Animal Right Groups Sued by Feld Entertainment

[FalconerKitty]

It's about time:

In a landmark RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) lawsuit certain to have far-reaching implications for the animal rights movement, Feld Entertainment and the Ringling Brothers circus sued the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), its lawyers, and several other animal rights groups last week. The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) unearthed the lawsuit in federal court records today. CCF is making the lawsuit available online at its newest website, www.HumaneWatch.org.

"America's farmers, ranchers, hunters, fishermen, research scientists, fashion designers, and restaurateurs have seen for decades how the animal rights movement can behave like a mobbed-up racket," said CCF Director of Research David Martosko. "But it's still shocking to see the evidence laid out on paper. In a treble-damage lawsuit like this, a jury could actually do the humane thing and finally put HSUS out of business completely."

In its February 16 lawsuit, Feld leveled bribery, fraud, obstruction of justice, and money laundering charges against HSUS and two of its corporate attorneys; three other animal rights groups; the Washington, DC law firm of Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal; and all three of that firm's named partners.

On December 30, 2009, Federal Judge Emmitt Sullivan ruled that these defendants collaborated to pay more than $190,000 to Mr. Tom Rider, a former Feld employee who was an elephant "barn helper" for two years in the late 1990s, in exchange for his impeached testimony against Feld in an earlier lawsuit-testimony Judge Sullivan declared "not credible" and disregarded in its entirety. That lawsuit was dismissed.

Feld is also suing Mr. Rider, and a nonprofit "Wildlife Advocacy Project" charity, claiming that Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal used it to funnel money from their plaintiff clients to Mr. Rider. These clients included the Fund for Animals, which merged with HSUS in 2004.

"The new HumaneWatch website is the only place the public will be able to read this lawsuit," Martosko added. "We're publishing a treasure trove of information about the Humane Society of the United States, including lots of surprising documents that HSUS would rather remain hidden from its contributors."

Last week CCF launched www.HumaneWatch.org , an online watchdog project dedicated to analyzing HSUS's activities and keeping the group honest. It includes a blog, an interactive document library, and a growing body of information about HSUS-related organizations and staff. www.humanewatch.org

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

Would love to see a victory in this suit, and then they need to turn right around and file the same charges against PETA.

[wtnhunt]

Would love to see a victory in this suit, and then they need to turn right around and file the same charges against PETA.

Amen to that.

In a treble-damage lawsuit like this, a jury could actually do the humane thing and finally put HSUS out of business completely."

CCF director really hit the nail on the head with that comment.

Keep us posted on where this goes.

[stevebeilgard]

this has the possibilities of a very happy ending. ending of hsus, peta, and a bunch more.

[oneshot]

Thanks Falconerkitty!!!

I hope they hang those S.O.B.s!!!!!!:angry::angry::angry::angry::angry:

Edited March 9, 2010 by oneshot

[buckee]

Good news for a change. It won't be the end of those organizations, but it's a step in the right direction to opening a few blind peoples eyes.

[pointing_dogs_rule]

Love the Humanewatch.org!!!

the dog

[Jeramie]

Someone needs to hang it in those groups! Seriously, they break the law on a regular basis and then brag about it in the name of animals...