Vision document reveals Honor Wyoming goals

JACKSON — Honor Wyoming is aiming to build a majority in the state Legislature made up of lawmakers who adhere to its values, most of whom are the ultraconservative Wyoming Freedom Caucus and its allies in the Senate.

That vision is outlined in a document being circulated via email around the state. It says Honor Wyoming is taking on the state’s Republican “establishment class.”

Honor Wyoming’s mission is “to protect and advance liberty values through state-based grassroots and legislative advocacy,” according to the prospectus obtained by the Jackson Hole Daily.

In less than a year of existence, the nonprofit organization has been generating buzz across social media, with more than $81,000 spent on Facebook and Instagram ads, professional videos posted to YouTube and a website asking Wyomingites to sign on to petitions and contact their representatives.

The organization rates lawmakers based on what it says is adherence to conservative and constitutional principles. Out of 93 members of the Wyoming Legislature, most — including all from Teton County — are deemed “clowns,” while only 30 or so are given a high rating, all members of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus and Senate allies.

“Our innovative, holistic 24/7 approach to influencing political culture and legislation in Wyoming compounds every dollar invested rather than starting over every legislative or election cycle,” states the two-page summary.

The group’s strategies include building motivated grassroots communities; changing hearts and minds on key issues; “delivering true legislator accountability with a proprietary scoring index”; high-quality candidate recruitment and training; and “cutting-edge independent expenditures” for candidates it endorses.

Key objectives include building a majority in the Wyoming Legislature of lawmakers in good standing with the group’s political integrity index, having all committees chaired by those same lawmakers, and cultivating a “fertile electoral landscape that continually elects principled liberty state legislators.”

“The Republican establishment class in Wyoming is ‘always on’ and consistently invests in building infrastructure and delivering messaging that speaks in a language consumed by the unassuming persuadable middle,” is how Honor Wyoming defines “the problem” in the document. “These are the voters that make or break elections but are not focused on state politics day to day.

“This allows establishment players to hide behind the Republican label while they set their own agenda and define the rules of the political game.”

The group setting out to address this issue formed last June and registered with the Secretary of State’s Office under two nonprofit entities: Honor Wyoming Inc. and Honor Wyoming Foundation. Although the registered agent for both is Incorp Services, an LLC filing and corporation service based in Las Vegas that can provide anonymity, recent filings and updates to the website inform the public about leadership.

Two of the directors live in Teton County: Blair Maus and Jimmy Anderson. The other two are Wheatland rancher Kerry Powers and recently added Cody resident Carol Armstrong. Staff include John Guido, David Scheurn and Alexis Wayne.

Maus, Guido and Scheurn have not responded to multiple requests for comment in the past few weeks. Anderson has told the Jackson Hole News&Guide he’s not interested in speaking about his involvement but said he believes he was asked to join because of his long-standing connections in Wyoming.

Powers was reached for comment Thursday. He said he will not serve as a director on the board after Thursday due to health issues.

Emails directed to Honor Wyoming about the group’s goals for the state and who the members are have gone unanswered for the past two months. But according to the prospectus, leadership and staff are investing in an “always on” approach.

The group says five values guide its actions: integrity, personal freedom, fiscal responsibility, economic prosperity and environmental stewardship. These apply to issues such as out-of-state lobbyists, “crony capitalism,” parental rights or bureaucratic state regulations.

“Those fighting for true liberty values in Wyoming have been too reactionary, deliver messaging in an echo chamber, and rely heavily on cyclical spending,” Honor Wyoming explains. “This is expensive, inefficient and puts us in a defensive position heading into elections resulting in a dismal track record. Worse, when we do get a campaign victory, there is little to no infrastructure to support principled lawmakers before they are marginalized.

“This tired political strategy provides little lasting value or infrastructure as most investment fades as soon as elections are lost,” the missive continues. “Sadly, investors are forced to buy the same unimpressive car every cycle, rather than topping up fuel for their best in class model that’s already running and has a winning reputation.”