One thing about most regulatory actions is that it's handy to see what information they have on you. In Washington and many other states, the government has a duty to disclose public records.
I've written a short entry about public disclosure, which basically describes what I've done here, and why I did it, and gives you links so that you can do it if you wish. I think that public disclosure is a very valuable tool. Sunshine is good.
The file contained about 100 pages. You'll find some of the pictures here, with commentary, and you'll find the working notes here, again with commentary.
Summary:
Enforcement folks really take a dim view of anyone questioning their authority or conclusions. They commonly respond to anything they perceive as resistance by trying to make the matter bigger. In this case Kathy Pierson of the Snohomish Health Department called every single agency she could in the hope that she would be able to get them interested in enforcing something else, and spent weeks on this effort.
I fully believe that fruit and vegetables fed to pigs are not regulated by the health district, any more than an apple fed to a horse. They disagree. And they're doing their level best to make sure that I change my mind to agree with them.
We no longer live in a country of "no harm, no foul." We live in a country of "submit and obey." The oft repeated lie that "the law is the law" and that only "guilty" people need to worry only serves to cover the essential question which is what exactly does the law say? And is that interpretation being applied in this case? Or is this another example of garden variety tyranny using the law as a cover? Are you the only one that farms hogs in your area? What about your competition, what do they do about this? Do you have some farming group with some political muscle in Washington state that might be of assistance?
ReplyDeleteI'd call the local sheriff and tell him that I'm being harassed. I hope at the very least, that you sue for legal costs when this is all over.
ReplyDeleteCareful Bruce... The government has unlimited resources and can drag this fight out forever under the guise of "enforcing the law..." Like obscenity, I think we recognize harassment when we see it, and this is pretty blatant.
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked as a real estate lawyer, we saw this type of behavior from County officials frequently; few clients had the resources (or the stomach) to fight it.
In my case, it was often King and Snohomish counties, but I imagine it's all the same throughout urban Western Washington.
When I said contact the Sheriff, I had this story in mind. I figured you find this interesting Bruce. http://www.etruth.com/article/20111218/NEWS01/712189916
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