Why Are Members of Congress Working With This Extremist?
Not long ago, vegan lobbyist Wayne Pacelle could have been considered the “Me Too” face of the charity world. But now, Pacelle, who runs the lobbying group Animal Wellness Action, is working Capitol Hill and getting federal lawmakers to sponsor legislation. In fact, Pacelle was recently seen at the Capitol Hill Club, a private club for Republican politicians and operatives that is just steps from the offices of U.S. House members–an odd place for a guy with a far-left agenda.
People may have short memories in politics, so here’s a reminder of who Wayne Pacelle is: An animal liberation extremist with a past that would make Bill Clinton blush.
Sexual Harassment Scandal
Pacelle resigned as CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (now Humane World for Animals) in 2018 following multiple accusations of sexual harassment against him.
According to the New York Times, Pacelle “summoned [a female employee] to his office and pressured her for sex. She said she refused and once tried to placate him with a hug. After hugging her goodbye, he turned her around, pushed her over his desk and rubbed his genitals against her, she said.”
According to the Washington Post, another woman “told investigators Pacelle asked her to stop by his hotel room after an event. He asked if he could masturbate in front of her, requested that she take off her clothes and offered to perform oral sex on her, according to two people briefed on the matter and the [investigators’] memo. When the woman refused, Pacelle told her not to tell anyone or she would destroy the Humane Society and lose her job.”
The Post also reported, “The investigation also found that Pacelle had maintained a sexual relationship with a female subordinate and exchanged more than 100 emails with her. The woman told the investigation that she became afraid of Pacelle after the relationship ended, describing him as abusive and controlling, according to the memo.”
Racketeering Settlement
Under Pacelle, HSUS and co-defendants paid $15.75 million to settle a racketeering and bribery lawsuit brought by the owners of the Ringling Bros. circus under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The lawsuit claimed that HSUS, two of its staff lawyers, and other animal rights activists had covertly paid a witness who lied in court proceedings. Some conduct by animal activists was so egregious that the presiding judge actually issued sanctions against an animal-rights law firm involved in the case. (It wasn’t just a black eye to Pacelle and HSUS. The ASPCA separately paid $9.3 million to settle the case.)
“I Don’t Want to See Another Cat or Dog Born”
Pacelle’s animal right fanaticism even has extended to pets. In an interview for the book Bloodties, Pacelle told the author he could envision a future without pets. “If I had my personal view perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another cat or dog born,” he said.
Pacelle also admitted to the interviewer: “I don’t have a hands-on fondness for animals. I did not grow up bonded to any particular nonhuman animal. I like them and I pet them and I’m kind to them, but there’s no special bond between me and other animals.”
Called Eating Meat “Speciesist”
“Speciesism” is a made-up term by the animal rights movement. The idea is that discrimination between species–like saying humans are superior to rats–is akin to racism. We can stop being “speciesist” by going vegan, activists say.
“Speciesim” is used prominently by PETA in its campaigns. But Pacelle himself was an early adopter of the term, writing, “After realizing that I too had been a speciesist, I changed my lifestyle by halting my consumption of meat products and my use of other animal derivatives.”
Called to End Hunting; Arrested for Hunt Sabotage
One of Pacelle’s longtime obsessions as an animal liberation activist has been to end hunting. In college, Pacelle was arrested for harassing hunters in Connecticut, but still continued to organize hunt sabotages.
Pacelle has called for an end to hunting, even for food. “If we could shut down all sport hunting in a moment, we would,” he told the Associated Press.
And when asked in a separate interview if he would oppose hunting for food, he answered, “I think that I would campaign against it. Yes, I think that I would.”
Pacelle has even called for hunting publications to be restricted, saying, “The definition of obscenity on the newsstands should be extended to many hunting magazines.”
Said Convicted Dogfighter “Would Do a Good Job as a Pet Owner”
The world was shocked when NFL superstar Michael Vick was arrested and convicted for his role in dogfighting in Virginia. Also shocking was Wayne Pacelle rehabilitating Vick’s image after Vick got out of prison. It was capstoned by Pacelle saying that Vick should be able to own a dog again. “I have been around him a lot, and feel confident that he would do a good job as a pet owner,” Pacelle told the media.
Pacelle’s comments came after the Philadelphia Eagles, Vick’s new employer, had made a $50,000 “grant” to HSUS.
Pacelle also coldly called for Vick’s seized dogs to be euthanized; therapists, however were able to successfully rehabilitate the dogs and place them in homes.
Shortchanging Pets While Making Millions
Last, but by no means least, Pacelle pulled in millions of dollars in compensation during his time at HSUS, including over $400,000 in his last full year. But while he ran HSUS, the organization repeatedly gave only about 1% of its money each year to support local pet shelters–despite HSUS fundraising ads being full of cats and dogs.
Does a Tiger Change Its Stripes?
Wayne Pacelle has been an animal liberation extremist for 40 years. But there’s also an issue of his character.
Tellingly, his successor at HSUS–who herself was the alleged victim of sexual harassment in a separate scandal at HSUS in the 1990s–blasted Pacelle publicly, telling the Chicago Tribune, “[A]s far as we know, Pacelle has not atoned at all. Society gets into trouble when we welcome individuals back into the fold when they have not owned up to their misdeeds or otherwise attempted to address the harm they caused.”
