Posted by Tina
Is there no end to the havoc and injustice that the environmental movement wreaks on our nation? We are not using our own natural resources because of these clowns. We are spending millions on subsidies for insufficient or experimental alternatives because of the environmental movement. People are out of work, in part, because the environmental movement has helped to creat uncertainty about energy prices. Draconian regulations are being placed on energy producers because of the environmental movements extreme standards and demands. The list goes on and on. But today I read about another green assault on Americans. I just discover that big environmental groups file HUNDREDS of lawsuits every year against our government and walk away smiling with MILLIONS of BUCKS in their pockets…by settling out of court! What’s that you say? You can’t successfully sue the government? Not true according to an editorial in the Washington Examiner. These groups can make millions, without long costly court battles, because of a provision called the “Equal Access to Justice Act”:
Under EAJA, Big Green environmental groups like the Environmental Defense Fund and Center for Biodiversity file hundreds of suits against the government every year, knowing the odds are great the litigation will be settled out of court. Win or lose, the Big Green groups receive millions of dollars in settlements, including lawyers fees and other cost reimbursements. The settlements are paid by the Treasury Department’s Judgment Fund. Vitter and Bishop estimate that at least $4.7 billion has been paid out since 2003, with much of it going to Big Green groups.
But here’s the catch: According to the Treasury Department, “the Judgment Fund has no fiscal year limitations, and there is no need for Congress to appropriate funds to it annually or otherwise. Moreover, disbursements from it are not attributed to or accounted for by the agencies whose activities give rise to awards paid. Absent a specific statutory requirement, the agency responsible is not required to reimburse the Judgment Fund.” In other words, EAJA invites Big Green attorneys to file suits regardless of merit, knowing their hefty fees will be covered in the settlement paid from the Judgment Fund.
Worst of all, taxpayers have virtually no way of knowing how much such suits cost because courts often seal the settlements. Plus, according to Vitter and Bishop, “since 1998 there has been no uniform method of reviewing EAJA and there is no public accountability or transparency in the program.”
What do you want to bet that a lot of this money is funneled right into the fat pockets of Democrats?
By now, if you’re clever, you’re wondering who Vitter and Bishop are. Think of them as your own personal super heroes doing battle to save the country from an evil destroyer. In fact they are two Republicans working in Congress, one in the House and the other the Senate. They are introducing a jobs, energy, and deficit reduction bill that will place a cap on those environmental payouts. (Making it a lot less attractive to file those lawsuits) Called 3-D, it will also open ANWR and a lot of other energy producing job creating things. You can read more about the Senate legislation here.
The 3-D act is intended to have a direct impact on America’s job, revenue and energy challenges by doing the following:
– Mandating OCS lease sales
– Opening up ANWR
– Requiring action on stalled onshore permits.
– Properly limiting time frame for environmental and judicial review.
– Blocking regulation of CO2 by administrative fiat.
– Creating an alternative energy trust fund.Americans need energy. Americans need jobs. Americans are tired of funding crooked Washington scams and schemes and Americans want to keep more of what they earn…that means SMALLER government. This is one of the many bills that Republicans will introduce over the coming months to meet those needs and demands.
Party with no ideas my Aunt Fanny!
Re: “I just discover[ed] that big environmental groups file HUNDREDS of lawsuits every year against our government and walk away smiling with MILLIONS of BUCKS in their pockets.”
Tina, I learned this back in the 1970’s when I was going to Sierra Club meetings. I’ll never forget the parking lots packed to the brim with individual, luxurious, gas guzzling BMW’s, Porches, Mercedes, and Lincolns. The kids from the recycling centers, the campuses, the grass roots activist communities where all car pooling!
Needless to say every meeting was a meeting of conniving and eager lawyers looking for a quick buck and a down payment on a Chris Craft. They still are. (Although the down payments are now on helicopters, jet planes, and exotic and gigantic carbon footprint retreats in the wild. Things have changed.)
But nothing has changed. Their major source of income has been won and is now entrenched in the legal system. (Entrenched from all the legislation from political funding kickbacks to guess what politicians in guess what party? Yep, you nailed that!)
In any case, this is how lawyers work the system, be it the enviro-scam-artists or in any other arena.
All for the cause, you know.
Go look up northern California’s respected emeritus engineer, scientist, and radio personality Bill Wattenburg. He has been a voice in the dark for decades. But be careful, your blood may boil.
I hear ya Pie.
I knew these groups filed a lot of lawsuits against logging companies, builders and the like. I had no idea they filed suits against the government and I was totally unaware of this “judgement” stash of cash that isn’t accounted for and doesn’t require appropriation every year. (Where does the $$ come from…is it skimmed from SS or what?)