The militia group holed up in an Oregon nature preserve can’t seem to catch a break, can they? One of the militiamen, heartbroken, has announced that one of his buddies had bailed from the preserve and used donations to stay in a nearby motel and drink the night away.
Joe Oshaugnessy, once lovingly referred to as “Capt. O,” has been actively seeking volunteers for the militia’s cause through social media. But he left Malheur National Wildlife Refuge yesterday, taking the militia’s donations with him.
According to Maureen Peltier, the militia’s apparent spokeswoman, Jon Ritzheimer — who runs the website “Rogue Infidel” and organizes anti-Muslim rallies — found Oshugnessy at a local motel drinking.
Peltier also stated that Ritzheimer confirmed that the money used by Oshaugnessy for his lodging and booze were donations for the group.
Militiaman Cai Irvin broke the news on Facebook. From Raw Story:
“‘Ritzheimer did call me — he’s f*cking pissed, he’s mad, he’s upset,’ Irvin said. ‘He told me to tell all of you that Joe Oshaugnessy is a deserter and a coward.’
Irvin said the militants felt betrayed by Oshaugnessy, who had taken part like many of them in the 2014 standoff at the Bundy ranch — where various factions within the right-wing ‘patriot’ movement also squabbled.
‘It’s like finding out there is no such thing as Santa,’ Irvin said. ‘Come on, man.’
Irvin later removed the Facebook video from his public profile page.”
Oshaugnessy leaving the facility is not necessarily an unprecedented move. Even though the purpose of occupying in protest is to, you know, occupy, several members of the militia have been spotted eating at local restaurants during the standoff. Some are even staying in motels.
Apparently, militiamen have been free to come and go as they please, so long as law enforcement personnel are absent from the scene.
Oshaugnessy’s failure to return is also not without precedent. Brian “Booda” Cavalier went out and never came back following a newspaper report that revealed he had lied about his service in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Meanwhile, Oshaugnessy has responded to the militia’s allegations, calling them a “smear campaign.” He took to Facebook to voice his grievances. From Raw Story:
“‘Because I have been vocal about not supporting the actions taken by the individuals inside the compound apparently they have desired to launch a smear Campaign against me,’ [Oshaugnessy] wrote on his profile page. ‘Even though I am one of the only Patriots on the outside doing everything I can to try and prevent this from turning into another Wako And making sure to protect the safety of all involved. To what I say my reputation is sterling.'”
Well, at least these militants can all take comfort in the fact that the Internet has provided them with some Pulitzer-worthy reading material for them to take solace on these lonely nights. They’ll always have Capt. O there.
