http://thehill.com/policy/ener...phant-trophy-imports



Trump blindsided staff with promise to halt elephant trophy imports


BY TIMOTHY CAMA AND MIRANDA GREEN - 08/03/18 04:04 PM EDT



A series of tweets President Trump sent in November promising to halt imports of elephant trophies blindsided staffers in his own administration and cut off months of planning to ease the import process, newly released emails show.

Trump’s tweet to put “on hold” the highly controversial imports from Zimbabwe and Zambia, a day after it was announced that African elephant trophies would be allowed into the U.S for the first time since 2014, led to widespread public backlash from lawmakers in both parties, animal rights groups and conservative figures such as Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

But it also caused a frantic panic among key staff members closely involved in drafting the rule changes.


Emails from officials in the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and its parent agency, the Interior Department, show that they had been planning to lift the ban on bringing tusks and other parts of elephants killed in hunts into the country for months, and did not expect the backlash from the public, let alone the president.
The turmoil among public affairs staffers in FWS and Interior started a half hour after Trump’s initial tweet the evening of Nov. 17, emails obtained by The Hill under the Freedom of Information Act show.


Paul Ross, a public affairs specialist at Interior, notified his colleagues of the tweet, saying, “Just making sure you saw this.”

Within minutes, Gavin Shire, the head spokesman at FWS, asked the group if he should take down a website posting from earlier that evening saying that the ban was lifted.

By the next morning, a Saturday, the situation wasn’t any clearer for Interior staff. Heather Swift, press secretary at Interior, warned employees not to “engage” with the issue on social media, while an exasperated Shire declared, “I can’t keep up with these people!”

Greg Sheehan, FWS’s principal deputy director and its top official, seemed to be almost as much out-of-the-loop as the other staffers.

“Until we get additional clarification on the intent and breadth of the President’s decision to review ‘Big game Trophy decision’ we have been asked to abstain from issuing any permits for both Lions and Elephants,” he told top staff the day after Trump’s tweet.

The following day, Trump sent another tweet in the evening. “Big-game trophy decision will be announced next week but will be very hard pressed to change my mind that this horror show in any way helps conservation of Elephants or any other animal,” he said.


The new public decree against FWS’s rule change from the boss didn’t help alleviate confusion among the public affairs staff.

“What does this mean?!!” Barbara Wainman, a senior external affairs aide, asked the group to no answer.

By the time Trump cut off imports, the agency had already given the green light for three elephant trophies from Zambia, Craig Hoover, head of the FWS’s international affairs team, told Sheehan.



While the public and media struggled to determine how much weight Trump’s decree carried on the elephant trophy decision, so too did his staff.

For weeks, employees grappled with what next was expected of them, and what they should do about the reversal of the ban — which by that point had been formally submitted to the Federal Register.

Shire at one point drafted a media response that appeared to officially walk back the proposal, blaming the change on the political unrest in Zimbabwe.

“Following the civil unrest there and the resignation today of President Mugabe, we have revised our determination on the importation of hunted elephant and lion trophies from Zimbabwe,” the memo read in part.

The memo never saw the light of day. Instead the administration absconded from making any formal statements, pointing instead to Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s tweet as a formal response.

An Interior Spokesperson said the agency does not comment on tweets.

Shire, spokesperson for FWS, said it is routine for the department to draft public statements that are not ultimately used. He would not comment on the level of communication between the White House and the department during the period.

Finally, in March, FWS said it would review all applications to import animal trophies on a “case by case” basis and repeal all of its previous findings that trophy imports from particular countries would “enhance” conservation.

Paul Todd, a senior attorney in the Natural Resources Defense Council’s nature program, said it comes as little shock to see how disorganized the process over elephant trophies was.

“It seems to be the commonplace case that a Trump tweet will catch whatever part of our government completely off-guard,” said Todd, whose group opposes elephant trophy hunting. “And in this case, it was contradictory to where the FWS was wanting to head, in large part because they were doing the bidding of the trophy hunting industry.”

The emails also shed light on the at times close relationship and easy access leaders of hunting groups had with top FWS staff and how they worked to influence policy.

Nearly two weeks before the elephant trophy controversy, John Jackson, president of pro-trophy hunting group Conservation Force, sent an email to Sheehan and Zinke with a copy of a petition his group had formally sent to FWS asking for them to amend Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulations for elephants and lions.

The 4(d) rules are the legal basis by which hunters can obtain permits to import animal parts to the U.S. The permits are meant to prove that killing an animal abroad provides conservation benefits.

Earlier in the year, Interior had requested public comments on potential regulatory changes. Jackson’s group’s petition was the only one out of hundreds that requested changes to the 4(d) rule for African elephants and lions.

