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Wyoming Supreme Court judge process better than federal’s
Dear Casper,
This letter is in response to Mr. Ross Schriftman’s letter to the editor from April 11. His opinion appears to be that the Wyoming process of selecting Wyoming Supreme Court justices is somehow flawed. Justices are selected through a merit-based assisted appointment process. When a vacancy occurs, a seven-member Judicial Nominating Commission recommends three candidates to the governor, who appoints one.
Appointed justices serve at least one year before standing in a nonpartisan retention election for an eight-year term.
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The commission consists of the chief justice as chair/tie-breaker, three attorneys selected by the Wyoming State Bar and three non-attorneys appointed by the governor. The governor must select one of the three nominees provided by the commission to fill the vacancy.
After serving at least one year, justices stand for retention in the next general election. Voters cast a “yes” or “no” vote. If retained, the justice serves an eight-year term.
Candidates must be U.S. citizens, Wyoming residents for at least three years, licensed to practice law, and have at least nine years of legal experience. Justices must retire at age 70.
U.S. Supreme Court are appointed for life!
I would offer that the Wyoming process is superior to that of the U.S. Constitution. Voters are involved the process, which we are not at the federal level.
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Wyoming justices can be impeached and removed from office by the state House of Representatives and Senate.
Michael Bond Casper
Wyoming delegation must answer for President Trump’s Iran policy
Dear Casper,
Sent this to each of our Wyoming congressional delegates. I lived in Montana for years. These are the questions the Daily Montanan asked of their elected congressional representatives.
I ask the same questions of our Wyoming delegation. Montana got no answers. I doubt that we will either.
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President Donald Trump has continued to threaten to hit targets that would affect or kill civilians in Iran. Do you support his stated objectives and deadlines?
Are you concerned that some of these targets could be construed as attacking civilians and therefore become war crimes?
Do you have any concerns about wiping out an entire civilization, as Trump has threatened?
If these are only rhetorical threats, what does that do to our stature in the world when we make threats, but don’t follow through with them?
Polls have continued to show more than a majority of Americans do not support the efforts against Iran. Why do you support the effort?
If you do not support the effort in Iran, at what point would you support Congressional intervention or oversight on the issue?
Have you been briefed and do you believe that there are clear objectives in this war with Iran, and how can you communicate those with your constituents?
The U.S. has repeatedly criticized Vladimir Putin and Russia for its invasion and treatment of the Ukrainian people and it sovereignty. How does that differ from America’s “excursion” into Iran?
What is your message for Montanans who are seeing gas prices and the cost of living generally increase?
Last week, President Trump said that America doesn’t have enough money for healthcare and childcare; further, those things must be left to the individual states in order to fund the military? Do you agree?
President Trump continues to boost military budgets and request additional funding for the war in Iran. Do you support these?
Tami Munari Laramie
Pregnancy is personal, not political
Dear Casper,
The recent Wyoming Supreme Court ruling, which affirmed abortion is health care, has caused some who disagree with the ruling to attack Wyoming’s judicial system.
In an opinion letter, candidate Ross Schriftman facetiously writes, “…our God-given First Amendment right of free speech does not apply when criticizing our fellow citizen judges.”
This is the first flaw in his logic because the Constitution was not written by God, therefore the right of freedom of speech was thought up and written by men. God is not the author nor guarantor of personal freedoms — our Constitution and judicial system are.
The second flaw in his argument references a letter signed by 111 professionally-trained, experienced, and well-respected Wyoming judges and attorneys explaining how the courts arrive at their rulings. It is illogical to claim we are all “citizen judges” because even though citizens have a constitutionally-guaranteed right to an opinion, it does not make every citizen a legal expert. The judges’ and attorneys’ excellent letter speaks for itself.
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Mr. Schriftman claims the Supreme Court, “… create(d) an absurd definition of health care to include the intentional murder of pre-born human persons; something they did to justify overriding the equal protection clause… .” This logic is flawed because it is based on a conflation of an obsession with “pre-born human persons” and equal protection under the law.
