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SW: →[[Astroturf blogging]]: section for coal industry astroturf
Sometimes genuine grassroots organizations are recruited into corporate-funded campaigns. In June 2003, for example, the [[Gray Panthers]] participated in protests against [[WorldCom]] that were funded largely by the telecommunications company's competitors such as [[Verizon]]. According to the Gray Panthers, this reflected a policy decision that the organization made prior to and independently of its funding. However, an article in the ''Washington Post'' raised questions about failures to publicly disclose the corporate funding which paid for full-page advertisements that the Gray Panthers took out in several major newspapers that called on the federal government to stop doing business with WorldCom. The ads said they were paid for the Gray Panthers but did not mention that [[Issue Dynamics Inc.]] (IDI), a PR firm that specializes in "grassroots PR," had provided most of the $200,000 it cost to place the ads. Verizon spokesman [[Eric Rabe]] has declined to say how much the company is paying IDI, and Gray Panthers Executive Director Timothy Fuller has declined to say how much of the funding for its "Corporate Accountability" project comes from IDI. Notwithstanding the egregious nature of WorldCom's corporate crimes, the lack of transparency in these funding arrangements by WorldCom's corporate competitors raises the question of whether the Gray Panthers campaign should be considered genuine grassroots or astroturf.
==Coal industry Astroturf==
===ACCCE and Bonner & Associates===
In July 2009, public relations firm [[Bonner & Associates]] was caught forging letters to Representative [[Tom Perriello]]. The letters were supposedly from Virginia-based minority groups, like the Charlottesville NAACP or [[Creciendo Juntas]] -- complete with their stationery -- and urged him to oppose the [[Waxman-Markey Climate Bill]]. Bonner & Associates apologized, saying the letters were sent by "mistake."<ref>Brian McNeill, "[http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/local_govtpolitics/article/letters_sent_to_perriello_called_fakes._area_advocates_names_forged_by_d.c./43439/ Forged letters to congressman anger local groups]," ''Daily Progress'' (Charlottesville, Virginia), July 31, 2009.</ref> Perriello is one of the co-sponsors of the [[Clean Water Protection Act]], which would slow the practice of [[Mountaintop removal]].<ref>[http://www.articlexi.com/diary/266/tom-perriello-cosponsors-clean-water-protection-act-hr-1310 "Tom Perriello Cosponsors Clean Water Protection Act (HR 1310)"], '' ArticleXI.com!'', April 30, 2009.</ref>
The [[American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity]] (ACCCE), a coal industry [[front group]], later admitted that Bonner was working on its behalf, as a subcontractor for the [[Hawthorn Group]]. ACCCE said it didn't know about the fake letters beforehand, or condone them. In total, the House of Representatives has identified 14 fake letters sent by Bonner to three Democratic Representatives -- Tom Perriello, [[Kathy Dahlkemper]] (Dem-PA) and [[Chris Carney]] (Dem-PA). Carney and Dahlkemper voted against the Waxman-Markey bill.<ref name="NYTlet">Alex Kaplun, "[http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/08/04/04greenwire-coal-industry-group-linked-to-a-dozen-forged-ca-2624.html Coal Industry Group Linked to a Dozen Forged Cap-And-Trade Letters]," ''New York Times'', August 4, 2009.</ref><ref>David A. Fahrenthold, [http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/09/house_unearths_a_14th_forged_l.html "House Unearths a 14th Forged Letter from a Lobbyist,"] ''Washington Post,'' September 10, 2009.</ref>
Congressman [[Ed Markey]], the co-author of the climate bill and the Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, opened an investigation into the faked letters. He wrote the firm's founder, [[Jack Bonner]], "asking a dozen lengthy questions about the letters," reported the ''New York Times'', including "who hired it to lobby on their behalf, how much it was paid, in which congressional districts it operates in, the extent of its activities in those districts as well as information about the employee that was responsible for the mailing of the letters." Markey gave Bonner August 12, 2009 as the deadline to respond.<ref name="NYTlet"/> The [[Sierra Club]] asked Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] to open a separate [[Justice Department]] investigation into the matter.<ref>Alex Kaplun, "[http://www.eenews.net/public/eenewspm/2009/08/03/7 Sierra Club asks DOJ to investigate forged climate letters]," ''E&ENews PM'', August 3, 2009.</ref>
====Head of ACCCE testifies before Congress====
On October 29, 2009, ACCCE president and CEO Joe Miller testified before the House Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee about the forged letters sent by subcontractor Bonner & Associates. In his testimony, Miller claimed that his organization had never opposed the [[Waxman-Markey Climate Bill]]. However, an official June 2009 press release specifically stated, "ACCCE cannot support this bill, as it is written, because the legislation still does not adequately protect consumers and the domestic economy or ensure that the American people can continue to enjoy the benefits of affordable, reliable electricity, which has been so important to our nation."<ref name="del">Arthur Delaney, [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/29/pro-coal-lobby-boss-claim_n_338794.html "Pro-Coal Lobby Boss Claims Never To Have Opposed Climate Bill," Huffington Post, October 29, 2009.</ref> Miller also said that ACCCE has only lobbied Congress since April 2008, despite extensive records of the group's lobbying efforts for many years prior. The comments sparked accusations that Miller lied under oath and suggestions that the Justice Department may open a criminal perjury probe.<ref>Zachary Roth, [http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/could_coal_lobby_chief_be_probed_for_perjury.php "Could Coal Lobby Chief Be Probed For Perjury?,"] TPMMuckraker, October 29, 2009.</ref><ref name="del"/>
==[[Astroturf blogging]]==
