Willing or Unwilling Dupes?
by digby
A group of oil companies including BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Citgo, Chevron and other polluters are using a front group called “America’s WETLAND Foundation” and a Louisiana women’s group called Women of the Storm to spread the message that U.S. taxpayers should pay for the damage caused by BP to Gulf Coast wetlands, and that the reckless offshore oil industry should continue drilling for the “wholesale sustainability” of the region. Using the age-old PR trick of featuring celebrity messengers to attract public attention, America’s Wetland Foundation is spreading a petition accompanied by a video starring Sandra Bullock, Dave Matthews, Lenny Kravitz, Emeril Lagassi, John Goodman, Harry Shearer, Peyton and Eli Manning, Drew Brees and others.
I really doubt that Harry Shearer and Dave Matthews are knowing oil company shills. Still, I would have thought that anyone would question whether or not they should back a group that supports offshore drilling, though.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they were approached by Democrats in the area which is even more depressing. Whatever the case, someone needs to alert them to who they’re shilling for and give them a chance to back off if they want to.
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