Climate Ground Zero Heads to Federal Court; Needs Your Continued Support

Thank you everyone who has donated towards the initial legal expenses of this last tree sit.  We’ve raised $4,271.71 towards the total $9,526.00, or 45 percent of our initial costs.  This tree sit earned mention in the New York Times and Washington Post, not to mention repeated coverage on multiple TV outlets, Business Week, and local and national newspapers.  Democracy Now!, Free Speech Radio News and other non-mainstream outlets also picked up the action repeatedly, including front-and-center on Indymedia.us.

Please donate to the legal defense fund by PayPal or otherwise, or donate to our general operating fund which is just as important, through PayPal or otherwise.  Every donation makes a difference, regardless of size. 

But more important than the media coverage, the West Virginia governor actually agreed to meet with us about the felonious abuse Massey was subjecting the tree sitters to, and the campaign is going to federal court.  This came after clogging the phone system at Massey’s headquarters in Richmond, Va., and a call-in day to the governor himself.

Thank you everyone who continues to make this campaign possible.  More details will be forthcoming about the federal lawsuit Massey filed against five of the seven arrested in the tree sit, seeking at least $75,000 in damages.  We’ll be asking for as many people as possible to show up for these court dates as we put Massey and mountaintop removal on trial.

The restraining order and lawsuit court documents are available for PDF download here.