Ammon Bundy, the former Idaho gubernatorial candidate, was arrested again on Saturday night, according to a report by KTVB’s anchor and investigator, Morgan Romero. The arrest took place at a football fundraiser in Emmett, as captured in a video sent by a source. Bundy’s People’s Rights Network also sent out a blast text regarding the incident. However, further information is being verified.
The Gem County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the arrest and stated that Bundy is currently held at the Gem County Jail on a $10,000 bond. The reasons for his arrest have not been officially disclosed, but there is speculation that it may be related to a defamation lawsuit filed by St. Luke’s Health System.
According to KTVB, St. Luke’s has accused Bundy of fraudulently transferring his assets to other individuals to avoid paying damages owed to the hospital following a jury trial. Bundy and his associate, Diego Rodriguez, were ordered by a jury to pay over $52 million in damages to the hospital and doctors due to a protest they staged outside St. Luke’s facilities in 2022. The protest was in relation to a child protective services case involving Rodriguez’s infant grandson. Bundy and his followers claimed that the hospital had kidnapped the child and engaged in human trafficking.
In response to the lawsuit, St. Luke’s, their doctors, and CEO filed a legal action against Bundy, his campaign, his organization “The People’s Rights Network,” and Rodriguez. The lawsuit alleges defamation and accuses Bundy and Rodriguez of disrupting hospital business, making false statements about child protective services and the hospital, and subjecting the hospital’s staff to online attacks.
Ammon Bundy gained notoriety for his involvement in several high-profile incidents. In 2014, an armed confrontation occurred between supporters of his father, Cliven Bundy, a cattle rancher, and law enforcement over a land dispute. Additionally, Bundy made headlines in 2016 for the standoff at an Oregon wildlife refuge.
Bundy’s supporters also made headlines in 2021 when they stormed a hospital to support a woman claiming her mother was a victim of “medical kidnapping.” Ultimately, they succeeded in having the woman released.
This is not Bundy’s first brush with the law in Idaho. In 2021, he was banned from entering the Idaho Capitol for a year following two arrests. One of the incidents involved Bundy refusing to wear a mask at his son’s high school football game, leading officials to end the game at halftime.
As the situation with Ammon Bundy’s recent arrest unfolds, more updates are expected.
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