Sheehan forwarded the email to Interior Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt, who was running the regulatory reform effort at the agency, writing “FYI.”

Four days after Jackson sent Sheehan that email, internal records show FWS employees began discussing plans to formally propose three regulations in early 2018 — two of the rules were to revise the Obama-era 4(d) rules for elephants and lions.

The early November email was not the last time Jackson, a member of Zinke’s International Wildlife Conservation Council, reached out personally to Sheehan.

Following Trump’s intervention of the trophy ban reversal he offered Sheehan — a former member of the pro-trophy hunting Safari Club International — “talking points” backing the argument for allowing trophy imports.

Those same talking points were forwarded to Sheehan in another email from the president of the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Jeff Crane.

“A little long-winded from Jackson, but still has a lot of good info. Good luck!” Crane wrote Sheehan.

Shire said of the department's communications with Jackson: "We maintain relationships with numerous stakeholders representing a variety of interests and viewpoints. We welcome input and contributions from all of them." He would not comment on Jackson's communications with Sheehan.

Jackson did not return a request for comment.

Tanya Sanerib, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said exchanges like that show an unusually close allegiance between the trophy hunting community and its regulators.

“As you look through these documents you see these clear connections between trophy hunting organizations and in particular Sheehan,” she said. “The level of access that trophy hunting organizations have is not common.”

Neither of the 4(d) changes were submitted to the Federal Register on the dates they were scheduled in the emails. Shire said that after career staff began an initial review of the rules they determined changes were not appropriate at that time. He did not comment on whether they may be introduced in the future.

This story was updated at 6:05 p.m.

quote:

Tanya Sanerib, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said exchanges like that show an unusually close allegiance between the trophy hunting community and its regulators.

It’s unusual that a group that takes part in an activity has a close relationship with the people who regulate it? I suppose the NFL should be regulated by the US Figure Skating Committee then?

This is what happens when the Pres shoots from the lip and leads by tweet. What a pathetic example of leadership.....

+1

Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Let’s ask Khan or May what we should do brain trust. I’ll wager the first thing would be to ban those pesky knives. Best worry about what your losing next than criticism across the pond what!

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Hilary would have been far worse.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Hilary would have been far worse.

True.

But any half decent human being would have been a thousand times better!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Hilary would have been far worse.

I agree. What were the choices?

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Milo,

If you believe Hillary would have been better, you are out of your fucking mind!!!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Hilary would have been far worse.

I completely agree!!!!

I voted Gary Johnson
And, no, that’s not throwing your vote away.
That’s stating I’m sick of two parties that both blow

Yes, that was the third choice and no one threw their vote away on him.
Especially compared to the other two.

quote:

And, no, that’s not throwing your vote away.

Yes it was..

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Blue Devil:

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Milo,

If you believe Hillary would have been better, you are out of your fucking mind!!!

I have no opinion on how to ensure in future that you're not left with a choice between two such shitty candidates but I stick by my original comment. If you voted for Trump, there is little room to complain about the fact that you got him.

Gayne C., right on. We had another choice and some of us took it. He wasn't the perfect candidate but he was better than the alternatives.

The only people who "threw away their vote" were the people who didn't vote who were able too.

Out of 350 million people Hillary and Trump were the best we could come up with. There is a problem with our politics.

If Hillary was elected we would probably still have a "Russia investigation" only the Republicans would be digging for dirt.

ESPN should be covering politics, it has become sport. The sad part is we all lose every time, because we are ultimately on the same team, USA,USA, USA.....

Thanks Slim
Every vote counts whether it goes to a known party or not.

Slim Buttes hit the nail on the head all the way round.

Not voting was not an option for me.

Well gentlemen and ladies it seems we are talking politics on an African Safari Forum so I will add this thought.

If vote legal Americans here thinks that any candidate they vote for is going to give them everything they wish for than that person hasn't tread water in the ocean of politics for very long.

Anyone can choose a single item be it abortion, states rights, the 2ND amendment, foreign affairs, entitlement programs, health care, etc. etc. and there's a chance you may see a favorable outcome or not.

Since we seem to be deciding whether a Trump vote actually affected our ability to import certain African animals I will ask this. Do you think Hillary Clinton would have helped with your Elephant import? Or how about Gary Johnson?

Its anecdotal but the 19,475 miles road trip through the lower 48 Joyce and I finished in March was filled with the sights of "help wanted, will train" signs. When we talked with locals, both rural and urban during the trip there was a palpable optimism about the future of this country that was very absent during a similar road trip just two years prior.

