Moffitt calls on Cooper to join CTS suit

Press release from N.C. Statehouse Rep. Tim Moffitt:

Asheville — This morning, Representative Tim Moffitt sent an open
letter to state Attorney General Roy Cooper, calling on him to join
with the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in likely legal action
against the CTS Corporation.

The Board of Commissioners is considering a lawsuit against CTS to
recoup over $2 million spent in county taxpayer funds to remediate
environmental damage caused by the company and extend waterlines to
homes in the affected area.

Recently, an attorney from the powerful international law and lobbying
firm of Jones Day sent an arguably intimidating letter to educators in
our state. This sort of action is reprehensible and should not be
tolerated. Our educators and our citizens deserve an immediate apology
from both the CTS Corporation and the Jones Day firm.

“Our educators need to be able to conduct their research free from the
interference of corporate attorneys and from polluters,” said
Representative Moffitt in his letter, a copy of which is attached. “CTS
and Jones Day should be ashamed of their actions against our local
teachers. Further, the people of our region deserve immediate
restitution for the tax dollars spent cleaning up their mess. Buncombe
County taxpayers should not be forced to stand against them alone.”

Moffitt went on to ask the Attorney General Cooper to “do the right
thing for the people of Buncombe County, the City of Asheville and the
citizens of North Carolina by joining in efforts to make things right.
Our local government is stepping up where the bureaucrats in the
federal government have failed us. Our community and our state deserve
to be treated fairly and with respect.”

Moffitt continued, “at least CTS and Jones Day have now officially
admitted there is in fact a serious public health hazard – something
everyone here has known for years. Let’s face it, if it was simply
music and they were playing it that loud and for that long, someone
would already be in jail.”

Moffitt’s open letter:

The Honorable Roy Cooper
North Carolina Department of Justice
9001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Dear Attorney General Cooper,

As you are aware, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners is considering
legal action against the CTS Corporation in an effort to recoup over
$2 million in costs the county has incurred over the last few years
associated with the remediation of environmental damage and extending
waterlines to homes in the affected area. Buncombe County and the City of
Asheville are administrative subdivisions of the state, and are opposed by
an international law and lobbying firm.

I’m asking that you do the right thing for the people of Buncombe County,
the City of Asheville and the citizens of North Carolina by joining in
efforts to make things right and support their suit. Our local government is
stepping up where the bureaucrats in the federal government have failed us.
Our community and our state deserve to be treated fairly and with respect.

As you are also likely aware, attorneys for CTS recently sent an arguably
intimidating letter to local educators who have been conducting research in
and around the toxic Superfund site. Our educators need to be able to
conduct their research free from the interference of corporate attorneys and
the polluters they represent. CTS and Jones Day should be ashamed of their
actions against our local teachers. Further, the people of our region
deserve immediate restitution for the tax dollars spent cleaning up their
mess. Again, Buncombe County taxpayers should not be forced to stand against
them alone.

CTS and Jones Day have now publicly and formally admitted there is indeed a
serious public health hazard – something everyone here has known for years.
As the state’s chief law enforcement officer, I encourage you to
aggressively investigate this case. Let’s face it, if it was simply music
and they were playing it that loud and for that long, someone would already
be in jail.

Respectfully,

Representative Tim Moffitt
Buncombe County (District 116)