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groundloop

(13,708 posts)
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 10:35 AM Yesterday

Political storm in Wyoming as far-right activist caught handing checks to lawmakers

Source: The Guardian

Controversy has engulfed Wyoming’s state legislature after a conservative activist was photographed handing checks to Republican lawmakers on the state house floor, in an incident that has highlighted intra-conservative divisions and the role of money in the Cowboy state’s politics.

The political storm started on 9 February, when Karlee Provenza, a Democratic lawmaker, took a photo showing Rebecca Bextel, a conservative activist and committeewoman for the Teton county Republican party, handing a check to Darin McCann, a Republican representative, on the legislative floor. Marlene Brady, another Republican representative, stands in the photo’s background, a similar piece of paper pinched between her fingers.

“You have a person from the richest county in the country coming down to Cheyenne to hand out checks on the house floor,” Provenza said. “I have never seen something so egregious.”

Questions around the checks were soon swirling, and answers weren’t forthcoming. When asked what Bextel gave to her, Brady told a reporter for local outlet WyoFile: “I can’t remember.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/26/wyoming-republican-lawmakers-checks-house-floor

24 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Political storm in Wyoming as far-right activist caught handing checks to lawmakers (Original Post) groundloop Yesterday OP
John Boehner returns !!! Lol CincyDem Yesterday #1
First thing I thought of... Shipwack Yesterday #8
Corruption, corruption and more corruption. Fla Dem Yesterday #2
"It's not a bribe when it's a gratuity." - Ass Justus Clarence Slappy Thomas Kid Berwyn Yesterday #3
Putin's helicopter lackey wolfie001 Yesterday #12
Yup, the law and order party. republianmushroom Yesterday #4
It's just the order party now (nt) William Seger Yesterday #5
Not even that. The party of taking orders (from Moscow) JHB Yesterday #16
Und you vill obey.. yorkster Yesterday #17
Lawless and out of order... BattleRow Yesterday #13
Need a law ? Write us an order (and be sure to include a down payment). nt eppur_se_muova Yesterday #21
There has always been a certain amount of low level corruption. 40 years ago, the amount wasn't that different between Fil1957 Yesterday #6
Welp, I see Republican efforts to curb corruption are going swimmingly... Aristus Yesterday #7
Put JD Vance on the plane to Wyoming immediately! generalbetrayus Yesterday #10
It's only corruption and law breaking when dems do anything. mwmisses4289 Yesterday #14
How a bill becomes law. generalbetrayus Yesterday #9
Or, the Schoolhouse Rock version... Wednesdays 22 hrs ago #24
Didnt even have the decency..... SergeStorms Yesterday #11
couldn't even come up with a plausible lie like Girl Scout cookies JT45242 Yesterday #15
A "check"?? How stupid... AZ8theist Yesterday #18
Fukkin amateurs. 3Hotdogs Yesterday #19
"Ms Bextel, Mr McCann, have you no sense of decency?" Wonder Why Yesterday #20
Good lord Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Yesterday #22
Republicans are as corrupt as time is long. quakerboy Yesterday #23

Shipwack

(3,040 posts)
8. First thing I thought of...
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 11:53 AM
Yesterday

I guess open bribery on the floor hasn’t been normalized there yet.

Or maybe this is just the first time it’s been documented (my bet).

Fil1957

(654 posts)
6. There has always been a certain amount of low level corruption. 40 years ago, the amount wasn't that different between
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 11:46 AM
Yesterday

the two parties. Now however, the Republican party federally and in a number of states has evolved into a de facto organized crime operation.

It's going to take a lot of work and public outrage to remove this cancer from our society. It won't be easy, but it can be done.

mwmisses4289

(3,781 posts)
14. It's only corruption and law breaking when dems do anything.
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 12:20 PM
Yesterday

When republicans do it, it's good for 'muurika (or something along those lines).

SergeStorms

(20,342 posts)
11. Didnt even have the decency.....
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 12:00 PM
Yesterday

to put it in an empty fast-food bag.

"Democracy:" the best government money can buy.

Campaign finance reform NOW!

JT45242

(3,975 posts)
15. couldn't even come up with a plausible lie like Girl Scout cookies
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 12:20 PM
Yesterday

Seriously ... it's February. Have to have daughter, granddaughter, niece, etc who just sold $10,000 worth of cookies

AZ8theist

(7,217 posts)
18. A "check"?? How stupid...
Thu Feb 26, 2026, 12:56 PM
Yesterday

Soros paid me $1.2 Trillion last year, all in CASH.

Untraceable!!

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