D C I 1

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>DCI see also  DCI 2 and tag for newer </b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>
</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>note color below</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>co fdr doug goodyear (mcCain OMG whole staff was DCI, including<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> matt rhoades</span>)</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>TCC pioneer journo-lobbying</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>grassroots/astro plus ideology shift ~ gov't</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>capt 219 222</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>HTML </b></font><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large">first-hand experience</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: " times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"> </span></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">heated series?</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">sw header:</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The </span><b style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">DCI Group, LLC</b><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> is the top </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Republican_Party" title="Republican Party" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Republican</a><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lobbying" title="Lobbying" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">lobby</a><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Public_relations" title="Public relations" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">public relations</a><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> firm with offices in Washington, </span><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Brussels,</span><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and Houston. DCI has been associated with telemarketing company </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Feather_Larson%26_Synhorst_DCI" title="Feather Larson & Synhorst DCI" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);">Feather Larson & Synhorst DCI</a><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and the direct-mail firm FYI Messaging. The DCI Group was the publisher of the now defunct website, </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Tech_Central_Station" title="Tech Central Station" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background: none rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Tech Central Station</b></a><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, and had</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px;"> close ties to the </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_W.Bush" title="George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">George W. Bush</a><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration" title="Bush administration" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">administration</a></span><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Incorporated in 1997 in Phoenix, Arizona, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Timothy_N.Hyde" title="Timothy N. Hyde" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Timothy N. Hyde</a><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px;">, </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Douglas_M.Goodyear" title="Douglas M. Goodyear" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><b>Douglas M. Goodyear</b></a><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px;"><b>,</b> and </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Thomas_J.Synhorst" title="Thomas J. Synhorst" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); line-height: 22.4px; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Thomas J. <b>Synhorst</b></a></span><span style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37); line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">are listed as the LLC's managers.</span></span></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ur TP</font></b></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> ...<span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" line-height="line-height" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb"><b>In 1990, Tim Hyde, <span class="caps">RJR</span> Tobacco's head of national field operations,</b> in an eerily similar description of the Tea Party today, explained why groups like <span class="caps">CSE</span> were important to the tobacco industry's fight against government regulation.</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" line-height="line-height" px="px"> </span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" line-height="line-height" px="px">Hyde wrote:</span></font></p><blockquote style="line-height: 20.8px; margin: 1.5em 30px;"><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“… coalition building should proceed along <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>two tracks</b>: a) a grassroots organizational and largely local track,; b) and a national, intellectual track within the <span class="caps">DC</span>-New York corridor. </span>Ultimately, we are talking about a “movement,” a national effort to change the way people think about government's (and big business) role in our lives. Any such effort requires an intellectual foundation - a set of theoretical and ideological arguments on its behalf.” </font></p></blockquote><p style="line-height: 20.8px; margin: 1em 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The common public understanding of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_Party_movement" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>origins of the Tea Party</b></span> </a>is that it is a popular grassroots uprising that began with anti-tax protests in 2009.</font></p><p style="line-height: 20.8px; margin: 1em 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...</font></p><p style="margin: 1em 0px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="line-height: 20.8px;"><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/02/11/study-confirms-tea-party-was-created-big-tobacco-and-billionaires">http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/02/11/study-confirms-tea-party-was-created-big-tobacco-and-billionaires</a></span></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.6; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Let’s take a quick stroll through the resume of <b>Jim Murphy, </b>hired Monday by Donald Trump’s campaign as national political director, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/06/us/politics/trump-hires.html?r=0" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;">according to the New York Times</a>:</font></p><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px 1.1rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.6; list-style-position: outside;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Former adviser to Bob Dole and Mitt Romney’s presidential bids.</font></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Frequent donor to GOP political campaigns and PACs.</font></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Managing partner and then president of the DCI Group from 2002 to 2012,</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> at a time when the Washington, D.C., lobbyists represented ExxonMobil and assisted in attempts to sow doubt about the scientific consensus on climate change</span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> … Oh boy, here we go.[</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">manafort </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">on team too]</span></font></li></ul><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.6; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The Daily Beast <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/07/from-big-oil-to-big-hair-meet-donald-trump-s-controversial-new-man.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">points out</a> <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/07/from-big-oil-to-big-hair-meet-donald-trump-s-controversial-new-man.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">that in addition to representing repressive military regimes and using fake “volunteers” to push for privatization of social security</a>, DCI has gone to bat for both Big Tobacco and Big Oil. The firm has represented Exxon since 2005</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> according to the </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/firmsum.php?id=D000021952" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">most recent data</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> available from the Center for Responsive Politics. That collaboration, according to </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/320999-heartland-exxon-clean-air-act-mtg-2006.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">documents</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, involved working with the </span><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Heartland_Institute#Exxon_funding" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">Exxon-funded</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <b>Heartland Institute and conservative think tanks to counter greenhouse gas regulations, promoting a climate denial website called called </b></span><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tech_Central_Station" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">Tech Central Station</a>,</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and using Exxon money to </span><a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/nation/2006/08/03/Where-did-that-video-spoofing-Gore-s-film-come-from/stories/200608030477" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: none;">produce</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> a parody of Al Gore’s </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">An Inconvenient Truth</i><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. IMG penguin</span></b></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.6; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 1.6;">A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators </span><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2612021&page=1" style="line-height: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent;">sent Exxon a letter</a><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> in 2006 demanding it “end any further financial assistance” to groups “whose public advocacy has contributed to the small but unfortunately effective climate change denial myth.”</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.6; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 1.6;"><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">DCI has also had dealings with the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> coal</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> industry; from 2013 to 2014, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity</span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> paid some $5 million to the firm for its lobbying services. And earlier this year, both </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>DCI</b> and the Competitive Enterprise Institute were </span></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="http://www.climateinvestigations.org/dci_group_subpoena_exxon_climate_fraud" style="line-height: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;"><b>served subpoenas</b></a><span style="line-height: 1.6;"> from the U.S. Virgin Islands <b>U.S. attorneys’</b> offices as part of an investigation into companies — particularly Exxon — and organizations accused of funding of climate change denial</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. </span><span style="line-height: 1.6; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">That’s quite a resume.</span></font></p><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">===</font></p><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DCI Group, a Washington DC public relations and lobbying firm, is the latest group <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/files/dci_usvi_subpoena.pdf" target="blank">subpoenaed</a> in an expanding investigation by state attorneys general into the funding of climate change denial by ExxonMobil, according to <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/files/dci_usvi_subpoena.pdf" target="blank">court filings</a> reviewed by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD).</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ExxonMobil has now received separate subpoenas from both the New York

and U.S. Virgin Islands U.S. Attorneys' Offices. The Competitive

Enterprise Institute (CEI) and DCI Group have also been subpoenaed by

the U.S. Virgin Islands for records relating to their role in helping

ExxonMobil with climate change denial.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Seventeen state attorneys general—calling themselves "<a href="http://insideclimatenews.org/news/30032016/climate-change-fraud-investigation-exxon-eric-shneiderman-18-attorneys-general" target="_blank">AGs United for Clean Power</a>"—held

a press conference on March 29, announcing increased collaboration

between the states in investigating the opposition to tackling climate

change.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"The scope of the problem we are facing, the size of the corporate

entities and their alliances, the trade associations and other groups,

is massive and it requires a multistate effort," <a href="http://insideclimatenews.org/news/30032016/climate-change-fraud-investigation-exxon-eric-shneiderman-18-attorneys-general" target="_blank">said</a> New York Attorney General Schneiderman.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ExxonMobil has become the focus of attention from state attorneys general, after separate investigations by <a href="http://insideclimatenews.org/content/Exxon-The-Road-Not-Taken%22%20%5Ct%20%22_blank" target="blank">InsideClimate News</a> and the <a href="http://graphics.latimes.com/exxon-arctic/" target="blank">LA Times/Columbia School of Journalism</a> revealed it had known internally about the threat of climate change for several decades. <a href="http://insideclimatenews.org/content/Exxon-The-Road-Not-Taken%22%20%5Ct%20%22_blank" target="_blank">InsideClimate News</a> was a finalist for a Pulitzer for its work on the story.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Those investigations uncovered internal Exxon documents, some dating

back to the 1970s, proving the company knew from its own scientists

about the serious dangers to the planet from continuing to burn fossil

fuels.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Despite this knowledge, Exxon poured millions of dollars into climate

change denial and to groups working to obstruct any action to reduce

carbon pollution.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Greenpeace project Exxon Secrets, which tracks spending by ExxonMobil, has documented <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/index.php" target="_blank">over $30 million</a> in funding to U.S. climate denial groups from 1998-2014.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ExxonMobil continues to fund climate denial through groups including

the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). CMD has documented

Exxon's grants to ALEC and that group's work to promote climate change

denial in <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2015/11/12977/Exxon-ALEC-climate-denial-investigation-new-york" target="_blank">a letter</a> sent to the New York Attorney General in November 2015.</font></p>

