Front Groups

Meijer Admission

by Sheldon Rampton — February 7, 2008 - 4:19pm

The Meijer retail chain has issued a public apology, admitting that it "likely violated campaign finance and reporting laws" and pledging to "comply with any and all direction, penalties, fines or other actions required by the Department of State" in connection with its covert effort to manipulate elections in Acme Township, Michigan, where local officials opposed its pla

Main Source: 
Grand Rapids Press, February 5, 2008

Freedom's Watch Wants to be the Right's MoveOn

by John Stauber — February 6, 2008 - 9:48am

Bill Berkowitz reports, "a number of right wing groups have been contending for the unofficial designation of the conservative version of MoveOn.org, the liberal grassroots lobbying organization. These days, Freedom's Watch appears to have a leg up on them all. ...

Main Source: 
IPS News, February 5, 2008

James Glassman: The Journalist Turned Journo-lobbyist's Bid to Be PR Czar

by Diane Farsetta — January 31, 2008 - 6:23pm
  • Topics: Internet, Iraq, Front Groups, Terrorism, Public Diplomacy, U.S. Congress, International, Politics, Propaganda, U.S. Government

    • James Glassman, the nominee for Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, probably won't have much of an impact on how the United States presents itself to the rest of the world.

    For one thing, he'll only have 11 months in the post. For another -- as his predecessor Karen Hughes proved -- putting shinier lipstick on the pig of U.S. foreign policy doesn't do much to assuage widespread anti-American sentiment. Still, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's January 30 hearing on Glassman's nomination provided some insight into Washington's evolving view of public diplomacy.

    CMD and Consumer Reports WebWatch Launch Full Frontal Scrutiny

    by Judith Siers-Poisson — January 29, 2008 - 2:42pm
  • Topics: Astroturf, Internet, Front Groups, Third Party Technique, Corporations, Democracy, Environment, Health, Pharmaceuticals, Public Relations, Science, Secrecy, Tobacco

    • "The American public deserves to know when someone is trying to persuade them." — U.S. Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, Thursday, January 17, 2008

    Front Groups Beware of Full Frontal Scrutiny

    Today, the Center for Media and Democracy and our partners at Consumer Reports WebWatch launched an exciting new project: Full Frontal Scrutiny. The site seeks to shine a light on front groups -- organizations that state a particular agenda, while hiding or obscuring their identity, membership or sponsorship, or all three. Google the term "front groups" and the number one return is CMD's extensive articles on its SourceWatch site.

    "Clean Coal" for the Candidates

    by Diane Farsetta — January 18, 2008 - 4:51pm

    The coal industry front group calling itself Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC) "is waging a $35 million campaign in primary and caucus states to rally public support for coal-fired electricity and to fuel opposition to legislation that Congress is crafting to slow climate change." ABEC has already spent $1.3 million on ad

    Main Source: 
    Washington Post, January 18, 2008

    More Selective Science from Pharmaceutical Front Group

    by Sheldon Rampton — January 18, 2008 - 4:13pm

    The Center for Science in the Public Interest is criticizing the Providence Journal for publishing an op-ed article by Robert Goldberg while failing to disclose that Goldberg and his organization, the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest,

    Main Source: 
    Integrity in Science Watch, January 14, 2008

    Swift Boating John McCain

    by Sheldon Rampton — January 18, 2008 - 1:30pm

    "A shadowy group calling itself Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain has been busy," reports Kevin Connolly, "handing out flyers implying that in Mr. McCain's long spell as a prisoner of war in Hanoi, during which he was tortured, he gave information to America's enemy. The evidence? Well, there isn't any. It's a straightforward attempt to take one of Mr.

    Main Source: 
    BBC, January 18, 2008

    Return of the Swift Boaters

    by Sheldon Rampton — January 6, 2008 - 1:03am

    At his confirmation hearing for an ambassadorship to Belgium, nominee Sam Fox got grilled by Kerry for the $50,000 contribution he gave to the Sw

    Main Source: 
    The Nation, January 2, 2008

    Total Recall

    by Sheldon Rampton — January 4, 2008 - 11:40pm

    In Acme Township, Michigan, the Meijer retail giant "secretly funded a plan to orchestrate last February's recall of Acme Township's elected officials, a potential violation of state campaign finance laws," reports Brian McGillivary.

    Main Source: 
    Traverse City Record-Eagle, December 23, 2007
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