Federal judge dismisses butterfly sanctuary's restraining order--Trump's bulldozers roll on

[Bayard]

The North American Butterfly Association’s (NABA) lawsuit against the Trump administration, to stop the encroachment and building of a border wall that would destroy a large swath of the National Butterfly Center sanctuary, has been dismissed by a federal judge. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ruled against NABA’s lawsuit, originally filed in 2017, “for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.”

A Red-bordered Pixie butterfly at the National Butterfly Center on January 16, 2019 in Mission. Texas. - The protected habitat of butterflies along the Rio Grande is expected to be plowed over to clear the way for President Trump's border wall after the US Supreme Court rebuffed a challenge by environmental groups.
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The ruling effectively ends the center’s temporary restraining order, filed earlier this week. This came after center workers found bulldozers and federal agents on their private land, changing locks and pushing them off of their habitat. This is a blow, though not a surprise, to the conservationists at the center, as Trump and his DHS—and the Republican Party, have been very dogged in using big government to squash private citizens rights.

Sanctuary executive director Marianna Trevino-Wright told the Daily News that “We filed suit because they entered our property and started destroying it.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/15/1834958/-Federal-judge-dismisses-butterfly-sanctuary-s-restraining-order-Trump-s-bulldozers-roll-on?utm_campaign=trending?detail=emaildkre


No more at link.
I am sick about this. Is there a way to stop it?

[dhill926]

1. goddammit....fuck this shit!

maybe time for some good old fashioned monkey wrenching...

[notdarkyet]

6. I think about that too.We might have to become warriors to save our country.

[aka-chmeee]

32. Calling Dr. Smith, Dr. Hayduke, Dr. Sarvis, Dr. Abbzug! /nt

[triron]

15. Yep.

[rwsanders]

18. Its past time, but since the Bush administration direct actions are classified as "terrorism".

So the new definition: Terrorism = anything that the fascists don't like.

[Achilleaze]

2. "Take that, you damn butterflies. We will crush you." - republicans

[hlthe2b]

3. There has been mixed reporting on this--as to whether the Border Bill would address this or not..

Even though this Texas newspaper suggested they were safe, I suspect not, but I've seen nothing further about it since the bill was signed (the same day they lost the court case for an injunction)...

Shutdown deal includes language to protect a butterfly sanctuary and other landmarks from border barrier
https://www.texastribune.org/2019/02/14/government-shutdown-deal-includes-protections-south-texas-landmarks/

[Andy823]

7. I also thought

The bill he signed had something in it about protecting the butterfly sanctuary, but maybe the reporting was wrong. Since this whole "national emergency" BS will be tied up in lawsuits, why the hell would they go and destroy the sanctuary until it was all settled? Of course trump is a mean spirited asshole, but this makes no sense.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. The sanctuary was spared by the new legislation that trump signed.

I don't understand what's happening here.

[onenote]

10. This decision was made on the 14th. The border bill became law on the 15th

[Lonestarblue]

17. Yes, the bill Trump signed protected the sanctuary, but

Trump then said that those restrictions applied only to the money in the bill. He said there would be no restrictions on the additional billions he plans to steal from the Defense budget intended for military housing improvements. Evidently he thinks it’s fine for the families of our service members who are protecting the country to live in dilapidated housing with mold and rats. If Trump gets the additional billions, he will use that money to destroy everything specifically excluded in the spending bill solely as an act of vengeance.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. He is so intentionally cruel. I LOATHE HIM. n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Here's the link that tells us what's going on:

https://www.texastribune.org/2019/02/14/government-shutdown-deal-includes-protections-south-texas-landmarks/

[hlthe2b]

9. Yes, Peggy, I posted that upstream, but no other MSM source has reported this, but others have said

that the sanctuary isn't covered since the plans for border fence pre-dated the current bill.

Sadly, I think it is still targeted.

[NutmegYankee]

31. The bill specifically states "None of the funds made available by this Act or prior Acts"

Which would mean that prior appropriated money also cannot be used. Now, Trump may try to roll them anyway and say his funding is the authorization, but that would be a lawless act.

[hlthe2b]

34. As reported elsewhere, this was prior approved fencing from Obama or GWBush* period, it seems

so if true, then it may well be the current bill has no bearing whatsoever. Given the MSM is only reporting on the loss of the injunction case and the Texas Tribune is the ONLY source for this current conflicting story, I sadly have doubts that the sanctuary is safe. It does not appear to be the case.

[NutmegYankee]

35. If congress passes a law that says no money may be spent, it means no money may be spent.

It doesn't matter what administration.

[hlthe2b]

36. If it was AREADY previously appropriated as has been reported, the current bill has NO bearing.

The current bill restricts wall construction--not prior approved fencing on the 33-55 miles around Brownsville- Reynosa.

