More on the Effort to Drop Charges Against Sunseri

Alex Rienzie in an open letter posted on his blog:

The ongoing Grand Teton speed record drama might seem silly, but the potential criminal charges hanging over Michelino’s head are serious.

I think that’s an important piece to remember as we discuss this issue. No matter on what side you fall on when thinking about the FKT attempt and possible inclusion, a criminal charge is a gross overreach for Michelino Sunseri’s “illegal activity”.

The NPS stripped Michelino of his record by contacting FastestKnownTime.com, telling the private site to reject his record. The NPS dragged Michelino’s name through the mud by leaking comments to the press, utterly terrifying any other potential trail users in the process. In effect, the NPS ran a masterclass on using a press cycle to distribute a message, making an example of Michelino to make up for their own shortcomings.

This information is news to me.

I can’t shake that this seemingly overblown response by the NPS isn’t just business as usual, but there’s something else going on.