Randy Servis, Az Livestock officer Steve Martin, Park Superintendant Whirlwind of corruption to sweep away iconic Grand Canyon Mules Grand Canyon, Arizona

Mention the Grand Canyon, and almost everyone thinks of the mules.These sure footed critters have been hauling folks and gear in and out of the Grand Canyon for over a hundred years, since the days of the old west.Teddy Roosevelt was one of the early tourists who experienced the Grand Canyon in this awesome and quintessentially western fashion.But this western cultural icon may have it's days numbered, but not without the help of some corrupt officials.   It all started when,in 2007,a new Superintendant was appointed to the Grand Canyon National Park.Steve Martin has made a lot of waves in his career with N.P.S.,and began making waves at Grand Canyon right away.He and his entourage hiked into the canyon one day and picked a fight with the mules.Philip Zalesky was guiding tourists out of the canyon on the mules and encountered the defiant and belligerent Superintendant Martin.Martin was creating a situation on the trail that could have endangered the riders.Zalesky,not knowing Superintendant Martin at the time,tried to get control of the situation,but it escalated out of control into a shouting match.By the next day,the National Park Service had contacted Xanterra,the private company that runs the mule rides,and demanded Zalesky's head.Xanterra,eagar to remain on good terms with the N.P.S.quickly comlpied.   The situation was of special interest to James Murphy.Murphy,who was the ramrod of the mule operations for Xanterra at Grand Canyon,was a 20 year veteran on the trails working with the mule trains.He was also a fierce defender of the mules remaining on the trails.This picturesque cowboy began a campaign right away.Without mentioning specifics or naming names,he began to inform the customers,the mule riders,that there were forces at work that wanted the mules removed from the canyon forever,and he encouraged people to get involved by writing letters and making calls to the National Park Service.    By spring of 2008,Mr.Murphy had his suspicions confirmed.At a routine meeting with members of the National Park Service,an N.P.S. employee let slip the secret plan Superindendant Martin had to have the mules out of the Grand Canyon.Murphy contacted his supervisors and asked them to intervene,but was told that there was nothing they intended to do to in opposition.   Having spent many years working for Xanterra Parks and Resorts,Murphy knew the company to be more interested in hotels and restaraunts,and would not be unhappy about letting the mule ride go,if thats what it took to renew their contract with N.P.S.So Murphy took matters into his own hands and got in touch with a publication called Western Mule Magazine.Western Mule immediately published an article exposing the plan to the public,and Superintendant Martin immediately went after Murphy's head.   Murphy told us he was warned by a park ranger friend that the N.P.S. intended to send complaints to the Arizona Department of Agriculture to besmirch the way Murphy ran the operation.Murphy explained to us that at the time he was not concerned,he was confident that his mules were as well taken care of,and that the Department of Agriculture knew it.    Murphy was suprised by a visit from an officer with the Arizona Department of Agriculture by the name of Randy Servis.    "Well right off the bat I could see this guy was no cowboy,"Murphy said,"A dude,we call it,a guy who plays cowboy on weekends.I was thinking about how they must really have been desperate for help."    "He started making all kinds of off the ball suggestions,stuff that any livestock professional knows is not practical.And went around the place finding fault here and finding fault there.Then finally he told me that he had come at the request of N.P.S. and finally the light went on in my brain.."  "See old Steve Martin wanted me gone for exposing his little scheme,"Murphy explained,"But they didn't have a good reason.I had been awarded and praised and told by Xanterra that I was doing such a wonderful job up till then,they knew they could get sued if they fired me.Randy Servis' job was to come up there and give them the documentation they needed to run me off."   It worked,Servis issued a scathing report which accused Murphy of ignorance and neglect of the mules.   "I had been in this business 20 years and had a real good reputation everywhere I went.I went to my bosses at Xanterra and told them that I expected them to defend me in this matter,because they knew better.The response I got was to be told I was suspended.Well I should have made them fire me I guess,because I could have sued their pants off.But I wasnt going to work for such a cowardly outfit one more second,and so I quit in disgust."    The day after Murphy left Grand Canyon,the office computer he used,which contained emails between himself and his superiors about the N.P.S. plan to remove the mules was mysteriousely stolen.   Since Murphy left,the plan to remove the mules has begun to be implemented.When Murphy was in charge of mule operations,40 tourist per day rode mules into the Grand Canyon.Today it is limited to 10.It does not take an imaginary stretch to see that the historical Grand Canyon Mule ride is being phased out.    "I knew what to expect from the N.P.S."Murphy said,as we wrapped up our interview,"But it hurt me to see the Arizona Department of Agriculture acting dirty like this.I dont know if this Randy Servis was paid off,no telling what his compensation was.Maybe he is just a wannabe that feels better about himself by tearing down people who he is jealous of.I can tell you,I have hired a lot of stock hands,I can tell a real one a mile off.I wouldn't have hired this Randy Servis to sweep up the barn.Now here he is with a badge a gun and some authority.Just add a little corruption and now nobody gets to ride a mule in Grand Canyon again."   We could find no evidence of Randy Servis having taken a bribe,but we have done some research on him.Randy Servis is a retired policeman,lately of the Coconino County Sherrif's Department.He has absoulutely no background in agriculture,and apparantly has never worked with livestock animals in any professional capacity whatsoever.Hardly a person qualified to judge a seasoned veteran like James Murphy.The timing of officer Servis' inspection of Murphy's operation is extremely suspect,especially when one takes into consideration that Servis admits he was there at the invitation of the National Park Service.   Our opinion is that this is a clear case of collaborative corruption between Superintendant Steve Martin and Officer Randy Servis to achieve a political goal, the removal and marginalisation the the most vocal and effective opponent of the plan to close the Grand Canyon Mule Ride.