Center for Consumer Freedom

If you subscribe to The New York Times, take a peek at our ad on page A13 today. We’ve uncovered some serious stuff. On Saturday, Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) Senior Vice President Heidi Prescott will deliver a keynote speech at the holiday fundraiser for a group called “The Humane League of Philadelphia.” Which sounds good. But it’s not. The Humane League of Philadelphia got its start as “SHAC Philly”—the largest and most active cell of a violent animal-rights group convicted on federal terrorism charges in 2006. And today we’re telling the media all about it.

Are you with us so far? The worst of the worst in America's bunny-hugger movement merely changed its name and suddenly became “The Humane League.” (Oddly, it was also known as “Hugs For Puppies” for a few years.) Its own president has been convicted of making terroristic threats against the children of a pharmaceutical company employee. HSUS apparently believes it’s appropriate to help this group collect up to $1,000 per ticket for its future “programs.”

We’ve compiled nearly 70 pages of documents supporting what we’re saying in this ad. These materials are housed on a new website that we’re calling HumaneWatch.

A few hours ago, we received an e-mail newsletter from the Humane Society of the United States In between begging for money and begging for more money, HSUS boasts about “this year’s most extraordinary triumphs.” We’re glad to say that sneaking into Philadelphia under the media’s radar, and helping pad the wallets of the animal rights movement’s most radical lunatics, won’t be on that list.

And at 2:15 this afternoon, HSUS president Wayne Pacelle posted a statement on his blog, claiming that we are engaging in: 

“…the ‘six degrees of separation’ test of who is a terrorist. If The HSUS and its staff ever talk to or interact, even unwittingly, with someone involved in bad behavior—behavior we have repeatedly and publicly condemned—then that supposedly makes us terrorist sympathizers.”

This, of course, is ridiculous and slimy. Back in 2004, when HSUS's Prescott was employed by The Fund For Animals (which HSUS swallowed up later that year), she spoke at “The First Annual Philadelphia Vegan Congress.” It was organized by Hugs for Puppies—the same group holding this weekend’s fundraiser under a new name. Also speaking at the event were SHAC USA leader and (later) convicted terrorist Kevin Kjonaas, and future HSUS Directors Paul Shapiro and Michael Greger.

Pacelle also called our thinking:

“…an appalling line of argument, and a particularly ill fit for The HSUS, which is resolute and outspoken in its condemnation of anyone who advocates going outside the bounds of the law to advance the cause of animal protection.”

We acknowledged that condemnation in our ad, writing that HSUS “claims to oppose violence in the name of animal rights.” (It’s interesting to note that HSUS issued a new “statement against violence” policy document just this afternoon, which consists of little more than attacks against us.)

But talking the talk and walking the walk are two very different things. The only appropriate thing for HSUS to do is to withdraw its support—and its executive speaker—from Saturday’s “Humane League of Philadelphia” fundraiser. Anything less, and every American will have ample reason to refer to the $225 million group as the Hypocrite Society of the United States.