On July 15, 2015, the San Diego Union Tribune (
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"SeaWorld suspends alleged spy
Mugshot of Lori WeisbergBy Lori Weisberg | 5:25 p.m. July 15, 2015 | Updated, 11:14 a.m. | July 16, 2015
A day after an animal rights group accused SeaWorld of using an employee to infiltrate its organization, the theme park company said it has put the worker on paid leave and is launching a probe into the allegations.
SeaWorld Entertainment CEO Joel Manby released a statement Wednesday calling the claims made by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals "very concerning."
He added, "These allegations, if true, are not consistent with the values of the SeaWorld organization and will not be tolerated. The SeaWorld Board of Directors and I have initiated an investigation into this matter which will be led by independent outside counsel, Ron Olson of Munger, Tolles & Olson, whose firm will have full access to our organization and people. In addition, we have placed the employee in question on paid administrative leave pending the findings of the investigation. We will take all appropriate actions based on the results of the investigation to ensure that the integrity and values of the SeaWorld organization are upheld."
On Tuesday, PETA released the results of its own probe, alleging that a SeaWorld human resources worker had, since 2012, posed as an animal-rights activist and on occasion sought to incite illegal protests. The individual, who PETA identified as Paul McComb, had also been arrested along with other animal rights activists during a 2014 protest over SeaWorld's float in the Rose Parade in Pasadena. Evidence of that arrest, however, has disappeared, the animal rights group says.
McComb had been using an alias, Thomas Jones, PETA said, to masquerade as an animal-rights activist and post what it said were incendiary comments on social media. After growing suspicious about Jones, the organization said it eventually learned that he worked at SeaWorld, he had given fake addresses and Jones was not his real name. McComb so far has not responded to numerous requests seeking comment.
Meanwhile, PETA filed a lawsuit Thursday morning against the city of Pasadena and Pasadena Police Chief Phillip L. Sanchez, challenging the city's failure to comply with PETA's Public Records Act requests for records relating to "Thomas Jones." PETA spokesman David Perle said the organization made two requests, one for all records related to "Thomas Jones." The department responded, saying he was never arrested and that they would provide no further information, Perle said. The emailed response from the department's police administrator said Jones was released in the field but could offer no explanation as to why. The second PETA request sought detailed information" on all those arrested in connection with the SeaWorld Rose Parade protest. That response came from the Chief of Police, saying he was providing a redacted police report, which contained no mention of Jones or McComb, Perle said. No additional information was provided.
In its lawsuit, PETA notes that all of the protesters were handcuffed, taken to the police station and instructed to remove their belts and shoelaces. However, while they were being booked, charged, and listed in the daily arrest log, the individual calling himself Thomas JJones was separated from the others and released, the suit claims. Later, when asked what happened, Jones said he had cried until the police department agreed to release him, according to the lawsuit."