A group of gunmen may have been able to occupy a federal building in remote Oregon on Saturday, but one of the militants found a worthy opponent in Fox News host Megyn Kelly.
On "The Kelly File" on Monday, Kelly interviewed Ammon Bundy -- the leader of an anti-government group that has occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Burns, Oregon, since the weekend.
Bundy says one reason the group is occupying federal land is to support father and son ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond, who returned to prison to serve extended sentences this week for setting fires that spread to federal lands in 2001 and 2006.
"How is what you're doing not lawlessness?" Kelly asked.
“You know the argument on the other side,” she continued. “These ranchers, who you support but are not directly involved [with], had their day in court. ... Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to work in our country when it comes to the rule of law?”
"Yeah, well let me ask you -- and I'm sure you know the answer, who was the plaintiff?" Bundy asked Kelly.
Kelly didn't answer, to his surprise.
"Keep going," Kelly said, prompting Bundy to repeat his question.
“I’m waiting for you to make your point," she responded. "Generally, I don’t answer the questions on my show -- I ask them."
"Oh," Bundy replied.
Kelly then asked the militant whether he would allow the occupation to become violent, mentioning a tweet by The Oregonian's Ian Kullgren that quotes Bundy's brother, Ryan, saying the group is “willing to kill and be killed if necessary."
Bundy responded by saying that the quote was "taken way out of context" and wasn't his brother's statement.
"I have a family. I have six children, a beautiful wife. I have a wonderful home. I have a business, several employees. I’m not here to die," Bundy said.
"I’m here to defend my freedoms and my liberties. And will I? Yes," he added. "But it’s not going to come to that."
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