Gore Finds Hot Air Balloon Fly-Over of Nashville-Area Mansion an
Parks Dept. Mysteriously Revokes Permit, Group Identifies Private Location for Launch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 20, 2008
Contact: Annie Patnaude (202) 441-5193 or (202) 249-5880
NASHVILLE – At the last moment, Nashville Parks Department officials revoked a permit for the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity to launch and fly a balloon over Al Gore’s Nashville-area mansion. The “mysterious” decision was handed down following an article published by The Tennessean in which Al Gore’s spokeswoman said they were “looking into whether the balloon launch violated any local ordinances.”
“This is a suspicious decision to say the least,” said AFP President Tim Phillips. “But taxpayers will not be silenced when it comes to the economic costs of Al Gore’s global warming alarmism.”
The fly-over of Al Gore’s mansion is part of AFP’s nationwide hot air balloon tour, which aims to provide an economic reality check on the “hot air” in the global warming debate. The launch will now take place on private property after AFP scrambled to find another location.
AFP event-planning staff had numerous conversations with the Parks Department and took all the necessary steps to ensure the balloon event was in compliance with local rules. Friday was the first time AFP was notified of any problem. Roy Wilson, Director of the Board of Metro Parks and Recreation, threatened police presence would be at Warner Park to ensure the event did not take place.
“We made a good faith effort to comply with all local rules, which included having extensive conversations with the Parks Department, filing the necessary insurance information, and making payment for the permit,” said Phillips. “We’ve already held a dozen events as part of this Tour. It is disappointing and disconcerting that, here in Mr. Gore’s hometown, government officials would see fit to revoke a permit on the day of the event.”
“In these uncertain economic times it is foolhardy to push for regulations that would transfer dollars from families and businesses to bureaucratic big-government,” said Phillips. “We want to make sure citizens know what global warming alarmism will cost them – higher taxes, lost jobs, and less freedom. Those who claim global warming policies are healthy for our economy are spewing a lot of hot air and we want to expose that."
“The United States Hot Air Balloon Team has conducted launches and tethers from Mt. Rushmore, New York’s Central Park, and the Grand Canyon,” said U.S. Hot Air Balloon Team Lead Pilot Stan Hess, who is flying for the Tour. “In my 25-plus years of ballooning we have never had an issue like this. The balloon is federally registered aircraft and once you are in the air you are under FAA jurisdiction.”
The second leg of the Hot Air Tour will make seven stops in six states from June 17-21. The Tour, which was launched in Washington, DC, will hold at least two-dozen events around the country. AFP’s Hot Air Tour has already educated and mobilized hundreds of citizens with stops last month in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana. Visit www.CostofHotAir.com for more information.
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth and returning government to its constitutional limits. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org
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