Trump wildlife protection board stuffed with trophy hunters

[DonViejo]

Source: Associated Press




By MICHAEL BIESECKER, JAKE PEARSON and JEFF HORWITZ

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new U.S. advisory board created to help rewrite federal rules for importing the heads and hides of African elephants, lions and rhinos is stacked with trophy hunters, including some members with direct ties to President Donald Trump and his family.

A review by The Associated Press of the backgrounds and social media posts of the 16 board members appointed by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke indicates they will agree with his position that the best way to protect critically threatened or endangered species is by encouraging wealthy Americans to shoot some of them.

One appointee co-owns a private New York hunting preserve with Trump’s adult sons. The oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., drew the ire of animal rights activists after a 2011 photo emerged of him holding a bloody knife and the severed tail of an elephant he killed in Zimbabwe.

The first meeting of the International Wildlife Conservation Council was scheduled for Friday at the Interior Department’s headquarters in Washington. Council members aren’t being paid a salary, though the department has budgeted $250,000 in taxpayer funds for travel expenses, staff time and other costs.

Read more: https://www.apnews.com/07c11b7884174e68b75d6fdd52e9da91/Trump-wildlife-protection-board-stuffed-with-trophy-hunters

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Trump WH Taps Trophy Hunters, NRA Director and Miss America Contestant to Lead Wildlife Conservation Council

by Chris Riotta | 12:00 pm, March 16th, 2018

-snip-

Via the AP:

There’s little indication dissenting perspectives will be represented on the Trump administration’s conservation council. Appointees include celebrity hunting guides, representatives from rifle and bow manufacturers, and wealthy sportspeople who boast of bagging the coveted “Big Five” — elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and Cape buffalo.

Most are high-profile members of Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association, groups that have sued the Fish and Wildlife Service to expand the list of countries from which trophy kills can be legally imported.

They include the Safari Club’s president, Paul Babaz, a Morgan Stanley investment adviser from Atlanta, and Erica Rhoad, a lobbyist and former GOP congressional staffer who is the NRA’s director of hunting policy.

Other appointees to the newly-created council include Peter Horn — a vice president for the gun-making company Beretta who co-owns a private hunting estate with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump — and Olivia Opre, a former Miss America contestant who’s reportedly killed nearly 90 various species on six continents.

more
https://www.mediaite.com/online/trump-wh-taps-trophy-hunters-nra-director-and-miss-america-contestant-to-lead-wildlife-conservation-council/

[logosoco]

1. It's bad enough these vile, sickening people roam the earth...

now they are in places of power. Having more money than they need is not enough, they are not satisfied until they kill other creatures FOR NO REASON other than to feed their egos!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dalton99a]

2. Appointing foxes to guard the hen house

as usual

[Firestorm49]

3. Par for the course

In this day and age, and with this administration, I guess you have to expect this kind of stupidity. Picking your battles has become a daily challenge. After all, how much adult insanity can be dealt with in one week.