Courtesy Daquella manera via FlickrAstroturfing – the corporate practice of funding initiatives that mimic "grassroots" support for an issue – has been getting a lot of attention these days, after it came to light that a pro-coal group was ultimately behind forged letters to Congress on the climate bill. But the practice is neither new nor rare, and we can expect to see similar actions over the next weeks as representatives return to their home districts for August recess. Grist reported yesterday that the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, the group whose money ultimately funded the forged letters, has …

Among the forged anti-climate letters that found their way to Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) earlier this summer was a message purporting to be from the American Association of University Women (AAUW). One can only assume that the coal-funded astroturfer who faked the letter worried that the etters he forged from minority groups wouldn't get Perriello's attention. It's a given fact among conservatives, after all, that liberal Democrats always pay more attention to elites from the ivory tower than regular folk, and Perriello's district does contain Mr. Jefferson's University of Virginia. No surprise that the AAUW wasn't too pleased. On Thursday …

A group of 10 Democrats from industrial and coal-dependent states sent a letter to President Obama on Thursday informing him that they will not support a climate and energy bill that puts American businesses on an uneven playing field. "Climate change is a reality and the world cannot afford inaction. However, we must not engage in a self-defeating effort that displaces greenhouse gas emissions rather than reducing them and displaces U.S. jobs rather than bolstering them," they wrote. Sens. Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Carl Levin (Mich.), Robert Casey (Penn.), Arlen Specter (Penn.), Robert Byrd (W.Va.), Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.), …

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity claims to be shocked, shocked that forged anti-climate-bill letters were sent to members of Congress by one of its subcontractors, saying it was "an isolated incident." But it seems ACCCE also engaged in some fishy behavior last year during debate over a Senate climate bill. Grist contributor Sue Sturgis of the Institute for Southern Studies reported in May 2008 that a representative for ACCCE, then known as Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC), was caught misrepresenting the group in a phone call that aimed to drum up opposition to the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security …

Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., president of the Hip Hop Caucus, discusses the Green the Block partnership. In the background (L-R) are Dept. of Energy Undersecretary Kristina Johnson, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan. Kate Sheppard / GristEnsuring that low-income communities and minority youth benefit from green jobs programs is the goal of a new partnership between the White House and two grassroots organizations -- Hip Hop Caucus and Green For All. Two Cabinet members and leaders of the grassroots groups unveiled the Green the Block initiative Tuesday at a White House press …

Rep. Ed Markey wants to get to the bottom of the story.Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) wants answers from the pro-coal group that funded the organization responsible for the forged letters sent to House members. Markey, chair of the Select Committee for Energy Independence and Global Warming, sent a letter to the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) on Wednesday requesting information about its role in the fraudulent letters urging representatives to vote against the House climate and energy bill. ACCCE came forward earlier this week to acknowledge that it had contracted with Hawthorn Group, a consulting firm, which in …

Officials at the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) are claiming to be victims of the forged anti-climate bill letters sent to three members of Congress earlier this summer, but a background document released by the organization reveals that its leaders knew about the fake letters before the House voted on climate legislation. In the document [PDF], ACCCE says it was made aware of the forged letters on June 24, 2009 -- two days before lawmakers narrowly approved the climate bill, better known as Waxman-Markey. The document shows that the coal group made no effort to inform lawmakers about …

The controversial business of selling grassroots political campaigns is getting the spotlight treatment as details continue to emerge about the source of fake letters sent to a first-term member of Congress urging him to vote against the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill. Congressman Tom Perriello represents Virginia's 5th district. His office received forged letters urging him to vote against climate legislation.Courtesy Rep. PerrielloThe Sierra Club on Monday petitioned the Department of Justice to investigate letters that were received by Rep. Tom Perriello, a Democrat representing central Virginia. In a letter sent Monday [PDF] to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, the …

Bob Corker Sen. Bob Corker came out swinging against the climate bill that the House passed in June. "I didn’t think it was possible, but the Waxman-Markey climate bill appears to be even more problematic than the climate bill that tanked in the Senate last spring," he said, referring to the Lieberman-Warner bill that he voted against in 2008. "I don’t know of many special interests that don’t receive a pay-off in this [Waxman-Markey] legislation, and if it comes to the Senate floor in this form, I’ll vote against it." Yet Corker understands that climate change is a problem and …

Mike Crapo Sen. Mike Crapo is probably going to oppose a climate bill this year, but he's shown signs that he could be convinced to vote yes. Crapo would want a bill to provide substantial support for nuclear power, which he emphasized during an exchange with Energy Secretary Steven Chu at a recent hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Crapo has also expressed interest in wind development in Idaho, which ranks among the top states in terms of wind potential, and has noted that Idaho could play a role in the biofuels sector. "There is no debate …