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leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage
of animal protection worldwide. Founded in 1992, ANIMAL PEOPLE has
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PHOENIX––Arizona Goveror Janet Napolitano on March 14 for the
second year in a row vetoed a bill by state senator Thayer Verschoor (R-Gilbert)
which would have authorized use of state anti-racketeering legislation
to pursue animal advocates and environmentalists who commit alleged acts
of terrorism.
“It is already against the law to injure someone or damage property,”
summarized Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services in describing Napolitano’s
veto statement. “The legislation would have expanded the racketeering
laws to cover those acts if they were designed to deter people from participating
in lawful “animal activities,” ranging from mining and forestry
to hunting and animal research.
Napolitano noted that parts of the Verschoor bill could have been used
against people who picket abortion clinics. She pledged to help Verschoor
and Arizona attorney general Terry Goddard "to craft a bill that
targets intentional and well-defined animal and ecological terrorism.”
Ohio state senator Jeff Jacobson acknowledged to Carrie Spencer of Associated
Press that he copied the language of the Verschoor bill in a similar bill
he recently introduced after finding it on the Internet.
The Verschoor bill was based on draft “Animal and Ecological Terrorism
Act” authored by the Ohio-based U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance. It
has been offered to state legislators for introduction since 2003 by the
far-right American Legislative Exchange Council. Amended versions are
in effect in California and Washington. Versions under consideration in
New York and Missouri, where such bills have already been defeated twice
in two years, would outlaw videotaping at farms and laboratories.
