Malheur Refuge occupation cost taxpayers $3.3 million and counting, Oregonian estimates

PUBLIC LANDS — Armed anti-government protesting is expensive, dangerous business — and taxpayers pick up the tab.

Work begins on tallying cost of Oregon wildlife refuge occupation
On Tuesday, the FBI, which is investigating the 41-day occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, turned control of the refuge back over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Authorities have yet to quantify the cost of the occupation. However, the Portland Oregonian’s analysis of public and tribal budgets pegs preliminary costs to taxpayers at $3.3 million