Michele Fiore is the outspoken politician who has become involved in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupation by attempting to end the standoff peacefully. Here is what to know about her background and how she became involved in the Oregon incident.
She is a Nevada politician
A Republican, Fiore is a member of the Nevada Assembly, representing the fourth district. She has served since 2013 and was reelected in 2014. She will not seek a third term, however, deciding instead to run in Nevada’s Third Congressional District race.
Fiore supports U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for president. However, Fiore does not always support socially conservative views, voting to lift the ban on same-sex marriage and voting for the legalization of marijuana in her state.
She is an outspoken gun advocate
Fiore is an outspoken supporter of the Second Amendment. She has appeared in several photos brandishing a gun, including in a family Christmas card that stirred controversy.
She supports ranchers’ rights
Fiore first became involved with the ranchers when she supported Cliven Bundy, who engaged in an armed confrontation with law enforcement in Nevada in 2014. In interviews, Fiore said, “The federal government should not show up with guns to collect on a debt.” More recently, Fiore expressed her concern over the federal indictment of the Bundy brothers who were arrested Jan. 26 for their part in the armed occupation of the wildlife refuge, saying that in such situations, the penalties do not fit the crime.
She was heard negotiating with the four remaining occupiers, making it clear that she supported their cause, while also trying to secure a peaceful resolution with the FBI, who has surrounded the refuge.
She was investigated for unpaid taxes
In 2014, The Las Vegas Sun reported that Fiore owed the IRS more than $1 million in tax liens. She blamed her bookkeeping staff and her ex-husband for the errors, claiming she was fully compliant with the IRS.
She’s from the East Coast
Fiore was born in Brooklyn, New York, but has lived in Nevada since 1993.
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