<p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DCI Group is a DC-based public relations and lobbying firm, with a

client base that has included big tobacco, the Koch-founded and

Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity, and several foreign governments

with appalling human rights records, including Azerbaijan and the

Burmese junta.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DCI currently works with the coal industry trade association, the

American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE). The group has

paid $5 million over a two-year period from 2013-2014 (most recent

available data) to DCI.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CMD has a profile on DCI, which is available <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/DCI_Group" target="_blank">here</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Exxon has been a DCI client for many years. According to data from the <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/firmsum.php?id=D000021952" target="_blank">Center for Responsive Politics</a>, DCI has represented Exxon every year between 2005-2015 (data for 2016 is not yet available).</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Although DCI and Exxon have a long history, the subpoena could reveal more about what DCI has being doing for Exxon.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Some details have leaked out over the years.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">DCI created <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tech_Central_Station" target="_blank">Tech Central Station</a>,

</span>a now-defunct website which promoted climate change denial and which

received funding from Exxon. A bipartisan group of Senators wrote to

Exxon about its funding of the website in 2006.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Senators' <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2612021&page=1" target="_blank">letter</a> also asked Exxon to "come clean about its past denial activities," which Exxon has not done.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2006, an <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/320999-heartland-exxon-clean-air-act-mtg-2006.html" target="_blank">invitation was leaked to Greenpeace</a> about a strategy meeting hosted at the DCI office.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The meeting--titled "Strategic Discussion Regarding the Clean Air Act"--was sponsored by the Exxon-funded Heartland Institute.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Numerous non-profit organizations that receiving funding from Exxon were invited, including the <a href="http://www.ALECexposed.org" target="_blank">American Legislative Exchange Council</a> (ALEC) and the Competitive Enterprise Institute.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Just one corporation was represented—Exxon—and it dominated the room

with 5 staff on the attendee list. DCI also had numerous named staff

present as well as additional unnamed "field directors and staff."</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">According to the invitation, the meeting was intended to help develop

an "action plan" to help push back against legislation mandating the

reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The leaked agenda is revealing but its does not show the full picture

and, with Exxon having ignored previous requests to "come clean," this

is something that can result from a subpoena.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Most of the groups at the 2006 DCI strategy discussion, including

ALEC and CEI, continue to fight against any action to tackle climate

change. In particular, both these groups are heavily involved in the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/may/02/barack-obamas-emissions-plan-comes-under-new-line-of-attack" target="_blank">push back </a>against the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As a possible signal of things to come, the Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/attorneys-exxon-probe_us_56fab959e4b0a372181b113d" target="_blank">named ALEC</a>

in his remarks during the AGs United for Clean Power press conference

in March. "We want them to tell the truth so we can get down to the

business of fighting climate change," said Frosh.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CMD has documented Exxon funding to ALEC in a letter to the NY Attorney General, which is available <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2015/11/12977/Exxon-ALEC-climate-denial-investigation-new-york" target="_blank">here</a>.</font></p>

</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-13 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/alec-exposed"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ALEC Exposed</font></a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/energy"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Energy</font></a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/environment"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Environment</font></a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/environment/global-warming"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Climate Change</font></a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/public-relations"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Public Relations</font></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-12 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news-types/news"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">News</font></a></div></div></div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> <b>McCain and the Dictator Money Trail</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">—By Jonathan Stein | Thu May 15, 2008 12:16 AM EDT</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">John McCain will fire you for lobbying for Burma, but he'll still take your money.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Republican operatives<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Doug Davenport and<b> Doug Goodyear </b>were both quietly released from their duties with the McCain campaign this week when it was revealed that their Washington lobbying firm, DCI Group, had been paid $348,000 to represent Burma's repressive military junta in 2002. </span>McCain's critics noted that top McCain aide Charlie Black has lobbied for authoritarian regimes as nasty or worse than Burma's, raising the question of whether McCain will cut ties with tainted figures only when it is politically expedient for him to do so.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">There are other facts in the situation that may prove controversial. The two lobbyists for Burma were also donors to McCain. Doug Goodyear, DCI Group's chief executive and the man McCain had selected to run the GOP national convention, and his wife Carla donated $4,600 to McCain's presidential campaign and $2,500 to McCain's Straight Talk America PAC. Carla Goodyear also donated $1,000 to McCain's 2004 Senate reelection bid.<b> Doug Davenport, the head of DCI Group's lobbying arm and a former regional campaign manager for McCain, </b>and his wife Kelley contributed $6,900 to McCain's presidential campaign and $3,500 to his PAC.</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Other DCI Group employees have donated $2,000 to McCain. All told, DCI Group employees and their spouses have sent $20,500 to McCain. McCain fired the two DCI Group executives from his campaign, but will he return their contributions? We called McCain's press office to ask and have not yet received a response. Can it be that McCain is willing to separate himself from lobbyists working for Burma but will cling to their cash?</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></p><div class="GGD0W3FBAJ GGD0W3FBCW"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Saul, Andrea</font></div> <p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Unfortunately, big energy companies have spent tens of millions of dollars on lobbying, advertising, and <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/international/Global/international/planet-2/report/2010/3/dealing-in-doubt.pdf">propaganda</a> aimed

precisely at denying the powerful evidence that burning fossil fuels is

contributing to climate change -- and at blocking common sense energy

reforms. And while Mitt Romney has <a href="http://boingboing.net/2012/09/04/mitt-romney-climate-change-is.html">flip-flopped</a> on these issues, he has surrounded himself with people tied to the climate denial industry.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Romney's campaign press secretary Andrea Saul previously worked, from

2005-07, at the Washington DC lobbying and public affairs firm DCI

Group, where, on behalf of their client ExxonMobil, <a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/blog/science-denial-and-andrea-saul-%E2%80%93-romney-2012-campaign-spokesperson">she worked on a campaign</a> seeking to undermine global warming evidence and policy changes. </span>Saul was listed as a contact person on a 2006 <a href="http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-30-2006/0004330403&EDATE=">press release</a>

that stated, ''Coming off one of the most devastating hurricane seasons

in recent memory, many are quick to blame the strength and frequency of

these storms on global warming. Leading climate scientists, however,

say there is no link between increased storm activity and a massive

change in global climate." <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Matt Rhoades, Romney's campaign manager,

also worked at DCI, from 2007-10.</span></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">===</font></p><p><a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/category/freetagging/george-c-marshall-institute"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">http://www.polluterwatch.com/category/freetagging/george-c-marshall-institute</font></a></p><h2 class="title"><a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/blog/science-denial-and-andrea-saul-%E2%80%93-romney-2012-campaign-spokesperson" title="Science Denial and Andrea Saul – Romney 2012 Campaign Spokesperson"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Science Denial and Andrea Saul – Romney 2012 Campaign Spokesperson</font></a></h2> <div class="submitted"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/users/cgibson">cgibson</a> | 6 August 2012 | 10:05 AM</font></div> <div class="field field-type-filefield field-field-image-blog">

</div>

<p>

<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font color="#FF0000">Mitt Romney press secretary Andrea Sau</font>l has attacked science through

public relations campaigns with DCI Group and Tech Central Station, both

financed by ExxonMobil.</font></span></p>

</div>

<div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/407692-andrea-saul-briefing-greenpeace.html">A fully-footnoted version of this briefing is available for download from DocumentCloud</a>.</font></div>

 </font></div>

UPDATE 8/10/2012: see commentary on this briefing in <a target="blank" href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2012/08/romney-flack-promoted-climate-denial-behalf-exxon">Mother Jones</a>, <a target="blank" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johnstanton/greenpeace-attacks-romney-aide-on-climate-work">Buzzfeed</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/09/obama-renewables">the Guardian</a>.</font></div>

INTRODUCTION: </font></h2>

<div>

</div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Andrea Saul</strong>, a prominent Romney 2012 campaign

operative and spokesperson, formerly worked for DCI Group, a Washington

DC public affairs and lobbying firm. During this period, DCI Group was

on contract to ExxonMobil at the height of Exxon’s campaign attacking

global warming science and climate change policy. DCI’s efforts included

campaigns to undermine climate legislation and to push counter messages

and spokespeople to media on the connection between extreme weather and

global warming. Saul’s extensive role in these DCI Group climate

campaigns can be traced through archived documents and press releases.

