Earth Equity News

Lobbying Firm Forged Anti-Climate Bill Letters Purporting to Represent Civil Rights Groups. By Frederic J. Frommer, AP, July 31, 2009. "A Washington grassroots lobbying firm has acknowledged forging anti-climate bill letters purporting to be from a local NAACP chapter and a Latino advocacy group to a Virginia lawmaker, and a congressional committee said it was launching an investigation. The office of freshman Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello discovered that a half-dozen letters it received had nearly identical language signed by a made-up person at Creciendo Juntos, the Latino group, and five fake members of the Albemarle-Charlottesville branch of the NAACP. The lobbying firm, Bonner & Associates, apologized to the groups... The letters, which were sent before the House narrowly passed the legislation last month, say, 'please don't vote to force cost increases on us, especially in this volatile economy,' and urge Perriello to make pro-consumer changes to the bill 'to protect minorities' from energy cost increases. Perriello voted for the bill." Coal Industry Group Linked To Forged Letters. By Alex Kaplun, GreenWire, August 4, 2009.