Pathetic Pacelle is back
It’s been about six months since we’ve heard any news on Wayne Pacelle. However, the former CEO of the Humane Society of the United States has re-emerged on the scene in Washington. He is now helping lobby for another animal rights group, the Animal Wellness Action Political Action Committee.
The PAC is fairly new, however, it already has strong ties to Pacelle’s former employer. Several current and former HSUS members now work for Animal Wellness Action. In fact, HSUS is considering taking legal action against him for violating a non-compete clause. HSUS has its own PAC.
According to an internal HSUS memo acquired by Politico, “The board leadership is aware of the situation and will be considering our options.”
I’m interested to see how many folks on Capitol Hill give this PAC the time of day once it is well known that Pacelle is helping them out.
For folks unfamiliar with HSUS, which has most certainly become a four-letter word in the world of animal agriculture, it is an animal rights organization that fundraises on images of sickly cats and dogs, and in turn, uses a large portion of that money to lobby against modern and humane animal farming practices. Despite its deceptive advertising, HSUS gives less than 1 percent of funds to actual animal shelters. It receives a “D” rating from CharityWatch.
Unfortunately, HSUS has been marginally successful in securing misleading state ballot initiatives that prey on the ignorance of voters’ knowledge of animal agriculture. To say that HSUS is a thorn in the side of animal agriculture producers would be putting it lightly. They care about animal rights and animal agriculture producers care about animal wellbeing. The thinking of animal rights activists is fundamentally different and completely flawed.
Let me remind you of why Mr. Pacelle is no longer the HSUS CEO. Back in February of this year, he resigned due to increasing sexual harassment claims from multiple HSUS female employees, even going as far as only advancing women in the company in return for sexual favors.
Both Pacelle and the No. 2 man, Paul Shapiro, at HSUS were wrapped up in the #MeToo movement, and their actions cost them their jobs. Pacelle never apologized.
I’m with High Plains Journal columnist Trent Loos on this one. Back in February, he wrote, “Their mission to collect cash to fill their coffers is simply a cover-up for their real agenda, which perhaps should result in an official name change to ‘Have Sex U Stay’.”
A statement by 83-year-old HSUS board member Erika Brunson tells me all I need to know about the sexual culture at HSUS. In a February “New York Times” story, Brunson said, “Which red-blooded male hasn’t sexually harassed somebody?” “Women should be able to take care of themselves.”
Later that week, she resigned.
Maybe Animal Wellness Action will hire her. Lawmakers should be aware that these so-called animal rights organizations cannot seem to treat their own employees humanely, let alone the animals they seek to protect.
Editor’s note: Seymour Klierly writes Washington Whispers for the Journal from inside the Beltway.
