The Gist

Pardon the Arson

Dwight and Steven Hammond aren’t heroes standing against big government. They’re outright criminals.

A sign in support of jailed ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond is seen on Jan. 5, 2016, in Burns, Oregon.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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AnneMarie Sgarlata got rid of her TV months ago, but she still heard about President Trump’s pardon of Dwight and Steven Hammond this week—and she wasn’t happy. Sgarlata was among the lawyers who originally prosecuted the Hammonds for burning federal land and putting the lives of firefighters, hunters, and a teenage boy at risk.

In the Spiel, what America’s political parties can learn from cereal brand mascots.

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