Here:
https://www.ecowatch.com/no-border-wall-center-for-biological-2623950463.html
Bulldozers are expected to arrive at the National Butterfly Center in February or early March. A planned 5.5 mile section of concrete and steel border wall that is already funded will cut straight through the most diverse butterfly sanctuary in the U.S.

Marianna Wright, executive director of the National Butterfly Center believes most Americans are unaware that 33 new miles were funded in the 2018 Omnibus spending bill in March. The National Butterfly Center is on a segment of those 33 new miles, costing roughly $30 million per mile according to Wright.

I was probably the first to post the Texas Tribune piece three days ago and I hope that their assessment is correct, but I'm not certain it is, given the conflicting reports from other media

[NutmegYankee]

38. The law took the authority to use that money away.

To continue to do so is a crime.

[hlthe2b]

39. I hope so, but the National Butterfly Center still believes they are on the chopping block.

and again no other MSM print or televised source has reported that they are safe. Given the national interest, I find that disconcerting.

Thus, I think to report the "all clear" when there is conflicting reporting is very unwise. We want activism to protect this resource.

[NutmegYankee]

40. They are concerned that money from the national emergency might be used.

Trump faces no restrictions on that lawless grab of funds.

[hlthe2b]

41. Regardless, the risk will continue as long as Trump is in office. We need for those concerned to

realize that... Even Rep. Cuellar has said as much.

[Iliyah]

8. And insects are a part of what keeps our

environment balanced. To those so called "Christians" who believe their GAWD will fix everything that they have fucked up, nope. The true GOD gave mankind the "brains" to fix it himself/herself.

We are trying to fix the mess the corporations and greedy non-caring rich people put upon the earth but we need much more help. We need for these non-caring greedy MFers to start fixing the mess.

[Duppers]

11. DAMN!!! nt

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. Who needs butterflies anyway?

Besides, at least one of the sanctuary employees voted for Trump, so surely that man is okay with this.

He's not? Oh.

[Bayard]

13. Wonder if work could be stopped pending an appeal?

While we figure out some other way?

[BlancheSplanchnik]

14. Shaking with grief....

We are fucked.

[Honeycombe8]

16. This breaks my heart. Absolutely breaks my heart.

This is so wrong. So selfish. So permanently damaging to the earth and to the life on it.

[Fuzzpope]

20. Trump versus Every Fucking Thing There Is

In a nutshell.

[Stonepounder]

21. Can somebody please tell me,

Is the Butterfly Sanctuary a Gov't or Pvt thing? I've heard both. I suspect it makes a big difference.

[ananda]

22. I thought it was protected in the new budget bill that MF45 signed.

What happened?

Did they take the protection out?

[pdsimdars]

23. Just like the Demons and Villians in every story, they try to destroy everything good and beautiful.

[Blue Owl]

24. Go fuck yourself Trump you miserable asshole

n/t

[JDC]

25. Yep, cause we don't give a fuck about this earth or anything on it that does not turn a profit

[democrank]

26. Nothing of value matters to Trump.

Not children, not truth-telling, not butterflies. Nothing.

[C Moon]

27. Appointed by George W. Bush

[Akacia]

28. Oh no!

This literally makes me feel sick! How awful, my disdain for him and those that cheer him on grows daily. I do not like to be filled with hate but......

[idahoblue]

29. Beto has a huge crowd

Maybe a bunch of them need to head on Over to Mission, Texas. There were more than enough people to stop some bulldozers.

[TexasBushwhacker]

30. You can contribute to their legal fees here

https://www.gofundme.com/protect-the-national-butterfly-center

[orleans]

33. i bet the trump supporter who works there

& has been crying about this for a couple months is a really popular guy at work



"the Washington Post published an op-ed headlined, "I voted for Trump. Now his wall may destroy my butterfly paradise" by Luciano Guerra—an educator at the National Butterfly Center in Mission, Texas, near the border—who said he voted for Trump because he's a small government–loving "lifelong Republican" who doesn't "want open borders." Guerra maintained that he never took Trump's threats to build a wall literally. But with the wall—funding for which the president has threatened, however credibly, to shut down the government over—poised to damage his butterfly sanctuary and the surrounding environment, as well as a wildlife refuge and a state park, Guerra is rethinking everything."

"Guerra's story suggests that when a leader's policy directly threatens their day-to-day existence, the average person's hobbyist approach to politics can fade away."

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/439ppj/this-is-what-it-takes-for-a-trump-voter-to-change-their-mind


republicans: only give a shit if it directly affects them. assholes!

[Brother Buzz]

37. Missouri v. Holland?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_v._Holland

[Bayard]

42. I read it.

Thanks.

Sounds good for a lawsuit, but we need to find something immediate to stop bulldozers. This is starting to remind me of the movie, "Avatar". We need a hero.

[Brother Buzz]

43. Stop the bulldozers?

I don't know when, and I don't know how, but Hayduke lives. Believe it!





And while we wait, enjoy Henry Thomas' Bull Doze Blues; his quills totally put this one over the top.