Wyoming councilman says ‘hang bad judges’ after abortion ban ruling
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A Wyoming city councilman faced backlash after posting a comment suggesting the state should “hang bad judges” in response to the court’s ruling on abortion, later insisting the comment was “not a threat.”
Democratic State Rep. Mike Yin shared a post on Facebook from Wyoming Public Radio and Media about a Natrona County judge temporarily blocking the state’s six-week abortion ban, allowing abortions to continue while the law faces ongoing legal challenges.
“The legislature must uphold the Constitution and the freedom to make their own health care choices. Instead, we continue to make it harder to keep Wyoming doctors and children in this state,” Yin wrote in the post. “The only way to change is through the ballot box.”
Troy Bray, a city councilman in Powell, Wyoming, commented on the post about a judge blocking the state’s so-called “heartbeat” abortion law.
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“For Wyoming to get justice, we will have to hang bad judges,” Bray wrote.
The comment was quickly criticized by other users; some of them called this statement dangerous and inappropriate given the role of elected officials.
Bray later addressed the backlash in a lengthy Facebook post, saying his comment was “not a threat, but an expression of my beliefs” and was not intended to call for action on others.
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Wyoming Republican Gov. Mark Gordon signed the fetal heartbeat abortion restriction into law in March, but acknowledged the possibility of legal challenges from it. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images)
“This is not a threat as some have described it, nor a call to action for others, but a statement of my beliefs,” Bray wrote.
Bray said he is trying to address what he sees as systemic problems “by any means necessary,” a statement that is subject to further scrutiny, but added that he plans to pursue peaceful solutions.
“I will use every peaceful means I can find,” he wrote.
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Anti-abortion rights demonstrators march to the Supreme Court for the 52nd annual March for Life on January 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
He also argued that Wyoming’s judicial system is “broken” and accused judges of overstepping their authority, writing that courts are often “the last place you’ll find justice.”
Bray expanded on this point further in a follow-up post, arguing that the legal system is often inaccessible to ordinary people.
“Lawyers file frivolous lawsuits aimed at using the system as punishment, financially draining their opponents through a process formatted to require an expert attorney just to participate,” he wrote. “If you show up without a lawyer, you’re not even allowed to present an argument. Anyone who doesn’t pay is denied justice.”
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He also noted historical and international examples of social unrest, arguing that people will “fight” for justice when they believe they are being denied it.
The comment comes as legal battles over Wyoming’s abortion laws continue in court.
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Bray, who serves on the Powell City Council, is one of several local officials who have weighed in publicly on the issue, which has drawn harsh reactions from both supporters and opponents of abortion restrictions.
Fox News Digital reached out to Bray for additional comment but did not immediately hear back.
