Aaron and Kate speak with Zachary Fort, president of the New Mexico Shooting Sports Association, about his opposition to Steve Pearce’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Land Management. Fort, a former Republican and gun rights advocate, explains why hunters and shooting sports enthusiasts are concerned about Pearce’s track record on public lands. He discusses Pearce’s history of sponsoring legislation to sell off national public lands, his prioritization of oil and gas interests over public access, and his divisive leadership of the New Mexico Republican Party. Fort argues that Pearce’s support for transferring public lands to private ownership threatens hunting and shooting opportunities that generations of New Mexicans have relied on.

News

House Public Lands Caucus Fails Test With Boundary Waters Vote – Public Domain
House Dems Demand Probe Into Top Interior Official, Citing Public Domain’s Reporting – Public Domain
Congress passes environmental funding without Trump’s deep cuts – High Country News

Resources

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Credits

Produced & hosted by Aaron Weiss and Kate Groetzinger
Feedback: podcast@westernpriorities.org
Music: Purple Planet
Featured image: Congressman Steve Pearce of New Mexico speaking at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland; Source: Flickr/Gage Skidmore

The post Why a New Mexico gun rights leader opposes Trump’s pick to lead the BLM appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.