In a record breaking settlement the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Born Free USA/Animal Protection Institute, Fund for Animals, Animal Welfare Institute, and the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) agreed to pay Feld Entertainment, Inc., owners of Ringling Brothers Circus $15.57 million as a recovery of attorney's fees from dismissed lawsuits brought by those organizations.
SOURCE 1:
HSUS and Codefendants Agree to Historic $15.75 Million Settlement
In addition, Charity Navigator, an evaluator of charities nationwide, has changed the rating of these organizations, with the exception of ASPCA, to “Donor Advisory”. This should make a dent in the donations to these organizations for those who use Charity Navigator as a source of information when evaluating charitable organizations.
SOURCE 2:
Leading Charity Evaluator Slaps Animal Rights Groups with Donor Advisory Warnings
FROM SOURCE 1:
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Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities, has stripped their rating of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal rights groups and replaced them with a “Donor Advisory” warning.
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Hopefully, this settlement, and the dismissal of these specious lawsuits, will temper the zeal with which these organizations operate; but I won't hold my breath on that one.
The suits were dismissed when it was found that the organizations were funding their chief witness.
FROM SOURCE 2:
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During the course of the lawsuit, Feld Entertainment uncovered evidence that some of the groups, with the assistance of their attorneys at the Meyer, Glitzenstein and Crystal law firm, were secretly paying [Tom] Rider’s living expenses and had submitted false information regarding those payments. In total, the payments amounted to $190,000. In response, Feld Entertainment sued HSUS and the other groups under federal anti-racketeering laws known as the RICO Act.
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Tom Rider is a former elephant trainer for Feld Entertainment, and he submitted affidavits alleging a "personal connection" with the elephants so they could have a person who could claim "personal harm" and would thus have standing to file the suits.