7-16-13 fdl lawmakers defend gogebic decision to hire armed guards

Two Fond du Lac lawmakers are defending a mining company’s decision to hire a para-military group to guard an exploratory drilling site in northwestern Wisconsin.  Gogebic Taconite temporarily pulled the guards last week because the contractor failed to obtain proper licensing from the state.  Fond du lac Republican state representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says he doesn’t believe guards armed with assault rifles is an overreaction.  "No, I think when you look at the bigger picture of what some of these people who were protesting, at some of the groups that were associated with them, the FBI has labeled some of these groups eco-terrorists,"  Thiesfeldt said.  Republican state senator Rick Gudex of Fond du lac says he also supports Gogebic’s decision.  "What other option does Gogebic have, I mean they're trying to run a legitimate operation with the guidelines that were set with the mining bill, they're trying to do their due diligence, they're trying to follow the law but they've got a continual influx of protesters.  They're (protesters) are barricading themselves, damaging equipment, they're assaulting people,"  Gudex said.  The owner of the Arizona security company says its guards needed guns because of strange and threatening behavior by mine opponents.  Thiesfeldt says he doesn’t believe the guards would shoot at people just because they are trespassing.  "They have a right to defend themselves if they're being attacked,"  Thiesfeldt said.  When asked if assault rifles were necessary Thiesfeldt said "That's just a gun that looks scary is what an assault rifle is.  It really isn't much more effective than a shotgun, it does the same thing."