NEWS ADVISORY
February 15, 2006
Craig Rosebraugh Subpoenaed to Federal Grand Jury in Eugene, Oregon; ELF Investigation Continues
PORTLAND, OR - On Tuesday, February 14, 2006, Craig Rosebraugh received a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury currently convened in Eugene, Oregon investigating a series of actions committed by the Earth Liberation Front.
Federal agents approached Rosebraugh as he sat in his vehicle and demanded he roll down his window, presumably to accept the subpoena. He refused, rolled up the windows, locked the doors, and cranked the stereo. After yelling at him, the agents left the subpoena on his windshield.
The grand jury subpoena - the eighth Rosebraugh has received in the last nine years - commands him to appear in Eugene to testify at 9:00am on March 16, 2006.
Investigating ELF actions that occurred between 1996 and 2001, the grand jury convened in Eugene is responsible for indicting eleven people in January 2006 in connection with ELF activity throughout the Pacific Northwest and Colorado.
Rosebraugh served as an unofficial spokesperson for the ELF from 1997 through 2001. Receiving anonymous communiqués from the underground activists, he released the information to the news media and conducted interviews internationally in support of the group. In 2000, Rosebraugh co-formed the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office (NAELFPO), a media resource organization based in Portland, Oregon. In February 2002, Rosebraugh was subpoenaed and appeared in front of the US Congress in a subcommittee hearing on "ecoterrorism." He pled the Fifth Amendment at the proceeding to 54 out of 56 questions, effectively stonewalling the hearing.
Witnesses subpoenaed to testify before federal grand juries are not allowed to be accompanied by their attorney inside the proceedings, nor are they allowed to rely upon their Fifth Amendment privilege and remain silent. Witness that do plead the 5th and remain silent are commonly forced to take immunity at which time they must answer all questions that fall under the scope of the immunity. Witnesses refusing to answer any question under the scope of immunity usually are jailed for contempt and held for up to eighteen months or the remaining length of the grand jury.
For the last nine years, Rosebraugh has consistently resisted the grand jury inquisitions, refusing to cooperate and provide any information to investigators.
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503.228.6655
Let's see if Craig can up the percentage of questions he declines to answer under his 5th Amendment rights. (That provision still exists in our Constitution, right Mr. Gonzales?) He responded to 54 out of 56 questions (or 96 percent) in this manner during his last appearance. That has got to REALLY piss them off!!