Politics and Government Reporter

Leo Wolfson

Leo Wolfson is the State Government and Politics Reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Cheyenne. He is responsible for covering Wyoming politics on a federal and statewide level.

Leo led Cowboy State Daily's coverage of the 2022 Wyoming primary election, including the highly contentious race between former congresswoman Liz Cheney and her successor U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman. He also managed CSD's coverage of the 2023 State Legislature, which was by far the most extensive and timely media coverage of a legislative session in the state's history.

Before joining Cowboy State Daily, Leo was a general assignment reporter for the Cody Enterprise Newspaper in Cody from 2018-2022. Prior to that, he reported for a suburban newspaper outside Denver.

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Latest from Leo Wolfson

Lawmakers Scrutinize Teton County’s Government-Sponsored Housing Approach

The Wyoming Legislature’s Regulatory Reduction Task Force on Thursday debated whether it should draft legislation to crack down on government-sponsored affordable housing in Teton County.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 23, 2023

Domestic Violence Claim On Mayor Last Straw For Other Casper Council Members

Allegations former Casper Mayor Bruce Knell assaulted his wife caps off a nine-month term rife with controversy and charged comments that led to other City Council members to “forcefully” urge him to quit, which he did Thursday.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 22, 2023

Casper Mayor Bruce Knell Abruptly Resigns Over Domestic Abuse Claims

Casper Mayor Bruce Knell abruptly resigned Thursday in response to domestic abuse allegations made about him.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 22, 2023

Former US Sen. Al Simpson Among Purge Of 22 Park County GOP Precinct Seats

Longtime Wyoming U.S. Sen. Al Simpson was one of 22 elected precinct people ousted during a recent purge by the Park County Republican Party.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 21, 2023

Barrasso Wants To Keep National Parks Open If There’s A Government Shutdown

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland on Wednesday urging her to use entrance fees from national parks to keep them open in the event of a government shutdown.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 21, 2023

State Rep. Barry Cargo holds up a report card on his voting record mailed out from an anonymous source.

Republican State Rep. Calls Out ‘Cowardly’ Mailer That Blasts Him As Liberal

Buffalo Republican Rep. Barry Crago says whoever’s behind the anonymous mailer recently sent to Johnson County residents blasting him for not being conservative enough is “cowardly.”

Leo WolfsonSeptember 21, 2023

Two Wyoming Towns Go To Court Against Newspaper To Change Public Notice Laws

The towns of Mills and Bar Nunn say it’s time Wyoming’s public notice requirements catch up to today’s digital news landscape in response to a landmark lawsuit for cities and towns across Wyoming.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 20, 2023

New Laws Could Expand Efforts To Solve Wyoming Cold Case Crimes

The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee advanced legislation Tuesday directing the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation to expand its efforts to investigate cold case crimes.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 20, 2023

Vacant Sheridan County Commission Seat Filled As GOP Seethes Over Process

After a highly contentious appointment process that drew threats of lawsuits and calls for arrests, Sheridan resident Holly Jennings was chosen to fill the empty county commissioner seat.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 19, 2023

A variety of delta-8 THC products at Black Market Vape & Smoke in Cheyenne in this file photo.

Wyoming Lawmakers Want To Crack Down On ‘Marijuana Lite’

Through a loophole in state law, Wyoming officials say some people void prosecution for “marijuana lite,” a less potent version of traditional pot.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 19, 2023

Activist Says Riverton Woman Evicted Because Other Tenants Planned To Murder Her

A Wyoming civil rights activist said during a Monday meeting of the Wyoming Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights that a Riverton woman was evicted after other tenants threatened to murder her because she’s Black.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 19, 2023

An artist's rendering of what the proposed Cody Wyoming Temple would look like.

Gigantic 101-Foot-Tall LDS Temple A Done Deal, As Far As City Of Cody’s Concerned

Barring intervention from a court, the city of Cody’s approval Monday of a planned 101-foot-tall LDS temple stands and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can build.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 18, 2023

Other Authors

Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens speaks during a hearing where she denied a request by lawmakers, Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Right to Life Wyoming to defend the laws that ban most abortions in the state. A proposed law would make it illegal to specifically threaten or intimidate a judge.

Threaten A Judge In Wyoming, Do Serious Time Under Proposed Law

Although there are already laws against harassment, threats and assault, the Wyoming Legislature is considering a bill that would specifically address people who do that with judges.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 18, 2023

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman during a trip to Guam last month, part of a tour of Pacific Island U.S. territories.

Hageman Says Dems And GOP Can Agree That China Is A Threat To The US

While nearly halfway around the world from Wyoming, U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman says people here should care about China’s aggression toward small island nations and the threat it poses to the U.S.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 17, 2023

Wyoming state Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, left, and Rep. Cyrus Western, R-Big Horn, serve on the state's Select Blockchain Committee and say Wyoming can continue to be a leader in the digital space by working with top experts on regulating generative AI.

Wyoming Lawmakers Take Aim At ‘Deep Fake’ Artificial Intelligence Applications

As the use and sophistication of artificial intelligence continues to evolve, Wyoming lawmakers want to get ahead of the technology’s potential to produce “deep fake” AI to scam or intentionally mislead people.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 16, 2023

Democrats Want To Raise Wyoming’s Minimum Wage

A top state Democrat says many employers aren’t paying a livable wage and that the Legislature needs to act. But a Wyoming business group says let the market, not government, decide.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 15, 2023

Rod Miller, a Wyoming political watchdog and Cowboy State Daily columnist, was ready to debate anyone from the anonymous conservative ranking site WyoRINO.com on Thursday night, but nobody from the site answered the invitation to debate from the Natrona County Republican Party.

With WyoRINO A No-Show For Debate, Panel Talks State Of Wyoming GOP

Whoever is behind the anonymous conservative political ranking website WyoRINO.com didn’t answer a challenge to debate Cowboy State Daily columnist Rod Miller on Thursday, which instead made way for a lively discussion on the state of the Wyoming GOP.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 15, 2023

Former Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Brian Schroeder walks out of the Laramie County courthouse and government complex in downtown Cheyenne after a court hearing.

Under Oath, Former Wyoming Education Chief Admits Lying About Political Event

Former Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Brian Schroeder admitted under oath in court Thursday he lied to the press when he said public money wasn’t spent on a 2022 political event he hosted.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 15, 2023

After months of discussions, meetings and protests, the original plan for a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple in Cody is good to go, including a controversial 77-foot steeple.

Court Fight Over Proposed Cody LDS Temple With Giant 77-Foot Steeple Heats Up

A dispute over a proposed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple in Cody that features a giant 77-foot steeple has taken another turn as the church is actively fighting a neighborhood group in court.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 14, 2023

U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyoming, addresses the Wyoming Legislature at the beginning of its 2023 session in Cheyenne.

Lummis Fights Mask Mandates, Other 'Controlling' Biden Administration Efforts

U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis said President Joe Biden's administration is trying to "control" Americans through heavy-handed initiatives like mask mandates, restrictive Endangered Species Act rules and forgiving student loan debt.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 14, 2023

Who’s Behind The Curtain At Conservative Ranking Website WyoRINO?

A Cowboy State Daily investigation found some interesting connections and similarities behind the anonymous conservative ranking website WyoRINO.com and other conservative Wyoming political sites.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 13, 2023

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