According to the Associated Press, an anti-hunting group has raised more money this year than any other entity working to pass a ballot issue in the state of Michigan. Other issues heading for the 2014 ballot include abortion funding, hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” and changes to Michigan’s ballot qualification process. Yet when combined, those issues still don’t come close to the amount of money that has poured into Michigan to overturn legislation that would allow for a wolf hunt.
A group operating under the name Keep Michigan Wolves Protected has already raised more than a half-million dollars. A closer examination of the funds raised by the organization reveals that the organization is largely the puppet of the nation’s wealthiest animal rights organization, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Of the $568,000 raised by the organization so far, three-quarters comes from animal rights groups, including HSUS and its affiliate the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL).
To date, the Humane Society of the United States has contributed $198,000, while the DDAL, which merged with HSUS in 2006, donated another $200,000. HSUS chipped in an additional $143,000 worth of in-kind services, which are items the campaign won’t have to pay for because HSUS picked up the costs. Both the Doris Day Animal League and HSUS are based in Washington DC.
In total, 84% of the funds raised to stop the wolf hunt have come from out of state. These include the New York City based ASPCA, as well as major contributors from Colorado and Connecticut.
The majority of the cash from out of state animal rights groups has gone to PCI Consultants. The company’s website states that “PCI, Inc. is the largest and most successful full service petition and field management firm in the country.” The Los Angeles area company hires paid signature gatherers to qualify issues for the ballot. To date it has received more than $370,000 from the animal rights lobby for the Michigan ballot issue campaign.
“There is very little that is home grown about the attempt to overturn the management of wolves in Michigan,” said Evan Heusinkveld, director of government affairs for the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance. “The money financing this campaign isn’t from Michigan, and neither is the company being paid to place this issue before the voters. ”
Wolves in the western Great Lakes region were removed from protected status by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after greatly exceeding population goals set to signify their recovery.
– See more at: http://www.ussportsmen.org/antis/out-of-state-animal-rights-groups-bankroll-michigan-ballot-issues/#sthash.aMzMAKvM.dpuf