Her role in shaping Romney’s climate and science policy is not known. </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><em>“Gov. Romney does not think greenhouse gases are pollutants within

the meaning of the Clean Air Act, and he does not believe that the EPA

should be regulating them,”</em> <em>said Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul. “<strong>CO2 is a naturally occurring gas. Humans emit it every time they exhale</strong>.”</em>  <a target="_blank" href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59342.html#ixzz1zsEhYRZE">Politico</a>, July 2011 <strong>.</strong></font></div>

</blockquote>

Ms. Saul has also responded to Mitt Romney's contradictory public statements on global warming. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/10/28/141803099/mitt-romney-criticized-for-slow-motion-climate-change-flip-flop">NPR reported</a> in October, 2011:

"Romney went from believing that humans contribute to global warming,

though he was uncertain how much, to saying he didn't know what

contributes to global warming." Andrea Saul denied that Romney had

"flip-flopped" on his climate stance, responding:</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">"This is ridiculous. Governor Romney's view on climate change has

not changed. He believes it's occurring, and that human activity

contributes to it, but he doesn't know to what extent. He opposes cap

and trade, and he refused to sign such a plan when he was governor.

Maybe the bigger threat is all the hot air coming from career

politicians who are desperate to hold on to power."</font></div>

</blockquote>

ANDREA SAUL AND DCI GROUP</font></h2>

Saul was hired March 2011 as a Romney campaign spokesperson. Today,

she regularly appears in the media as the main messenger for the

campaign.</font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

While employed with the PR firm DCI Group as an account executive

between 2004-2007, Ms. Saul helped to orchestrate a multi-faceted,

covert operation to undermine science, attack scientists and confuse the

public and reporters. </font></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

DCI was, at that time, contracted as lobbyists by Exxon and many other corporations.  <a target="_blank" href="http://disclosures.house.gov/ld/pdfform.aspx?id=300465770">Exxon remains a DCI client</a> today.</font></li></ul>

From 2004 to 2007, Ms. Saul worked at the DCI Group, a top lobbying and

public relations firm that has represented a range of clients including

the <a target="blank" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2008/05/the-dci-group-responds-on-burma/53206/">Burmese junta</a> and has orchestrated front group campaigns for <a target="blank" href="http://articles.latimes.com/2001/aug/23/news/mn-37472">Microsoft</a>, Verizon and ExxonMobil. More on ExxonMobil's role in climate science denial is outlined in <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Steve Coll's new book,</span> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/books/review/private-empire-steve-colls-book-about-exxon-mobil.html?pagewanted=all">Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power</a>.</font></div>

 </font></div>

Two of the DCI Group founders, Tim Hyde and Thomas J. Synhorst, began their <a target="_blank" href="http://www.legacy.library.ucsf.edu/action/search/basic?fd=0&q=%22grassroots+specialist+Tom+Synhorst%22&df=er&c=at&c=ba&c=bw&c=ca&c=ct&c=da&c=ll&c=lm&c=mg&c=mm&c=pm&c=py&c=re&c=rj&c=ti&c=ub&c=us">careers with the tobacco industry</a>

where they worked to undermine the science on the dangers of smoking.

For instance, Mr. Synhorst oversaw field operations with the “smokers

rights” groups, a phony movement designed to shift the discussion away

from the dangers of smoking to the protection of smoking rights.</font></div>

 </font></div>

<div>

In the early-2000s, DCI picked up ExxonMobil as a client and began

operations to create confusion about climate change science. For

instance, the <em>Wall Street Journal</em> <a target="_blank" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115457177198425388.html">reported</a>

on a purportedly homemade YouTube video portraying Al Gore as a

sinister figure who blames several problems on global warming. The

video’s maker was listed as “Toutsmith” a 29-year-old who identified

himself as living in Beverly Hills, California.</font></div>

 </font></div>

However, when <em>Journal</em> reporters contacted “Toutsmith” his

return emails originated from a computer registered with the DCI Group. A

spokesman from Exxon confirmed that the company was a DCI Group client.

DCI declined to admit to the Wall Street Journal if they had made the

video. </font></div>

 </font></div>

According to the <em><a target="_blank" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115457177198425388.html">Wall Street Journal</a></em>: </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">"Traffic to the penguin video, first posted on YouTube.com in

May, got a boost from prominently placed sponsored links that appeared

on the Google search engine when users typed in "Al Gore" or "Global

Warming." The ads, which didn't indicate who had paid for them, were

removed shortly after The Wall Street Journal contacted DCI Group on

Tuesday."</font></div>

</blockquote>

As part of this Exxon funded campaign, Andrea Saul was a point person

behind an effort to create confusion and advance contrarian viewpoints

and corporate-funded pundits. </font></div>

 </font></div>

</div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>This briefing illuminates Ms. Saul’s efforts at DCI: </strong>

</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/category/freetagging/george-c-marshall-institute#1">PART 1)</a> Ms.

Saul advanced the opinions of contrarian scientists and

corporate-funded pundits on the Exxon-funded Tech Central Station, a

purported news web site;</font></li></ul>

Ms. Saul sought to promote contrarian voices into the debate over

hurricanes and climate change in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; </font></li></ul>

Ms. Saul promoted the views of a scientist who had no training in

climate change to undermine a study on climate change effects on the

Antarctic ice sheet; </font></li></ul>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/category/freetagging/george-c-marshall-institute#4">PART 4)</a> Ms. Saul led a public relations campaign to undermine scientific consensus on the science of climate change; </font></li></ul>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/category/freetagging/george-c-marshall-institute#5">PART 5)</a> Ms. Saul pushed out press releases for a front group linked to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Grover_Norquist">Grover Norquist</a> designed to undermine pending climate change legislation.</font></li></ul>

<p>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><u><strong>ADDITIONAL CONTENT</strong></u>:</font></p>

<a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/category/freetagging/george-c-marshall-institute#DCI%20Heartland%20doc"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Leaked Document: DCI, Heartland Institute and Exxon plan attacks on Clean Air Act (2006);</font></a></li></ul>

<p>

<a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/category/freetagging/george-c-marshall-institute#DCI%20Romney%20staff"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">DCI Group former staff within Romney 2012 campaign.</font></a></p>

</li></ul>

(<strong style="">click links above to jump down to a section of the briefing</strong>)</font></p>

<h2>

<a name="1"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">1. Andrea Saul - Contact on Climate Change for Phony News Site, Tech Central Station</font></a></h2>

Tech Central Station is a free market news site that was established, owned and published by DCI Group until it was <a target="blank" href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/5371">sold</a> in September 2006.  According to a story published in 2003 in the <a target="blank" href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0312.confessore.html" style="">Washington Monthly</a>, Tech Central Station appeared to be less about news than lobbying. The story found:</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"Tech Central Station looks less like a think-tank-cum-magazine

than a kind of lobbying practice. Which makes sense: Four of the five

co-owners of TCS are also the co-owners of the DCI Group, the Washington

public affairs firm founded by Republican operative Thomas J. Synhorst.

TCS's fifth owner is Charles Francis, who is also a senior lobbyist at

DCI and is listed on TCS's phone directory. And as it happens, three of

TCS's sponsors--AT&T, General Motors, and PhRMA--have also retained

DCI for their lobbying needs. (Both DCI's spokeswoman and TCS's chief

executive officer declined to be interviewed for this article. However,

after I requested comment, the Web site was changed. Where it formerly

stated that 'Tech Central Station is published by Tech Central Station,

L.L.C.,' it now reads 'Tech Central Station is published by DCI Group,

L.L.C.')</font></div>

 </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">"Like its publishing arm, DCI's business is to influence elite

opinion in Washington. But instead of publishing articles, DCI

specializes in what's known as 'corporate-financed grass-roots

organizing,' such as setting up front groups to agitate for a client's

position, placing letters to the editor with key newspapers, and using

phone banks to generate calls to politicians. TCS, for its part,

includes a disclaimer on its site noting that 'the opinions expressed on

these pages are solely those of the writers and not necessarily those

of any corporation or other organization.' But it is startling how often

the opinions of TCS's writers and sponsors converge."</font></div>

</blockquote>

In 2006, Andrea Saul was <a target="_blank" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20060317152414/http:/www.tcsdaily.com/sections/science_roundtable.aspx">listed as the contact person</a>

on Tech Central Station’s webpage on climate change. The site hosted

opinions written by many prominent climate change science deniers

including <strong>Patrick Michaels, Willie Soon, Sallie Baliunas, David

Legates, Robert C. Balling, Henry I. Miller, Tim Ball, William Gray,

Anthony Lupo, and Roy Spencer</strong>. </font></div>

 </font></div>

<div>

<h2>

<a name="2"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">2. DCI Tech Central Station - Campaign on Link Between Hurricanes and Climate Change</font></a></h2>

