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December 23, 2008

No Charges Yet Against Student Who Disrupted Gas & Oil Auction in Utah
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In Utah, the US attorney’s office in Salt Lake City said Monday it has
not decided yet whether to prosecute a University of Utah student who
disrupted a controversial federal oil- and gas-lease auction Friday by
posing as a bidder and buying nearly 22,000 acres of public land near
Arches and Canyonlands national parks. The student, Tim De Christopher,
appeared in court on Monday, but no charges were filed. A spokeswoman
for the US attorney’s office said, “It will take time to evaluate
evidence and make a determination whether we will prosecute.” On Monday,
Tim De Christopher told Democracy Now! he is ready to go to jail.

Tim De Christopher: “I’ve seen the need for more serious action by the
environmental movement and to protect a livable future for all of us.
I’ve seen that need for a long time. And frankly, I’ve been hoping that
someone would step up and someone would come out and be the leader and
someone would put themselves on the line and make the sacrifices
necessary to get us on a path to a more livable future. And I guess I
just couldn’t wait any longer for that someone to come out there and had
to accept the fact that that someone might be me.”



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