As we continue to shine bright lights on anti-consumer activist charlatans with hidden agendas, it’s nice to know our work is noticed in some pretty lofty circles. Last month radio doctor Dean Edell tipped his hat to our analysis of the animal-rights Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Now a U.S. District Court judge has followed suit. Last week, in dismissing a frivolous lawsuit brought by PCRM in 2005 against several dairy companies, Virginia-based Judge Leonie Brinkema began by defining the group. Imagine our pleasant surprise when we read, on page one:
Many other groups believe that PCRM is largely an animal rights organization “interested in perverting medical science.” See, e.g., Physician Scam, “7 Things You Didn’t Know About PCRM,” http://www.physicianscam.com/articles/7things.htm.
Aside from the fact that Judge Brinkema is apparently familiar with our website, nothing about this episode is terribly surprising. PCRM’s other quasi-legal escapades have included laughable demands for warning labels on milk cartons, low-carb Atkins diet products, and grilled chicken. This lawsuit was equally ridiculous, and deserved its fate on the Court’s you-must-be-joking docket.
Equally unsurprising is the apparent sleight-of-hand by which PCRM sought to turn its dairy-intolerance into a six-figure pay day. When the lawsuit was filed last year, PCRM’s chosen plaintiff — a member who claimed she was harmed by dairy advertising — told The Washington Times that she was only seeking $236 in reimbursement for the dairy foods she bought. But the court’s official records describe PCRM’s lawsuit as demanding $236,000 in damages. Funny how “responsible” animal rights activists and their lawyers let those extra zeroes creep in.