I've got tusks sitting in Zimbabwe from 2015 and would love to have them imported. But I'm not judging the sitting President and the state of our nation on that sole item.


Cheers
Jim

We had a choice of dumb and dumber and dumb won. Lucky us.....

I voted for Mr Trump and I'm proud of it. For those that didn't and hate him today you are definitely on the the other side of the fence than I so you are on the that side with Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie O'Donnell and others. I am proud that he has brought together Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo and John Bolton to sort out the thugs of the world. It is my belief that Ryan Zinke will try his best to carry on the efforts of Conservation thru Hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:

quote:

And, no, that’s not throwing your vote away.

Yes it was..

I see both sides of this. I lived in Seattle when Trump was elected - I voted Trump because it pissed off all the right people - but it was a throwaway vote.

Interesting fact - 4 democratic electors from WA did not vote for Clinton. 3 voted for Colin Powell, the 4th an Indian I can't remember.., Spotted Eagle or something...

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:

quote:

And, no, that’s not throwing your vote away.

Yes it was..

I see both sides of this. I lived in Seattle when Trump was elected - I voted Trump because it pissed off all the right people - but it was a throwaway vote.

Interesting fact - 4 democratic electors from WA did not vote for Clinton. 3 voted for Colin Powell, the 4th an Indian I can't remember.., Spotted Eagle or something...

Faith Spotted Eagle

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Blue Devil:

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Milo,

If you believe Hillary would have been better, you are out of your fucking mind!!!

I have no opinion on how to ensure in future that you're not left with a choice between two such shitty candidates but I stick by my original comment. If you voted for Trump, there is little room to complain about the fact that you got him.

Milo,

No one is complaining in my house. Things are great here in the USA,...much better than the English shit show also known as Brexit.

Business is great!!! The stock market has done very well since Trump won the election. My taxes haven't increased. Unemployment continues to fall. GDP growth rate just ticked above 4%. Where is UK GDP Growth??? 0.3%??? If can't import elephant tusks from Zim,.... oh well I'll survive.

No doubt Trump says a lot of dumb shit on Twitter, and I wish someone would shut down his freaking twitter account,...but it is not costing me money,...I'll survive.

I don't like his constantly changing cabinet, but it is not costing me money,....I'll survive.

There are plenty of other things about Trump that I don't like. Among the 15 or so Republican candidates in the last election, I would have ranked Trump around 10th or 12th. However compared to Hilary, he is wayyyyyyyyyyyy better for hunters and people that earn a decent paycheck. If anyone thinks that Hilary would have lowered their taxes or allowed importation of elephant trophies they are nuts.

In the next presidential election, if the choices are Trump or Hilary, I will RUN to the voting precinct to cast my vote for Trump.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
Well gentlemen and ladies it seems we are talking politics on an African Safari Forum so I will add this thought.

If vote legal Americans here thinks that any candidate they vote for is going to give them everything they wish for than that person hasn't tread water in the ocean of politics for very long.

Anyone can choose a single item be it abortion, states rights, the 2ND amendment, foreign affairs, entitlement programs, health care, etc. etc. and there's a chance you may see a favorable outcome or not.

Since we seem to be deciding whether a Trump vote actually affected our ability to import certain African animals I will ask this. Do you think Hillary Clinton would have helped with your Elephant import? Or how about Gary Johnson?

Its anecdotal but the 19,475 miles road trip through the lower 48 Joyce and I finished in March was filled with the sights of "help wanted, will train" signs. When we talked with locals, both rural and urban during the trip there was a palpable optimism about the future of this country that was very absent during a similar road trip just two years prior.

I've got tusks sitting in Zimbabwe from 2015 and would love to have them imported. But I'm not judging the sitting President and the state of our nation on that sole item.


Cheers
Jim

+1 Spot on Jim.

All interesting.

I did not vote for Trump in the primaries. While I did vote for him in the election, I would characterize my vote more as a vote against Hillary than a vote for Trump.

The deck was stacked against Trump from the start. Obama and his minions did many things before they departed in an attempt to make Trump look bad. For example, Obama cut the rate of FHA mortgage insurance premiums just before he left office even though the mechanism funding the insurance was very close to the statutorily required MINIMUM. Trump had no choice except to raise the rates and receive the ire of many.

He has done a lot of very good things. He has done some things I do not understand and/or disagree with. Like many, I wish he would close his twitter account.

I can say this unequivocally. I get to see on a daily basis what many businesses are doing across the country given what I do for a living. From my observations, I can tell you that my clients started spending money again immediately after the election. The election of Trump is without a doubt the reason.

If anyone is judging Trump's presidency over the ability to import a set of tusks, your priorities are out of line in my opinion. There are bigger issues this country faces.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
Well gentlemen and ladies it seems we are talking politics on an African Safari Forum so I will add this thought.

