Every morning of the legislative session, Wyoming lawmakers receive a flood of emails, texts and hallway ambushes from lobbyists, associations and interest groups offering their “vote recommendations.” This is a routine part of legislating. Yet, when conservative legislators in the Wyoming Freedom Caucus coordinate successfully on policy and receive support aligned with our principles, suddenly, the pearl-clutching begins.
Opinion
The accusation that members of the WYFC are “told how to vote every morning” is not just wrong — it’s a smokescreen. Vote recommendations are everywhere in the Capitol. The liberal County Commissioners Association regularly sends out its preferred positions — including opposition to property tax relief and opposition to a bill that would require government meetings to be streamed online. Wyoming AARP has aggressively lobbied against common-sense election integrity reforms, such as Voter ID requirements. The Wyoming Education Association begged lawmakers to vote against school choice. Every day during the session, lobbyists line the hallway outside the House chambers, ready to pounce on lawmakers from all sides of the political spectrum with talking points and pressure tactics.
No one seems bothered by these daily attempts to influence policy — unless, of course, those recommendations come from a conservative source. That’s the double standard. No one complains when a lobbying group on the left hands out voting guides, tracks scores or testifies in committee meetings. No one bats an eye when progressive organizations coordinate efforts across the state. But when a group of conservative lawmakers stands up, says “we’re organized,” and follows through with a consistent commitment to limited government, individual liberty and fiscal responsibility — suddenly it’s a scandal.
This criticism is intentional deception. Those who rail against the WYFC aren’t truly upset about vote recommendations — they’re upset about the votes themselves. They’re angry that conservatives are gaining traction in Wyoming, exposing government overreach, and pushing back on policies that tax too much, spend too freely and trample on citizens’ rights. So instead of engaging on the actual issues, our critics resort to tired attacks and manufactured outrage.
The bottom line is this: vote recommendations only became a problem when conservatives got organized and successful. Like all the other parroting attacks on the Freedom Caucus, this latest round of complaints is just another tactic from the left, and Republicans who collaborate with them, to hide their deep and unpopular disdain for the policies and freedom we stand for.
We won’t be distracted. We’ll keep fighting for the people of Wyoming — and those who elected each of our members will tell us how to do it.
the No Freedom for anyone but themselves Caucus has proven to be a fraudulent consortium of poseurs who are in the game for the benefit of only their little buddies. Supposed rugged individualist government haters who in the shadows cash in USDA subsidy checks off the backs of Americans (hi there, Madam Chairman Tim French!!!). This gang hates womens rights, fair and free elections and anybody but themselves getting government help such as PPP, health and again, USDA ag subsidies (hi there again, Madam Chairman Tim French!!!). Rachel RodWilliams is a California transplant that came to Wyoming trying to fit in with the “winners” but the cards are showing chinks in the armor of these poseurs. Go back to Cali, Rachel, take these Caucus clowns with you and let real citizens take back their state.
Correction: former farmer Tim French no longer appears on the USDA ledger of subsidies. Madam Chairman French was seriously ill last year ( largely out of public view and purview) and is now fully retired except for his legislative legerdemain.
This excuses him / her / it from absolutely nothing. I apologize to the rest of Wyoming for my Park County foisting the worst legislator upon ye.
You aren’t fighting for the people of Wyoming. You’re fighting for yourself because you get big out of state money to do so. Your so called freedom caucus consistently brings bills to the legislature that restrict voting rights, cuts needed funds for children’s lunches, maternal care, road and bridge maintenance, selling public lands, disenfranchising voters, taking away women’s freedoms etc etc. you are working for and being paid to sock for out of state big money donors. You get rewritten bills from them. Lots and lots of campaign money from them. You don’t work for Wyoming you work for your out of state handlers and donors.
This has gotten hilarious. Rachel R.W. claims to be representing the people and won’t be distracted by others who do not goose step in line with the Faux Freedom thuggery. Oh Rachel, where are the comments here on Wyofile from your “people” defending you and your directive from god? As of this posting there are 23 comments that are definitely not in your favor and exactly 0 atta’boys of approval. What an absolute joke so maybe next time the Faux Freedom idiots better send that man behind the curtain to spout this nonsense as you were an epic failure.
Simple. Wyofile’s an echo chamber. Most comservatives avoid it like MSNBC.
There are plenty of conservatives who frequent wyofile. They just choose not to post manufactured talking points or side with fascist leaning alt-right policies.
Which category do you fall into?
I’ve tried to post multiple times hard proven facts with back up references to have my posts censored. Bet I’m not alone.
Regurgitating alt-right talking points is NOT hard proven facts.
True conservatives dislike the UnFreedom Caucus, hence no support for Ms. R/Williams. Ronald Reagan would shudder regarding the behavior of this clown show caucus. True conservatives also don’t want to have goon squads count votes and steal elections, storm the capitol and smear feces on the walls or take rights away from minorities and women. Apparently the other UnFreedom Caucus thugs are too scared to come on Wyofile and openly defend R/Williams. She ought’a go back to California and pull her crap there
After living a lifetime in Wyoming, I learned early on what BS smells like. Your definition of “conservatives” is pure BS. Here is what it really means:
conservative
noun: a person who has conservative ideas or opinions
adjective: conforming to the standards and conventions of the middle class
How then has conservative become synonymous with fascist?
