Judge sanctions Ringling Bros. owner (PETA alert)

The Montery Herald ^ | Dec. 09, 2005 | MATTHEW BARAKAT

[Abathar]

FAIRFAX, Va. - A judge issued sanction Thursday against the owner of Ringling Bros. circus for filing late and incomplete documents in a lawsuit that claims that the owner had established a spy operation against animal-rights groups.

The judge also ordered Kenneth Feld, chief executive and president of privately held Feld Entertainment Inc., to disclose his net worth and his most recent tax returns to PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA sued Feld Entertainment more than four years ago, claiming that he ran an extensive corporate espionage campaign against it and other animal-rights groups. According to PETA, Feld - which produces the Ringling circus, Disney on Ice and other shows - went so far as to pay a former CIA operative to help run its spy operation.

The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in February.

PETA attorney Philip Hirschkop said one of the documents was mostly blacked out before it was turned over.

Based on the portions of the 30-page document revealed during Thursday's hearing, it appears to spell out the company's plan for dealing with circus protests by animal-rights groups. The plan calls for efforts to discredit PETA and other animal-rights groups and to seek ways to undermine PETA's status as a nonprofit organization.

Circuit Judge David Stitt said Feld should have turned over the documents long ago. He ordered Feld to turn over an unredacted copy of the documents by Monday and to turn over any other documents related to the company's Animal Issues Department.

"Obtaining discovery (evidence) in this case has been like pulling teeth," the judge said Thursday. "It appears the defendant is resisting discovery by all available means."

The company, based in Vienna, Va., declined comment Thursday.

In August, Feld's lawyers were ordered to pay more than $50,000 in fines for what PETA says were obstructionist tactics Feld's lawyers had employed throughout the case.

[PeteB570]

PETA, et al

Spiking trees (tree huggers) ask a logger what that can do.

Burning/Bombing Car lots (earth firsters) ask a fire fighter what that can do, especially to the responders racing to the crime.

Unibomber?

PETA related group runs off with a dead lady's body. That's normal human activity?

Yeah, I put the loonie lefty groups right up there with the KKK and other wacko rightest groups.