A string of exercises in federal overreach all but destroyed westerners’ trust in the BLM. But Dan Love, the BLM SAC behind Operation Cerberus, the Bundy Ranch raid, and whose name is connected with numerous other crimes and debacles, became the face of government at its worst.
Comments by Editor
The #GoogleDanLove social media hashtag was not invented by Twitter or Facebook, it was created by Americans familiar with the extreme and sometimes lethal actions of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), who felt compelled to make the truth known about the agency’s abusive and dangerous Special Agent in Charge (SAC), Dan Love. A string of exercises in federal overreach, such as the prosecution of the Dwight and Steven Hammond on terrorism charges; Operation Cerberus, which lead to the deaths of several men in the Four Corners region; the burning of ranches and cattle in Oregon, the failed Bundy Ranch raid, and the confrontation outside of John Day, Oregon that ended in the murder of Arizona rancher, LaVoy Finicum, all but destroyed westerners’ trust in the BLM. But Dan Love, the BLM SAC behind Operation Cerberus, the Bundy Ranch raid, and whose name is connected with numerous other crimes and debacles, became the face of government at its worst. And now, when you Google Dan Love, you will see his career at the BLM–which ended only last year after public outcry and stinging embarrassment to the agency–summarized in a list of scandals and wanton acts of degeneracy.
Late last year, corruption, harassment and bias in Dan Love’s BLM Office of Law Enforcement Services (OLES) were exposed in an 18-page letter written to the Department of Justice by BLM whistleblower, Larry “Clint” Wooten. Last week, Free Range Report explored some of the depraved, childish and lawless incidents which occurred under Dan Love’s watch, and more often than not, at his urging during the federal prosecution of Bundy Ranch defendants. In Part 2 we will explore additional instances, recounted in Wooten’s own words, of sexism, racism, and the explosive revelation that Love kept a ‘Kill Book’ chronicling the deaths of several individuals he believed resulted from his own actions.
Dan Love destroys federal evidence, Existence of ‘Kill Book’ revealed
(Wooten letter pg 7-8)
Please Note: This seized case related material (to include the hard drives) contains evidence that directly relates to a ELM SAC’s heavy handedness during the 2014 Gold Butte Nevada Trespass Cattle Impound, the BLM SAC ignoring U.S. Attorney’s Office and higher level BLM direction, documentation of the BLM SAC’s alleged gross supervisory misconduct, potential misconduct and violation of rights issues during the 2014 Gold Butte Nevada Trespass Cattle Impound, as well as potential emails that were possibly identified and captured before they could have been deleted (as identified as an issue in the Office of Inspector General Report and possibly concerning a Congressional subpoena). I believe this information would likely be considered substantive exculpatory/jencks material in reference to the Cliven Bundy Nevada Series of Trials and would be greatly discrediting and embarrassing, as well as possibly indicate liability on the BLM and the BLM SAC.
l am convinced that I was removed to prevent the ethical and proper further disclosure of the severe misconduct, failure to correct and report, and cover-ups by BLM OLES supervisors. My supervisor told me that AUSA Steven Myhre “furiously demanded” that I be removed from the case and mentioned something about us (the BLM, specifically my supervisor) not turning over (or disclosing) discovery related material (which is true), issues I had with the BLM not following its own enabling statute (which is true, I can elaborate on that later), and a personal issue they thought I had with former BLM SAC Dan Love. Note: Prior to taking the assignment as Bundy/Gold Butte Investigation Case Agent/Lead investigator for the JJLMIDOI, I didn’t know and had never spoken to former BLM SAC Dan Love. I was new to the agency and I was also specifically directed to lead an unbiased, professional, and independent investigation, which I tried to do, despite supervisory misconduct. Time after time, I was told of former BLM SAC Love’s misconduct. I was told by BLM Law Enforcement Supervisors that he had a Kill Book as a trophy and in essence bragged about getting three individuals in Utah to commit suicide. (See Operation Cerberus Action out of Blanding, Utah and the death of Dr. Redd)
See more about Love’s direct involvement in the death of Dr. James Redd here
Coverups, Love threatens a subordinate
(pp 4,5)
The investigation also indicated that on multiple occasions, former BLM Special Agent- in-Charge (SAC) Love specifically and purposely ignored U.S. Attorney’s Office and BLM civilian management direction and intent as well as Nevada State Official recommendations in order to command the most intrusive, oppressive, large scale, and militaristic trespass cattle impound possible. Additionally, thisinvestigation also indicated excessive use of force, civil rights and policy violations. The investigation indicated that there was little doubt there was an improper cover-up in virtually every matter that a particular BLM SAC participated in, or oversaw and that the BLM SAC was immune from discipline and the consequences of his actions.
