On Thursday, Idaho Senator Jim Risch spoke out against the Biden Administration’s nominee to head the Bureau of Land Management, Tracy Stone-Manning. Risch said before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources that a good agency, such as BLM and the people that work there deserve better than the President’s nominee.

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Risch pointed to the sworn testimony that three decades ago Stone-Manning admitted to spiking trees in the Idaho forest, where a large metal railroad spike looking object is inserted in trees with the objective of being later found by saws in lumber mills. Risch said when those spikes hit a band saw or circular saw, it creates shrapnel in the mill, similar to a hand grenade, with the intent of hurting or even killing workers.

Supporters of Stone-Manning have said spiking the trees was a mistake; and assessment with which Risch disagrees.

“This was an intentional act done with a black, abandoned, and malignant heart, intended to kill a fellow human being. This is not a mistake. A mistake is when you reach in your sock drawer and you take out two socks that don’t match.  This is an intentional act for which people are sent to prison and should be.”

Risch added those spikes were placed into trees in the Post Office sale in Idaho, and the spiked trees may not be discovered for years or perhaps generations. Meaning the potential to harm or kill still exists.

Risch added while Stone-Manning could be confirmed as the head of the BLM, he warned she would be a stain for the next 3 ½ years.

"If the Biden administration wants to have the face and the character of their administration represented by this individual, this attempted murderer, this perjurer, this liar, this conspirator, if that’s what you want in the administration, and that’s what you want for the face of the administration, here’s your person. Confirm her.”

The BLM manages almost 65 million acres of forests nationwide.

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