There is a fine piece of local reporting in today's Charlottesville, Virginia, Daily Progress that deserves to get some national attention for the spotlight it focuses on deceptive tactics used by hired-gun lobbyists. The lead:
As U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello was considering how to vote on an important piece of climate change legislation in June, the freshman congressman’s office received at least six letters from two Charlottesville-based minority organizations voicing opposition to the measure.
The letters, as it turns out, were forgeries.
Forged letters to congressman anger local groups
The basic tactic was to use official-looking letterhead purportedly from nonprofit organizations representing minority groups, signed by nonexistent people, to oppose the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 that narrowly passed in the House (with Perriello voting in favor, a vote for which Republicans have been bashing him since).
Bonner and Associates, the lobbying firm responsible for the fake letters has apologized to Perriello's office for the "mistake" by a staffer whom they claim was subsequently fired, but as a director of one of the affected nonprofits noted, "mistake" is hardly the right term: "This was a deliberately and carefully forged letter that used the logo, address and name of Creciendo Juntos without authorization."
No doubt sleazy tactics like this are commonplace. No doubt they are being used right now in an attempt to influence health care reform legislation. Even if civil or criminal penalties can be levied against such behavior, it's unlikely to happen in this case anytime soon. All the more reason to appreciate it when a local paper like the Daily Progress front-pages a story like this to hold these tactics up to public judgment at least.