"Judge Rules Dakota Access Developer Can’t Sue Earth First"

"BISMARCK, N.D. — A federal judge has dismissed a second defendant from a $1 billion racketeering lawsuit that the developer of the Dakota Access oil pipeline filed against environmental groups, leaving Greenpeace as the only remaining group facing the claim.

Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners failed to make a case that Earth First is an entity that can be sued, U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson said in a ruling dated Wednesday.

The Center for Constitutional Rights had argued that Earth First is a philosophy or movement similar to Black Lives Matter, and thus can’t be sued. ETP unsuccessfully tried to serve the lawsuit to Florida-based Earth First Journal, which argued that it wasn’t the same as the movement."

Blake Nicholson reports for the Associated Press August 24, 2018.

Source: AP, 08/27/2018