Ranching Family Fights Off Biden-era Charges With Trump Admin’s Help In Land Battle

"Politically motivated" criminal charges person been dropped against a South Dakota ranching family whose lives were turned upside-down aft nan Biden management prosecuted them complete a 25-acre onshore conflict past year, national officials said.

Charges against Charles and Heather Maude, who ain nan 400-acre Maude Hog and Cattle, were dropped Tuesday nighttime by President Donald Trump's Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins held a property convention successful Washington, D.C., connected Wednesday greeting pinch nan Maudes, officially announcing nan extremity of nan ordeal. 

"Thanks to nan activity and nan unequivocal and bold activity of President Trump and his directive to put Americans first, we person nan pleasance to denote that nan criminal prosecution of nan Maudes is now over," Rollins said during nan news conference. "They will not beryllium driven from their home. They will not beryllium jailed. They will not beryllium fined. And their children will turn up pinch nan mother and nan begetter they emotion and who emotion them."

Heather Maude speaks connected behalf of her hubby Charles and their children on pinch their lawyer astatine a news convention successful Washington, D.C. (Fox News)

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The Maudes were charged pinch theft of national spot past twelvemonth erstwhile nan Biden administration's U.S. Forest Service (USFS) said they were utilizing national grasslands adjacent to their spot for grazing without permission, according to Tri-State Livestock News. 

The couple, who are some fifth-generation South Dakotan ranchers, reportedly held a USFS National Grasslands grazing allotment successful bully opinionated since USFS' inception, which was good aft nan Maude family purchased nan workplace successful 1910. 

When Biden's USDA notified them that fencing connected their spot blocked entree to nan Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, they agreed successful bully religion to a study of nan spot lines, nan USDA said.

Instead of settling nan rumor complete nan mini spot of land, nan Biden administration brought criminal charges against nan family, claiming that they "did knowingly steal, purloin and person to their ain usage National Grasslands managed by nan United States Department of Agriculture, a section and agency of nan United States, namely, approximately, 25 acres of National Grasslands for cultivation and astir 25 acres of National Grasslands for grazing cattle, having a worth successful excess of $1,000 and did assistance and abet each other, each successful usurpation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 641 and 2."

The Maude family connected horses connected their South Dakota ranch. (Maude Hog and Cattle via Facebook)

Charles and Heather Maude each faced up to 10 years successful situation and millions of dollars successful fines.

Rollins invited Heather Maude to nan podium to speak connected behalf of her family connected Wednesday. 

"We are incredibly grateful to nan Trump management and each of these awesome players that person done truthful overmuch truthful quickly comparative to what we were facing earlier to get america wherever we are today," Maude said.

Maude, who besides descends from 5 generations of farmers, said concisely astir their families' histories of fighting for freedom.

"We are some fifth-generation farmers and ranchers. Our families person a mixed 250-plus years of accumulation agriculture," she said. "We paused concisely successful that pursuit successful our grandfathers' generation, erstwhile some of my grandfathers fought successful World War II. Charles's grandmother is simply a four-star warfare mom, meaning that 4 of her sons went to warfare and each 4 went home." 

"But earlier and aft fighting for nan freedoms of this nation, we person pursued our superior passion that led Charles and I to meet each other, which is our production, agriculture," she said. 

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After thanking a big of section officials, activists and section media organizations who told their story, Maude became emotional. 

Cattle graze astatine Maude Hog and Cattle successful South Dakota. (Maude Hog and Cattle via Facebook)

"I want to convey my mom and dad, and convey Charlie's parents, too, [and] our neighbors who stood up for america astatine nan threat of retribution to their ain operations that they still look until we get this wholly resolved," she said. "And we are truthful thankful for nan efforts that are being rolled retired coming to thief make advancement successful nan correct guidance and everyone other to who wrote, contributed financially, and who prayed for us. May God bless you, and God bless America and God bless American agriculture."

Rollins offered a connection of support to each ranchers and farmers who faced authorities persecution nether nan past administration.

"For each American farmers, ranchers, and producers who are taxable to nan akin egregious lawfare from nan Biden administration, we will activity pinch our counterparts, including my awesome workfellow Kristi Noem, and others crossed nan Trump government, to reside immoderate different authorities overreach successful situations for illustration this. We must guarantee that our farmers and ranchers person not and will not beryllium targeted for surviving nan American measurement of life."

Attorney General Pam Bondi said retired astir nan lawsuit successful a Monday news release. 

"The anterior administration’s misguided schedule must beryllium reversed successful bid to make America safe again," she said. "This Department of Justice will walk our resources and efforts connected prosecuting criminals, getting narcotics disconnected nan streets, and identifying and dismantling nan weaponization." 

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A Biden spokesperson did not return a petition for comment.