ND Federal Judge Drop-Kicks Energy Transfer's RICO Suit Against Greenpeace & All Co-Defendants

[hatrack]

A North Dakota federal judge dismissed Energy Transfer’s racketeering lawsuit against Greenpeace and all its co-defendants in a sharply worded ruling issued today, finding that the pipeline builder’s allegations fell “far short of what is necessary to establish a [racketeering] claim.”

In August 2017, Energy Transfer filed a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act civil complaint against Greenpeace and other environmental groups who had opposed the company’s Dakota Access pipeline, claiming that the protests had caused $300 million in damages (and requesting three times that amount from the defendants).

Today’s ruling flatly rejected Energy Transfer’s claims. “Donating to people whose cause you support does not create a RICO enterprise,” District Judge Billy Roy Wilson wrote in a terse 12-page opinion dismissing all state and federal claims in the suit. “Posting articles written by people with similar beliefs does not create a RICO enterprise.”

The company labeled opponents “eco-terrorists” in its 187-page complaint, DeSmog reported at the time; Greenpeace responded that the lawsuit should be considered a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (a so-called SLAPP suit) and was nothing more than an attempt to deter legitimate organizing work.

EDIT

https://www.desmogblog.com/2019/02/14/energy-transfer-racketeering-claims-greenpeace-dakota-access-pipeline-dismissed

[Honeycombe8]

1. I can't believe ETP actually filed a lawsuit like this.

Its purpose seems to be to use up their money on useless litigation (a tactic Trump uses). Outrageous, but thank goodness for a Judge with common sense.

[lark]

2. They thought they'd get a drumpf appointed judge who would reflexively side with them,

no matter the law said. They lost big on that stupid bet, just what they deserved!

[spike jones]

3. this is the work of the real eco-terrorists.

[link:BP-Gulf-oil-spill-courtesy-by-katysexposure.files_.wordpress.com_|
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[spike jones]

4. and this

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