If vote legal Americans here thinks that any candidate they vote for is going to give them everything they wish for than that person hasn't tread water in the ocean of politics for very long.

Anyone can choose a single item be it abortion, states rights, the 2ND amendment, foreign affairs, entitlement programs, health care, etc. etc. and there's a chance you may see a favorable outcome or not.

Since we seem to be deciding whether a Trump vote actually affected our ability to import certain African animals I will ask this. Do you think Hillary Clinton would have helped with your Elephant import? Or how about Gary Johnson?

Its anecdotal but the 19,475 miles road trip through the lower 48 Joyce and I finished in March was filled with the sights of "help wanted, will train" signs. When we talked with locals, both rural and urban during the trip there was a palpable optimism about the future of this country that was very absent during a similar road trip just two years prior.

I've got tusks sitting in Zimbabwe from 2015 and would love to have them imported. But I'm not judging the sitting President and the state of our nation on that sole item.


Cheers
Jim

+1

quote:

If anyone thinks that Hilary would have lowered their taxes or allowed importation of elephant trophies they are nuts.

In the next presidential election, if the choices are Trump or Hilary, I will RUN to the voting precinct to cast my vote for Trump.

Exactly

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Blue Devil:

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Blue Devil:

quote:

Originally posted by Milo Shanghai:
Bit late to be complaining about Trump. Anyone with half a brain knew what they would be getting from him and leadership was never part of the deal.

Milo,

If you believe Hillary would have been better, you are out of your fucking mind!!!

I have no opinion on how to ensure in future that you're not left with a choice between two such shitty candidates but I stick by my original comment. If you voted for Trump, there is little room to complain about the fact that you got him.

Milo,

No one is complaining in my house. Things are great here in the USA,...much better than the English shit show also known as Brexit.

Business is great!!! The stock market has done very well since Trump won the election. My taxes haven't increased. Unemployment continues to fall. GDP growth rate just ticked above 4%. Where is UK GDP Growth??? 0.3%??? If can't import elephant tusks from Zim,.... oh well I'll survive.

No doubt Trump says a lot of dumb shit on Twitter, and I wish someone would shut down his freaking twitter account,...but it is not costing me money,...I'll survive.

I don't like his constantly changing cabinet, but it is not costing me money,....I'll survive.

There are plenty of other things about Trump that I don't like. Among the 15 or so Republican candidates in the last election, I would have ranked Trump around 10th or 12th. However compared to Hilary, he is wayyyyyyyyyyyy better for hunters and people that earn a decent paycheck. If anyone thinks that Hilary would have lowered their taxes or allowed importation of elephant trophies they are nuts.

In the next presidential election, if the choices are Trump or Hilary, I will RUN to the voting precinct to cast my vote for Trump.

With a few minor caveats...

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
All interesting.

I did not vote for Trump in the primaries. While I did vote for him in the election, I would characterize my vote more as a vote against Hillary than a vote for Trump.

The deck was stacked against Trump from the start. Obama and his minions did many things before they departed in an attempt to make Trump look bad. For example, Obama cut the rate of FHA mortgage insurance premiums just before he left office even though the mechanism funding the insurance was very close to the statutorily required MINIMUM. Trump had no choice except to raise the rates and receive the ire of many.

He has done a lot of very good things. He has done some things I do not understand and/or disagree with. Like many, I wish he would close his twitter account.

I can say this unequivocally. I get to see on a daily basis what many businesses are doing across the country given what I do for a living. From my observations, I can tell you that my clients started spending money again immediately after the election. The election of Trump is without a doubt the reason.

If anyone is judging Trump's presidency over the ability to import a set of tusks, your priorities are out of line in my opinion. There are bigger issues this country faces.

While I expected different from Trump on this issue, have ivory in limbo and ele hunts booked, and am extremely disappointed in how it has played out...another big +1 to Larry.

quote:

Emails from officials in the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and its parent agency, the Interior Department, show that they had been planning to lift the ban on bringing tusks and other parts of elephants killed in hunts into the country for months, and did not expect the backlash from the public, let alone the president.

Anyone who expects a hot button issue like killing elephants, open to public input, will breeze through the comment process unscathed is to put it simply, a damn fool. Trump may be many things but he is not a damn fool, and hopefully he is learning to pick his battles. This one is a loser.

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
Well gentlemen and ladies it seems we are talking politics on an African Safari Forum so I will add this thought.

If vote legal Americans here thinks that any candidate they vote for is going to give them everything they wish for than that person hasn't tread water in the ocean of politics for very long.

