Textos de referencia:
Stephen Engelberg (1993) – A New Breed of Hired Hands Cultivates Grass-Roots Anger – The New York Times. 17/03/1993 – http://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/17/us/a-new-breed-of-hired-hands-cultivates-grass-roots-anger.html
“Consider Bonner & Associates, which occupies an entire floor of one of Washington’s pricier office buildings … This company is among a new breed of Washington firms that has turned grass-roots organizing techniques to the advantage of its high-paying clients, generally trade associations and corporations … the new campaigns are sometimes intended to appear spontaneous. Jack Bonner, who founded Bonner & Associates in 1984, says he always lets his targets know of his activities. But the rise of this industry has made it hard to tell the difference between between manufactured public opinion and genuine explosions of popular sentiment. … the rise of this industry has made it hard to tell the difference between between manufactured public opinion and genuine explosions of popular sentiment … Bonner Associates specializes in seizing on unformed public sentiment, marshaling local interest groups and raining faxes, phone calls and letters on Congress or the White House on a few days’ notice.”
Ken Silverstein – Hello. I’m calling this evening to mislead you – Mother Jones, 01/11/1997 – http://www.motherjones.com/politics/1997/11/hello-im-calling-evening-mislead-you
“A look inside one of Washington’s top phony grassroots lobbying firms … They never reveal who really employs them: a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm called Bonner & Associates, a leader in the growing field of fake grassroots — or «astroturf» — lobbying. It’s a lobbying machine destined to keep growing: By 1995 astroturf lobbying had become an $800 million industry, according to Campaigns and Elections magazine. And the industry received encouragement in 1995 when Congress exempted grassroots lobbyists from new disclosure requirements, after conservative groups, led by the Christian Coalition, argued that they would amount to an assault on free speech.”
Zachary Roth – Former Employee: Bonner «Just Got Caught This Time» – TPM Muckracer, 31/07/2009 – http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/former_employee_bonner_just_got_caught_this_time.php
“Jack Bonner said the letter had been sent by a «temporary employee» who has since been fired, and blamed the problem on that one «bad employee.» But a former Bonner and Associates employee who spoke to TPM Muckraker significantly complicated that picture, portraying Bonner and Associates as a place where ethical missteps were far from rare. «They just got caught this time,» he said.”
The Associated Press – Letters on Climate Bill Were Forged – The New York Times – 31/07/2009 – http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/us/politics/01brfs-LETTERSONCLI_BRF.html
“The office of Representative Tom Perriello discovered that a half-dozen letters it received had nearly identical language signed by a made-up person at Creciendo Juntos, a Latino group, and five fake members of the Albemarle-Charlottesville branch of the NAACP.”
Victor Zapanta – NAACP-Forgery Group, Bonner & Associates, Has a Decades-Long History Of Astroturf Tactics – Think Progress, 31/07/2009 – http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/31/bonner-forgery/
“Bonner & Associates has a long history of shady tactics and big business corporate associations: Show Me the Money (1994); Defrauding the U.S. Government (1986); Fighting the Smoking Ban on Behalf of Philip Morris (1994); Killing Health Care Reforms on Behalf of PhRMA (2002) … Late Update Protesters with the international progressive group Avaaz demonstrated (semi-naked) outside Bonner’s D.C. office this afternoon.”
Brad Johnson – Fraudster Bonner’s Client Exposed: ACCCE, King Coal’s Dirty Front Group – The Wonk Room, 03/08/2009 – http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/08/03/accce-bonner-party/
“ACCCE’s choice of Bonner comes a little surprise, as Bonner has built a reputation as one of the most effective and amoral Astroturf companies inside the Beltway, having generated “grassroots” campaigns on behalf of the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries. When not paying for Astroturf fraud, ACCCE was the top lobbyist on climate change and clean energy last year, spending $10.5 million on powerhouse lobbyists such as the Podesta Group and Guinn Gillespie. ACCCE has been praised for the “sophistication” of its public message of supporting mandatory emissions limits in theory while virulently opposing the passage of any actual legislation. In addition, ACCCE has a $20 million budget for online campaigns for “shaping public attitudes” in favor of coal, has run tens of millions of dollars of television and radio ads, has handed out “clean coal” t-shirts and baseball caps, and even promoted “Frosty the Coalman” carols.”
