Readers of Climate Litigation Watch are familiar with both the recent machinations in New Jersey, and also the curiousso-called “contingency” relationship between progressive politicians and the plaintiffs’ bar. Emails obtained in GAO v. Regents confirmed that the law firm filing the bulk of these suits is already being paid millions of dollars to file them. These millions first came as “charitable grants” for, oddly, purposes that differed year by year in reports to the IRS but which we know, from the UCLA emails, was to underwrite the lawsuits. Then, after a law professor raised an eyebrow about this, the loot was soon being split halvsies as “charitable grants” and compensation to a contractor. Then, after the UCLA revelations, the operation shifted to the “Democratic Dark Money Juggernaut,” “the ‘mothership’ behind a network of Democratic dark money nonprofit groups”.
CLW said this about that in a post about a NJ recruiting video:
But note the stunner. In a presentation to activists and potential governmental plaintiffs, at 1:01, the same lawyer says “The lawyers only get paid if and when there is a successful settlement of judgement at the end.”
Um, no.
The raging issue is, what did the politicians know and when did they know it? Are they knowingly double-dipping to pursue major donors’ pet project, or have they been kept in the dark about the payments already being made? Was Keith Ellison (et al.) a dupe, or was he in on the gag? The pols promise massive sums to a firm, which is already being paid to file these lawsuits, to file these lawsuits, only if they and prevail in or settle…but out of purported taxpayer damages (Of course, a video available at CLW shows participants joking about how much money they get and how they might use it to buy stuff they want). But, don’t they know what’s going on? Who faces peril here depends on what the answer to that is.
These two issues of New Jersey and contingency fee arrangements met when the appointed Attorney General of New Jersey, Mathew Platkin, filed a lawsuit last fall within three weeks of being confirmed by the state senate. That’s quite a priority for someone who had failed to mention such an undertaking during that confirmation process (one of these recruiting videos available at CLW shows locals indicating the AG is just doing Governor Phil Murphy’s bidding). Such details before or while under oath just lead to more questions. Or maybe it just occurred to him later.
Regardless, the Office does not want the public to see the terms of and relevant disclosures in its agreement with the law firm. Now, GAO has filed suit to obtain the state’s contract with the firm. The complaint explains things and can be read here. A hearing at which the OAG will be required to Show Cause for its curious redactions is presently set for mid-September.
Sue and settle as an embezzling operation?
The Mafia only was able to extort money from a small group of people.
The Nazis were able to impose their will on a large group of people, but didn’t get paid for it.
The current crop of Leftists across the West is imposing their will on a huge group of people AND getting paid to do so!
pillager my mate, I disagree with every one of those statements, but it’s the third that allows me to forgive you. I can see you have not even thought far enough to see that “the leftists” have no will of their own to impose on us. May I suggest you start wondering WHO’S will they are parroting, it may give you better warning of what’s to come.
WEBEDITOR seems an odd name for this source.
First impression was something like the Wiki editors that actually “improve” text to their liking.
Maybe I’ve missed something.
Please do not use the adjective ‘democratic’, when you should say ‘Democrat’. There is nothing democratic about what they are doing.
I agree! Let us not use their language, it is just a smokescreen to twist things in their favor – 1984.
The legal name of the the party is *Democratic* Party. ( ever since it was created in Jeffersons time) It makes no difference in most peoples minds
Then why was their website previously “democrat.com” and their bumper stickers said to vote Democrat?
(or democrat.org, but it was definitely just democrat several years ago)
So, is this the Government GAO? Or the idiotically named NGO?
It’s the “Government Accountability & Oversight” group, they do good work when it comes to FOIA docs requests from the assorted state/municipality mob who ineptly jump on the “Exxon Knew” lawsuits bandwagon. I’ll be using one of the emails in an upcoming GelbspanFiles blog post they dredged up out of the NY Attorney General’s office from a few years back, in order to illustrate how a pair of ex-Greenpeace administrators had a connection to that office and these “Exxon Knew” lawsuits
…. but I’d agree they really ought to change their name to something that at first glance doesn’t look confusing as to what they do or whether they are some arm of the U.S. Government.
I believe the same people created a group called EPA. Such things only serve to confuse, not enlighten.
They may have hit on a clever ruse. A government drone gets a request from the GAO or the EPA, and automatically replies with the data. Weeks later some one gets outraged when they discover the flunky has sent information to an actual watchdog group. Too late, even if they are disallowed from using the data from the reply. They know it exists, and they know how to frame a FOIA request to obtain it through impeccable channels.
From the article: “Democratic Dark Money Juggernaut”
I think this is the main problem, not only with regard to human-caused climate change, but with everything the Democrats promote.
Democrat billionaires manipulating the poltical landscape are a danger to the freedoms of all of us., including the clueless Democrats who are not in the Elite ranks.
Non-profit can be very lucrative.