On the eve of the 2006 hurricane season, after the worst year of

hurricane damage in recent history, including the devastating and deadly

hurricane Katrina, DCI was deployed to create a counter narrative on

the connection between stronger hurricanes and global warming. It is

unknown who the DCI client was requesting this work, or what the

deliverables were.</font></div>

 </font></div>

As part of the DCI efforts, <em>Tech Central Station</em> produced and distributed a <a target="blank" href="http://cironline.org/reports/shaping-media-message-video-news-releases-vnrs">Video News Release</a> (VNR) that called into question the science linking hurricanes with climate change. <span style="line-height: 20px; ">The VNR along with a known newscast that used the piece, is viewable online, preserved by the <a target="blank" href="http://cironline.org/reports/shaping-media-message-video-news-releases-vnrs">Center for Investigative Reporting</a>:</span></font></div>

 </font></div>

<div>

</div>

 </font></div>

VNRs are produced videos, contracted generally by corporations, edited

as news segments and sent out to news stations in small markets in

hopes of filling airtime within the actual newscast. </font></div>

 </font></div>

DCI’s hurricane VNR was distributed to TV stations across the Gulf

states and was aired on at least one of them. Materials accompanying the

video package listed "TCS Daily Science Roundtable" as the

producer. The VNR’s announcers said:</font></div>

 </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">"There’s a lot of debate as to what’s been causing all of these

hurricanes. Some scientists say it’s part of a naturally occurring

cycle, while others have made the claim global warming is to blame.</font></div>

 </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"Dr. William Gray and Dr. James O’Brien, two of the nation’s top

weather and oceans scientists, point to scientific data for the answer

[...].</font></div>

 </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"Gray and many of his colleagues believe it’s not global warming

that’s creating these massive hurricanes, but the cycle of nature

itself."</font></div>

</blockquote>

<strong><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Growing Body of Scientific Evidence on Hurricanes and Climate Change:</font></strong></div>

Around the time that Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in

August 2005, several papers were published in the scientific literature

that found a potential link between hurricanes and climate change.</font></div>

 </font></div>

Two months before Katrina hit, Kevin Trenberth of the National Center for Atmospheric Research published a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/308/5729/1753.full">'Perspective' article in Science</a> that examined the published literature for possible evidence linking hurricanes and climate change.  Dr. Trenberth concluded:</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">"Trends in human-influenced environmental changes are now evident

in hurricane regions. These changes are expected to affect hurricane

intensity and rainfall, but the effect on hurricane numbers remains

unclear. The key scientific question is not whether there is a trend in

hurricane numbers and tracks, but rather how hurricanes are changing."</font></div>

</blockquote>

Weeks before Katrina landed, <strong>Kerry Emmanuel</strong> with the Program in Atmospheres, Oceans, and Climate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) published a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v436/n7051/abs/nature03906.html">study in <em>Nature</em></a>

that reviewed the power of roughly 4,800 hurricanes in the prior few

decades. His analysis concluded that hurricanes that occurred over this

period were increasing in average intensity. </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">"My results suggest that future warming may lead to an upward

trend in tropical cyclone destructive potential, and—taking into account

an increasing coastal population—a substantial increase in

hurricane-related losses in the twenty-first century."</font></div>

</blockquote>

Evan Mills of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory published a <a target="_blank" href="http://evanmills.lbl.gov/pubs/pdf/insurance_and_climate.pdf">'Viewpoint' in Science</a>

which argued that the insurance industry was vulnerable to the negative

financial impact of disasters accentuated by climate change. </font></div>

 </font></div>

The month after Hurricane Katrina hit, researchers at the Georgia

Institute of Technology and the National Center for Atmospheric Research

published a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sciencemag.org/content/309/5742/1844.full">study of tropical cyclones in Science</a>. The data found an increase in the number and proportion of hurricanes reaching the largest categories, which are 4 and 5. </font></div>

 </font></div>

The accumulated evidence of these papers, along with the media reports, had a definitive impact on public opinion. A <a target="_blank" href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1975813_1975844_1976436,00.html">poll run by Time/ABC News/Stanford University</a> at that time, found that 85 percent of Americans agreed that the Earth was growing warmer. </font></div>

 </font></div>

On the eve of the 2006 hurricane season, DCI responded to growing

public recognition of global warming. On March 30, 2006, Andrea Saul

sent out a <a target="_blank" href="http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-30-2006/0004330403&EDATE=">press release</a>

alerting reporters to “experts” who could discuss the link between

hurricanes and climate change. This press release furtively lists Saul

as representing “Technology Commerce Society”, the tag line for TCS

Daily, Tech Central Station’s daily blog website…it’s either Tech

Central Station or the Technology Commerce Society. Saul’s real

employer, DCI Group.</font></div>

 </font></div>

Ms. Saul wrote in the release: </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">“Coming off one of the most devastating hurricane seasons in

recent memory, many are quick to blame the strength and frequency of

these storms on global warming. Leading climate scientists, however, say

there is no link between increased storm activity and a massive change

in global climate.”<i> </i></font></div>

</blockquote>

<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The scientists listed on the press statement included:</font></span></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>James J. O’Brien</strong>, director of the Center for

Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Florida State University – As an

expert in oceanography and weather, Dr. O’Brien appeared to have little

to no expertise in climate change <a target="_blank" href="http://coaps.fsu.edu/people/obrien/obriencv.pdf">according to his CV</a> of published studies. </font></li></ul>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a target="blank" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/roy-spencer"><strong>Roy Spencer</strong></a>, Research Scientist at the University of Alabma – Spencer has long been a denier of anthropogenic global warming and has been <a target="blank" href="http://ttp://www.marshall.org/experts.php?id=122">affiliated</a> with many contrarian groups including the <a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=George_C.Marshall_Institute">George C. Marshall Institute</a>. </font></li></ul>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/patrick-michaels"><strong>Patrick Michaels</strong></a>,</span>

Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Virginia – A

denier of anthropogenic global warming, Dr. Michaels has maintained

strong ties to several denialist and front groups for oil and gas

interests including the <a target="blank" href="http://www.cato.org/people/patrick-michaels">Cato Institute</a> and the <a target="blank" href="http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/global-warming-produced-greener-more-fruitful-planet">Greening Earth Society</a>. </font></li></ul>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/george-taylor"><strong>George Taylor</strong></a>,

Manager of the Oregon Climate Service at the University of Oregon –

With no training in climate change or hurricanes, Taylor’s job was “to

help advise Oregon farmers, fishermen, skiers and motorists about likely

weather conditions, both short- and long-term” (Jeff Wright, <a target="_blank" href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=20080222&id=1F9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b_ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2424,4372635">Eugene Register-Guard</a>, Feb. 22, 2008).</font></li></ul>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/anthony-lupo"><strong>Anthony R. Lupo</strong></a>,

Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of

Missouri – A global warming denier and conservative activist, Lupo has

been affiliated with numerous denialist organizations including the

Science and Environmental Policy Project, the <a target="blank" href="http://heartland.org/anthony-r-lupo">Heartland Institute</a>, and the <a target="blank" href="http://www.marshall.org/experts.php?id=152">Marshall Institute</a> (see also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/407348-greenpeace-letter-to-charles-koch-8-6-12.html">Dr. Lupo's resume</a>).</font></li></ul>

<div>

<h2>

<a name="3"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">3. Andrea Saul - Promoting the Views of a Non-expert Expert</font></a></h2>

In April 2006, Andrea Saul put out a press release to promote the views of weatherman and climate contrarian <strong>George Taylor</strong> who <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oregon-state-climatologist-questions-global-warming-study-in-washington-post-55235012.html">attempted to rebut</a> a study published in <em>Science</em> which found that the Antarctic ice sheet was melting. Ms. Saul wrote:</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"TCSDaily Science Roundtable member and Oregon state

climatologist George Taylor, expressed his concern over the legitimacy

of recent claims that the Antarctic ice sheet is melting. The Washington Post article titled 'Antarctic Ice Sheet Is Melting Rapidly' (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-%20dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030201712.html" style="">www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030201712.html</a>) looked to Taylor to provide an expert view on the validity of a recent study published in Science magazine on global warming."</font></div>

</blockquote>

George Taylor was the Manager of the Oregon Climate Service at the

University of Oregon and had no training in climate change or its

effects on polar regions of the Earth. According to an article about his

retirement in 2008, Taylor’s expertise was “ to help advise Oregon

farmers, fishermen, skiers and motorists about likely weather

conditions, both short- and long-term” <span style="line-height: 20px; ">(Jeff Wright, </span><a target="_blank" href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=20080222&id=1F9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b_ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2424,4372635">Eugene Register-Guard</a><span style="line-height: 20px; ">, Feb. 22, 2008).</span></font></div>

