Air Force fears lead Wyoming Bitcoin miner operator warning to divest interest due to alleged ties with China, following President Biden’s order in the United States.

Crypto and Bitcoin regulations are evolving in the United States. However, judging from the current administration’s declarations over its years in power, analysts think President Biden opposes cryptocurrencies.

Their position is clear from claiming that Bitcoin mining is a waste and that the United States SEC is cracking down on protocols launching on decentralized networks.

While Bitcoin mining has been said to benefit the national grid and help stabilize the network during surges, an executive order issued on Monday could hint at what lies ahead.

Divest Your Operations: President Biden Orders

Citing national security concerns, President Biden ordered MineOne Partners Limited, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, to divest their interest in a Bitcoin mining facility, alleging ties to China.

The mining farm in Wyoming is roughly a mile from the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base. State and Federal authorities were reportedly not comfortable with the miner being near such a critical installation managing nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles. 

Moreover, the committee overseeing foreign investment risks said that besides the proximity, “specialized equipment” was shipped to enable mining.

President Biden is taking action roughly a year after MineOne acquired the data center. The United States government wants its operators to sell their holdings within four months. 

As part of the “insurmountable” risks, the committee said MineOne operators won’t access the site. Moreover, they have three months to remove all physical structures or installations.

In 2022, Microsoft, a United States technology company with a data center in the same area, also raised concern that MineOne could enable intelligence operations near the Air Force base. 

Microsoft reported MineOne to an inter-agency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

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United States Is A Power House In Bitcoin Mining

Following the ban on crypto mining operators in mainland China in 2021, most operators shifted their gear to the United States. This migration allowed the United States to be the world’s largest source of Bitcoin hash rate.

Leading companies like Riot Blockchain and Marathon Digital continue to operate and expand, even going public. The Foundry USA is also the largest mining pool.

(Hash Rate Distribution)

Even so, amid the boom, there have been concerns.

In February, residents of Granbury, Texas, complained about the noise pollution from the mining farm. The irritating “hum” from the cooling fans needed to keep miners cool, one resident said, is “like sitting on the runway of an airport where jets are taking off, one after another.”

In 2022, New York imposed a moratorium on Bitcoin mining, citing concerns about the overuse of renewable energy resources.

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Disclaimer: Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You could lose all of your capital

Chance for rain in many areas of Wyoming on Wednesday, sunny in others. Highs mainly in the upper 50s and the 60s. Lows from the low 30s to the upper 40s. 

Central:  

Casper:  Rain is likely today, mainly before 1 p.m., otherwise skies should gradually clear with a high near 60 and it should be mostly clear overnight with a low near 44.  

Riverton:  Expect it to gradually become sunny today with a high near 67 and be partly cloudy overnight with a low near 41. 

Glenrock:  There’s a chance of rain today, otherwise look for it to gradually become mostly sunny with a high near 60 and be mostly clear overnight with a low near 39.

Southwest:  

Evanston:  It should be sunny today with a high near 62 and mostly clear overnight with a low near 35.

Green River:  There’s a slight chance of rain after 5 p.m. today, otherwise look for it to be mostly sunny with a high near 63 and mostly clear and breezy overnight with a low near 40 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph.

South Pass:  There’s a chance of rain today, otherwise expect it to be partly sunny and breezy with a high near 53 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph. Overnight it should be mostly clear with a low near 38.

Western Wyoming:  

Pinedale:  It should be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 60 and wind gusts as high as 23 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy with a low near 34 and wind gusts as high as 20 mph.

Alpine:  Expect it to be partly cloudy today with a high near 68 and partly cloudy overnight with a low near 38. 

Big Piney:  Look for it to be mostly sunny and breezy today with a high near 62 and wind gusts as high as 32 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy and breezy with a low near 32 and wind gusts as high as 23 mph. 

Northwest:  

Dubois:  There’s a chance of rain mainly after 4 p.m., otherwise it should be partly sunny and breezy today with a high near 61 and wind gusts as high as 28 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy and breezy with a low near 37 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph.

