Campaign finance reports released recently show out-of-state political action committees are spending tens of thousands of dollars in Wyoming races.
That’s in addition to spending by two in-state PACs representing both factions of the Wyoming Republican Party, the Freedom Caucus and Wyoming Caucus, which also raised thousands.
The Make Liberty Win PAC based in Virginia spent just over $370,000 to support some candidates and attack others. The PAC has said it’s “dedicated to electing 250 liberty-defending state legislators.”
The money was used for texts, phone calls and mailers to Wyoming voters.
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Many of those mailers contained misinformation, like listing the wrong dates for early voting and an incorrect photo of a state legislator. That was discovered through a WyoFile investigation.
Make Liberty Win spent almost $7,500 supporting Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams (R-Cody) with texts and phone calls to voters. She’s been endorsed by the far-right Wyoming House Freedom Caucus.
At the same time, they spent nearly $9,200 opposing current House Speaker Albert Sommers (R-Pinedale) using the same methods.
Sommers has been a frequent critic of the Freedom Caucus.
The Virginia-based Make Liberty Win is primarily funded by a libertarian student activist organization in Texas called Young Americans for Liberty.
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Another financial report published this week shows the Western Way Action PAC out of Denver has spent $47,800 in the Cowboy State. Its website says it “supports conservative leaders and commonsense policies that create economic development opportunities, promote free-market principles and drive real solutions.”
That money was used for mailers to support some incumbent candidates in races for the Board of Carbon County Commissioners.
However, at least one candidate posted on social media last week that the mailers were sent without their knowledge or permission.
That candidate, Sue Ellis Jones, said on Facebook, “it is sad that the tactics of national politics has [sic] come to the local grassroots level. A last minute campaign push is not fair to the other candidates in the race.”
Wyoming’s primary elections are Aug. 20.
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This reporting was made possible by a grant from the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, supporting state government coverage in the state. Wyoming Public Media and Jackson Hole Community Radio are partnering to cover state issues both on air and online.
This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
The former director of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) agency is joining Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department.
9-News reported that Jeff Davis was hired as the department’s deputy director in late December. That’s after Doug Brimeyer retired.
He starts the job in February.
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Davis resigned from CPW last year instead of being fired as part of a settlement agreement. The settlement agreement Davis signed did not directly cite a reason for his termination.
Davis joined CPW as the state reintroduced wolves. His resignation came shortly after Washington state said it would not provide wolves to Colorado’s reintroduction program.
Before joining CPW in 2023, Davis had a long career in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. While there, he focused on coordinating conservation initiatives involving interdisciplinary teams and salmon recovery.
BILLINGS— Activists on both sides praised and criticized the Wyoming Supreme Court’s ruling of abortion bans as unconstitutional on Tuesday in a 4-1 majority.
The ruling marks the end of a four-year legal battle in Wyoming since the state’s 2022 abortion ban went in place with the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned abortion rights on a federal level.
Watch for the report:
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Activists react after Wyoming high court rules abortion ban unconstitutional
The ban was put on hold after Wyoming’s only abortion clinic, Wellspring Health Access in Casper, led a suit against the state.
“I was holding my breath as I opened it and read it. But soon that turned to being rather elated. We couldn’t be more pleased with the opinion,” said Julie Burkhart, the clinic’s president.
Vanessa Willardson
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Julie Burkhart
The decision comes after a years-long fight and setbacks, including an arsonist who set the clinic on fire in May of 2022.
“We were set to open that next month, but unfortunately that arson set us back by 11 months. We weren’t able to open that until 2023. It was quite devastating,” said Burkhart.
“I don’t think it’s moral, ethical, appropriate for anyone to tell another person what they can or cannot do with their own body,” she added.
Wellspring Health Access
Wellspring Health Access after 2022 fire
For a Montana advocacy group, it was a different story.
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“I was very disappointed,” said Amy Seymour, president of Yellowstone Valley Christians for Life, an anti-abortion advocacy group.
“These pre-born children who are unique, complete, living, individual human beings from the moment of their conception, they can be protected if Wyoming decides to have a constitutional amendment to that degree,” she added.
Vanessa Willardson
Amy Seymour
Wyoming state Speaker of the House Chip Neiman, a Republican, echoed Seymour’s sentiments with a written statement.
“Today’s decision is an abomination. Four unelected justices thwarted the will of the people to establish a ‘right’ to kill an innocent baby. Thanks to these justices, Wyoming has some of the most radical abortion laws in America. I will not stand for that, and will continue fighting for innocent unborn babies,” said Neiman.
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Wyoming Supreme Court strikes down abortion bans, keeping procedure legal
GLENROCK, Wyo. — A 55-year-old Wyoming man died Monday night after his vehicle went over a bridge rail and caught fire on Interstate 25 near Glenrock.
Gavin Stanek was traveling north in a Cadillac Escalade around 9:13 p.m. when the vehicle drifted into the median near milepost 156, according to a Wyoming Highway Patrol report. The vehicle continued through the median until it struck a bridge retaining wall.
The driver’s side of the Escalade scraped along the rail before the vehicle went over the edge toward the river. The Cadillac rolled toward the passenger side and landed on its roof on the river embankment, where it was engulfed in flames, the report states.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol identified driver fatigue or the driver falling asleep as a possible contributing factor in the crash. Road conditions were dry and the weather was clear at the time of the incident.
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This story contains preliminary information as provided by the Wyoming Highway Patrol via the Wyoming Department of Transportation Fatal Crash Summary map. The agency advises that information may be subject to change.
