Forged letters to congressman anger local groups (re: climate change legislation)

[kpete]

Source: The Daily Progresss

Forged letters to congressman anger local groups

As U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello was considering how to vote on an important piece of climate change legislation in June, the freshman congressman’s office received at least six letters from two Charlottesville-based minority organizations voicing opposition to the measure.
The letters, as it turns out, were forgeries

...............

"This was not a ‘mistake,’" wrote (Tim) Freilich, who is also legal director of the Immigrant Advocacy Program of the Legal Aid Justice Center. "This was a deliberately and carefully forged letter that used the logo, address and name of Creciendo Juntos without authorization. Additionally, I understand from Ms. Hegyi that our organization was not the only Charlottesville-area organization whose reputations were used in an unauthorized manner to try to influence Congressman Perriello on this particular vote."

After being notified of the bogus Creciendo Juntos letter, staffers in Perriello’s office realized that the wording of the letter sounded familiar.

The staffers dug through the stacks of thousands of letters, e-mails and faxes Perriello received about the bill — the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 — and found five more forged letters, these purportedly from the Albemarle-Charlottesville branch of the NAACP.

http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/local_govtpolitics/article/letters_sent_to_perriello_called_fakes._area_advocates_names_forged_by_d.c./43439/

Read more: http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/local_govtpolitics/article/letters_sent_to_perriello_called_fakes._area_advocates_names_forged_by_d.c./43439/

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. There is some of the best reporting that I have read in a long long time in that article

I hope people will take the time to read the link.

That reporter in a fairly small paper under the heading "Local news" wrote an incredibly interesting and informative article about lobbying companies writing fraudulent letters as part of an astroturfing campaign against cap and trade.

I think that article should be linked to and exposed to as many people as possible to remind them what actual reporting is.

It should also remind all of us about the kind of people and firms we are dealing with. "Ethics" is literally not in their vocabulary. I think that it might behoove Congressional staffers to start verifying some of their correspondence by contacting people back to make sure that:

A. They exist (if they don't then that is prima facie fraud)
B. They wrote the letter signed in their name

[damntexdem]

2. It's a "fairly small paper" -- well that explains the good reporting.

The big media haven't been able to destroy the newsgathering there yet.

[Wizard777]

3. This is a crime and it should be referred to the DOJ. This is Classic Steele.

I also smell a Steele. For insight into GOP Chairman Michael Steele's bag of dirty tricks. You need to look at the Maryland Governors election Between Ehrlich/Steele(R) and Townsend/Larson (D). Pay particular attention to an organization called "Democrats for Ehrlich." The group was founded by a Straw donation by Robert Ehrlich (R). He very effectively used this group the hijack the Democratic Party brand and use as a very effective weapon against the Democrat Candidate Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (daughter of RFK.) Democrats for Ehrlich painted her as a carpetbagger from Massachusetts and Ehrlich as the hometown boy. As a result of the efforts of these Republican hijackers of the Democratic brand. Maryland elected it's first Republican Governor in 30 years, Robert Ehrlich (R), and it's first Black Lt. Governor Michael Steele. This is despite Steele have little to no support from Maryland African American community. Now the national GOP has Michael Steele as their Chairman. The GOP is trying to paint President Obama as the Carpetbagger from Kenya. Trademarks and brands are being hijacked in support of known GOP causes. Without these dirty tricks. The only thing Mike Steele has left to offer the GOP. Well, it's his ability to get down with the Homies. Which causes the Homies to throw Oreo Cookies at him. So this just leaves one question to ask the GOP. Since we're onto your asses, got milk? 'Cause we're gonna get down and get funky. Uh huh. They were allowed to get away with this in Maryland. We can't allow them to get away with this on the National level.

[bananas]

4. It's in the Washington Post and Walls Street Journal, and an protest organized

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/31/AR2009073102587.html?hpid=topnews
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/07/31/fake-out-forged-letters-urged-congressman-to-vote-against-climate-bill/

Looks like the protest already happened:

http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/07/31/action-alert-protest-in-front-of-bonner-and-associates-for-naked-fraud/

This morning the below story broke: LOBBYISTS FORGED LETTERS TO CONGRESS ON CLIMATE BILL

A DC Lobbying firm stole the trademarked logo and organizational name of the NAACP and a community group in Charlottesville, VA and wrote a letter purporting to oppose the ACES bill in the house.

This is a prime example of dirty money fueling lies in DC. It is an affront to Democracy and a hindrance to passing the climate legislation our country desperately needs. We need to call them out and make this a national story.

RAPID RESPONSE ACTION:

What: Picket / Rally outside of the perpetrators’ offices. Visuals will include “naked” lobbyists holding signs admitting to “naked fraud” and climate destruction.

Where: 1101 17th St NW (Near Farragut Square Metro stops)

When: 2:30 PM, Friday July 31.

Who: Avaaz Climate Action Factory and YOU!

For Inquiry: call David Sievers at 301-455-2357 or Morgan Goodwin at 413-884-5240

Resources: Download and view the forged and fraudulent letters here (NAACP) and here (Creciendos Juntos), .

[KT2000]

5. Someone used my name once

got a letter from my senator, responding to "my letter supporting a RW position." Other than informing the senator's office, I did not report it. Wonder how common this is.