Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon was the site of protests in 2016 after two cowboys were sentenced to prison for arson. Ammon Bundy, a rancher from Nevada, lead 300 demonstrators opposed to federal ownership of public lands marched through the town of Burns and an armed splinter group occupied the Malheur refuge’s headquarters for 41 days. One of the occupiers was shot and killed by government agents during an incident at an FBI roadblock.
Since then, right-wing populists who demand transfer of federal lands to local control have been present at agricultural events and active...