Coal Group Reveals 6 More Forged Lobbying Letters

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/04/AR2009080402223.html

Coal Group Reveals 6 More Forged Lobbying Letters

By David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 5, 2009

A total of 12 forged letters -- all appearing to come from local groups unhappy with a climate-change bill -- were sent to three congressional offices this summer by a Washington lobbying firm, according to the pro-coal group for which the firm was working.

That is six more fraudulent letters than were previously known to have been sent by the firm, Bonner and Associates. The newly revealed letters were sent to Reps. Chris Carney (D-Pa.) and Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.), according to the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, the trade group that hired Bonner and Associates.

On Friday, a spokeswoman for Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) said his office had received six fake letters, purporting to be from a Latino social-services group and NAACP members in his district.

Bonner and Associates bills itself as one of Washington's premier firms for grass-roots lobbying, which often involves eliciting phone calls, letters or e-mails from constituents or groups in a particular congressional district.

…

[kristopher]

1. That's just the tip of the iceberg.

I hear that it is boom time for New Media Social Networking Consultants.

And from what I see on DUEE, they seem to be very busy.

(That isn't a reference to you, OK.)

[DCKit]

2. K&R for more eyes. n/t