Anyone can choose a single item be it abortion, states rights, the 2ND amendment, foreign affairs, entitlement programs, health care, etc. etc. and there's a chance you may see a favorable outcome or not.

Since we seem to be deciding whether a Trump vote actually affected our ability to import certain African animals I will ask this. Do you think Hillary Clinton would have helped with your Elephant import? Or how about Gary Johnson?

Its anecdotal but the 19,475 miles road trip through the lower 48 Joyce and I finished in March was filled with the sights of "help wanted, will train" signs. When we talked with locals, both rural and urban during the trip there was a palpable optimism about the future of this country that was very absent during a similar road trip just two years prior.

I've got tusks sitting in Zimbabwe from 2015 and would love to have them imported. But I'm not judging the sitting President and the state of our nation on that sole item.


Cheers
Jim

THIS!!!

osted 08 August 2018 18:32 Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Frostbit:
Well gentlemen and ladies it seems we are talking politics on an African Safari Forum so I will add this thought.

If vote legal Americans here thinks that any candidate they vote for is going to give them everything they wish for than that person hasn't tread water in the ocean of politics for very long.

Anyone can choose a single item be it abortion, states rights, the 2ND amendment, foreign affairs, entitlement programs, health care, etc. etc. and there's a chance you may see a favorable outcome or not.

Since we seem to be deciding whether a Trump vote actually affected our ability to import certain African animals I will ask this. Do you think Hillary Clinton would have helped with your Elephant import? Or how about Gary Johnson?

Its anecdotal but the 19,475 miles road trip through the lower 48 Joyce and I finished in March was filled with the sights of "help wanted, will train" signs. When we talked with locals, both rural and urban during the trip there was a palpable optimism about the future of this country that was very absent during a similar road trip just two years prior.

I've got tusks sitting in Zimbabwe from 2015 and would love to have them imported. But I'm not judging the sitting President and the state of our nation on that sole item.


Cheers
Jim


+1

If Clinton would have been Elected we would not have any rifles to hunt with?

I voted for him. I don’t like him. So what.
We can survive four or eight years of just about anybody. Compare his Supreme Court choices with what Hillary would have given us. That lasts generations.

Say what you want about the man and I am pissed about his handling of trophy imports as well...but he basically saved what was left of the USA I have always known by saving the Supreme Court. I am grateful to him just for that. I will add...besides trophy import...he has not “done” anything else that I dislike.

quote:

Originally posted by Todd Williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:
Well gentlemen and ladies it seems we are talking politics on an African Safari Forum so I will add this thought.

If vote legal Americans here thinks that any candidate they vote for is going to give them everything they wish for than that person hasn't tread water in the ocean of politics for very long.

Anyone can choose a single item be it abortion, states rights, the 2ND amendment, foreign affairs, entitlement programs, health care, etc. etc. and there's a chance you may see a favorable outcome or not.

Since we seem to be deciding whether a Trump vote actually affected our ability to import certain African animals I will ask this. Do you think Hillary Clinton would have helped with your Elephant import? Or how about Gary Johnson?

Its anecdotal but the 19,475 miles road trip through the lower 48 Joyce and I finished in March was filled with the sights of "help wanted, will train" signs. When we talked with locals, both rural and urban during the trip there was a palpable optimism about the future of this country that was very absent during a similar road trip just two years prior.

I've got tusks sitting in Zimbabwe from 2015 and would love to have them imported. But I'm not judging the sitting President and the state of our nation on that sole item.


Cheers
Jim

THIS!!!

BRAVO....and MAGA...

Like most, I voted for him. The tusk issue will eventually fade from news and likely get supported when more pressing issues are on the TV and internet.

Overall, he is far better than Obama, Hillary, Bill C, George W. or even George Sr. I am especially embarrassed about the way the Bush's suck up to the Clinton's. To me, the Clinton's are the worst of the worst in our country - one rung below Obama and Michelle.

quote:

Originally posted by Marty:
Compare his Supreme Court choices with what Hillary would have given us. That lasts generations.

And, those who don't like Trump can continue to grouse and whine about what they don't like. This one reason is the most important one as to why I voted for him and not the other candidate, and did not waste my vote on someone who had no chance of winning.

He saved me a lot on taxes and the economy is booming!

I agree with you.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Like most, I voted for him. The tusk issue will eventually fade from news and likely get supported when more pressing issues are on the TV and internet.

Overall, he is far better than Obama, Hillary, Bill C, George W. or even George Sr. I am especially embarrassed about the way the Bush's suck up to the Clinton's. To me, the Clinton's are the worst of the worst in our country - one rung below Obama and Michelle.