Las Vegas • Nevada cattleman and state’s rights figure Cliven Bundy lost a courtroom bid to represent himself at his upcoming trial, after refusing Wednesday to recognize federal authority over grazing land at the center of a 2014 armed standoff with federal agents, his lawyer said.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen ruled after questioning the 71-year-old Bundy that he could not fire his attorney, Bret Whipple, even though Whipple filed court documents last week saying that Bundy dismissed him.
“I’m still on the case. We’re set for trial,” Whipple said following the ruling. “The court would not let him represent himself because he would not accept a court ruling that the land is owned by the federal government.