There is significant disagreement on the issue of fetal personhood and who gets to determine it: the doctors? the lawyers? the pregnant woman? the anti-choice crowd?
Many understand and appreciate it has taken women almost 200 years to gain and keep Equal Protection Under the Law, and the disagreement over who is legally, materially, and morally responsible for a fertilized human egg has always been part this historical struggle. But it was the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that finally established a constitutional right, for women and men, to private health care decisions and, since pregnancy is a health condition, that included abortion.
Even though it wasn’t explicit, Roe also effectively affirmed that bestowing of “personhood” is a private determination to be made by the pregnant woman and her God. But, sadly, here we are again, dealing with folks who mistakenly believe they have a right to interfere in someone else’s pregnancy.
The Rev. L Kee Casper
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Why does the U.S. keep troops in oil producing countries?
Dear Casper,
There are two facts that don’t ever seem to be considered by our government that cost us dearly.
Osama Bin Laden said the stationing of U.S. troops in the Middle East was the reason Al Qaeda attacked us on 9/11. Does the U.S. believe that the oil producing countries in the Middle East will only sell us oil if we force them to by stationing troops there? I’m not aware of any other countries that believe that.
The other fact is, the U.S. is the only country to ever use a nuclear weapon offensively. There are several countries that have nuclear weapons, including North Korea. The reason countries have been reluctant to use nuclear weapons is MAD, mutually assured destruction. Consequently, is it reasonable to expect Iran, should they develop a nuclear weapon, to attack the U.S., knowing that our superiority in nuclear capability would assure the complete destruction of their country? It clearly would be suicidal for them to do so.
But, just to be cautious, rather than destroying the entire country to deter Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, wouldn’t it make more sense to destroy their nuclear infrastructure?
GILLETTE, Wyo. — Two of the Republican candidates for Wyoming governor, Megan Degenfelder and Brent Bien, went head to head in Campbell County this evening. They both highlighted differences in some areas but agreed on energy, public lands, government oversight, abortion and election security.
Degenfelder, Wyoming’s superintendent of public instruction, introduced herself as “a Wyoming ranch kid whose parents clawed their way into the middle class” and said she believes Wyoming is “worth fighting for” because she believes the Wyoming people’s lives are at stake.
Bien, a retired Marine Corps colonel and combat veteran, pointed to his military career and leadership experience.
“My whole adult life has been about leadership, about principled conservative leadership,” he said. “My objective is to restore principled conservative leadership, accountability and discipline to Cheyenne.”
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Nuclear energy
Both candidates supported Wyoming’s role in energy production but opposed bringing outside nuclear waste into the state.
“I do not want Wyoming to be … the permanent repository for spent nuclear fuel. I will not allow that to happen on my watch,” Bien said.
Degenfelder said Wyoming should consider nuclear power as part of its energy future but added, “If it works for us to be able to have nuclear as part of the portfolio, then it has to be right for Wyoming and that is ensuring that we do not accept anyone else’s waste, period.”
Public lands
The candidates also opposed privatization of public lands.
“No one loves public lands more than I do,” Degenfelder said. “You start selling that to the highest bidder, Wyoming loses who we are.”
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Bien said he is “absolutely opposed” to federal lands being sold to private interests.
“If they do decide to dispose of it, then we as the state of Wyoming should get first-right refusal at no cost,” he said.
Attorney general and judicial appointments
When asked what each would be looking for in an attorney general and judicial appointment, both candidates called for conservative leadership.
Bien said he would seek an attorney general from outside state government.
“I want a clean set of eyes to look at what everything’s been that’s been going on,” he said. “I want someone who will put people first and it will put Wyoming first.”
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Degenfelder said she wants stronger advocacy from state agencies.
“I want a bulldog in not just the attorney general’s office, but in all state agencies,” she said. “I want an attorney general that is so aligned to my mission and vision and what I believe that there’s an amicus brief on my desk the next morning after an action takes place.”
Immigration
Both candidates supported stronger immigration enforcement.
Bien explained he wanted to cooperate with ICE “to the fullest extent possible” and to make sure immigrants who are not in the United States legally would be sent out of the state.
