Just The Facts Please

In the Research Department today you will find two new court documents that represent the facts in the case of Oregon LNG v.s. The Port of Astoria and the individual commissioners named in the OLNG suit.

In an eariler rant I wrote that comments made on the air by Port President Bill Hunsinger don't square with the facts.


As you will see from the documents, OLNG has asked for Discovery (depositions) and the Port has asked for a Protective Order in order to avoid such depositions. The Port has asked for settlement talks and OLNG has responded that such talks may be held only after the Master Lease has been renewed, since that item is non-negotiable.

Mr. Hunsinger stated that he and his fellow commissioners were ready to give those depositions when in fact it was his attorney that blocked them. Mr. Hunsinger as late as last Thursday afternoon told the community that he and the other commissioners are waiting for OLNG to set up those depositions (discovery). Mr. Hunsinger stated it was the judge who called for settlement talks when it was his own attorney that called for them.

There are only two possibilities here. One, that Hunsinger and Pfund have no understanding of the actual case and have not personally read the court filings and decisions and have little or no understanding of the predicament they are in or, two, they have full knowledge and are attempting to use the media to misdirect the public.

It is also important to understand that the Port Commission decided to ignor the advice of their own attorneys in this entire matter of extending the master lease with the State of Oregon and dealing with the lawsuit that followed. Instead the commission hired an outside firm and an attorney with strong ties to Columbia Riverkeeper.

Read the OLNG demand letter in the research department to get a real feel for what we are facing as a result of these port decisions.