HSUS Affiliate Also Denied Insurance Coverage in Racketeering Suit

Last week, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal-liberation radicals settled a federal racketeering lawsuit for nearly $16 million, ending litigation over illegal witness payments, bribery, and obstruction of justice. HSUS then put out a defiant public statement claiming that “We expect that a substantial portion, if not all, of the settlement costs to The HSUS and The Fund for Animals will be covered by insurance.”

It turns out that statement is materially deceptive. Why? Because HSUS was denied insurance coverage for the racketeering lawsuit. HSUS is now suing its insurer in federal court to try to get coverage, but as of this writing, HSUS is not covered, and the settlement was paid last week.

And the HSUS affiliate the Fund for Animals, also part of the $16 million settlement, was also denied insurance coverage. The Fund’s lawsuit against its insurer is being litigated in state circuit court in Maryland.

HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle also pledged last week that “What insurance doesn’t cover, the Fund will pay” regarding HSUS’s part of the settlement. Maybe, but the Fund for Animals merged with HSUS. HSUS and the Fund signed an “Asset Acquisition Agreement” a decade ago and they have consolidated finances. Whatever the Fund pays is really HSUS paying, isn’t it?

And this doesn’t even get into the legal costs that HSUS has incurred, nor the fact that HSUS’s premiums for liability insurance will go up—premiums that will be paid for by HSUS donors.

Wayne Pacelle can try to spin it however he wants, but in the end, HSUS donors are getting the shaft. And so are the needy pets in HSUS’s ads.