“MVP is demanding complete submission by the ‘treesitters’ to its legal demands prior to consultation with counsel, much less the opportunity to be heard by this Court.”

Check out the following legal exchanges – I know, so boring! LOL – between the Terry family “treesitters” and the fine folks (ok, maybe not) representing the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The first document is the Terry family attorneys “request[ing] a postponement of the status report [requested by the court rom the parties by 11 AM on Monday,April 23, 2018] because they have been unable to have adequate consultation with their clients Red and Minor.” The attorneys add that, due to armed security at the base of the Terrys’ trees, “It is impossible for counsel to engage in confidential communications with Red and Minor.” Finally, the Terrys’ counsel “moves the Court to allow attorney/client privileged materials to be transferred between Red, Minor and counsel without disclosure to or inspection by the RCP/VSP/MVP security detail.” Good!

Next, the fine folks (ok, maybe not! LOL) representing the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) respond to the Terrys in heavy-handed fashion, as is their wont. According to the MVP counsel, “The Terrys have openly defied the Court’s orders granting immediate possession of the easements to MVP, while mounting a public relations campaign against the FERC-authorized project.” The horror! Oh, and even worse, “the tree felling on the Terry property has been delayed, and law enforcement has spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars attempting to deal with the situation there.” Sad! Even worse, the Terrys have the audacity to keep “calling themselves by their first names and nicknames” and to – are you sitting down? – talk to their lawyers! Except that, according to the MVP counsel, “If the Terry tree sitters want to talk with their lawyers, all they have to do is come down.” Simple! Unconditional surrender and THEN we can talk! Bwahahahahaha! Seriously, this is beyond parody…

Finally, the Terrys’ counsel responds, accurately, that “MVP’s solution to secure the constitutionally protected right of attorney/client communications is for Red and Minor to completely submit to MVP’s demands, as is glibly stated in its Response.” The Terry family attorneys “simply ask that Red and Minor be accorded the right of any American citizen – to consult with counsel in a secure and confidential manner before being forced to make a legal decision.” Wait, basic constitutional rights? What will they be asking for next, the right to life/liberty/pursuit of happiness or something? LOL  The Terrys’ counsel concludes with what seems like an eminently reasonable (except to the MVP bullies) request: “In accordance with the reasons stated above, the Terrys request the Court to enter an Order 1) allowing counsel to approach the base of the tree houses; 2) provide Red and Terry with cell phones and chargers; and, 3) to allow attorney/client materials to be transferred between Red, Minor and counsel without disclosure to or inspection by law enforcement officers and MVP.” Is that really too much to ask?

UPDATE: See below for video of two of the MVP legal team members. 😉

via GIPHY