Degenfelder said illegal immigration is already affecting communities in Wyoming.
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“If you’re here legally, you got nothing to worry about. If you aren’t, it’s time to go home,” she said.
Energy development and green energy
Energy policy generated some of the sharpest comments of the night.
Degenfelder argued renewable energy projects should compete without government support.
“I’m also an economist and so I’ll tell you the way that you kill these green energy, you make them play on the same playing field,” she said. “No more tax subsidies, no more handouts, ensuring the regulatory environment is just as equal.”
Bien took a firmer stance against renewable development.
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“Folks, there’s no place in Wyoming for this green energy,” he said. “I want these things bonded up front and where we’re not paying for these like we did all the gas wells. The answer for me is absolutely, unequivocally no.”
Economic development
Degenfelder argued government should focus on infrastructure such as water and sewer systems rather than directing economic development.
“Government does not create jobs. Private business does,” she said.
Bien echoed that sentiment.
“The only business that government has in business is simply to get out of the way. It’s to cut taxes. It’s to deregulate,” he said. “Right now, we’re turning into state capitalism where we have our own state government picking winners and losers.”
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Government audits
Both candidates supported increased auditing of state government.
“This state has not done a full-blown budgetary audit since 1989,” Bien said. “Whoever’s belly-aching loudest is going to get audited first.”
Degenfelder agreed.
“We should be auditing every single state agency, every single budget line all the time,” she said. “Government is a beast, and you need someone in there who can tame it and who knows how to do it.”
Abortion
Abortion was another topic where both candidates expressed strong opposition.
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“Life starts at conception and there are no exceptions,” Degenfelder said. “We are now one of the most openly abortion states in the country because of that ruling by the Supreme Court. We’re working against the devil here.”
Bien also opposed abortion.
“Folks, for me, there are no exceptions. Life does begin at conception,” he said.
Election integrity
Bien advocated for hand-counting ballots.
“I am very much a proponent of hand tabulation being the primary method of counting all cast paper ballots and I will push that way,” he said.
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Degenfelder called for paper ballots statewide.
“Every single ballot should be a paper ballot,” she said, adding that she supports “banning dropboxes.”
Republican platform
Both candidates pledged support for the Wyoming Republican Party platform.
“80% is a no-brainer, and we need to require that out of our elected officials,” Degenfelder said.
Bien said he expects to be held to “100%” of the platform.
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“The party’s been co-opted. You have to have an ‘R’ behind your name to win in this state,” he said.
Candidate priorities
During a segment where candidates selected their own discussion topics, Degenfelder highlighted school choice, career and technical education, removing pornography from school libraries and protecting Wyoming’s water rights.
Bien focused on education and agriculture, criticizing student proficiency rates and proposing policies aimed at strengthening Wyoming’s agricultural industry, including declaring agriculture critical infrastructure and reducing regulations on small butcheries.
Technology and education
Although technology and its place within education was not discussed during the debate, County 17 asked both Degenfelder and Bien their thoughts regarding student technology in schools.
Bien said technology is being used too much in classrooms and is making it harder for students to think on their own.
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“What it’s doing is it’s dumbing down our kids,” Bien said. “Our kids aren’t learning how to critically think anymore. They go straight to one of the AI things and it generates an answer for them.”
Degenfelder said she backed a bill to ban cellphones during instruction time.
“I supported a bill that came through the legislature a couple of years ago that actually would ban cell use during instructional time, and I stand by that,” Degenfelder said. “I think that it’s appropriate to take cellphones out of classrooms, and what we find is that kids thrive.”
Closing statements
In closing remarks, Bien emphasized his experience as an outsider candidate.
“I am the only outsider in this race, but I am the only one who’s got an inordinate amount of leadership experience,” he said. “Folks, you deserve a government that you can trust.”
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Degenfelder pointed to her endorsements from President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman.
“I get asked a lot, ‘How did you get the Trump endorsement?’” Degenfelder said. “The answer is really simple. I earned it.”
