Idaho GOP Rejects 'Chaotic' Ammon Bundy, Claims He Has Ties to 'Radical Factions' of BLM

The Idaho Republican Party said that the anti-government activist Ammon Bundy is "chaotic," and not welcome inside the party after he announced his intention to run in the state's gubernatorial election, reported KTVB.

In statement issued Friday, the Idaho GOP called out Bundy's announcement to run in the Republican primaries after he filed his election paperwork in May.

"Recently, it has come to our attention that Ammon Bundy intends to declare his candidacy in the Republican primary for the Governor of Idaho, and this warrants a response," the remarks from Idaho Republican Party Chairman Tom Luna read.

"First, Mr. Bundy is currently not registered to vote in Idaho, and he is not even registered as a Republican. Furthermore, we do not support his antics or his chaotic political theater. That is not the Idaho Republican Party, and we will not turn a blind eye to his behaviors," he added.

The statement also said Bundy has ties to the Black Lives Matter movement.

"Ammon Bundy wishes to divide our party, openly supports defunding the police, and has known alliances with the radical factions of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement," wrote Luna.

In a Facebook video posted July 2020, Bundy outwardly expressed his support for the BLM movement and stated his stance on defunding the police.

"I was going to go to a rally with the Black Lives Matter and support defunding the police because yes, the police need to be defunded," he said in the video. He added that anybody who doesn't understand that "must have a problem."

"If you think that somehow the Black Lives Matter is more dangerous than the police, you must have a problem."

Bundy was banned from the Idaho State Capitol in Boise following two arrests in two days for trespassing and resisting and obstructing officers as part of a protest in August 2020 against measures relating to COVID-19.

Bundy returned to the Capitol in April, where he was arrested twice over the course of two hours. He was initially arrested on suspicion of trespassing and removed from the building but reportedly returned after being bailed from that arrest only to be arrested a second time.

He also gained attention after refusing to wear a mask in court for the trespassing charge, for which he was arrested once again.

"Republicans are the party of law and order," Luna concluded in the statement issued Friday, "and Ammon Bundy is not suited to call himself an Idaho Republican let alone run for Governor of our great state."

Newsweek reached out to Idaho Governor Brad Little's office for comment.