Gary Johnson (left) speaks with Bruce Broussard. Broussard is a longtime Portland businessman who unsuccessfully ran for mayor this year.
Jeff Mapes / OPB
Libertarian Gary Johnson said Thursday he isn’t in favor of the wholesale transfer of federal public lands to the states.
During a campaign swing through Portland, the presidential candidate said he could see selling off some federal lands scattered around the West in checkerboard patterns.
But he dismissed the call in the Republican Party platform for massive transfers of public lands.
“Back to timber, back to forest lands, you know I’d like to see that preserved; I’d like to see that remain in federal hands," Johnson said.
His remarks came as supporters of local lands control have gained momentum. Last week, Ammon Bundy and six other defendants were acquitted on federal charges for an armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in January.
Bundy and his supporters repeatedly stated throughout the occupation they wanted control of the federally run wildlife refuge relinquished to the Harney County government.
Johnson made his remarks before an evening rally at the Benson Hotel in downtown Portland.
About 250 attended the rally, most of whom seemed to be avid followers. A forest of hands shot up when he asked how many were Libertarians.
He argued he’d be a better president than either Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Johnson said both of them would be hobbled from Day One.
"If Hillary Clinton gets elected president, on Day One there's going to be a drumbeat of impeachment," he said. "If Donald Trump is elected president, he's going to be in court over something."
Johnson is running at about 4 percent in the national polls, and the latest Oregon poll showed him with the same level of support here. That’s a big improvement over his 2012 race for the White House — when he won 1 percent of the vote — but far from victory.
Updates
This article was updated with quotes from Johnson on Nov. 4, 2016, at 12:15 p.m.
This article was originally published on Nov. 3, 2016, at 6:30 p.m.
