The Lengths to Which They'll Go

So, a few days ago, we learned that Big Oil was sneaking around trying to organize some more astroturfing without anybody cottoning on:

I don't doubt that conservatives hoping to defeat Democratic energy policies will come up with some creative attacks later this year. They're hard to predict, of course, but I'm looking forward to lobbyists telling far-right activists that cap-and-trade is really about euthanasia. I can't wait to see Sarah Palin write on Facebook about the Obama "cap and kill" plan. (Perhaps I shouldn't give her ideas.)

Part of the plan, apparently, includes more astrotufring.

A leaked memo sent by an oil industry group reveals a plan to create astroturf rallies at which industry employees posing as "citizens" will urge Congress to oppose climate change legislation.

The memo -- sent by the American Petroleum Institute and obtained by Greenpeace, which sent it to reporters -- urges oil companies to recruit their employees for events that will "put a human face on the impacts of unsound energy policy," and will urge senators to "avoid the mistakes embodied in the House climate bill."

API president Jack Gerard warns in the memo, "Please treat this information as sensitive ... we don't want critics to know our game plan." [emphasis added]

Oops.

Definitely oops.

And just how far will the energy industry go to defeat climate change and clean energy legislation? Well, let's just say that the letters they forged are more flood than trickle:

Last month, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) announced a congressional investigation of the DC lobbying firm Bonner & Associates. The firm, which has a long history of astroturfing, was caught forging anti-clean energy reform letters — purportedly from groups representing women and people of color — to Congress. Coal front group American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy was eventually revealed to be Bonner’s client in the anti-clean energy campaign. Now, more forged letters have been uncovered.

Today, Markey revealed five new letters, and dozens more may be out there. According to a statement from Markey’s office, the faked letters came from “elderly services and senior centers” and were sent to Democratic Reps. Tom Periello (VA), Kathy Dahlkemper (PA), and Christopher Carney (PA):

The five letters revealed today brings the total number of fraudulent letters to 13, now representing 9 different community groups. Letters released today were staged to look like they were sent by groups representing senior citizen services like the non-profit Erie Center on Health & Aging. Previous letters already made public were from the Charlottesville-based NAACP, Creciendo Juntos, a hispanic advocacy organization, the Jefferson Area Board on Aging, and the American Association of University Women. […]

“We’ve seen fear-mongering with our nation’s senior citizens with health care, and now we’re seeing fraud-mongering with senior citizens on clean energy,” said Chairman Markey.

Raise your hand if you think these fucktards have any credibility left.

Yeah, I didn't think so.