If Leftists Win Case, You Could Serve Prison Time for Swatting a Bug

Imagine serving prison time for swatting a bug. Envirofascists might make it happen…

…if a lawsuit by the environmental group WildEarth Guardians succeeds, according to an opposition brief filed with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

No worries; the Ninth Circus is sure to produce a reasonable ruling. Ha ha.

WildEarth contends someone doesn’t have to be aware of the Endangered Species Act or intend to violate it to be convicted, fined and jailed under the law.

A vast number of species are listed under the Endangered Species Act, including rodents, snails, and even insects.

With progressives at the helm, there are many ways to end up behind bars:

One could, for example, unknowingly disturb a protected spider through a home construction project, come too close to a protected bird while hiking down a trail or unknowingly drive over a protected frog or some other species while driving down a road at night.

Currently, the Justice Department interprets the law to require that you know what species your actions affect before you can be criminally punished.

But the Guardians “argue this interpretation is too protective of criminal defendants and would require federal prosecutors to bring criminal charges when someone accidentally runs afoul of the Endangered Species Act’s take prohibition, regardless of whether they knew their actions affect a particular species,” [Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Jonathan] Wood writes.

Applying the Endangered Species Act for accidentally disturbing animals not even known to be on the list would be insane, but if the antihuman militants get their way, it won’t be the first time judicial tyranny resulted in a depraved ruling.

On a tip from Chronos Z Wonderpig.

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