"I will stand fast with my interpretation and will look for your proposal in the 2008 NEC."

...which is exactly what this boils down to. The AHJ has the final word right or wrong. (a devisive issue indeed) I happen to agree with Don for whatever that is worth. I don't think that because you find one bad worst-case example (photo) that you throw the baby out with the bathwater and declare prohibition on splicing EGC's in a panel. I don't think a EGC needs to be continuous like GEC's. If I'm on a job and don't have a ground bar, I would like to think I am not jeopardizing practical safgaurding by splicing a couple of grounds together because I don't want to double up grounds on the bar.