Maude family reacts to Trump administration dropping charges
“I am so hopeful that our case is the foundation that others who face similar grievances can stand on to get justice.”
For the American farm and ranch community, Heather and Charles Maude’s case had come to represent the government overreach and harassment producers have faced for decades. With their charges now dropped by the Trump administration, Heather is finally free to speak about her case, and says she hopes her family’s ordeal will come to represent something else for producers.
“How refreshing after decades of fearing retribution from our government, that should be there to protect our rights and freedoms, that we see justice and an outcome that is actually favorable,” she said in a Thursday phone call from D.C. “I am so hopeful that our case is the foundation that others who face similar grievances can stand on to get justice.”
During yesterday’s press event, Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created an online portal where farmers and ranchers facing similar abuses can find remedy.
“We are very thankful to Trump and his administration for listening to citizens. The Trump team is committed to the things that they were elected upon. Brooke was wonderful. She is as personable and kind in person as she is on the news. Her team put in a ton of effort.”
Maude says Rollins took immediate action to resolve her family’s case once she heard of it.
“The time from when she found out about our case to her office doing something about it was very quick,” Maude says. “We found out that we might be coming to D.C. last Friday, and it was confirmed Sunday. Her team put all of this together in under a week, they deserve a great deal of credit.”
She is quick to add that many people came to her family’s defense.
“We attribute this to every single person that has worked with us to make this issue big enough that it could not be ignored,” she says. “There was an awful lot of work done by an awful lot of arms. Our new attorney Brett Tolman stepped in to help pro bono after hearing about our case on Instagram.”
Tolman has since offered to donate his time and legal representation to other farmers and ranchers who have been victims of government overreach.
“I think our case shows there is a shift in our government,” Maude says. “If you have done nothing wrong you should always stand up for your rights and your freedoms and for what is right.”
Excellent! I hope that any legal expenses incurred will be reimbursed.
Finally! The government in DC is protecting farmers and ranchers from the government in DC. Round and round we go.
One branch of the state persecutes and prosecutes us, and another branch of the government comes to our aid. It's crazy! We see the same situation with the Eel River dam removals.