Almost 30 years ago, with the best of intentions Congress passed the Equal Access to Justice Act. Simply stated EAJA said that if the government had done wrong against small businesses, including farms and ranches, and if the small business challenged the government in federal court, they would not have to go bankrupt with legal fees while protecting their rights. If they were victorious in court, the government would have to pay their legal fees. It leveled the playing field so that Citizen David could stand up and defend himself against Big Government Goliath. “The Equal Access to Justice Act was a great thought when it was lobbied through in 1980. If the Federal Government wronged you and you proved it, you could get your attorney’s fees payed as a rancher farmer or small business.” That’s Jennifer Ellis of The Western Legacy Alliance which has taken a careful look at what they call abuses by radical environmental groups who have tapped many sources of taxpayer dollars that were never meant for that purpose to fund their agenda.: “4717 is the first attempt at shining some light on the fact that the Federal Government hasn’t been doing its own job in the last 15 years in tracking where money is going that’s coming out of fee shifting statutes being the judgement fund and the Equal Access to Justice Act.” A reaction from the other side tomorrow.