BURNS, OR -- Harney County's Fire Chief is now siding with occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Chris Briels told reporters, Wednesday, he turned in his resignation. "That might say that I just quit this county; I did not just quit this county. But, I will not work for a government, or a person, that I do not believe in." Briels says the Bureau of Land Management is trampling on the rights of land owners, and says he resigned because he doesn't believe he can trust anyone in county government.
Briels is affiliated with the "Harney County Committee of Safety," which has been sympathetic to the Bundy-lead militia but has denounced their takeover of the refuge. One resident tells KBND News Briels was upset the Committee was no longer allowed to meet in the county building. The "Committee of Safety" is not associated with county government.
