Primer: Timeline & Resources 12-19-08 to 04-09-09 - For the Convenience of Bloggers, Editorial and Feature Story Writers and Journalist

Contents

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Timeline

Auction -  Dec 19, 2008

12.19.2008 : Tim DeChristopher, bidder 70, wins $2.7mm oil & gas leases at BLM auction in Utah.

12.22.2008 : First Democracy Now! Interview

12.31.2008: Tim DeChristopher announced that he would pay the U.S. Bureau of Land Management $45,000 to hold the 13 lease parcels he won in a Dec. 19 Salt Lake Tribune

Bidder70.org Rasies $100k -  Jan 09, 2009,

01.09.2009 : Tim announced (Tim's statement) that we had raised the $45k.  We had actually raised over 100k.

01.17.2009 : Saturday’s CBS Evening News, correspondent Bill Whitaker devoted a full very positive story about Tim. Newsbusters

Utah Now Story (MUST WATCH)

02.04.2009 : Interior Secretary Salazar invalidates BUSH/BLM oil & gas leases auctioned on December19th. LA Times Salt Lake Tribune
Brett L. Tolman, United States Attorney District of Utah issue a statement (PDF) same day basically saying this doesn't change anything. Charges will be brought.

02.04.2009 : Tim launches www.peacefuluprising.org "I am directing my efforts to building Peaceful Uprising to encourage, train, support and defend those who will take nonviolent direct action to defend our future."

 In a statement Wednesday evening, Salazar noted the "serious allegations of fraud by a bidder in a BLM oil and gas lease sale. ... BLM will not tolerate future conduct which undermines the integrity of the bid process." Salt Lake Tribune

Indictment Apr 1, 2009

4.1.2009 :  A grand jury indicts Tim DeChristopherwith two counts of violating the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Act. See Indictment Dechristopher v Tolman April 1st 2009

Fox 13: One count was for a violation of Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act. While the second, was for knowingingly making false and fraudulent statements by signing up for a bidder in the land auction. Video

KSL: The indictment alleges DeChristopher schemed to defeat the purpose of that act and knowingly interfered with a competitive bidding process. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $500,000 fine.[snip] From the day in December he disrupted a BLM auction for oil and gas leases, DeChristopher said he was willing to go to jail. [snip]

After the auction disruption, Rep. Mike Noel of Kanab sponsored a bill that makes it a state crime to bid at a land-lease auction with no intent to pay. On the phone Wednesday night, Noel told KSL 5 News DeChristopher "ought to be prosecuted for stealing money from the state of Utah and the school kids of Utah."

"Money from the leases goes to the state's school fund. DeChristopher and his attorneys contend no money was lost because the bids were invalidated."

4.3.2009 Amy Goodman Democracy Now! Interview

04.03.2009 : KUTV runs first story discussing Tolman's tenuous political position vis a vis Tim's case. KUTV Video

04.03.2009 : Tim sued / Fined by BLM 81k. Breaks over the weekend misses news cycles.

04.06.2009 : First real media questioning of Tolman: Republican U.S. Attorney likely not long for the job

04.06.2009 : DeChristopher Soap Opera Revs up Again (BackPacker) - Good narrative with backdrop

KCPW Local Public Radio has been following most closely

State Lawmaker Says Activist's Actions Carry Consequences But Prison Time Too Harsh

Posted Apr 06, 2009 01:50 PM by Jeff Robinson

Since fraudulently bidding at an oil and gas lease auction in order to protect sensitive Utah lands from natural resource production, environmental activist Tim DeChristopher has received an outpouring of community support. But last week, he was charged with two federal felonies for his actions. A state lawmaker says DeChristopher needs to learn there are consequences for what he did.

Politics Up Close Excerpt: Environmentalist Tim DeChristopher

Posted Apr 06, 2009 08:14 AM by Jeff Robinson

In this excerpt from Friday's Politics Up Close, environmentalist Tim DeChristopher, who fraudulently bid during a controversial oil and gas lease auction in December, discusses what's happened since that auction. He was charged with two federal felonies last week.

Download this audio file

Politics Up Close: Environmental Activist Tim DeChristopher

Posted Apr 03, 2009 12:44 PM by Jeff Robinson

Tim DeChristopher has gained national recognition for fraudulently bidding in a controversial lease auction late last year, and now, he's been charged with two felonies. What does the future hold for this young activist, and would he have done anything differently? DeChristopher joins the show.

Download this audio file

Salazar Voids Sale of Oil and Gas Leases in Utah National Parks

Posted Feb 04, 2009 02:00 PM by Eric Ray

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced his decision today to direct the Bureau of Land Management not to accept bids for oil and gas leases made during a controversial December 19 lease sale on 77 parcels of land near several high profile national parks in Utah.

About Brett Tolman

04/05/2009 "Prosecutor: Monkey-wrencher won't do long prison time
 

U.S. Attorney for Utah Brett Tolman said that, while he recognized people may have deeply held views on government behavior, they should express them lawfully. ...."Rather than follow the rule of law, this defendant has, in his own words, repeatedly said he intended to disrupt the lease-bidding process," Tolman said. "Today's indictment is our response to his decision.

Now that the charges have come and DeChristopher's arraignment has been set for April 28, Tolman said he can negotiate with the U. student's lawyers: Pat Shea, a former BLM director, and Ron Yengich, a prominent Utah defense attorney.

Shea wouldn't comment Friday on any deal discussions, but questioned why Tolman was talking about sentences when they are a judge's job.

"To quote 'Alice in Wonderland,'" he said, "the story gets curiouser and curiouser."

Tim DeChristopher's arraignment is scheduled for April 28 in Salt Lake City's federal court.

04.06.2009 Tolman: Republican U.S. Attorney likely not long for the job

So it's no coincidence that Utah's young federal lawman launched a high-profile case against a 27-year-old monkey-wrencher with a big news conference one day last week. The next, he called The Salt Lake Tribune to schedule a one-on-one, damage-control interview to soften his image.

 BLM, Lease Info, Maps

BLM General Announcement about the sale.
Information regarding any and all specific parcels up for lease  - This site contains a map showing the various parcels. Please note that once again, a parcel is not necessarily one that can and will produce oil. That risk is left to the company that obtains the lease and then decides to drill, a quite expensive business.