Oregon standoff in Harney CountyHarney County Judge Steve Grasty
In an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive on January 25, 2016, Harney County Judge Steve Grasty spoke about the reasons he had cancelled a community meeting originally scheduled for later that night at the Harney County Senior Center. He also touched on other issues he and the county face as a result of the ongoing Ammon Bundy-lead occupation at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Grasty cancelled the meeting due to concerns about possible demonstrations and blocking of the center's entrance by armed protesters ahead of the meeting. Dave Killen/Staff
UPDATE: Recall petition against Harney County Judge Steve Grasty validated
A recall petition has been filed against Harney County commissioner Steve Grasty in the aftermath of the 41-day takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge by armed militants earlier this year.
Petitioners say they gathered 566 signatures, the Oregon Secretary of State's Office reported Thursday. The valid signatures of 444 active registered Harney County voters are needed to force a recall election or compel his resignation. Grasty is the County Court judge -- not a judge in the traditional sense, but essentially chairman of the county commission.
If the petition is validated, Grasty will have to resign or submit a "statement of justification" that would be printed on the ballot. If Grasty chooses the latter, a recall election would be held within 35 days of the end of the resignation period.
But Grasty has no plans to step down.
"People elected me to a six-year term, and that's what I'll do unless they decide it should become less," he said late Thursday.
"I love this place," Grasty said. "I love these people. I'm humbled to serve them, and it's my intention to do it for the length of the term."
Grasty announced before the occupation that he didn't plan to seek re-election. He's served three terms, entering office in January 1999. His current term lasts until the end of the year.
Officials are working to verify the signatures, said Laura Terrill, chief of staff for the secretary of state.
Kim Rollins of Burns submitted the paperwork to launch the recall drive, according to the state agency. Rollins, who had been critical of Grasty in an Oregon Public Broadcasting report, declined to comment Thursday night.
Grasty had been adamant that Ammon Bundy and his supporters leave Harney County after they took over the refuge outside of Burns on Jan. 2 to protest federal land-use policies and the imprisonment of local ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr. and his son, Steven Hammond.
"Many of us are frustrated by state and federal regulation of land use. Some here are mightily angry about our economy which we cannot control," Grasty said in a statement in January when the occupation was about three weeks old. "Most of all, many of us are appalled by those who were neither invited nor welcomed, but who purport to speak for our county's residents."
The standoff ended with the arrests of Bundy and more than two dozen others and the death of occupation spokesman Robert "LaVoy'' Finicum, who was shot by Oregon State Police during a confrontation at a roadblock between Burns and John Day.
-- Jim Ryan
jryan@oregonian.com
503-221-8005; @Jimryan015