Several individuals who testified against California’s ban on fur products (AB 44) at a hearing before the state Senate Judiciary Committee panel in Sacramento on Tuesday were financially rewarded for their actions, according to The Intercept.
The news organization says it procured documents showing that several people with the pro-fur lobby at the hearing had testified in exchange for a cash inducement, adding that the Fur Information Council of America had given one individual, Matt Gray, at least $7,000.
Several of the group were students who had also been at an earlier hearing in June, two days prior to which one of the students, Andrew Aguero, had posted on Facebook: “Anyone in LA down to make an easy $100 this Tuesday in Sacramento and fight tyranny?”
An undercover volunteer with Animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere, (DxE) posing as an opponent of the fur ban, contacted Aguero, who put him in touch with pro-fur lobbyist Andrew DiGiovanna. He sent the DxE volunteer a contract with Republican consulting firm Mobilize the Message, which included a request to contact “4 key legislators” in opposition to AB 44 and stated, “You will be compensated $175.”
The Intercept claims that a number of those who testified in opposition to AB 44 had been told not to talk to the press, with one student affirming Mobilize the Message had paid her, but refusing to give her name or comment further.
These actions demonstrate the desperate lengths to which proponents of the barbaric fur trade will go to ensure this horrendous practice continues. There is no excuse for keeping animals in horrific conditions, then slaughtering them for the sake of “fashion.” The fur trade must be stopped.
Lady Freethinker is urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to support the ban on fur in California. Please sign this petition to help prevent the suffering and slaughter of innocent animals.
SIGN: Animals Are Skinned Alive For Fur – Help Pass CA Ban on Fur Sales
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It’s typical of these vain. heartless creeps to want to stop the ban on fur. They would rather take part in ending an animal’s life for the animal’s fur Instead of accepting other alternatives which can look nice. These are the greedy, egotistical morons of our society who needs attention, admiration and awe. They are just HEARESS …. FOOLS!
Cruelty needs to STOP!
We must bring an end to the fur trade for fashion. There is no justification for the cruelty experienced by the animals in this cruel captivity.
We must bring an end to the fur trade for fashion. There is no justification for the cruelty experienced by the animals in this cruel captivity.
Please stop this mass murder of animals for YOUR GREED FOR MONEY. Why does it have to be this way every time when ever if it’s an innocent saoul their life will be taken to make the greedy subhumans life better. Let the animals be themselves. They too need to live a life as the way You greedy scumbags needed.
This so called Judiciary Panet must be investigated by an Independent Investigators. Punish the Money hungry greedy law makers.They are evil & no good to be sitting in a judging panel.
Please discontinue this horrible practice. No one should be allowed to do this to innocent animals.
You can’t stop us. Fur will be banned and you will die in poverty.
Payment to witnesses for lost wages and travel is a common practice in court hearing, so quit trying to try to twist that into people lying under oath. Fur is a “green” renewable resource, and does not pollute our environment, unlike synthetics, that is made from gas and oil. And, while there may be isolated cases of an animal skinned before fully euthanized, that is definitely not a common practice. Please present pertinate facts, and not lies and distortion.
There’s no lies nor distortion and don’t try to state that fur is a “green” renewable resource. Get real! This is just plain torture and murder of these animals just for the pleasure of putting their hides on the backs of so-called “humans”, who are really just uncivilized Neanderthals of the Stone Age era. These big businesses and governments are so corrupt and care nothing about the causes for animal rights. They only care about profits. So, paying these liars to “testify” on behalf of opposing AB 44, is so commonplace and predictable of them.
It reminds me of kind Chinese protesting the dog meat trade only to be pushed away by dog butchers disguised as cops.
Stop using fur now!!!!
Desperate monsters will always be the losers no matter the outcome.
California ! Don’t let anyone pay you to stop your Fur Ban. The heart is most important and you want to be a kind place to animals. Join us in the fight !
No to fur and useless torture!
