COAL CAUGHT LYING AGAIN!

New "Grassroots" Pro-Coal Group backed by K-Street PR Firm
Jim Hoggan, August 25, 2009 ( DeSmogBlog)

"The Federation for American Coal, Energy and Security [FACES], the latest 'grassroots' organization to join the public conversation on behalf of the coal industry, appears to be a project of the K-Street public relations firm, the Adfero Group, one of industry's most accommodating voices in Washington, D.C.

"The FACES website, which includes no contact information, is [surreptitiously associated with] Adfero…FACES describes itself as "an alliance of people from all walks of life who are joining forces to educate lawmakers and the general public about the importance of coal and coal mining." But Adfero's client list includes Koch Industries and the US Chamber of Commerce, two leaders in the fight to confuse, distort and deny the science of climate change - and especially to block government action that might affect their bottom line."

FACES wants us to believe this is an Appalachian florist who likes the coal industry. (click to enlarge)
They actually got her picture from an on-line picture service. (click to enlarge)

"FACES' coming-out press release claimed the new group consists of…a broad cross-section of people and communities throughout the Appalachian region…But Adfero doesn't specialize in spontaneous public advocacy. It specializes in crafting a "custom-tailored message" and then recruiting "key contacts" who can slam that message home…"

FACES suggests these are everyday Appalachians who support coal. (click to enlarge)
It's a for-sale photo. (click to enlarge)

"…[Like] the recent manipulations on health care, there has been an unprecedented amount of astroturfing by the oil and coal lobby lately. And there is no reason to believe this is anything but. Certainly Adfero hasn't responded to our numerous inquiries with an alternative explanation…[S]omeone is paying…[I]t's time Washington created a legal requirement for these groups to come clean on their funding. The American people deserve to know who's really behind this campaign.

"Phony Astroturf groups manipulate democracy in a way that is pointedly dishonest. They work to convince legislators that "people from all walks of life" - also known as "voters" - are fired up about an issue, when in fact the voters in question are the kind of people Eugene McCarthy used to call "provocateurs," taking money from industry to pretend to hold a particular opinion. It's a practice that should stop…"