 </font></div>

<div>

<h2>

<a name="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">4. Andrea Saul - Led Campaign to Undermine Scientific Consensus on Climate Change Science</font></a></h2>

In mid 2006, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) sought to

draft a consensus statement on the science of climate change. This

statement examined the vast body of research on the matter in attempt to

better explain the science to both scientists and the American public.</font></div>

 </font></div>

In response, several scientists sent a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhinsider.com/nhigb/2006/12/10/ams-council-amend-draft-statement-on-climate-change.html">letter to the AMS</a>

in an attempt to introduce contrarian views about “natural variability”

and “data uncertainty” in the climate.   The lead author of the letter

was <a target="_blank" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/joseph-d-aleo">Joseph D’Aleo</a>

a well-known climate change denier who has no training in climate

change science. Other signatories include contrarian scientists and

corporate funded pundits such as <a target="blank" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/richard-lindzen"><strong>Richard Lindzen</strong></a>, <a target="blank" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/sallie-baliunas"><strong>Sallie Baliunas</strong></a>, and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.desmogblog.com/patrick-michaels"><strong>Patrick J. Michaels</strong></a>.</font></div>

 </font></div>

To advance these views, Ms. Saul led a public relations campaign to “<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nhinsider.com/nhigb/2006/12/10/ams-council-amend-draft-statement-on-climate-change.html">influence the deciding committee on the final statement</a>.” </font></div>

 </font></div>

<h2>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a name="5" style="">5. Andrea Saul - Work with Grover Norquist Front Group,<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> United For Jobs</span></a></font></h2>

When Congress was considering a tax on oil companies in the mid

2000’s, Andrea Saul leaped to Big Oil’s defense as part of United For

Jobs, front group. In a press release by Saul, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thefreelibrary.com/United+for+Jobs+Warns:+Federal+%27Windfall+Profits+Tax%27+Legislation...-a0144002450">she wrote</a>:</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">"Today United for Jobs (UFJ) warned that federal legislation to

impose a so-called "windfall profits tax" on U.S. oil companies would

have a severe economic impact on public employee trust funds. The

Missouri Highway Patrol Retirement System, the Public School Employees'

Retirement System of Missouri, the Missouri State Employees' Retirement

System, and other public retirement funds could lose as much as $325

million per year in foregone gains, according to a recent study by the

Investors Action Foundation (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.windfallprofitstax.org/" title="http://www.windfallprofitstax.org/" style="">http://www.windfallprofitstax.org/</a>)."</font></div>

</blockquote>

United for Jobs had already led the campaign to <a target="_blank" href="http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2004/08/01/new-study-shows-hefty-price-tag-mccain-lieberman-bill">kill the McCain-Lieberman climate legislation</a>

on a rolling basis beginning in 2004. In 2005, the latest

McCain-Lieberman climate bill was gaining slow momentum and Senator

McCain pushed for more votes. McCain staff told to us at the time that

United for Jobs was the most formidable opponent, with their appearance

as a multi-denominational coalition of "labor", black business (<a target="blank" href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=113">National Black Chamber of Commerce</a>), and seniors groups (<a target="blank" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=60_Plus_Association">60 Plus Association</a>). <span style="line-height: 20px; ">United for Jobs attacked numerous other proposals for greenhouse gas regulations, including a </span><a href="http://www.polluterwatch.com/node/515/edit">counter offense</a><span style="line-height: 20px; "> against Senator Jeff Binghaman’s carbon dioxide regulatory efforts in 2005 </span></font></div>

 </font></div>

United for Jobs no longer exists, but an <a target="blank" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20060624085846/http://www.united4jobs.org/">archived website</a> finds that their office was located at 1920 L Street, NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20036. At the time, this was the <a target="blank" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20060717041136/http://www.atr.org/">exact same address</a> for Americans for Tax Reform, a corporate front group managed by Grover Norquist, an associate of disgraced lobbyist <strong>Jack Abramoff</strong>. </font></div>

 </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>DCI Group</strong> served as the contact and distribution node for United for Jobs reports and press releases.</font></div>

 </font></div>

<div>

<h2>

<strong><a name="DCI Heartland doc"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Leaked Document: DCI, <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font color="#FF0000">Heartland Institute </font>and Exxon</span> plan attacks on Clean Air Act</font></a></strong></h2>

An anonymous source sent Greenpeace a <a target="blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/320999-heartland-exxon-clean-air-act-mtg-2006.html">copy of an invitation, agenda and attendees list</a> for a May 2006 meeting organized by the <strong><a target="blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/heartland-institute-hi/">Heartland Institute</a></strong> and hosted

at the DCI Group offices “to discuss public policy challenges related

to the Clean Air Act.” The only corporation represented at the meeting

was ExxonMobil. Exxon representatives gave two presentations over the

course of the full day meeting. Six ExxonMobil staff are listed as

invited guests. Two DCI – Tech Central Station representatives are named

on the invitees list, along with a note “plus DCI field officers and

staff”. <strong>It is unknown whether Andrea Saul attended this meeting</strong>.</font></div>

 </font></div>

<div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a class="DC-title-link" href="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/320999-heartland-exxon-clean-air-act-mtg-2006.html#document/p3/a66935">Heartland Instituete DCI Clean Air Act mtg Guestlist <span class="DC-page-number">(p. 3)</span></a>

</font></div>

</font></a><div class="DC-note-excerpt-wrap"><a href="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/320999-heartland-exxon-clean-air-act-mtg-2006.html#document/p3/a66935"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

</font></a><div class="DC-note-excerpt" style="height: 775px;"><a href="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/320999-heartland-exxon-clean-air-act-mtg-2006.html#document/p3/a66935"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

</font></a></div>

</div>

</div></div>

</div>

 </font></div>

 </font></div>

Organizations invited to this session included:</font></div>

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/american-council-on-capital-fo/"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">American Council for Capital Formation</font></a></li><li>

<a target="blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/american-enterprise-institute/?utma=1.644215745.1340031630.1344282501.1344288512.14&utmb=1.3.10.1344288512&utmc=1&utmx=-&utmz=1.1344288512.14.5.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=%28organic%29%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=greenpeace%20koch%20american%20council%20capital&utmv=-&_utmk=130427791"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">American Enterprise Institute</font></a></li><li>

<a target="blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/american-legislative-exchange/?utma=1.644215745.1340031630.1344282501.1344288512.14&utmb=1.5.10.1344288512&utmc=1&utmx=-&utmz=1.1344288512.14.5.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=%28organic%29%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=greenpeace%20koch%20american%20council%20capital&utmv=-&_utmk=221136024"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)</font></a></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><b>

Black Chamber of Commerce</b></font></li><li>

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/cato-institute/"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Cato Institute</font></a></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

Center for Science and Policy</font></li><li>

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/competitive-enterprise-institu/"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI)</font></a></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">

CRA International chls river ass?</font></li><li>

<a target="blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/frontiers-of-freedom/?utma=1.644215745.1340031630.1344282501.1344288512.14&utmb=1.10.10.1344288512&utmc=1&utmx=-&utmz=1.1344288512.14.5.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=%28organic%29%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=greenpeace%20koch%20american%20council%20capital&utmv=-&_utmk=16025398"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Frontiers of Freedom</font></a></li><li>

<a target="blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/george-c-marshall-institute/?utma=1.644215745.1340031630.1344282501.1344288512.14&utmb=1.12.10.1344288512&utmc=1&utmx=-&utmz=1.1344288512.14.5.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=%28organic%29%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=greenpeace%20koch%20american%20council%20capital&utmv=-&_utmk=221538328"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">George C. Marshall Institute</font></a></li><li>

<a target="blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/the-manhattan-institute/?utma=1.644215745.1340031630.1344282501.1344288512.14&utmb=1.14.10.1344288512&utmc=1&utmx=-&utmz=1.1344288512.14.5.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=%28organic%29%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=greenpeace%20koch%20american%20council%20capital&utmv=-&_utmk=221603736"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Manhattan Institute</font></a></li><li>

<a target="blank" href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/campaigns/global-warming-and-energy/polluterwatch/koch-industries/national-taxpayers-union-found/?utma=1.644215745.1340031630.1344282501.1344288512.14&utmb=1.16.10.1344288512&utmc=1&utmx=-&utmz=1.1344288512.14.5.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=%28organic%29%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=greenpeace%20koch%20american%20council%20capital&utmv=-&_utmk=228476189"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">National Taxpayers Union <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Foundation</span> (NTUF)</font></a></li><li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

Phoenix Strategies</font></li></ul>

</div>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> {cke_protected}</font></p>

</div>

<h3>

<u><a name="DCI Romney staff"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">DCI Group former staff within Romney 2012 campaign:</font></a></u></h3>

<em><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">(Quotations sourced from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.p2012.org/candidates/romneyorg">Democracy in Action</a>)</font></em></div>

 </font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><strong>Matt Rhoades,</strong> </span>Campaign Manager:</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">“(announced Feb. 15, 2010) A vice president with DCI Group, May

2007-Feb. 2010. Communications director on Romney's presidential

campaign, Jan. 2007-March 2008. A deputy communications director in

charge of research for the RNC during the 2006 election cycle. Research

director for the 2004 Bush/Cheney re-election campaign. Deputy research

director at the RNC, 2003-04. White House Liaison at the U.S. Office of

Personnel Management in the Bush Administration, and earlier an

Associate Director in the White House Presidential Personnel Office.

