[BCNnet] FW: Oil campaign against climate legislation

[Carolyn A. Marsh]

Global Warming attacks from oil.

 

August 13, 2009

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

 

Oil Lobby's 'Energy Citizens' Astroturf Campaign Exposed

 

An internal memo obtained recently by Greenpeace USA details polluting
interests' plans to launch a nationwide astroturf campaign attacking climate
legislation at public events scheduled throughout the final weeks of recess
before the Senate returns to debate the issue in September.

 

The email memo (download a PDF copy), which appears to come from the desk of
American Petroleum Institute president Jack Gerard, asks API's member
companies to recruit employees, retirees, vendors and contractors to attend
"Energy Citizen" rallies in key Congressional districts nationwide in the
closing weeks of the August recess. The campaign plan places a special focus
on 21 states picked by API for having "a significant industry presence" or
"assets on the ground."

 

Taking a page from the playbook of astroturf campaigners currently crashing
health care town hall events across the country, API hopes to similarly
sully productive communications between Congress members and their actual
constituents at public events scheduled for the coming weeks. Gerard states
that API is ready to bus in company members and provide logistical support,
and reveals that API has retained "a highly experienced events management
company that has produced successful rallies for presidential campaigns,
corporations and interest groups."

 

Gerard's email states that API is partnering on the rally campaign with the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers,
confirming that the groups are staging a coordinated effort to attack
climate legislation despite the fact that several prominent members of these
groups have stated support for strong Congressional action to combat climate
change.

 

Greenpeace sent a letter to Gerard yesterday asking him to verify the
authenticity of the email, and pointing out that the plan "runs contrary to
several prominent API members' public support for climate action, namely
Shell, BP America, ConocoPhillips, General Electric and Siemens."

 

The memo closes with a 'for your eyes only' plea: "Please treat this
information as sensitive and ask those in your company to do so as well. we
don't want critics to know our game plan."

 

To which Greenpeace responded to Gerard in yesterday's letter, "Game plan
known."

 

Here is a list of the "tentative venues" where API plans to hold "Energy
Citizen" rallies. If you live in one of the named cities, please email any
news or tips you hear about the rallies to us at desmogblog at gmail.com.

 

Houston TX

Perry GA

Detroit MI

Roswell NM

Greensboro NC

Farmington NM

Ohio (venue being finalized)

Greeley CO

Nashville TN

Indiana (venue being finalized)

Bismarck ND

Tampa FL

Sioux Falls SD

Greenville SC

Anchorage AK

Joliet IL

Charleston WV

Fairfax VA

Philadelphia PA

Lincoln NE

Missouri TBD

Arkansas TBD

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