Monday, March 24, 2014

Attorney for Cabot Oil and Gas "loses it" after court today.

Amy Barrette, one of four attorneys representing Cabot Oil and Gas, confronts Scott Michelman, representing Vera Scroggins after court today. Michelman is from the Washington DC based public interest law firm Public Citizen, who along with Gerald Kinchy and the PA ACLU, are representing Vera pro bono. (Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee)


The most interesting thing IMO about Vera Scroggins's
court date today happened after court was over:

First there was a press conference downstairs. It was a mob scene.
Dozens of TV news cameras were on Vera and her attorneys.
All the locals said there has never been anything like this in the history
of the Susquehanna County.

Scott Michelman (l), Vera Scroggins (c), Gerald Kinchy (r)
at the press conference after court today. Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee

The attorneys for Cabot were milling about, looking a little rejected,
because none of the press seemed interested in them. After about 15m,
the sheriff asked everyone to move outside.

At that point, Amy Barrette, a lawyer for Cabot, came up to Scott Michelman
(attorney for DC-based law firm Public Citizen) and "corrected him" about the
terms of the original injunction, which barred Vera from the local hospital, the
recycle center, many of her friend's houses, restaurants, her auto mechanic,
even the county jail, which are all leased by Cabot. "That was not the intent,"
she kept saying. But (duh!) that was the effect, whether intended or not!
As everyone went outside, this "duel" between the attorneys continued.
Michelman remained calm, while Barrette was clearly disturbed.

Here's the clip:


http://youtu.be/0ve-oTXB6qQ?t=12m47s

The exchange went like this:
Scott Michelman: Did you draft the order?

Amy Barrette: It was very specific what was in our petition and what was at the hearing.

Scott Michelman: Did you draft the order that was entered in October? Do I have that wrong?

Amy Barrette: I'm going to tell you It's very simple. Look at the petition, and look at what was presented at the hearing.

Scott Michelman: The order as entered, did you draft it?

Amy Barrette: Yes, and the order was not sought to keep her from the hospital or many of those other places.

Scott Michelman: It didn't say no hospitals, no grocery stores, no frieind's homes. It said ...it's language was categorical. If you wanted something different, you should have drafted it more carefully, If you didn't like what the court entered, you should have moved to modify it. You could have done that.

I have NEVER seen an attorney conduct themselves like she did! She really got in his face.
It was quite a scene. (I've heard she bills Cabot Oil & Gas @ $1,500/hr)

There should be video of this coming up at some point. Scott Cannon,
Jay Wilcox, Eddie Rodiguez, John Trallo, Cris McConkey, and Charlie & Pete
from The Environment TV all were rolling...

Here's the first, from Scott Cannon, GDAC:





WBNG:



WNEP-- which usually has a pro-drilling bias:
http://wnep.com/2014/03/24/anti-fracking-activist-case-in-court/



Other coverage:

Be sure to check out Dr. Wendy Lynn Lee's photo collection:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wendylynnelee/13387237735/in/set-72157642865631153

(PS: Congratulations to Dr. Lee for being selected by the Green Party of Pennsylvania as their candidate for Lt. Governor! along with Paul Glover, the gubernatorial candidate.

Note well: ---> The GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES ARE THE ONLY ONES ADVOCATING FOR A BAN ON FRACKING IN PENNSYLVANIA!!)

Tom Shepstone observes the press conference after court
Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee

Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee

Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee
Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee
Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee
Wait-- Vic Furman is from New York!
What land is he talking about?

Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee
Photo Credit: Wendy Lynn Lee

 --
--
May you, and all beings
be happy and free from suffering :)
-- ancient Buddhist Prayer (Metta)
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4 comments:

frack/fright said...

Looks like Vic Furman was lost. He doesn't even know that his land is in NY.

March 24, 2014 at 5:01 PM
BJ said...

One thing I learned long ago, you do not demonstrate at a court house during proceeding or at the judges home. Here is a prime example of someone doing just that against PA law.

March 24, 2014 at 7:07 PM
Vera said...

intense photo of Vic; great photos by Wendy Lynn;
he seems obsessed with me;
I definitely don't want to go on his land.....

March 24, 2014 at 7:43 PM
Unknown said...

regarding WNEP's coverage of ANY story involving the fossil fuel industry - have you seen the Cabot ads on WNEP? Cabot OWNS WNEP, which is why I now refer to WNEP as WCOG (COG is Cabot's stock ticker)

March 31, 2014 at 4:43 AM

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