B.A. from Syracuse University, 1997; and an M.A. from The George

Washington University, 1999.”</font></div>

</blockquote>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Andrea Saul</strong>, Press Secretary:</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">“announced March 3, 2011 as communications advisor to Free and

Strong America PAC) Press Secretary for Carly Fiorina’s U.S. Senate race

in California. Communications director for Gov. Charlie Crist during

his recent U.S. Senate run but resigned in April 2010 upon his decision

to switch party affiliation. Press secretary to U.S Sen. Orrin Hatch

(R-UT) during much of 2009. Director of media affairs for McCain-Palin,

responsible for organizing all television, radio and surrogate activity.

Director of media affairs at the Republican National Committee,

2007-08. Associate account executive at DCI Group, 2005-07. Graduate of

Vanderbilt University, 2004. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/andreamsaul" style="">twitter</a>”</font></div>

</blockquote>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><strong>Evan Yost</strong>, Deputy Communications Director and Research Director:</font></div>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="">“(June 2011) M.B.A. in finance, accounting from Rice University,

A director at DCI Group, 2007-09. Deputy director of research on

John McCain 2008 in 2007. Special assistant for strategic initiatives in

the Office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, 2005-06. B.A. in

English literature from The Johns Hopkins University, 2000.”</font></div>

</blockquote>

<div>

 </font></div>

</div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">===
</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>LaCivita</b>'s role as political director of NRSC in 2002 places him on the edge of a Republican phone-jamming scandal in which Democratic get-out-the-vote calls in Manchester, N.H., were blocked on election day.[2] In December 2005 James Tobin, who worked under LaCivita as the New England regional director, was convicted of two felony telephone harassment charges but was acquitted of the charge of conspiring against voters rights. He was sentenced in May 2006 to 10 months in prison, AP reported, that he "helped plan the phone jamming." Tobin was convicted in December of two felony telephone harassment charges. He was acquitted of a third, more serious charge, of conspiring against voters rights.[3]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">On August 25, 2004 the New York Times reported that <font color="#FF0000"><b>LaCivita was working for Swift Boat Veterans for Truth</b> </font>as an adviser on media strategy. According to Federal Election Committee filings by SBVT, LaCivita received $35,700 for his media consulting work.[4] He received $39,897 for providing consulting services to Progress for America.[5]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">LaCivita told the New York Times that he worked as a <font color="#FF0000"><b>private contractor for DCI and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth </b></font>and that there was no coordination between the firm and the group. "Obviously, I don't work for the Bush campaign," he said. Mr. LaCivita described his role as providing advice on the news media and placing advertisements.[6]</font>

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group</font></a>

<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Myanmar_representation"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Myanmar representation</font></span></h3>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In 2002 and 2003 DCI was paid $348,000 to represent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar" class="mw-redirect" title="Myanmar">Myanmar's</a> junta. The firm allegedly drafted news releases praising Myanmar's efforts to curb the drug trade and denouncing claims by the Bush administration that the regime engaged in rape and other abuses.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group#cite_note-2"><span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2">[</sup></span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2">3<span>]</span></sup></a></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">On May 10, 2008, Davenport and Goodyear resigned from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McCain_presidential_campaign,_2008" title="John McCain presidential campaign, 2008">John McCain presidential campaign</a> on May 10, 2008, when it was revealed that DCI had been paid $348,000 to represent Myanmar's repressive <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_junta" title="Military junta">military junta</a> in 2002.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group#cite_note-3"><span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3">[</sup></span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3">4<span>]</span></sup></a> Davenport, the regional campaign manager for the mid-Atlantic states, founded the DCI's lobbying practice and oversaw the contract with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar" class="mw-redirect" title="Myanmar">Myanmar</a> in 2002. Goodyear was asked to become convention CEO after campaign manager Rick Davis's lobbying firm partner, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Manafort" class="mw-redirect" title="Paul Manafort">Paul Manafort</a>, was nixed because of his own close ties to foreign governments and controversial companies.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group#cite_note-4"><span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4">[</sup></span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4">5<span>]</span></sup></a></font></p>

<h3><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span class="mw-headline" id="YouTube_astroturfing_scandal">YouTube astroturfing scandal</span></font></h3>

<div class="rellink relarticle mainarticle"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Main article: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore%27s_Penguin_Army_video" class="mw-redirect" title="Al Gore's Penguin Army video">Al Gore's Penguin Army video</a></font></span></div>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In August 2006, a person self-described as a "29-year old from Beverly Hills" posted a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube" title="YouTube">YouTube</a> video disparaging <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore" title="Al Gore">Al Gore</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming" title="Global warming">global warming</a> documentary <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Inconvenient_Truth" title="An Inconvenient Truth"><i>An Inconvenient Truth</i></a>. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_Journal" class="mw-redirect" title="Wall Street Journal">Wall Street Journal</a> described the video as having a "home-made, humorous quality". However, in corresponding with the author, the Wall Street Journal discovered that the routing information in the author's e-mails could be traced back to a computer registered to the DCI Group.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group#cite_note-5"><span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5">[</sup></span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5">6<span>]</span></sup></a><span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group#cite_note-6"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6">[</sup></a></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group#cite_note-6"><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6">7<span>]</span></sup></a>. When asked if they created the video, DCI Group responded "We do not disclose the names of our clients, nor do we discuss the work we do on behalf of our clients."<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group#cite_note-7"><span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7">[</sup></span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7">8<span>]</span></sup></a> Advertisements to the "home-made" Al Gore video had been placed on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_search" class="mw-redirect" title="Google search">Google</a>, but were taken down after the Wall Street Journal story was published. The identity of the party who paid for the advertisements remained unknown.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group#cite_note-8"><span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8">[</sup></span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8">9<span>]</span></sup></a></font>

<table style="text-align: left;" height="135" width="1422" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style=" vertical-align: top; width: 906px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">                     DCI group is a top lobby and PR firm with strong ties to <a href="http://users1.wsj.com/lmda/do/checkLogin?mg=wsj-users1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Fquotes%2Fmain.html%3Ftype%3Ddjn%26symbol%3Dxom">Exxon Mobil Corp</a> and tobacco companies.<a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115457177198425388-0TpYE6bU6EGvfSqtP8_hHjJJ77I_20060810.html?mod=blogs"><sup>1</sup></a>  It is known for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing">astroturnfing</a> or hiring people to post on blogs and forums to spread misinformation.  The <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115457177198425388-0TpYE6bU6EGvfSqtP8_hHjJJ77I_20060810.html?mod=blogs">Wall Street Journal</a> investigated an anti-global warming/Al Gore <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=IZSqXUSwHRI&search=gore%20and%20penguin">movie</a> on youtube.  The videomaker described himself as an amateur working out of his basement. However, when the WSJ traced the e-mail they found out that it originated from a computer registered to DCI Group, Washington, D.C.<a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115457177198425388-0TpYE6bU6EGvfSqtP8_hHjJJ77I_20060810.html?mod=blogs"><sup>1</sup></a><sup>, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/print?id=2273111">2</a></sup>  Their CEO <a href="http://www.dcigroup.com/leadership/">Doug Goodyear</a>, was also <a href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=wtm33d00&fmt=pdf&ref=results">heavily involved</a> as a PR consultant in RJ Reynold's efforts to manufacture a grassroots campaign against tougher tobacco laws.  DCI Group also funds "<a href="http://www.techcentralstation.com/">Tech Central Station</a>" a forum for climate change deniers that just so happens to have received funding directly from Exxon for "<a href="http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/files/corporate/giving_report.pdf">climate change support</a>."</font></td><td style=" width: 18px;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font></td></tr></tbody></table><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font><p>