Could it be the agenda that our so-called freedom caucus conservatives are pushing does not contain any “ideas or opinions” except those the maga-christian movement has designed to disenfranchise what is left of the middle class?
Here’s some hard facts: Rodriguez is a California loon that carpetbagged her way into Wyoming and in an attempt to be the proverbial big fish in a small pond, fell in with the feckless nonFreedon Group. Her, well, their strategy is to play the old worn out divide and conquer game, which was the crux behind this ill conceived editorial snippet. True Republicans do not behave this way and I’d say that the real RINO’s are these nonFreedom thugs. Oh, they do want freedom but only for their little clique and it’s extremely laughable for Rodriguez to claim that she actually penned this garbage. Before you try and change or ‘fix’ Wyoming, Rodriguez, why don’t you go back to the left coast and face up to the mess you created there? We’re full and plus there’s enough homegrown faux “freedom” morons here to deal with and I’m sure Cali would welcome you back with open arms.
“when conservatives organize, the left cries foul” that statement, whoever penned it, not sure you’re clever enough, Rachel, is a joke. Why don’t you explain all of those hateful and deceptive fliers that your puppet masters sent out during the 2024 election cycle, Rachel? You are the epitome of a talk out of both sides of your mouth, forked tongue so called Christian that takes no responsibility for his/her actions. Not sure who is the most unhinged, over their head unFreedom Caucus member. The ‘esteemed’ Senator Cherie Steinmetz with all of her poorly written, bizarre bills and the Nazi approach in demanding that citizens carry traveling papers was pretty hard to beat. Yet, you come along with this whacko op piece that only accomplishes one thing – it’s YOU that is way over your head and I know for a fact that many of us who once supported the UnFreedom click have grown mighty tired of you with the false and hateful Christianity bull you spout. Rachel, you’ve exposed yourself along with the buffoonary of your little group and we’re all laughing
Nobody cares that you “organize”. It is the positions and policies you adopt.
This smacks of playing a victim. Especially so when you have sketchy misguided positions that cannot be defended by rational thought.
It’s just like 1930’s Germany all over again!
The author of this article has it completely WRONG! It is NOT the organizing that is bothersome to some residents of the state! What is particularly irksome is the topics with which the Freedom Caucus members choose to align themselves and focus their energy and organization to create legislation where to most of us, there appears to be no need for more government regulation. While the issues may reflect GOP values and principles, most Wyomingites believe Election Fraud is NOT a pervasive issue in Wyoming. Even the Heritage Foundation admits there were only FOUR suspected cases in the last election cycle. School Choice, at the expense of siphoning money from Wyoming public schools to send to private schools or home-based schools, further undermines school resources and could perhaps be funneling money to church-sponsored schools. Property Tax Relief, while it sounds appealing, will cripple local towns and cities and their ability to provide services to residents (fire, police, drinking water, sewage treatment, etc.). Some GOP legislators and Freedom Caucus legislators have chosen to support legislation aimed at selling off public lands, legislate gender issues, and restrict medical decisions that are between a woman and her medical care provider. Issues, that are largely opposed by most Wyomites. Here are some ideas. Focus organizing efforts and legislative efforts on things that matter to state residents: protecting public lands, diversifying employment, industry and commerce, healthcare for the state’s most vulnerable individuals and guaranteeing a quality education for all.
Well said. Thank you.
Hmm, you’d think that someone, elected to serve “all” in her house district, wouldn’t have time to write up and peddle this opinion piece garbage. Since the Freedom Caucus seems to take marching orders from some mysterious cloaked entity, it’s possible that Rodriguez-Williams didn’t actually draft this. Anyway, whatever the source, laughable and pure rubbish.
A caucus is simply “a group of people united to promote an agreed-upon cause”. Both the right and the left have caucuses promoting their ideals and leveraging their strength. So what.
I briefly googled ‘liberal caucuses’ and bumped into this new one. Personally, I’m solid right. But I’m happy to see not everyone on the left wants to ride their cultural revolution crazy train off a cliff. It’s almost like a whiff of Trumpism is being mixed in – common sense even. Wouldn’t it be grand if several State legislators across the nation joined in with this new national movement to promote more successful policies within our blue cities and States? Would that be a bad thing?
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/08/house-democrat-abundance-caucus-00333760
ridiculous opinion piece from a mean hateful soul.
you aren’t fooling anyone with this written diarrhea.