Jackson:  Look for it to be sunny today with a high near 67 and partly cloudy overnight with a low near 36.  

Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park:  Expect it to be mostly sunny today with a high near 59 and partly cloudy overnight with a low near 33.

Bighorn Basin:

Thermopolis:  Look for it to gradually become sunny today with a high near 66 and be partly cloudy overnight with a low near 44.

Cody:  Expect it to be mostly sunny today with a high near 64 and partly cloudy overnight with a low near 49.

Greybull:  It should become sunny today with a high near 70 and be partly cloudy overnight with a low near 47.

North Central:  

Buffalo:  There’s a chance of rain mainly after 3 p.m. today, otherwise it should be partly sunny and breezy with a high near 59 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy and breezy with a low near 48 and wind gusts as high as 23 mph.

Sheridan:  Watch for patchy fog before 9 a.m. and there’s a chance of rain mainly after 3 p.m., otherwise expect it to be partly sunny today with a high near 67 and partly cloudy overnight with a low near 43.

Big Horn:  Watch for patchy fog before 9 a.m. and there’s a chance of rain mainly after noon, otherwise look for it to be partly sunny today with a high near 65 and partly cloudy overnight with a low near 45.

Northeast:  

Gillette:  There’s a slight chance of rain, otherwise skies should gradually clear with a high near 62 today and winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy with a low near 44 and wind gusts as high as 16 mph.

Sundance:  There’s a chance of rain today, otherwise look for it to gradually become sunny with a high near 59 and winds could gust as high as 18 mph. Overnight it should be partly cloudy with a low near 42.

Upton:  There’s a chance of rain, otherwise skies should gradually clear today with a high near 63 and it should be partly cloudy overnight with a low near 40.

Eastern Plains:  

Torrington:  There’s a chance of rain after noon, otherwise it should be mostly cloudy today with a high near 64 and mostly clear overnight with a low near 39. 

Douglas:  There’s a chance of rain, otherwise look for it to gradually become mostly sunny today with a high near 61 and it should be mostly clear overnight with a low near 37.

Kaycee:  There’s a chance of rain today, otherwise expect it to gradually become mostly sunny today with a high near 59 and be partly cloudy overnight with a low near 45.

Southeast:  

Cheyenne:  There’s a chance of rain today and tonight before midnight. Otherwise, it should be partly sunny today with a high near 58 and partly cloudy overnight with a low near 36. 

Laramie:  There’s a chance of rain today and tonight before midnight. Otherwise, look for it to be mostly cloudy today with a high near 55 and partly cloudy overnight with a low near 33. 

Medicine Bow:  There’s a chance of rain today and a slight chance before midnight tonight. Otherwise, expect it to gradually become mostly sunny today with a high near 55 and be mostly clear overnight with a low near 33.

South Central:  

Rawlins:  There’s a chance of rain today, otherwise expect it to be partly sunny with a high near 57 and mostly clear overnight with a low near 37.

Encampment:  There’s a chance of rain, otherwise it should be mostly cloudy today with a high near 57 and mostly clear overnight with a low near 34.

Baggs:  There’s a slight chance of rain today, otherwise look for it to be partly sunny with a high near 64 and mostly clear overnight with a low near 35.

A Wright, Wyoming, man accused of whacking his neighbor’s face with a baseball bat during a two-family brawl last Fourth of July doesn’t get to avoid trial on a self-defense argument, a judge ruled Tuesday.

John S. Harris, who turns 65 this year, was charged with aggravated assault last July on allegations that he beat his neighbor’s adult son Josh Springer with a baseball bat, after Springer and John’s wife Melissa got into a shouting match in front of the Harrises’ home the night of July 4, 2023.

A lengthy hearing stretching across three dates last week and Tuesday ended with Campbell County District Court Judge Stuart Healy III ruling that Harris may argue he acted in defense of self and family before a jury — but he can’t use that argument to dodge prosecution.

“Before anybody knew what was happening, Mr. Harris took a swing with a bat at Mr. Springer,” said Healy, referencing what he believed was the most credible testimony to emerge from Harris’ self-defense hearings. “I’m certainly not finding that’s what happened beyond a reasonable doubt. But … the court will find that the state did carry its burden.”

