Yesterday I discussed how Ringling Brothers owners successfully fought back against "non profit public interest groups" which had charged it with mistreatment of their elephants. Today, the Washington Examiner offers more details:

Feld countersued the groups and individuals that brought the suit against the company and, in the discovery stage, found proof that Rider [the plaintiffs' "inside" witness]had received payments totaling $190,000. Those payments cast so much doubt on the charges from the animal rights groups that the case was dismissed "with prejudice," meaning the case was found to be without merit to the point that the court blocked these groups from refiling it. Ever.

The countersuit against the animal rights groups for conspiring to pay for false testimony, meanwhile, moves along. This past Friday, one of the main defendants -- the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -- settled its end of the countersuit by agreeing to pay Feld $9.3 million.

The ASPCA did not admit any wrongdoing in its settlement and released a statement from President and CEO Ed Sayres that the group "concluded that it is in the best interests of the organization to resolve this expensive, protracted litigation." Expensive and protracted litigation the group initiated, of course.
Feld's case against the other defendants -- including Rider, the Animal Welfare Institute, Animal Protection Institute United with Born Free USA, and the Humane Society USA, which became a party to the suit when it merged with the Fund for Animals in 2005 -- continues.

Payments to Rider were made through nonprofit organizations set up by these groups. The Daily Caller reported, "Evidence in the trial showed that some of the funds paid to the nonprofit pass-through group were provided by the Humane Society of the United States with a check signed by its CEO, Wayne Pacelle.

With the exception of Rider, all of the organizations are tax exempt so in essence donors and taxpayers alike are funding baseless suits by these "animal rights" outfits.

The Center for Consumer Freedom tracks such organizations, here's what it says about HSUS. Before you open your wallets to fundraising appeals you might check with this site to see what and who you are really funding.

h/t: Glenn Reynolds