Donald Trump, Jr., son of disgraced former President Donald Trump, has recently found himself caught up in yet another hunting scandal. Trump Jr. was previously involved in the killing an elephant in Africa, an endangered Mongolian sheep, and pregnant prairie dogs in Montana.
This time, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, Trump’s Utah hunting guide Wade Lemon is faces up to five years in prison for illegally baiting a bear that Trump, Jr. then killed back in May of 2018.
Trump himself is not implicated likely because he may not have been familiar enough with western hunting to know that this type of poaching is illegal, according to Tribune:
“Trump Jr. is not named in a recent filing against Lemon, but the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed his identity as the person named in the felony complaint as Lemon’s “client” on the hunt. Prosecutors have indicated there was no evidence showing Trump Jr. would have known about the alleged baiting that went on during the hunt.”
“Without naming Trump Jr., Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said the hunter in the case ‘was actually a victim and now a possible witness in a fraudulent scheme to lead the hunter to believe it was actually a legitimate Wild West hunting situation.'”
Trump posted pictures of the trip to his Instagram account:
The Paper continues:
“On Sept. 3, 2020, The Utah Investigative Journalism Project requested files on closed investigations against Wade Lemon Hunting. The DNR provided files on cases dating back to 2009 except for the case on the 2018 Trump Jr. hunt. DNR had decided to reopen that case and denied the records request, stating the release would interfere with the now ‘open’ investigation. DNR turned the case over to the Utah Attorney General’s Office. Utah Attorney General Reyes has close ties to Trump, having campaigned for him and even flying to Nevada to investigate the election results after Trump’s defeat at the polls and signed on to a lawsuit claiming ‘unlawful election results.’ The Attorney General’s Office reinvestigated the case for months, then handed it off to the Davis County Attorney’s Office to screen for filing of charges.”
The hunting trip in question resulted in the killing of a black bear and a mountain lion, and it’s not the first time Lemon has been investigated:
“Hunting guides who cater to the wealthy elite have a lot at stake in ensuring successful hunts. These companies employ hunters to scout woods, deserts, mountains and plains for the biggest game, to ensure these high-profile clients have the highest chance for a successful hunt. According to DNR, Wade Lemon Hunting has been investigated eight times for allegedly breaking the law to ensure a successful hunt, though he was not charged with a felony until Tuesday.”
