Shortly thereafter, Mr. Schaeffer received an intimidating phone call from William Kissinger, an attorney for Masonite, from the firm of McCutchen, Doyle, Brown and Enersen, with offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Walnut Creek, Washington D.C., Taipei and Bangkok. Mr. Kissinger claimed that by naming the chemical, Cresol, Mr. Schaeffer had revealed secret information, and alleged that Mr. Schaeffer had a copy of a document containing "secret" information. Mr. Kissinger demanded to know how Mr. Schaeffer came to possess said document, and demanded he return the document to Mr. Kissinger at his law firm.
Masonite would very much like to suppress the fact that they are using, and we are breathing, Cresol and formaldehyde. However, Masonite's use of the word Cresol is found in a document that is public information. In their Air Toxics Emissions Inventory Report Masonite states that they were testing for Cresol.
Was John Schaeffer intimidated by Masonite's high price attorneys? Hardly! He immediately wrote another letter to the Ukiah Daily Journal, stating: "I am outraged that some $300/hour Masonite attorney in San Francisco is trying to stonewall the facts from the citizens of Ukiah. If we are being exposed to breathing Cresol, we damn well have a right to know. This is our town - we are forced to breathe the air, and it is making us sick. Let's get the facts."
And the Ukiah Daily Journal's response to Mr. Schaeffer's second letter? They refused to print it!
So, Hurray, and Thank You! to John Schaeffer and Real Goods for refusing to be intimidated, and pressuring for our right to know what we are breathing!
If you are appalled by Masonite's hiding the facts from us, and trying to intimidate people who put the facts forth, and by the Ukiah Daily Journal's succumbing to their intimidation and refusing to print John Schaeffer's second letter, write to the Ukiah Daily Journal and let them know how you feel. Their address is P.O. Box 749, Ukiah 95482. Please send a copy of your letter to Citizens for a Healthy Ukiah at 106 W. Standley, Ukiah.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 1998
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited