COAL CAUGHT SENDING LYING LETTERS TO CONGRESS

Letter scandal puts lobbying back on the defensive
Chris Frates (w/Zachary Abrahamson), August 6, 2009 (Politico)

"…[A] brewing scandal involving a faked grass-roots lobbying effort is spawning yet another congressional inquiry of the industry — and a new batch of bad headlines…It’s a public relations nightmare that comes just when lobbying seemed to be regaining its natural place in the business of Washington…

"In the eye of the storm is the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity and its $45 million media and lobbying campaign to support coal-generated electricity, which is under fire for [a dozen forged letters sent to three House lawmakers in support of a major energy coalition’s position on the climate bill] letters sent before the House passed the climate change bill earlier this summer. The coalition opposed the bill…"

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"…Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), a lead sponsor of the bill, sent the coalition a letter questioning why, if the group knew about the fraudulent letters two days before the House vote in June, it appears they waited…to notify the affected congressional offices…A spokeswoman for the coalition said it had received the letter and [will answer fully]… Markey [earlier wrote] to the coalition’s subcontractor, Bonner & Associates, which sent the falsified letters in support of the coalition’s position.

"Bonner & Associates did not return requests for comment…[But] firm founder Jack Bonner told POLITICO the fake letters were the work of a “temporary employee,” who was immediately fired…Bonner & Associates has hired Akin Gump’s Steven Ross to represent them…as Markey’s House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming investigates the lobbying practices…"

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"…[When the] scandal blew up…Coalition officials said they did not realize that Bonner & Associates had not followed up with all the affected groups as promised…[The name of a] Charlottesville nonprofit, Creciendo Juntos, …[was] used in the forgeries…


"The controversy has sparked a firestorm from environmental and progressive groups…[T]he Sierra Club sent a letter and MoveOn.org launched a petition asking the Justice Department to investigate…Friends of the Earth and Avaaz.org protested outside Bonner & Associates’ Washington office…"