Lobbying

Getting Consumers to Pay Now for Nukes Later

by Bob Burton — February 25, 2009 - 3:40am

Georgia Power, a subsidiary of the energy utility Southern Power, has mounted an intensive lobbying campaign for legislation that would allow it to bill customers now for as much as $2 billion of the $14 billion price tag of two new nuclear reactors proposed for the Vogtle power station.

Main Source: 
Associated Press, February 23, 2009

Lobbyists Fuel Perchlorate Debate

by Diane Farsetta — February 16, 2009 - 3:55pm

"For decades prior to passage of clean-water laws in the 1970s, defense firms routinely dumped perchlorate, used in rocket fuel to generate an intense burn, into the ground and waterways. The substance has tainted water supplies in at least 26 states," and is linked to such health threats as "neurological impairments for infants." Military companies and U.S.

Main Source: 
Mother Jones, February 2009

Consultants Rush in to Help Russia

by Diane Farsetta — February 11, 2009 - 6:18pm

The public relations firm Ketchum, which "works with the highest levels of Russia's Government and the state-owned energy monopoly Gazprom," has hired the Alston & Bird lobby firm to work on the account. The lobby firm "of former Senate Majority Leaders Bob Dole and Tom Daschle will deal with trade, energy, economic and politico-military issues at a $35K-a-month rate," at least through the end of May 2009, reports O'Dwyer's. Russia paid Ketchum $2.9 million from August 2008 to January 2009. The PR firm helped Russia finesse its invasion of Georgia in August 2008 and its cutting off natural gas supplies to Ukraine. The firm secured a CNN interview for Vladimir Putin, "coordinated President Dmitry Medvedev's Council on Foreign Relations event (in November 2008), organized a meeting for Washington reporters with Kremlin spokesperson Alexey Pavlov and arranged a Wall Street Journal meeting with Gazprom deputy chairman Alexander Medvedev." Previously, Ketchum placed Russia-themed paid supplements in the Washington Post and helped Putin become Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2007.

Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), February 9, 2009

South Korea Seeks the Calming Influence of Spin Doctors

by Bob Burton — February 9, 2009 - 10:42pm

The Korean Ministry of Labour has appointed Fleishman-Hillard (F-H) to "develop a strategic communications campaign to address pressing labour-related issues within the domestic market," reports Media magazine. David Blecken reports that F-H will run a one-year campaign which will "aim to maintain social harmony by building a greater level of understanding between the government, business community, unions, employees and other related interest groups." The South Korean Embassy in Washington D.C.

Main Source: 
Media, February 9, 2009

Spinning the Door into the CIA

by Bob Burton — February 9, 2009 - 10:33pm

Leon Panetta, former Chief of Staff to the President Bill Clinton and Barack Obama's nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency, earned over $1 million in 2008 as a corporate consultant and guest speaker. On the eve of a confirmation hearing before a U.S.

Main Source: 
Washington Post, February 5, 2009

The Plot to Kill Google

by Sheldon Rampton — February 7, 2009 - 4:30pm

Google, the powerful online search service, is coming under attack from enemies including Microsoft and AT&T, report Nicholas Thompson and Fred Vogelstein.

Main Source: 
Wired, January 19, 2009

Rethinking Think Tanks

by Diane Farsetta — February 4, 2009 - 5:43pm

"Fueled by tax-deductible donations and an explosion in philanthropic assets, think tanks have dramatically grown in size and influence during the past 100 years," writes J.H. Snider, himself a think tank fellow. "U.S. think tanks increased in number from eight in 1910 to 98 in 1960 and 1,106 in 2006. ...

Main Source: 
Politico.com, February 3, 2009

Developer's Casino in a Velvet Glove

by Bob Burton — February 2, 2009 - 1:12am

J. Scott Trubey reports that documents, obtained under Georgia's freedom of information laws, revealed that Fleishman-Hillard (F-H) had been hired by Georgia Lottery to sell the concept of the state's first casino to legislators, business leaders and the public. Underground Atlanta, a shopping complex, was mentioned as a possible site for the introduction of a casino.

Main Source: 
Atlanta Business Chronicle, January 30, 2009

Front Group King Rick Berman Gets Blasted by his Son, David Berman

by Anne Landman — January 30, 2009 - 12:00pm
  • Topics: Front Groups, Ethics, Lobbying

    • Washington, D.C. lobbying scourge Richard B. "Rick" Berman is facing steadily increasing pushback these days, and some of it is coming from a surprising source -- his own son, musician David Berman.

    Berman has long been the front man through which corporations have aggressively attacked their opponents without leaving fingerprints. Known to his own friends and enemies alike as "Dr. Evil," Berman has perfected the art of setting up non-profit "charitable" groups to advance corporate interests. The groups have deceptively helpful-sounding names, like "Guest Choice Network," the "Employment Policies Institute" or the "Center for Consumer Freedom," but really serve as well-funded attack dogs for the tobacco, alcohol, chain restaurant, tanning and other industries. The groups' non-profit status makes their funding hard to trace, which has permitted Berman to operate in the shadows for decades while pocketing millions from unpopular industries for his work thwarting public interest legislation.

    Coal Industry Front Group's Dirty Tactics

    by Diane Farsetta — January 30, 2009 - 10:49am

    "Our goal is straightforward," wrote the head of the Center for Energy and Economic Development, now called the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. "Persuade states that voluntary sequestration activities and technology investments are appropriate policies to address climate change concerns, while government mandatory controls are not." The 2004 memo (pdf), written to the head of Peabody Energy, also details the industry front group's efforts to "sow discord among the RGGI states," the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by ten U.S. states. That was done via front group-sponsored research that concluded the RGGI states would face "negative economic consequences" for reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while having "an infinitesimal affect on global GHG concentrations." On the federal level, the memo boasts, "We activated the Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) citizen army to call targeted U.S. Senators," in opposition to the McCain-Lieberman climate change bill.

    Main Source: 
    DeSmog Blog, January 16, 2009
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