You don’t usually get emails from me, but my name is David Bralow, and I’m in charge of The Intercept’s legal team.
I’m writing you to ask for your support in our legal fight to get the truth about the brutal crackdown on protests against the Dakota Access pipeline.
As you may recall, when oil giant Energy Transfer announced plans to build the 1,172-mile-long pipeline across watersheds and drinking water sources, it sparked huge protests led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
As part of its response, Energy Transfer hired a security firm called TigerSwan that collaborated with police and employed military-style surveillance and counterinsurgency tactics to quash the protests.
Now we’re suing under freedom of information laws to gain access to thousands of pages of public records about TigerSwan’s activities. The legal battle has already cost The Intercept more than $100,000 and reached the North Dakota Supreme Court, and Energy Transfer has pockets deep enough to keep dragging out the fight.
I have worked in First Amendment law for more than 20 years, and I am confident that the law is on our side. So far the courts have sided with us. But going up against oil companies with nearly unlimited resources, we need to be prepared for whatever their lawyers throw at us.
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There is far more at stake in this fight than just finding out what happened at the #NoDAPL protests.
If corporations can get away with hiring private security guards to harass and silence protestors — or if governments get away with flouting freedom of information laws — then it will set a precedent that opens the door to even more abuses.
I’m proud to work with the fearless journalists at The Intercept and humbled by the outpouring of support that we’ve received from readers in this case. I give you my word that with your help we will do everything in our power to make sure the law is followed and the truth comes out.
Thank you,
