StopPATH WV

If you haven't yet, be sure to read the testimony of Brad & Carol Castle, linked in this post on TPL.  The Castles made absolute mincemeat out of TrAILCo's expensive, unprepared attorney during cross-examination (pages 68-84 of the pdf), and it happens because, in the words of Brad Castle, "I have some common sense."

We're talking about, of course, Jackson Kelly's Melick, who has been such a delight to all the PATH intervenors over the past two years.  He has harangued pro se intervenors, told the Commission what other parties are thinking and plotting (which has been entirely a creation of his own sick mind), directed the Commissioners to go read internet blogs and even quoted a comment from a blog in one of PATH's motions.  You know, he's just not normal (and there are 2 people who read this blog who know EXACTLY what I mean by that, but it wouldn't be nice to embarrass Melick by publicly sharing it here).  I've long had the opinion that "someone" would benefit immensely from a little professional psychiatric help for his "issues."

But, back to the Castles... they consistently clobbered Melick (and thereby TrAILCo) with the truth.  I'm sure we can all agree with Brad Castle's opinion when it comes to power company attorneys, "...frankly, I don’t
like lawyers..." and that's because, "...what Mr. Melick may not realize is we did not solicit them to come onto our property. We did not invite them onto our property. We did not invite this whole line to come to us. It came to us like a bulldozer and bulldozed us over."

Despite Melick's best histrionics and objections to the Castle's testimony and exhibits, the Commission sided with the plaintiffs and allowed it into the case, perhaps because Brad Castle asked them point blank, "But do you want the truth or what he wants you to hear?"

Other familiar power company themes emerge in the Castle's testimony:

Carol Castle: "We feel like they used an arrogance in not responding to our concerns, by sending a message like, well, why should we?"

Brad Castle:  "And lots of times it looked like the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing."

See?  Common sense.  The Castles saw right through TrAILCo/Allegheny/FirstEnergy/attorneys-who-can't-think-their-way-out-of-a-paper-bags' shoddy, last-minute defense. 

Here's some advice to Melick and the power companies from the Castles:

"But you know, they got to stand good for their word."

and

"Treat people with the integrity that they would like to be treated with."

And from me:  Psychologists are listed under "P" in the phone book.  Don't make me have to embarrass you.