Lobbying

Jim Sims Flacks for "Clean Coal"

by Sheldon Rampton — April 20, 2007 - 10:56pm

At the "Utah Energy Summit," Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer called for more federal money to develop "clean coal" as an alternative to petroleum and a solution to global warming.

Main Source: 
Grist, April 17, 2007

Blair Staff to Exit via Revolving Door

by Bob Burton — April 20, 2007 - 3:45am

With British Prime Minister Tony Blair expected to retire from politics in the next few weeks, some of his staff are already jumping ship.

Main Source: 
PR Week, April 18, 2007

GoodWorks Means Good Money For Andrew Young in Nigeria

by John Stauber — April 18, 2007 - 7:39am

PR executive Andrew Young parlayed his civil rights and liberal political background into a lucrative career representing Wal-Mart Stores, Nike and other corporations.

Main Source: 
New York Times, April 18, 2007

AT&T, Verizon Reach Out and Co-Opt Someone

by Diane Farsetta — April 16, 2007 - 1:22pm

Telecom analyst Bruce Kushnick writes that "Astroturf and co-opted groups representing the deaf, disabled, black, low income and others" are "touting a plan to loosen cable franchise rules for the phone companies." He asks, "What do these groups" -- including the National Black Chamber of Commerce, Consumers for Cable Choice, Video Access Alliance,

Main Source: 
Nieman Watchdog, April 4, 2007

European Ban on Drug Ads Under Pressure

by Bob Burton — April 13, 2007 - 5:06am

Later this month, proposals "that would jeopardise the current ban on direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs" in the European Union will be unveiled, reports Hannah Brown.

Main Source: 
British Medical Journal (sub req'd), March 31, 2007

Rick Berman Gets His 60 Minutes of Fame

by John Stauber — April 6, 2007 - 6:10pm

PR maven Rick Berman, the right-wing lobbyist who has made a lucrative career of starting and managing industry-funded front groups such as Center for Consumer Freedom and ActivistCash.com, gets a CBS 60 Minutes work-up this weekend.

Main Source: 
CBSnews.com website, April 5, 2007

Opaque Standards for European Union Lobbyists

by Bob Burton — March 29, 2007 - 5:07am

The European Commission has backed the introduction of a voluntary register for lobbyists seeking to influence European Union officials. "All these groups or bodies are invited to register publicly whom they represent and what their objectives are. They are invited to declare funding sources and major clients," the commission stated.

Main Source: 
Associated Press, March 21, 2007

Shaping the Message, Distorting the Science

by Sheldon Rampton — March 27, 2007 - 3:13pm
  • Topics: Global Warming, U.S. Congress, Lobbying, Marketing, Public Relations, Science, Tobacco

    • I've been asked to deliver testimony this Wednesday before the Committee on Science and Technology of the U.S. House of Representatives, which is holding a hearing titled "Shaping the Message, Distorting the Science: Media Strategies to Influence Science Policy."

    Gephardt Enters the Coal Lobbying Mines

    by Diane Farsetta — March 26, 2007 - 4:27pm

    In yet another example of the government-industry revolving door, "Peabody Energy, the world's largest private sector coal company, has hired Dick Gephardt's firm to spearhead its drive to defeat efforts by Democrats to put caps on carbon emissions in a bid to combat global warming," reports O'Dwyer's.

    Main Source: 
    O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), March 23, 2007

    The Appearance of an Independent Judiciary Goes Up in Smoke

    by Anne Landman — March 23, 2007 - 2:44pm
  • Topics: Right Wing, Corporations, Lobbying, Tobacco, U.S. Government

    • Things are looking grimmer and grimmer for U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

    The scandal involving the firing of eight attorneys has led to accusations that Gonzales runs the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to suit the Bush administration's right-wing political ideology instead of to protect the interest of citizens. Now Sharon Eubanks, the lead attorney in DOJ's racketeering case against the major American tobacco companies, has emerged to provide further evidence of judicial rigging.

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