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Stand responds to racketeering lawsuit

Stand believes this suit is entirely without merit and is a clear attempt to silence its most powerful grassroots critics.

In response, Todd Paglia, Stand Executive Director, released the following statement:

“In America, people and groups of people have the right to speak out when others are harming our shared resources – our air, water, trees, and land. This lawsuit is an attempt to muzzle individuals and the public interest groups they support, like ours, that operate to protect public health and the environment.

Resolute Forest Products has a proven record of bullying, as well as years of irresponsible logging in the Boreal region of Canada – regardless of what their press releases say.

This company uses lawsuits as a business tactic to quiet public and legitimate criticism of their actions. In an attempt to stamp out free speech, Resolute is already suing critics of their environmental record in Canada. Resolute sued a non-profit that certifies paper products as being environmentally friendly.

Now they are trying to use laws that originated to stop organized crime in a desperate attempt to try to intimidate environmental groups and individuals in the US who care about forests, water quality and wildlife. The voices of the environmental community are confident and not about to be silenced.

Bullying is a well-worn tactic of misdirection from Richard Garneau. The stock’s share price under his leadership for five years running has fallen from $23 to $6. Suing public interest groups will do nothing to fix that problem.

Resolute is a bad actor in a volatile industry using irresponsible logging practices to compete in a global and diverse marketplace. We represent the voices of grassroots America that protects our forests. No amount of intimidation tactics or bullying is going to make us stop telling the truth about Resolute or any other company that destroys forests.”