Issue and Opponent: Activist Tim DeChristopher made false drilling bids and defrauded the government in his attempt to prevent the sale of land to oil companies.
Dilemma Action: Tim posed as an energy developer in 2008 in an auction for 22,500 acres of federal land in Utah. He then made false bids of $1.8 million, with neither the funds nor the intent to consummate the purchase, therefore ruining about a quarter of the lease bids made. This constitutes a Dilemma Action because Tim claims he never intended to cause damage, only to cause delays. In this case, the charges against him were argued to be unreasonable, and should they be ratified, it would make the US government seem weak for arresting an activist that had no intent to cause harm.
Outcomes: The Obama administration later canceled most of the sales, citing doubts about Bush’s leasing plans. Tim was ultimately sentenced to 2 years in prison but chose not to appeal so that it would demonstrate his principles of environmentalism.