 </font></p>

<ul>

<li><a title="Douglas M. Goodyear" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Douglas_M._Goodyear"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Douglas M. Goodyear</font></a></li>

</ul>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style=" font-weight: bold;">LLC's managers:</span>

 </font></p>

<ul>

<li><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a title="Timothy N. Hyde" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Timothy_N._Hyde"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Timothy N. Hyde</font></a></span></li><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

</font></span><li><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a title="Douglas M. Goodyear" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Douglas_M._Goodyear"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Douglas M. Goodyear</font></a></span></li><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">

</font></span><li><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a title="Thomas J. Synhorst" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Thomas_J._Synhorst"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Thomas J. Synhorst</font></a></span></li>

</ul>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style=" font-weight: bold;">Other members:</span>

 </font></p>

<ul>

<li><a class="new" title="Christopher A. Holt" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Christopher_A._Holt&action=edit"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Christopher A. Holt</font></a></li>

</ul>

</font></p>

<div style=" text-align: left;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><span style=" text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;"><big>Sources:</big></span>

</font></div>

<ul>

<li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">ABC NEWS:, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/print?id=2273111">Al Gore YouTube Spoof Not So Amateurish</a> JAKE TAPPER & MAX CULHANE Aug. 4, 2006</font></li>

<li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Wall Street Journal <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB115457177198425388-0TpYE6bU6EGvfSqtP8_hHjJJ77I_20060810.html?mod=blogs">Where Did That Video Spoofing Gore's Film Come From?</a>, ANTONIO REGALADO and DIONNE SEARCEY, August 3, 2006</font></li>

<li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Open Secrets <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/firmsum.asp?txtname=DCI+Group&year=2005">DCI Group, </a>Firm Profile: Summary, 2005</font></li>

<li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Desmogblog, <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/abc-news-gore-spoof-video-linked-to-republican-exxon-spinster">Gore spoof video linked to Republican/Exxon Spinster</a>, 4 Aug 06</font></li>

<li><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Peak Energy: <a href="http://peakenergy.blogspot.com/2006/06/netvocates-privatised-propaganda.html">Netvocates - Privatised Propaganda Services ?</a>

</font></li>

</ul>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=DCI_Group">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=DCI_Group</a></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">AT&T and Microsoft have found some of their most consistent and enthusiastic support in articles posted on TechCentralStation.com, a quasi-news site that features free-market opinion and analysis pieces. Founded in 2000, Tech Central Station (TCS) is “hosted” by conservative financial columnist James K. Glassman. Shortly before the collapse of the 1990s dot-com bubble, Glassman authored a remarkably nonprophetic work titled Dow 36,000: The New Strategy for Profiting From the Coming Rise in the Stock Market. He is also a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a think tank funded by corporations and conservative foundations such as the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the John M. Olin Foundation and the Scaife family foundations. Until recently he was a columnist for the Washington Post, which finally ended the relationship after concluding that Glassman’s numerous other entanglements conflicted with his role as a journalist purporting to offer expert financial analysis.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Tech Central Station is a good example of a few of those conflicts of interest, some of which are better disclosed than others. The website openly credits sponsors such as AT&T, Microsoft, ExxonMobil, General Motors, Intel, McDonalds, NASDAQ, National Semiconductor, QUALCOMM and PhRMA, but until recently it was reluctant to acknowledge the identity of its real publisher—the DCI Group.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Viral videos and global warming</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In August 2006, the Wall Street Journal reported on a short video titled "Al Gore's Penguin Army," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZSqXUSwHRI [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ManBearPig ] south park ]] which belittled the threat of global warming (suggesting viewers "stop exhaling") and made fun of the former vice-president, whose 2006 movie "An Inconvenient Truth" stressed the need for action on global warming. The video was posted on the video-sharing website YouTube and had a "home-made, humorous quality." Yet the filmmaker's email "originated from a computer registered to DCI Group," reported the Wall Street Journal. [16]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The video was promoted by ads that appeared when people searched for the phrases "Al Gore" or "Global Warming" on the Google search engine, but these ads "were removed shortly after The Wall Street Journal contacted DCI." The firm "declines to say whether or not DCI made the anti-Gore penguin video," but an Exxon Mobil spokesperson said they "did not fund" and "did not approve it." What is certain is that "political operatives, public relations experts and ad agencies" are increasingly using video-sharing websites like YouTube to shape public opinion. Ogilvy & Mather "plans to post amateur-looking videos on Web sites to spare word-of-mouth buzz about Foster's beer," and AT&T has used YouTube to post videos against net neutrality. [17]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">DCI's <b>Tech Central Station </b>website has also "sought to raise doubts about the science of global warming and about Mr. Gore's film." [18]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font color="#FF0000"><b>swift boat network:</b></font> dci Political strategy firm with close connections to Bush campaign & Swift vets, employs <b>LaCivita </b>and Francis. [11]http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth_Republican_Connection</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" color="#FF0000" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Charles Francis has worked in the PR industry for over 20 years, having played roles in some of the industry's most underhanded and deceptive campaigns. The long-time Bush family friend, is a parnter at DCI Group, a Washington DC-base, Republican PR and lobbying firm that specializes in creating astroturf groups.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In early 1992, Francis became managing director of the financial services group at <font color="#FF0000"><b>Burson-Marsteller,</b> one of the largest PR firms worldwide. The New York Times reported that previous to joining B-M, he was head of corporate and financial public affairs at</font><b><font color="#FF0000"> Hill & Knowlton's Washington office. According to an O'Dwyer's PR Services story from 1991, Francis was one of 119 H&K executives </font>registered to work on the 1990 Citizens for a Free Kuwait account, which ultimately supported the U.S. entering into the Persian Gulf war.</b></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Prior to his H&K stint, Francis worked for Gray & Company, a Reagan-era right-wing PR firm that specialized in hiring friends and family of politicians as a means of buying access to people in power. During his time at Gray & Co., Francis co-authored The Almanac of the Unelected, a pricey--$250--volume offering insider profiles of more than 600 Capitol Hill aides.[1] He had also worked as a speechwriter for David Rockerfeller.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In 1994, Francis left B-M to become a founding member of the State Affairs Company, a PR and "grassroots" lobbying firm based in Reston, Virginia. State Affairs oversaw the creation of <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Contributions Watch</span>, a tobacco industry industry front group.[2]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">At DCI, Francis "provides public affairs counsel to corporations, trade associations and other organizations. His practice specializes in the areas of energy, international representation, defense and technology," DCI's website states. "A native of Texas, Mr. Francis served on the Bush/Cheney Presidential Transition Team's Federal Communications Commission (<b>FCC)</b> Task Force and as a Member of the Presidential Advisory Commission on HIV/AIDS. He is also the founder and chairman of the Republican Unity Coalition, whose Advisory Board members include President Gerald R. Ford, Senator Alan K. Simpson (ret.-WY) and David Rockefeller."[3]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Francis lobbied on behalf of the <b>Burmese junta </b>(aka the Union of Myanmar State Peace & Development Council) in 2002 improve the regime's image in Washington, steering clear of its rampant human rights abuses. The Washington Post's Al Kamen wrote, "Francis, a prominent Republican, even set up two meetings with White House National Security Council Southeast Asia director Karen B. Brooks -- an unusual feat given that Burma is under U.S. sanctions and its top officials are barred from coming here -- to tout Burma's cooperation on anti-drug, HIV/AIDs and anti-terrorism efforts and in finding the remains of U.S. soldiers from World War II.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"Francis, along with Barry M. Broman, a retired U.S. government employee who was stationed in Rangoon, lobbied lawmakers and staff on the Hill, including Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), as well as Defense Department officials and think-tankers such as former U.N. ambassador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>"The campaign was on the verge of success -- the State Department was about to certify the regime</b> -- but the administration backed off amid pressure from the Hill, human rights groups and the media," Kamen wrote.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Francis also has taken on a role organizing gay Republicans. He formed the Republican Unity Coalition to make "homosexuality a 'non-issue' for the Republican Party."</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Charles_Francis</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>LaCivita </b>states that he was "political director for the <font color="#FF0000">National Republican Senatorial Committee i</font>n the historic 2002 election cycle" and that he was "responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of the NRSC’s $70 million issue advocacy campaign. This included nearly $60 million in purchased TV time, and over 155 individual 'issue ads' for 17 states. Mr. LaCivita was also responsible for implementing polling, mail and phone programs in conjunction with his regional political staff."[1]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"In the 2000 election cycle, Mr. LaCivita was campaign manager of George Allen's successful bid for the United States Senate. In a $10 million race the Allen campaign unseated a 12-year incumbent with a 4.6-point win. It was the only successful Republican U.S. Senate challenger race in the country," it states.[1]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">LaCivita's role as political director of NRSC in 2002 places him on the edge of a Republican phone-jamming scandal in which Democratic get-out-the-vote calls in Manchester, N.H., were blocked on election day.[2] In December 2005 James Tobin, who worked under LaCivita as the New England regional director, was convicted of two felony telephone harassment charges but was acquitted of the charge of conspiring against voters rights. He was sentenced in May 2006 to 10 months in prison, AP reported, that he "helped plan the <font color="#FF0000">phone jamming."</font> Tobin was convicted in December of two felony telephone harassment charges. He was acquitted of a third, more serious charge, of conspiring against voters rights.[3]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">On August 25, 2004 the New York Times reported that LaCivita was working for<b><span style=" color: #ED1C24;"> Swift Boat </span></b>Veterans for Truth as an adviser on media strategy. According to Federal Election Committee filings by SBVT, LaCivita received $35,700 for his media consulting work.[4] He received $39,897 for providing consulting services to Progress for America.[5]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">LaCivita told the New York Times that he worked as a private contractor for DCI and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and that there was no coordination between the firm and the group. "Obviously, I don't work for the Bush campaign," he said. Mr. LaCivita described his role as providing advice on the news media and placing advertisements.[6]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In February 2005, the Times reported that LaCivita had been hired by the conservative group <b>USANext</b> to help with their campaign to support the Bush administration's Social Security privatization.[7]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Chris_LaCivita</font>