Joseph Romm – Fraudster Bonner’s client is coal industry; Update on letter to Sen. Conrad – Climate Progress, 03/08/2009 – http://climateprogress.org/2009/08/03/bonner-client-accce-coal-front-group-fake-letters/
“The coal industry’s top front group has admitted to hiring Bonner & Associates to block clean energy reform. The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), a public-relations juggernaut funded by electric utilities, mining corporations, and other coal interests to derail mandatory limits on global warming pollution, “acknowledged” paying for Bonner’s “outreach” fraud.”
Brad Johnson – Dirty Coal Group Joining Teabagger Effort to Disrupt Town Hall Meetings – Think Progress, 06/08/2009 – http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/08/06/accce-town-halls/
“ACCCE’s campaign, representing coal interests from General Electric to Peabody Energy, requires the efforts of multiple Astroturfing companies, including primary contractor Hawthorn Group, as well as known fraud shop Bonner & Associates, and marketing firm R&Partners. The “ACCCE Army” will be joining right-wing Astroturf efforts funded by the oil and gas industry to disrupt Congressional town hall meetings across the nation. Americans for Prosperity and FreedomWorks, both bankrolled by oil and gas giant Koch Industries, are orchestrating the “tea party protests”.”
Shameless Front Group Plans More Astroturf – PR Watch, 06/08/2009 – http://www.prwatch.org/node/8489
“The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) is expanding its «grassroots» outreach … «is launching a $1 million campaign» to secure more concessions for coal in the Senate version of the climate change bill. The campaign «will use 225,000 volunteers dubbed ‘America’s Power Army,'» reports Greenwire. «They will visit town hall meetings, fairs and other functions attended by members of Congress and ask questions about energy policy.» … The new ACCCE campaign will be run by the Hawthorn Group, a public relations firm that earlier worked with Bonner & Associates.”
Jim Hoggan – Congress Should Expose or Outlaw Astroturfers – Desmogblog, 19/08/2009 – http://www.desmogblog.com/congress-should-expose-or-outlaw-astroturfers
“The venerable New York Times has reported the discovery of “More Fake Letters To Congress” by Bonner & Associates, the Astroturf specialists hired by Americans for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCE) to interfere with the vote on the Waxman-Markey bill. As much as Bonner has tried to deny its involvement, the agency was clearly the source of forged letters, purporting to come from charitable organizations opposed to the climate bill. But then, Bonner’s record is well-recorded.”
More Pollution of the Climate Debate – PR Watch, 19/08/2009 – http://www.prwatch.org/node/8512
“An investigation has identified more faked letters sent to Congress as part of a deceptive campaign waged by the public relations firm Bonner & Associates, on behalf of the industry front group American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) … One sent to Representative Tom Perriello reads, «Many seniors, as you know, are on low fixed incomes. The cost to heat and cool our homes, run hot water and use other appliances is very important to those on a budget.”
Brendan Demelle – ACCCE Hires New PR Firm With Bush Ties To Push Coal – Desmogblog, 05/02/2010 – http://www.desmogblog.com/accce-hires-new-pr-firm-bush-ties-push-coal
“The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) has hired two new public relations firms to hock its message in the wake of the disastrous job done by Bonner & Associates. ACCCE has retained HDMK, a PR firm with very strong ties to former President George W. Bush and the Republican Party, to manage its national media efforts, while Dan Ronayne, a managing director of the Howard Consulting Group, was retained to work with regional reporters. HDMK is run by Terry Holt, the national campaign spokesperson for George W. Bush in the 2004 election and the former spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner … HDMK’s other clients include the Republic of Panama, America’s Health Insurance Plans, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association and the Real Estate Roundtable. Holt told the National Journal that HDMK will be «part of the strategy team on message development» for ACCCE. ACCCE is no doubt hopeful that HDMK will play a more traditional, behind-the-scenes role in promoting the coal industry’s message.”
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