Ammon Bundy denies being leader of Malheur occupation

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — In a turnaround, the face of the occupation at a national wildlife refuge denied leading the standoff over federal control of public lands and defended receiving a government loan to help his business.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight pressed Ammon Bundy on Friday on his claim that he wasn’t the leader, pointing to earlier testimony in which he said he was “sort of” in charge.

Bundy told Knight he teaches correct principles and lets people govern themselves.

Bundy also acknowledged receiving a $530,000 U.S. Small Business Administration loan to help his commercial vehicle maintenance business.

He rejected that it made him a hypocrite. Bundy says he supports the federal government, but not its management of land within states.

Bundy is among seven defendants charged with conspiring to impede federal employees from working on the refuge. Knight reminded Bundy that he testified the occupiers were there for a unified purpose.

Earlier, Bundy testified he believed his life was in “extreme danger” during his arrest, and described Robert “LaVoy” Finicum’s death as an ambush.

Under questioning from his attorney, Bundy described the Jan. 26 traffic stop that ended with his arrest, saying he feared getting shot if he made a move, and was too afraid to pick up his hat.

Finicum, an occupation spokesman, was fatally shot by police after fleeing the stop in a different vehicle.

When Bundy called it an ambush, U.S. District Judge Anna Brown halted further mention of the topic, reminding the courtroom that Finicum’s death is not being litigated.