Lying Liars | Grist

Garbage in, garbage out, journalists in between, all but useless

Treasury memo hysteria shows media incapable of screening out junk 0
Posted 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Is any piece of nonsense from right-wing opponents of clean energy policy too silly, too outrageous, to get its day in the national press spotlight? It would seem not.

Last week, CBS conservo-blogger Declan McCullagh breathlessly reported: "Obama Admin: Cap And Trade Could Cost Families $1,761 A Year." That figure spread like wildfire through right-wing blogs, then jumped to Glenn Beck, and eventually reached The Washington Post. Now Republican lawmakers are repeating it.

The number is completely and utterly misleading. At least in reference to current policy options, it's a lie. But now it's out there, forever part of conservative mythology and forever a "controversy" in the eyes of the establishment media. Is there any way it could have been stopped? Is there any way the next lie can be stopped?
FARCES of coal

FACES of Coal are iStockphotos?! 1
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago
The new coal industry front group "FACES" has yet to come forward with a list of their members. Well, thanks to a few new-media gumshoes, including Appalachian Voices' Jamie Goodman and our friends at DeSmogBlog, we've learned that not only is FACES hosted by a K-Street firm called Adfero, but all of the FACES of coal are actually ... istockphotos. They couldn't even get real photos of their supporters.
A senior moment

More anti-climate-bill letters forged under names of senior-citizen groups 1
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
More fake letters opposing climate legislation have come to light, with this latest batch being falsely attributed to senior-citizen organizations.
Man, or astroturf man?

Industry groups launch astroturf ‘Energy Citizens’ website 0
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
The American Petroleum Institute has launched an "Energy Citizens" website to promote its anti–climate bill astroturfing efforts.
Turf's up!

Astroturf wars continue as more info comes to light on ‘Energy Citizen’ rallies 4
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
The American Petroleum Institute is urging member companies to recruit their employees, retirees, vendors, and contractors to attend "Energy Citizen" rallies across the country and fight against climate legislation. We've got updates to the story.
NAM spam

National Association of Manufacturers claims climate bill would crush economy 6
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
In shocking news, water is still wet, the sky is still blue, and the National Association of Manufacturers is still predicting economic catastrophe if the United States acts against climate change. NAM, in partnership with the American Council for Capital Formation, released a new study on Wednesday of the climate and energy bill that the House passed in June.
An ACCCE up the sleeve

Forged letters not the first of ACCCE’s misrepresentations 0
Posted 3 months ago
The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity says the sending of forged anti-climate-bill letters sent to members of Congress by one of its subcontractors was "an isolated incident." But it seems ACCCE also engaged in some fishy behavior last year during debate over a Senate climate bill.
busted

Lobby firm forges anti-climate-bill letters from Hispanic group and NAACP 9
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
A lobby firm tried to persuade a first-term Virginia congressman not to vote for the House climate bill by writing fake letters from two local minority groups. The lawmaker voted for it anyway. The groups are ticked off. The story's still unfolding.
It Could Be Verse

Climate-news poem: Forgery edition 0
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago
In the hubbub surrounding the ACES vote, a lobbying firm sent fake letters to a congressman from organizations of color. That kind of offense deserves an immediate and powerful response. Or, in this case, a limerick.
What are you smoking, Smokey Joe?

Barton worries that EPA will regulate runners 5
Posted 5 months, 4 weeks ago
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) is concerned about the plight of marathon runners under a cap-and-trade plan. No, we're not making this up.
Just the (industry-sponsored) facts

Chevron hires former CNN correspondent to spin report on Amazon destruction 0
Posted 6 months ago
The New York Times has a great story about Chevron hiring a former CNN reporter to produce a "news" report to counter a 60 Minutes segment on the oil company's contamination of the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador.
What's the sound of one hand solving a problem?

Republican incoherence on climate change 10
Posted 6 months ago
Republicans can't offer the public a solution to climate change because their base won't allow them to acknowledge the problem.
And AEA we go

Industry group’s radio ads target swing votes on climate bill 1
Posted 6 months, 1 week ago
The industry group American Energy Alliance is trying to stir up opposition to the House climate and energy bill with new radio ads targeting key swing voters on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Leave that 30% alone

Quit arguing with douchebags that everyone hates, part two 12
Posted 6 months, 2 weeks ago
Newt Gingrich, Congressional Republicans, Marc Morano, far-right bloggers -- they are douchebags, and everyone hates them.
False profits

Tennessee rep accuses Gore of trying to profit from climate bill 8
Posted 6 months, 2 weeks ago
In one of the spicier moments from Friday's climate hearings in the House, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) suggested that Al Gore would personally profit from a cap-and-trade bill. Watch the video.
Here's to you, Mr. Robinson

Fellow Washington Post columnist challenges George Will’s climate denial 1
Posted 7 months ago
Another Washington Post staffer has joined the pile-on against columnist George Will's climate-change denial. Fellow columnist Eugene Robinson lambasted Will on the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC Wednesday night, and also called out the editors who let him get away with it.
Recursive rebuke

Washington Post reporters call out George Will for lying in Washington Post 10
Posted 7 months ago
Today, in a news story on Arctic sea ice, Washington Post reporters Juliet Eilperin and Mary Beth Sheridan explicitly call out Washington Post op-ed writer George Will for lying about climate change ... in the Washington Post.
Valid argument ISO soundbite

Responding to the “energy tax” attack 0
Posted 7 months, 1 week ago
How to respond to Republican attacks that Dem energy/climate legislation constitutes an "energy tax" that will cost every American family 178 katrillion dollars every time they flip a light switch or pet a puppy.
They really took that Big Lie theory to heart!

Republicans claim carbon bill impact on families that is off by—no kidding—98% 4
Posted 7 months, 1 week ago
So Republicans have been going around saying that Obama's cap-and-trade program will cost every American household $3,128 a year.
Did the coal industry create its own PR nightmare? 4
Posted 10 months, 1 week ago