Wyoming self-defense hearings have two parts: first the defendant must provide evidence showing at first glance that he acted with reasonable self-defense.

Then the prosecutor must try to show by a preponderance of the evidence (a higher standard than the defendant shoulders) that the defendant did not behave reasonably to defend himself or others.

Harris made his case at first glance, but Healy defeated it with the evidence he showed, Healy ruled.

And yet, Healy said this self-defense argument is appropriate to go before a jury, should Harris go to trial.

First, Huge Fireworks

Melissa Harris had called police multiple times on July 4, 2023, to report that her neighbor Debbie Souza’s party guests were shooting off fireworks that battered her house, according to court documents and testimony.

Springer is Souza’s son. He was preparing to drive away from his mother’s home after the fireworks shows that night with his two sons in his vehicle. But he stopped in or along the road, got out of his vehicle and had an argument with Melissa Harris instead.

Melissa Harris told the court that Springer called her cruel and sexist names. Springer said she called him names.

Melissa Harris said Springer punched her multiple times and pulled a gun out of his truck to brandish it at her, her son, or her husband multiple times. At some point prior she had called John Harris to tell him how severe the Souza party fireworks were, she testified.

John Harris rushed home from his work at the coal mine, and emerged from his truck with a baseball bat in hand, according to court testimony.

Roads Diverged

Here’s where the testimonies diverge.

Melissa Harris described Springer attacking her, knocking her down and her young adult son Tyler Harris trying to intervene. John Harris arrived in his truck to find Tyler helping Melissa off the ground, her testimony indicates.

Tyler testified that John pulled up to witness Springer attacking them both.

And John testified that when he pulled up, he saw Melissa trying to get up from the ground while Tyler held an enraged Josh Springer back.

All three testified that Springer had charged John, growling, shortly after John pulled up. Springer is reportedly several pounds heavier and about a foot taller than John Harris.

John Harris’ attorney Christina Williams argued to the court that Harris could not possibly win a fistfight against Springer, that he pulled up to a scene of violence, and that he acted reasonably to defend himself.

The Neighbors

Souza and Springer recounted it differently, telling the court that Melissa Harris and Springer were merely exchanging words just before John Harris pulled up.

Tyler was watching but not engaging at all, Souza claimed. She also claimed the Harris men attacked her 11-year-old grandson at some point.   

There were inconsistencies in all testimonies, Healy noted.

Williams had exposed inconsistencies, for example, in which Souza’s version of events did not align perfectly with what her two grandsons allegedly told police last July after the incident.

But Souza’s and Springer’s testimonies aligned more closely with one another than did the Harrises’ three testimonies, Campbell County Chief Deputy Attorney Greg Steward argued.

Healy said he agreed with Steward’s assessment of “witness credibility.” He voiced some trepidation about Springer’s testimony, noting Springer could gain by casting himself in a favorable light.

Springer had also told investigators hours after the incident that everything was “fuzzy,” according to court testimony and documents.

But Healy said he found Souza’s testimony credible and “largely consistent.”

Next

Campbell County Deputy Tyler Stearns arrived after the incident the night of July 4 to find John Harris sitting on the ground with blood coming from his mouth and nose, according to the evidentiary affidavit in the case. He saw Springer walking in the street, bleeding from wounds above his eye.

Springer had what Stearns called “significant pain, multiple cuts on his temple and right cheek, and temporarily lost consciousness while I was speaking with him.”

Both Springer and John Harris were taken to the hospital.

On Scene

Healy wondered aloud why, if Springer had punched Melissa Harris, she did not tell Stearns that when Stearns arrived on scene after the fight.

“One would think that if this detailed story that Mrs. Harris told occurred — with all the violence — that would have been the first thing out of her mouth when she spoke to Deputy Stearns,” said the judge. Rather, she noted that Springer had pulled a gun on them, but didn’t say when, the judge recounted.

Melissa Harris had testified earlier that she didn’t feel comfortable telling investigators her story at first because they had allegedly treated her unpleasantly.

Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.