Freedom Caucus Vows To Unify What’s Been A Deeply Divided Wyoming Legislature

CHEYENNE — House Speaker-elect state Rep. Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, made no bones about where the numbers lie for the upcoming session of the Wyoming Legislature during a Wyoming Freedom Caucus press conference held on Tuesday, but said he won’t let that interfere with a desire to bring more unity to the body.

“You’re not going to steamroll everybody on a lot of this stuff but granted, we have the votes,” Neiman said, expressing gratitude to the voters who supported the Freedom Caucus during the primary election. “We’re going to make every effort to reach across the aisle and try to be amicable and responsible and willing to work and to have the conversation with debate.”

The Freedom Caucus now holds a majority in the Wyoming House and used Tuesday’s press conference at the state Capitol to unveil more details about their legislative priorities and general leadership approach for the upcoming session. In addition to holding a majority in the House, the Freedom Caucus also holds every one of the leadership positions in that chamber.

Speaking to Cowboy State Daily after the press conference, Speaker Pro Temp Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, said it’s the Caucus’ desire to bring more honor to the Legislature and have every member’s voice heard. 

He believes past legislative leaders preaching a similar message of unity in the past, were really saying “you be silent, respect what’s coming down the pike, don’t cause waves.”

Haroldson believes civil political discourse and Americans’ ability to agree to disagree has been lost since 2020.

“Not a single voice doesn’t matter,” Haroldson said. “We will truly be a different body and make sure every voice is counted. We’re going to infuse honor into the fabric and culture of the body.” 

What this will exactly look like remains to be seen, but Neiman and state Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, hinted at one example, saying bills not given the chance to be considered in previous legislatures will now be given the time of day.

“For far too long, the people in charge of this building have ignored the everyday man and woman throughout the state; they’ve laughed at our very real concerns; they’ve grown government to an unrecognizable monster; and they’ve lied to us on the campaign trail,” Rodriguez-Williams said. “I can tell you ladies and gentlemen, those days are over.”

‘Unity’

If the pledges of personal unity are true, it would mark a change from the Freedom Caucus’ history of publicly criticizing legislative leadership, often referring to them as the “uniparty.”

As legislative leaders, the Freedom Caucus will now have a real opportunity to change the narrative around negative discourse in the body.

Neiman said he also wants to “reinvigorate” a relationship between Republican legislators and leadership of the Wyoming Republican Party, which is dominated by the hardline conservative faction of the party that aligns with the Freedom Caucus.

The state party’s leadership had been somewhat shut out from legislative activities over the last few years, barred from attending privately-held Republican caucus meetings at the Legislature. Neiman said he wants to get this group more involved, which he sees as representing the “grassroots” of Wyoming.

“We want our state director, executive director, we want our state chair, we want our national committeeman and committeewoman to be able to come and enjoy weekly meetings with the body,” Neiman said. “It’s a corporate effort. Many hands makes light work. That’s exactly how we have to get legislation done.”

Neiman said he also wants input from the state’s top five elected leaders. Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder issued a statement before the press conference had even completed, commending the Freedom Caucus’ legislative priorities.

“Their commitment to standing up for Wyoming values and protecting our way of life is exactly what voters expect from their representatives,” Degenfelder said.

Gov. Mark Gordon was more neutral, saying during a press conference earlier on Tuesday he considers the Freedom Caucus’ priorities “interesting.”

Sorority Lawsuit

The Freedom Caucus also made it clear on Tuesday that addressing culture war issues will come prime and center during the upcoming legislative session.

In attendance at the press conference were three current and former University of Wyoming chapter members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority, who have sued the sorority over the induction of transgender member Artemis Langford.

The sorority members, their attorney Cassie Craven and Rodriguez-Williams made it clear throughout the event that they view Langford as a man and believe their fight is one of women’s rights.

“The definition of a woman should not have to be a political issue, it’s just basic human biology,” said sorority member Madeline Ramar.

Alumni of the sorority were also in attendance, some of which holding signs that read “Sororities Are For Women.” 

Top Issues

Late last month, the Freedom Caucus unveiled their “Five and Dime Plan,” which includes adding more election-registration rules, invalidating driver’s licenses other states issue to undocumented people, prohibiting the University of Wyoming from including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) standards in its hiring and educating processes, banning the state from investing in funds that prioritize environmental, social or governance standards, and providing a 25% property tax cut to residential property owners.

“We have five pieces of legislation and our purpose, and what our plan here is to work diligently to make sure that those five specific pieces of legislation, along with others … will be passed on to the Senate within the first 10 days,” Neiman said.

Since releasing this plan, the Freedom Caucus has accused the media of misrepresenting it. When asked about what was being misrepresented, Rodriguez-Williams wouldn’t reveal details but said the plan was created based on input from Wyoming residents.

Rep. Ken Pendergraft, R-Sheridan, said mischaracterizations included assertions that the Five and Dime Plan were really marching orders from the Washington, D.C.-based organization that oversees the Freedom Caucus. He says this isn’t true and that the plan was completely designed by Wyomingites. 

Haroldson also shared with Cowboy State Daily the group’s other 15 legislative priorities that include:

• Putting up a physical vote scoreboard at the Legislature.

• Banning ballot drop boxes.

• Banning gun-free zones in Wyoming.

• Establishing anti-SLAPP laws intended to prevent people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to intimidate people who are exercising their First Amendment rights.

• Removing obscenity exemptions for Wyoming’s librarians.

• Addressing eminent domain laws.

• Requiring age verification to visit pornography websites.

• Extending a ban on transgender participation in female sports to the collegiate level.

• Establishing universal school choice

 “We listened to the people that we walked (with) as we went along our streets and our towns and in our districts as we went door-to-door, and we listened,” Neiman said. “These were the things that were the most important and pressing issues to them.”

Other Topics

Secretary of State Chuck Gray also spoke at the press conference and reiterated his plans for tightening voter registration rules in the state, which includes prohibiting undocumented immigrants from using out-of-state licenses as driver’s licenses in Wyoming and requiring photo identification from all voters.

“This would make Wyoming a leader on these issues,” Gray said.

Majority Floor Leader-elect Rep. Scott Heiner, R-Green River, will head the Freedom Caucus’ energy efforts, which include maximizing fossil fuel production and specifically coal in Wyoming. Although he’s not against alternative energies like wind, solar and carbon capture, Heiner is against providing tax credits and other incentives to these industries, and wants them to exist on a “level playing field of regulation.”

“We will create an environment where private industry can flourish,” Heiner said. “We will provide less government regulations that are more supportive to industry. We will develop favorable tax strategies that are level amongst all the different kinds of energy. We will provide grants and loan programs to encourage investment in Wyoming energy projects that actually benefit Wyoming and her citizens.”

Contact Leo Wolfson at leo@cowboystatedaily.com

Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.