In July 2017 MDN told you that puppets of the PA-based Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) had once again gotten enough signatures to put a so-called Community Bill of Rights (i.e. frack ban) ballot measure on the ballot last November in Youngstown, Ohio–for a 7th time (see Youngstown Frack Ban Vote on November Ballot – for 7th Time). The same people had tried six times before–and the ballot measure failed every single time. However, as we pointed out, the 7th time was different. In addition to the usual no fracking, no pipelines pablum, the 7th petition had language that makes it legal to break the law. If the ballot measure had passed, and if an anti got it into her head to sit in front of a bulldozer that was about to clear ground for a wellpad, or dig a trench for a pipeline, the police would not be able to arrest and remove the anti. It would be within her rights to sit there and block legal, legitimate activity–all in the name of saving the planet. It would, in essence, legalize mob rule. Fortunately the Ohio Supreme Court had the good sense to block the 7th ballot initiative from appearing on the ballet last November (see OH Supreme Court Blocks Youngstown Frack Ban Ballot Measure). However, some antis in Youngstown just won’t give up. They’re heading back to the Ohio Supremes to ask them to reconsider and allow the ballot measure, since the court was split in its decision last year (4-3). What’s interesting is that even the local newspaper, the Youngstown Vindicator, has had enough of these these puppets of the CELDF. The Vindicator calls the ring leaders out by name in a scathing editorial…
