If Mayor Orr is able to strong-arm Frontier Days, every other nonprofit event in the city will be targeted

“This really reeks of extortion. When you conditionally put something on somebody and hold a gun to their head, that they have to have something to operate, you’ve not giving them a chance to negotiate.” — State Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, to Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr at Senate Travel Committee meeting, Feb. 18

BY RICHARD JOHNSON

Let that quote sink in. 

A state senator literally told the chief executive of the city and its police chief that they may have been involved in a crime. But since it’s government, who will bring charges, the extortion victim in this  case, Cheyenne Frontier Days?

At issue was Orr’s to hold onto a liquor permit much-needed by CFD until it met her strong-arm demand

Cheyenne Police keep an eye on visitors at Frontier Days.

that it pony up money to pay for police protection during the annual event.

Here is her response to Driskill: “Yes it was a threat. Either they help pay for the services that they are receiving or the (police chief) would not sign off on the beverage permit.”

To muddy the waters more, the current city attorney used to work for the Attorney General’s Office, and the lobbyist for CFD is the former attorney general. 

If there was ever a good ole boys vs good ole boys title bout, this is it. 

The question at issue: Can CFD follow its current course of selling alcohol under IRS rulings for a non-profit 501(c)3 organization by legislative action or is this under the hat of a for-profit entity? 

On the other hand, should the Cheyenne Police Department be using its Facebook page to agitate the populace under the guise of public safety, calling out entities it deems as threats when it doesn’t get its way. Now a poll showing that CFD is the arch nemesis of the Boys in Blue.

The whole thing is a fiasco. And I’ve been getting texts all week on the topic from both camps. Some examples: 

 — Just read the CFD liquor permit story. (CFD official) Hirsig talks about the State Fair as if it's a "private nonprofit." It's NOT. Remember that the employees (including temps during the season) are state employees, operate under state statute, on state property, now reporting to a board appointed by the governor and therefore the state is liable for all. 

—  The insinuation that CFD shouldn't be subject to local ordinance is misdirection at best, imo.

—   This recent dust-up from the police and charging for protection is ridiculous. That poll really pissed me off. He is using liquor permits to extort the money. It’s gotta be illegal, right? How one man can have so much power and not be in an elected position is beyond me.

—   You know, I did a ride-along with a CPD officer during CFD a couple of years ago, hoping to do a story about how busy officers are during the event and how the city has to foot the bill. But there was barely anything to do. We literally drove around for three hours and handled a call far away from Frontier Park. So I really wonder how much truth there is to the fact that CPD just has SO MUCH TO DO during CFD. I still think CFD should pay for its own stuff, but I'm just saying that I think the department overstates how much of a burden it is.

—  In regards to the CFD-CPD thing, the mayor has finally found an issue where the local public opinion is probably on her side. She’s going to play that card for all it’s worth. It’s an election year and she hasn’t been on the “right” side of many issues. But with this one she can at least campaign on standing up to CFD. I’m sure you know that Frontier Days is far from universally loved here, although that fact is rarely publicly voiced. Doing so would violate the Cheyenne version of “politically correct” speech.

Another of my more intelligent friends stated it this way:

“C'mon, man. The police chief doesn't live anywhere near Cheyenne and the rest of the state already thinks the city is a joke. Don’t let it take up rent-free space in your mind. It is a bunch of crap, but there's no reason to get worked up about it. It's way above our pay grade” 

But this is what worries me: Is the precedent being established? If the city can bring CFD to heel, where does it stop? 

City Hall just took out the big guns, the money, the influence, the Cheyenne tradition. If CFD loses this fight, all those other events we’ve been promoting will be paying out the nose until they just fade away. Think of the increased fees for 5Ks, Stride Rides, etc. Even the Womens Sufferage March was going to be fleeced. 

It irritates me thinking of all those Homeland Security grants that were pitched for surveillance and enforcement for CFD and now we need more money from them to have more boots on the ground. Bring up the Las Vegas shooting all you want; this conversation about CFD paying its share for security was happening before Orr took office. 

I support CFD offsetting costs, but I also agree with Sen. Glenn Moniz, R-Laramie, “All of these numbers make sense. It’s just the way you went about it.” 

I’m no lover of CFD, and this battle has me debating myself on what I hate more: Cheyenne tradition or the Orr government. It’s ying and yang to me, and the small guy always loses. Whoever holds the gold makes the rules. 

Maybe my friend is right to remind me, “Don’t forget closed wounds harbor pestilence when licked from within.”

            Richard Johnson is a former council member from Cheyenne’s east side.