<h2 class="title"><a rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to 'EXCLUSIVE: Infamous Astroturf Lobbying Firm Behind New Anti-Health Reform Group'" href="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/28/cppr-dci-astroturf/"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">EXCLUSIVE: Infamous Astroturf Lobbying Firm Behind New Anti-Health Reform Group</font></a></h2>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><img src="/634fd075-5c00-5209-aac6-d5c3769240f2.jpg"/>The new anti-health reform front group known as the <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="http://www.protectpatientsrights.org/index.cfm">Coalition to Protect Patients’ Rights,</a></span> is being managed by the lobbying firm known as the DCI Group. After being contacted by ThinkProgress this afternoon about its <a href="http://press.org/calendar/calendarday.cfm?whatday=22&&whatyear=2009&&whatmonth=7">sponsorship</a> of CPPR’s press conference last week, DCI Group staffers acknowledged that they coordinate PR for the front group. Not be confused with <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/who-is-rick-scott/">Conservatives for Patients’ Rigths</a>, another front group opposing health reform, CPPR has been organizing lobbying efforts against health reform and publishing <a href="http://www.protectpatientsrights.org/newsroom/?id=144">op-eds</a> across the country with misinformation about the <a href="http://www.protectpatientsrights.org/newsroom/?id=142">public option</a>.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><b>Tom Synhorst, a former staffer to Sen. Chuck <font color="#FF0000">Grassley</font> (R-IA) and Bob Dole,</b> joined fellow right-wing operatives <b><span style=" color: #ED1C24;">Doug Goodyear and Tim Hyde</span> </b>to form DCI Group <a href="http://www.dcigroup.com/history.html">in 1996</a>. The firm <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=DCI_Group">quickly flourished</a> working for the tobacco industry, coordinating a sophisticated astroturf campaign to build public opposition to tobacco regulations. Ironically, before helping to manage this “patients’ rights” campaign, DCI founded “<a href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ecm10d00">Smokers’ Rights</a>” groups across the country for the tobacco lobby. Indeed, DCI has specialized in manufacturing “grassroots” support — <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=DCI_Group">using telemarketers, PR events, and letter writing campaigns</a> — to achieve policy results for narrow corporate interests:</font></p>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">– The DCI Group was retained by the pharmaceutical industry to whip up public opposition <strong>against House legislation that would permit the reimportation of FDA-approved drugs from Canada and elsewhere</strong>. [Washington Monthly, <a href="http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0312.confessore.html">December/2003</a>]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">– The DCI Group worked with Republicans to form various “grassroots” front-groups to <strong>amplify <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">President Bush’s call to privatize Social Security</span></strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">.</span> [Center for Media and Democracy, <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/node/3343">3/18/05</a>]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">– Chris LaCivita, a former DCI Group staffer, took a lead role in organizing the Swift Boat Veterans campaign to <strong>smear John Kerry and his war record</strong>. [CommonDreams, <a href="http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0831-10.htm">8/31/04</a>]</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">– The DCI Group was behind spoof videos <strong>mocking Al Gore and global warming. The firm has been retained by ExxonMobil to lobby.</strong> [Wall Street Journal, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115457177198425388.html?mod=hps_us_editors_picks">8/3/06</a>; Exxon Secrets, accessed <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=143">7/28/09</a></font></p>

</blockquote>

<p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">While it is unclear who is funding this latest CPPR front group, DCI has in the past worked for health insurance companies. In 2002, the American Prospect reported that DCI had been hired by the Health Benefits Coalition, a trade association of for-profit HMOs trying to “<a href="http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=4261">thwart congressional action</a> on the patients’ bill of rights. ”</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">CPPR is led by <b>Donald Palmisano</b>, a <a href="http://www.intrepidresources.com/html/djp1.html"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">tort reform</span> consultant</a>. Although the American Medical Association <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gJIJj8CaGBkC-1KeejISUCmekcxgD99FR64G0">has endorsed</a> the House health reform bill with a public option, Palmisano has been using his title as a former AMA president to <a href="http://www.protectpatientsrights.org/newsroom/?id=143">smear reform</a>.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Not only does DCI’s involvement in CPPR diminish its credibility as a genuine grassroots coalition, but Palmisano himself has proven less than committed to the interests of both doctors and patients. Under Palmisano’s tenure over the AMA, the organization pursued an arrangement known as “<a href="https://profreg.medscape.com/px/getlogin.do?urlCache=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5tZWRzY2FwZS5jb20vdmlld2FydGljbGUvNTU5NzA0">licensure</a>,” a system that involved the AMA selling drug companies its “Masterfile” of doctor profiles, spanning everything from detailed biographic information to an individual doctor’s prescription-writing history. The program, which has generated <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/06/11/ama-drug-lobby-publicoption/">millions of dollars</a> for the AMA, is extremely controversial since drug companies in turn use the information to aggressively market their products to doctors.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Palmisano defended the practice, telling one Reuters reporter, “I use the analogy of a car dealership. If the dealer sells a car and that car causes damage, you don’t shut down the dealership.”</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">http://thinkprogress.org/?p=53155</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">swift boat DCI tony feather  bush 2 2000 and 04 campaign</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In August 2006, a science journalist for the <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_Journal" title="Wall Street Journal" class="mw-redirect">Wall Street Journal</a></i><sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing#cite_note-37"><span>[</span>38<span>]</span></a></sup> revealed that a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube" title="YouTube">YouTube</a> video, "Al Gore's Penguin Army", which was claimed to be an amateur work, in fact came from the computers of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI_Group" title="DCI Group">DCI Group</a>, a Washington, D.C.-based PR firm whose client list includes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExxonMobil" title="ExxonMobil">ExxonMobil</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors" title="General Motors">General Motors</a>. (<i>See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore%27s_Penguin_Army_video_controversy" title="Al Gore's Penguin Army video controversy" class="mw-redirect">Al Gore's Penguin Army video controversy</a>.</i>) This hoax was discovered when journalist Antonio Ragalado noticed that the YouTube video was the first sponsored listing when he performed a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google" title="Google">Google</a> search for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore" title="Al Gore">Al Gore</a>. The fact that someone paid to have the alleged amateur film promoted was in itself suspicious.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing#cite_note-38"><span>[</span>39<span>]</span></a><span /></sup></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Dan Combs is a partner at DCI Group where he provides the firm’s clients with strategic counsel and he manages multiple public affairs campaigns that are designed to serve our client’s needs. He has first-hand experience across a variety of policy issues including tax reform, financial services, consumer products, manufacturing, defense and telecommunications.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Prior to joining DCI Group in 1999, Mr. Combs served as Director of Grassroots & Mobilization at <b>Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE). </b>In this capacity he oversaw mobilization of CSE members and constituents in public policy campaigns. Mr. Combs took a leave of absence from CSE in 1996 to manage a victorious re-election campaign for Congressman Walter Jones (R-North Carolina), for whom Mr. Combs had previously worked with during the successful 1994 congressional campaign to unseat the incumbent officeholder.</font></p>

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