Alongside other candidates, Bien and Degenfelder will be competing for support in Wyoming’s Republican gubernatorial primary Aug. 18.
A 19-year-old Cheyenne man was sentenced Thursday to 22 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for sexually assaulting a young girl at a metro Denver water park last summer.
Trenton Moskovita was also ordered to undergo Sex Offender Intensive Supervised Probation for at least 10 years after his release. It could last the rest of his life. The duration of such a probation typically depends on whether a defendant is determined to be successfully rehabilitated.
Trenton Moskovita following his arrest in June 2025.
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Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office
Moskovita was arrested June 7, 2025, after Englewood Police Department officers were called to Pirates Cove Water Park in Littleton by employees. The girl, whose age was not provided, ran from a bathroom and told her mother about the assault. The girl later told investigators that Moskovita grabbed her, pulled into a family restroom, and pulled down his pants.
Moskovita immediately denied the child’s allegations. He told investigators the girl wanted help finding her parents, which he agreed to do but only after he went to the bathroom first, according to his arrest affidavit.
Officers were able to observe surveillance camera recordings which showed Moskovita motioning the girl toward him, then grabbing her hand and taking her into the restroom. They were inside nine minutes before the girl ran out of it, per the affidavit.
Moskovita eventually pleaded guilty to felony kidnapping and sexual assault on a child charges.
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“This defendant brazenly preyed upon a vulnerable child in a community space where families expect to be safe,” said 23rd Judicial Deputy District Attorney Tory Reavis in a press release. “The substantial sentence handed down this week reflects our absolute commitment to holding predators accountable and removing them from our streets.”
The judge ordered Moskovita to pay almost $7,000 to the girl and her family for costs of the girl’s mental health treatment, with additional money possible for future treatment.
The DA’s office stated the Sex Offender Intensive Supervised Probation is a program with significantly stricter requirements than standard probation.
The DA’s office referred to Moskovita as a Wyoming resident. A search of online public records indicated Cheyenne was his place of residence.
Incidentally, the water park has a Littleton address but is technically within Englewood PD’s jurisdiction.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Severe thunderstorms capable of producing large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes could hit southeast Wyoming this afternoon and Tuesday.
The National Weather Service issued a level two out of five slight risk for the eastern high plains on Monday.
There is a Slight Risk (Level 2 of 5) for severe weather on Monday. The strongest storms are expected between 3 and 9 p.m. (National Weather Service graphic)All modes of severe weather are possible: hail, damaging wind gusts, and an isolated tornado or two. (National Weather Service graphic)
Cheyenne has a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. today, with a forecast high near 73 degrees. Winds will shift from the northwest to the southeast at 10–15 mph during the morning hours. Storm chances drop to 20% before 9 p.m., and areas of fog will develop after midnight as temperatures fall to a low around 52.
Tuesday brings a repeat of storm threats after noon. Morning fog will give way to mostly cloudy skies, which will gradually clear later in the day with a high near 75. Low-level moisture and atmospheric spin along and east of the Interstate 25 corridor could trigger severe conditions, with large hail listed as the main threat.
Showers remain possible mid-week, with a 50% chance of rain on Wednesday afternoon and a high near 77 degrees.
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A drying and warming trend will settle over Laramie County starting Thursday. High temperatures will climb to 79 on Thursday, 82 on Friday, and peak at 85 under sunny skies on Saturday.
Any remaining storms later in the week will likely produce high winds rather than rain due to dry air near the surface.
Detailed Forecast
Today: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind 5–10 mph becoming south southeast 10–15 mph in the morning.
Tonight: A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m. Areas of fog after midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 52. South southeast wind 5–10 mph.
Tuesday: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Patchy fog before 8 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 75. South southeast wind 5–15 mph.
Tuesday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 9 p.m. and midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. South southeast wind 5–10 mph becoming west southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday: A 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. West wind around 5 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9 p.m., then a chance of showers between 9 p.m. and midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Thursday: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Friday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Sunny, with a high near 82.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 85.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 84.
More on the weather is available at the National Weather Service website.
