are once again asking our legislature to DO SOMETHING USEFUL to address the ACTUAL myriad problems facing this state… not invent pretend problems and then pretend to fix them so they can earn pats on the head from the pedo in chief.
It costs north of $100 per day to house an inmate in the Wyoming Department of Corrections. That would work out to nearly $200,000 for the five year minimum sentence. Kind of expensive for blocking a vehicle. Who knows, maybe Wyoming will have to raise taxes to pay for implementing this bill? As usual, lots of deep thinking going on with our legislators.
So, Trump pardons over 1400 insurrectionist, many of whom physically attacked and brutalized law enforcement officers on January 6th 2021 in an attempt to overthrow the goverment on his behalf, and this guy from Rock Springs wants to impose a felony conviction on anyone for opposing any federal officer who may be committing a criminal activity themselves, like what’s possibly happening in Minnesota.
The republican party claiming to be the party of law and order is a joke and another lie. Re-writing history to cover their criminality and to further their twisted narrative, releasing convicted criminals back into society (possibly to commit further assaults against the United States if required by this administration) just because they’re loyal fans of a president who is a potential pedophile and accomplished grifter, gaslighting the American people about what they’re seeing, hearing and feeling doesn’t sound like the God and Country Party that they profess to be to me. The hypocrisy and indecency of these republicans have no bounds and should disgust everyone by now but disturbingly it doesn’t.
Jan 6 like most of modern American political theater, was a psyop.
Oh Chad, Chad, Chad……I’m so glad that I don’t live in your world full of conspiracy theories and darkness. You’ve got to lighten up dude or you won’t make it to your golden years.
if it was a psyop why would Trump pardon all of those paid agitators?
stupid lawmakers who make stupid laws should be prosecuted – double the fines and sentence if they’re wearing a stupid bolo tie
Growing up and watching westerns on Saturday mornings, the bad guys always wore masks. Now, we have ICE and CBP covering their faces, presumably to protect their identity. My question is this, why are these people allowed to remain anonymous figures reigning terror on American cities? They are public servants, we pay their salary. If they act in a professional and lawful manner, there would be no need to hide behind a mask. Allowing them to do so, sends a wrong message not only to the public, but also to those agents that they have total impunity, and we can do nothing about it because we have no clue who they are. Everyone needs to be accountable for their actions. It seems to me that that premise of accountability has gone by the wayside.
Yeah!, I can see Wyoming residents skipping happily into the police state, getting in line and swearing allegiance to the Dear Leader! (Sarcasm). The NRA has raised millions of dollars from this state describing the very thing we see happening in Minneapolis streets, but the bad guys taking our guns were always Democrats! Make no mistake, this is the Constitutional crisis, and the tyrannical government the NRA has been beating the drum about. It’s time to believe your lying eyes, and next election, throw em out on their hands and @$$!
Easy Mr. Flint. Most of the people here could not fathom a republican being a gun grabber. They don’t contemplate that their perhaps their will not be a fight for your rights, you will give them upwith a smile.
I propose a Wyoming labor camp to reform the bolsheviks.
No, we don’t need more trump laws. We have enough laws to cover everything-except for punishing presidents. What a ridiculous law. I think politicians that lie should go to prison for 40 years.
Talk about over kill. Up to 25 years for impeding a federal officer. Protesters are people too. C’mon what about the right to protest. Let’s make protesters criminals and throw them in jail when ICE should be charged with the murders of Pretti and Good. Ridiculous!
Agents will yell, “Stop impeding! Stop impeding!” at protestors who are simply exercising their Constitutional rights of free speech, assembly, and petition to attempt to get them arrested for felonies. We don’t need that.
It has been very interesting to see the Republican party quickly turn toward embrace of federal law enforcement. It wasn’t that long ago railing against BLM, Forest Service and all the other alphabet agencies having their own police force was the rage. Now they have fully embraced big government. Do we now fully back the countless law enforcement of a bunch of government agencies that were not mandated in the constitution? The flip flopping is making it hard to follow. They would be wise to be careful with bills like this. Just like they ran a constitutional amendment that made abortion legal, they may make the next Cliven Bundy standoff illegal.
Double edged sword, Senator.
Lets say Sen Kolb is in his vehicle surrounded by angry protestors that start getting violent if he refuses to openly support there cause by honking etc., they start kicking, hitting, possibly breaking a window.
Does he get sentenced to a stiffer penalty because he flees in fear for his safety and runs over and kills a protestors blocking his vehicle?