Cass Sunstein

Yesterday, the Senate invoked cloture on debate on the confirmation of Cass Sunstein to head the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. The NC State Grange opposes his confirmation and has contacted both Senator Hagan and Senator Burr. His views on animal rights are far too extreme and we don't believe he will protect producers from regulation of animal agriculture. We believe his influence within the White House could lead to the decline or elimination of animal agriculture. I believe Cass Sunstein's own words can explain why we oppose his confirmation:

"We should focus attention not only on the 'enforcement gap' but on the areas where current law offers little or no protection. In sort, the law should impose further regulation on hunting, scientific experiments, entertainment, and (above all) farming to ensure against unnecessary animal suffering."

"Less modestly, anticruelty laws should be extended to areas that are now exempt from them, including scientific experiments and farming."

"There should be extensive regulation of the use of animals in entertainment, in scientific experiments, and in agriculture. It also suggests that there is a strong argument, in princple, for bans on many current uses of animals."

"It seems possible, however, that before long, Congress will grant standing to animals to protect their own rights and interests. ... Indeed, I believe that in some circumstances, Congress should do just that, to provide a supplement to limited public enforcement efforts."

"Representatives of animals should be able to bring private suits to ensure that anticruelty and related laws are actually enforced. If, for example, a farm is treating horses cruelly and in violation of legal requirements, a suit could be brought, on behalf of those animals, to bring about compliance with the law."

Farms should be more heavily regulated? Animals should sue their owners?

Senator Burr will be voting against his confirmation. I cannot reach Senator Hagan's office, but have left word with her Raleigh office that if she votes for the confirmation, I would like to be contacted with a reason why.

UPDATE: I was able to reach Senator Hagan's office. The assistant I spoke with said that she was satisfied with Sunstein's nomination and voted for cloture last night. When asked if she was satisfied with his views on animals as they pertain to agriculture, he stated that his writings do not necessarily reflect what he will actually do or have the ability to do. Our concerns with his views were noted and will be passed along to the Senator. If she votes for the confirmation, a response as to why she could support an individual who would have the influence to harm our state's number one industry was requested.