Coal Lobby Group Faked Grassroots Opposition to Climate Bill

by Emily Gertz

categories: Astroturf, Environmental Justice, Fossil Energy, Media, News, Policy & Legislation, Politics

Published August 04, 2009 @ 11:52AM PT

Last week news broke that one of the most prominent coal lobby groups, the cheerfully named "American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity," was responsible for forged grassroots letters to Congress in opposition to the American Clean Energy and Security Act, the clean energy and climate action bill sponsored by Reps. Henry Waxman and Edward Markey.

Now, as Politico reports, Rep. Markey (D-Mass.) is calling for an investigation into ACCCE's fraud, part of its $45 million media and lobbying campaign to support coal-based electricity.

Mr. Markey, whose House Subcommittee on Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming has subpoena power, has sent an investigative letter to Bonner & Associates, which contracted with ACCCE with Hawthorn Group, a "grassroots contractor" hired by ACCCE to do campaign work, listing 12 detailed questions about the fraudulent letters.

At least 3 Representatives received 12 forged letters prior to the ACES vote in June, purporting to come from 8 grassroots groups, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which in fact is calling for strong action by Congress on stopping global warming and promoting green economy jobs.

"The letters, replete with letterhead and made-up identities, purported to be from Virginian minority organizations including the NAACP," writes ThinkProgress, which has put copies of the letters online.

"My organization Creciendo Juntos represents minorities in your district. You are about to vote on important environmental legislation (the Waxman-Markey bill)," reads one to Rep. Tom Perrielo. "We ask you to help protect minorities and other consumers in your district from higher electricity bills." It's signed by "Marisse K. Acevado, Asst Member Coordinator."

"Perriello was not the only congressman to receive forged letters urging him to oppose the so-called cap-and-trade legislation," reports The Daily Progress of Charlottesville, Va. "Reps. Kathy Dahlkemper and Christopher Carney, both of Pennsylvania, also received falsified letters that originated at Bonner & Associates, the clean coal advocacy group said."

ACCCE's put responsiblity on Bonner & Associates, which has used underhanded tactics before to undermine health policy reforms that threatened corporate profits. "This incident demonstrates the incredible lengths that the vested interests of health care and energy are willing to go through to undermine reform. With Congress going on recess soon, more of these astroturf tactics will undoubtedly occur as corporate backed anti-reform groups gather in Congressional districts throughout the country to obstruct health care and clean energy reform," writes Think Progress, which lists several of B&A's past astroturf frauds.

The Institute for Southern Studies' Facing South blog notes that ACCCE has itself been pretty hands-on with the misleading lobby techniques:

Last year, we reported that the group was behind phone calls urging recipients to oppose an earlier version of the climate legislation -- and that at least one of the calls misrepresented the organization.

Last May, Pete MacDowell with the N.C. Waste Awareness and Reduction Network reported receiving a call from a woman who identified herself as being from Americans for Balanced Energy Choices, which a month previously had merged with the Center for Energy and Economic Development to form ACCCE. MacDowell said the caller asked to add his name to a fax to Sens. Lieberman and Warner, the legislation's sponsors:

When I asked who ABEC was, I was told that they were individuals concerned about utility rates. When I asked if they were an environmental group, the answer was "yes." When I asked whether they were related to the utilities, the answer was "No."

After publishing our story about the deceptive call, we heard from Steve Gates, ACCCE's communication director. He blamed a new staff member who decided to "wing it" when asked some off-the-script questions and said the person was "no longer working on this project," as we reported in a follow-up story."

History repeats: Bonner is trying to shunt culpability for the more recent fradulent letters onto a temp employee gone rogue.

Believe it if you like. But just as a counterpoint, watch as Jon Stewart and The Daily Show nail the workings of the "outrage-generating ecosystem," when it comes to blocking health care reform:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Master Rebators - The Crank Cycle
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Spinal Tap Performance

If these reforms are so awful on the merits, why do industry lobby groups spend tens of millions and invent popular opposition to try and defeat them?

Enviroknow has a good timeline of developments in this story, with lots of links.