This is extremely sick. I guess you can pay people to do anything. We need to work on restoring our humanity and eliminating our arrogance and greed.
Hi — Please note that fur animals are NOT “skinned alive” as is often been claimed (including in this article). This horrible video at the root of this claim has now been tracked down to the source and exposed as a fraud: https://www.truthaboutfur.com/blog/skinning-fur-animals-alive-video-exposed-as-complete-fraud/
We often feel that corporate spokespeople do not tell the truth; surely we don’t want to play that game either. There’s more than enough fake news without adding more!
STOP THIS HORROR NOW !!!! SICK PEOPLE !!!!!!
I guess some people have their price. Pretty pathetic.
Me – you couldn’t pay me enough money to support fur, because there isn’t enough.
I’ll PROTEST FUR for nothing! Anytime. Anywhere.
Corruption and greed at the highest level….Shame on the ‘people’ who paid and shame on those that actually accepted the payment to LIE AND CHEAT. Only ugly-hearted, cruel, brutal pieces of human trash want to carry on abusing, tormenting, torturing and murdering animals for their fur and skin.
Use of killing animals MUST be banned!! Please please!!!!!
Governor Newsom please don’t listen to those fakers who are being paid to support the fur industry. please use your conscience you are a caring and emotional man please sign the bill Banning fur. you show a great compassion for humans so I am sure you show compassion also for helpless innocent animals being skinned alive
We no longer need fur to keep us warm people! This is not fashion, it is disgusting!
These vile and evil animal torturing monsters (PRO-FUR LOBBY MONEY HUNGRY MONSTERS WHO PAY THESE LOWLIFE PEOPLE TO PROTEST IN DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO STOP CALIFORNIA’S CRUEL FUR BAN MUST BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND JAILED FOR LIFE. ALSO THE EVIL MONEY HUNGRY MONSTERS WHO ARE PAID TO CONTINUE THIS VILE AND EVIL SADISTIC AND CALLOUS VILE AND EVIL FUR TRADE MUST ALSO BE JAILED FOR LIFE.
THE VILE AND EVIL HEINOUS ANIMAL TORTURING FUR TRADE MUST BE STOPPED AND BANNED WORLDWIDE.
THE SADISTIC, CALLOUS AND HEINOUS TORTUROUS FUR TRADE IS AN ABOMINATION OF THE VILEST OF ANIMAL TORTURE, SUFFERING AND THE VILEST OF HENIOUS DEATHS COMMITTED AGAINST THE PRECIOUS AND INNOCENT FUR ANIMALS WORLD WIDE.
THIS SADISM AND EVILNESS MUST BE STOPPED AND BANNED FOREVER.
Sick people, they sell their soul for a few dollars.
MAY BE IT IS TIME TO LOOK INTO THOSE CALIFORNIA LAW MAKERS FIRST. It seems they are a bunch of Crooks themselves & some fishy actions must be taking place under the tables as well. People who make Millions of dollars out of this mass murder of innocent animals could most possibly be feeding the Law makers families as well. THAT’S THE REASON WHY THESE SO CALLED LAW MAKERS KEEP THEIR EYES & THE MOUTHS SHUT WITHOUT INTERFERING FOR BANNING OR STOPPING SUCH ANIMAL CRUELTY.
Why the so called LAW makers cannot BAN this cruelty? What is the Hidden secrets behind it?
IT IS TIME TO INVESTIGATE THESE PEOPLES DOUBLE LIVES..
What corruption!!! They don’t care about anything but their own self service. We must save the animals!!
Please California don’t let these useless sub-human creeps stop you from doing what is right. No animals killed, please.
What kind of person enjoys wearing a dead animal? Positively hideous.
Justice, compassion, laws, life, LOVE for animals 🙏 Please 🙏
Perpetrators need to view graphic doucufilms and wake up to these greedy, soulless, unnecessary atrocities!
Shame on all!!!