As a supporter of both MAGA and the Freedom Caucus, which I’ll admit, is waning fast, Ms. Rachel R.Williams has been an embarrassment to the cause. She can’t seem to come up with one original thought and continues to spew the handed down propaganda from out of state PAC’s all over us, like someone with a bad cough who doesn’t hold hand over mouth when sneezing. Wyomingites need to remember that Ms. R. Williams is not from Wyoming and you guessed it, Californian and is just another uninvited carpetbagger attempting to be a big fish in a small pond. Are you a public land user? Ms. R. Williams wants to sell off your public lands, including the national parks so that her oligarch idols can get’em for pennies to the acre. A total self server and pawn, she’s a friend and advocate of no Wyomingite
Wane faster, JT. Please. The sane side needs all the help we can get these days. Your public lands are going fast:
“In a late-night move that flew under the radar for most Americans, Representatives Mark Amodei (R-NV) and Celeste Maloy (R-UT) proposed an amendment to the House Natural Resources Committee’s Reconciliation Bill that aims to speed up the process of disposing of federal public lands in Utah and Nevada. The amendment passed largely along partisan lines, with Rep. Hurd (R-CO) serving as the one dissenting Republican vote.”
Hey, that bill demanding local governments do live feds of their meetings? Have you ever looked at what it costs to purchase, install and operate the video equipment necessary to present a quality clear video and audio recording? Did anyone consider that not all local governments have thousands of dollars available to purchase said equipment? In a period of time when there has been much washing of teeth over the cost of government and wasteful spending, the legislative leadership was willing to tell local governments to spend thousands of dollars yet again.
Laramie County and Cheyenne have been doing live feeds of all their regular meetings for several years. Laramie County has actually upgraded their equipment to provide a higher quality recording. Not all Counties, towns or cities can afford to act on this type of legislative mandate. So yes, the bill was opposed. Opposed because it should be a local decision, not a mandated action. Yes, transparency is important for the public, but so is local control.
Hilarious and just another MAGA ranting of a clown. The real question is, did Ms. Rod-Williams write this all up her little self or did one of the high up UNfreedom puppeteers draft it for her? The UNfreedom caucus reeks of fascism and who could forget the Mein Kampf blurtings of senator Cheri Steimetz wanting Americans to carry papers for proof of citizenship. The so called UNfreedom caucus represents nothing more then self serving, fascism, bigotry and totalitarian government. Perhaps Rachel Rod-Williams thinks she’s some big leader and the fount of wisdom yet apparently can’t even think for herself. When the voters get tired of your rhetoric and poor legislating, maybe next time try standup comedy, Rachel
The problem with your thesis, is that most of the non-FC lobbying you describe comes from local, “in-state” organizations. It’s about Wyoming issues, not about “Culture War”, “dog whistle”, BS. The FC marching orders come from out-of-state Christian Nationalist think-tanks in Washington DC or elsewhere – not Wyoming. The FC cares nothing about Wyoming and pragmatic problem solving. It is only concerned with establishing a “Christian Nationalist Caliphate” in a small rural state. The whole lot of you should pack up and move away.
Rachel, our county commissioners are liberal? Really. Laramie County they’re all Republicans AArp is against common sense election integrity reform laws like voter ID requirements. I’ve been voting in Cheyenne for 50 years. You’re trying to fix a problem that doesn’t exist just to make Maga happy that you are following the Trump Lies. Wyoming education Association is voting against school choice by giving tax money to religious schools that is unconstitutional. you’re against limited government DOGE is illegal and unconstitutional and a judge just made that decision. These cuts are up to Congress and you should know that. Fiscal responsibility like the president wanting to take a $400 million luxury jet from a foreign country. You act so righteous and what you do is very questionable.
The short answer: sensible people do not object to organizing in general — we object to slimy deceitful worms however they might be grouped up.
Miss, Williams….uh…puhleeeeease!?!? Other then a good source of giggles while drinking the morning coffee, this boiler plate rant (did you come up with it yourself, Rachel or did one of your non Freedom leaders write it up for you?) basically exposes the paranoia of the whack-job MAGA crowd. You, as a State legislator seem more concerned for bolstering your little clique vs actually working with ALL your constituents in in HD 50. These rebuttals you’ve been broadcasting over the interweb news sources is getting old
Rachel, the only “freedom” you and your snake oil ilk are concerned about, is your own. Your denial of the Unfreedom Caucus membership taking marching orders via emails from some higher source is false. The boobery and buffoonery of you MAGA types is laughable, especially the Bighorn Basin contingency including yourself, “Nina” (who is puppet-mastered by Scott Weber) and the quintessential Government subsidy check casher the Madam Chairman himself, Tim French. Don’t think for one minute sane and rational people are not watching what you’re doing. The next round of elections cannot come soon enough
I remember receiving handfuls of postcards from the Freedom Caucus in my mailbox last year. They were quite deceitful regarding their opponents. I also attended a few town hall freedom caucus meetings in the area. I heard so much name calling it was almost like being in junior high again. Now the freedom caucus is whining because more people are using their voices. Racheal complains about the hoards of lobbyists during the session, well they’ve been a common occurrence in the legislative since the beginning of time. She needs to grow a spine of get out.
I think you’re confused about why the left cries foul. The freedom caucus is about trying to destroy the rights of citizens. From restricting voting rights to your fake christian nonsense, you want to force folks to be like you. I personally find all of you repulsive. One thing I do know, the pendulum will swing the other way and when it does you’ll whine like the goofballs that you are.
Rachel you are enabling fascism. You are on the wrong side of history and fighting for nothing beyond cruelty for your fellow neighbors.
Wring what you can out of this time Rachel, Hell awaits.