Another former BLM ASAC (Assistant Special Agent in Charge) indicated to me that former BLM SAC Love was a liability to our agency and the Cliven Bundy Case. I was even told of threats of physical harm that this former BLM SAC made to his subordinate employee and his family.
Sexism and racism in Love’s BLM
(pp 9,10)
Directing subordinates to erase Official Government Files in order to impede the efforts of rival civilian BLM employees in preparation for the “Burning Man” special event, unlawfully removing evidence, bragging about the number of OIG (Office of the Inspector General) and internal investigations on him, encouraging subordinates not to cooperate with internal and OIG investigations, his harassment of a female Native American subordinate employee where Mr. Love allegedly had a doll that he referred to by the employee’s name and called her his ‘drunk little Indian,’ etc., etc., etc. (I can further explain these many issues.)
Additionally, a formal complaint has been filed with my agency in reference to the religious, sexually vulgar, and the other workplace harassment. Furthermore, there have been several investigations by the DOI Office of Inspector General (OIG) that at least in part contributed to the recent firing of BLM Special Agent-in-Charge Dan Love (which I wasn’t a part of).
Dan Love’s ego impelled the militaristic Bundy Ranch raid
(pg 11)
All in all, it is my assessment and the investigation showed that the 2014 Gold Butte Trespass Cattle Impound was in part a punitive and ego driven expedition by Senior BLM Law Enforcement Supervisor (former BLM Special Agent-in-Charge Dan Love) that was only in part focused on the intent of the associated Federal Court Orders and the mission of our agency (to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the multiple use and enjoyment of present and future generations). My investigation also indicated that the involved officers and protestors were themselves pawns in what was almost a great American tragedy on April 12, 2014, in which law enforcement officers (Federal, State, and Local), protestors, and the motoring public were caught in the danger area. This investigation also indicated, the primary reasons for the escalation was due to the recklessness, lack of oversight, and arrogance of a BLM Special Agent in Charge and the failure to adhere to Federal Court Orders and lack, of recognition of the Federal Government in matters related to land management within Nevada, by rancher Cliven Bundy.
The Wooten whistleblower letter was so damning that it ultimately derailed the federal prosecution of the Bundy Ranch trial, but it also confirmed that for years the BLM has given arrogant, power-hungry thugs free-rein to break laws and lives with impunity. Today Dan Love is a free man. Although he was fired from his post at the BLM, and despite the numerous OIG and internal investigations into his crimes, he has yet to be formally held accountable for any of them.
Perhaps the saddest of all the revelations in the Wooten letter is that of Love’s ‘Kill Book.’ It’s well-documented that psychopaths–serial killers for example–keep trophies or mementos of one sort or another to remind them of their ‘accomplishments.’ Dan Love’s Kill Book appears to have a similar purpose; a reminder, a bragging right about the lives he literally destroyed during his first foray into brutality, Operation Cerberus Action. Wooten specifically mentions the death of Dr. James Redd, a beloved Blanding, Utah physician who took his own life following a day of inhumane interrogations, threats and physical abuse by federal agents under the direction of Dan Love. If there is such a thing as poetic justice, perhaps one day Dan Love’s Kill Book will cease to be a ‘trophy,’ and serve in a court of law as a voice for the lives lost to his savage hubris.
