Lobbyist Bonner Takes "Full Responsibility" For Forged Anti-Climate Bill Letters - Then Blames Temp

[hatrack]

A lobbyist told a House panel today that his firm mishandled its response to forged letters it sent to members of Congress on a climate legislation but maintained that the forgeries werean "anomaly" perpetrated by a temporary employee.

Jack Bonner, chairman of Bonner & Associates, repeatedly told the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming that he took "full responsibility" for the forged letters and should have been more proactive in contacting lawmakers once the forgeries were uncovered.

"I am personally very sorry that I immediately did not go to the three members involved, sit in their office and tell somebody exactly what happened," Bonner told Chairman Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who asked Bonner several times why he waited until after the House vote on the global warming bill to reveal the forged letters.

Bonner said the letters were created by a temporary employee who has fired immediately after the letters were discovered. Bonner said he is unable to explain why the employee had decided to forge the letters and that the matter has been referred to legal authorities. "What this individual did was wrong, and we should have caught him before he perpetrated this scheme," Bonner said.

EDIT

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/29/29greenwire-lobbyist-apologizes-to-house-climate-panel-for-89713.html

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Oh, yeah; some temp just decided all by himself to pull off this fraud.

Right. :eyes:

[valerief]

2. Exactly. What a lying POS he is. nt

[NYC_SKP]

3. Bonner and Associates in now Hiring. Really. "Temporary Political Work: DC"

Temporary Political Work

Would you like to work on a variety of interesting legislative issues? Can you discuss a legislative issue with constituents? Can you work well under pressure? Is high quality work your standard? Are you available for full time, temporary political work in downtown Washington, DC?

The premier grassroots organizing firm (founded 1984) in Washington, DC is looking for temporary staffers to work for Fortune 100 and major trade association clients. NO direct lobbying.

New higher pay rate.

Please send resume and cover letter to [e-mail] or
fax to 202-833-3584.
No phone calls please.

Bonner & Associates
1101 17th Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036

http://www.bonnerandassociates.com/empOpportunities_DC.htm


Text

"Strategic Grassroots" :rofl:

[petronius]

4. So his firm produced forgeries, and passed them on to Congress in order to

influence a vote. He found out they were forgeries before the vote, but withheld that information until after the vote?

Sounds to me that it doesn't matter who created the letter, Bonner still deliberately used them to serve his client's goals. I have no idea what laws relate to lobbyist behavior or lying to Congress in this way, but I think this guy should get stomped on. Are lobbyists licensed in any way?

[eppur_se_muova]

5. O.Z.R.Staffer strikes again!