Sims, J

---forgot this guy existed, now everywhere:<div id="content-header" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; widows: auto; font-size: 16px;"><h1 class="title" style="font-size: 2.077em; line-height: 1.15em; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 2px; font-weight: normal;">[Orin] Hatch Joins Phony "Stop the War on the Poor" Effort</h1></div><div id="content-area" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; widows: auto; font-size: 16px;"><div id="node-36535" class="node node-type-blog"><div class="node-inner"><div class="meta"><div class="submitted" style="font-size: 1em; font-style: italic; padding-bottom: 9px;"> </div></div><div class="content" style="border-top-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-color: rgb(152, 152, 152);">For the past few weeks, we’ve been <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2008/07/astroturf_group.html" title="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2008/07/astroturf_group.html" style="text-decoration: none;">reporting</a> on the “Stop the War on the Poor” campaign, an effort to label “extreme environmentalists” who oppose increased domestic oil drilling as enemies of the poor.  The campaign counts among its leaders a group called Americans for American Energy, which <a href="http://www.americansforamericanenergy.org/about+us.aspx" title="http://www.americansforamericanenergy.org/about+us.aspx" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">describes</a> itself as “a non-profit, grassroots-based organization dedicated to educating the public about the importance of greater energy independence for America and promoting public policies that support that goal.” As we <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2008/07/dubious_grassro.html" title="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2008/07/dubious_grassro.html" style="text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">wrote</a> last week, Americans for American Energy was created by Pac/West Communications, a firm with <a href="http://dwb.adn.com/front/v-front_section/story/8928963p-8829174c.html" title="http://dwb.adn.com/front/v-front_section/story/8928963p-8829174c.html" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">considerable Republican ties</a>, and shares a location with the consulting firm of Jim Sims, communications director for Vice President Cheney’s energy task force.  In 2007, fresh off <a href="http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/story/8928968p-8829176c.html" title="http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/story/8928968p-8829176c.html" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">helping to defeat</a> attempts “to ban bear baiting in Alaska and impose new taxes on cruise ships,” Pac/West received a $3 million grant from the state of Alaska to “educate” the American public about ANWR drilling, that was later stopped by Gov. Sarah Palin because the PAC/West-Americans for American Energy efforts were “not part of an open and transparent process.”  But that was not the end for Americans for American Energy. [ODD? BUSTED]Although its profile has risen along with the “Stop the War on the Poor” campaign, Americans for American Energy has been engaging in suspicious activities in western states for the last several years.  In Colorado, it <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_7207754" title="http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_7207754" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">released</a> a report claiming $1.2 billion in first-year profits for natural gas drilling on the Roan Plateau, an estimate that critics, such as the Wilderness Society, claimed were based on “junk science” <blockquote style="margin: 13px 35px 13px 8px; border-left-color: rgb(140, 151, 171); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; padding-left: 20px;">Credible economic studies need to stand up to independent review, list data sources and methods, and at the very least include the names of economists who authored the report. Unbelievably, this industry-backed study does none of this.</blockquote> In Wyoming, its leaders falsely <a href="http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20070913/NEWS/109130087" title="http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20070913/NEWS/109130087" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">claimed</a> that Gov. Dave Freudenthal was a supporter of their “powerful new oil and gas campaign,” leading the governor to write a letter disavowing the group.  In Utah, they launched an email attack on Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) that <a href="http://www.eenews.net/eed/2008/01/16/" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">compared him</a> to Hugo Chavez and Osama Bin Laden:<blockquote style="margin: 13px 35px 13px 8px; border-left-color: rgb(140, 151, 171); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; padding-left: 20px;">Last week, over 160,000 Utah residents received an e-mail letter indirectly comparing a New York congressman to some of the most infamous men in the world.Along with mug shots of Osama bin Laden, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appeared a photo of Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.).Hinchey's crime? Sponsoring the Red Rock Wilderness Act, a bill that would set aside 9.4 million acres of public land in Utah as wilderness.The letter was attributed to Utah state GOP Reps. Aaron Tilton and Mike Noel, but it was the brainchild of Americans for American Energy, a Colorado-based industry group that has accepted money from, among others, the state of Alaska.The Red Rock Wilderness Act will "WEAKEN America," the letter states. "How? Because it will hamstring our ability to produce American energy right here in Utah. That leads America to become more dependent on energy from hostile foreign nations -- some of whom fund terrorist organizations that are right now targeting our American men and women in uniform."An online version of the letter and corresponding Web site go further, for instance with a picture of bin Laden, Chavez and Ahmadinejad. "These terror leaders also want America to continue its foreign oil dependence," reads the caption underneath the graphic.</blockquote>Now, Americans for American Energy has turned from accusing its opponents of being in league with terrorists to accusing them of fighting a “war on the poor,” and this message seems to have resonated with Republicans on Capitol Hill.  A number of rank and file Congressional Republicans showed up on-message at the kick-off press conference, including Rep. Bill Sali of Idaho, <a href="http://sali.house.gov/apps/list/press/id01_sali/poor7152008.shtml" title="http://sali.house.gov/apps/list/press/id01_sali/poor7152008.shtml" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">co-sponsor</a> of a bill suspiciously entitled the “Americans for American Energy Act,” which “would open ANWR and the OCS to increase production of American crude oil and give the right incentives to boost conservation, improved efficiency and bring alternative energy online sooner.”But they’ve gained a much higher-profile ally in Senator Orrin Hatch, who mentioned the campaign, quoted one of its leaders, Bishop Harry Jackson, and plugged its website, <a href="http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Print&PressRelease_id=60875c1b-1b78-be3e-e0a6-f2c2488eb60f&suppresslayouts=true" title="http://hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Print&PressRelease_id=60875c1b-1b78-be3e-e0a6-f2c2488eb60f&suppresslayouts=true" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">all on the Senate floor</a>:<blockquote style="margin: 13px 35px 13px 8px; border-left-color: rgb(140, 151, 171); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; padding-left: 20px;">Unfortunately for the Democrat party, the poor are beginning to wake up that the liberals they have always looked to are behind the War on the Poor. By War on the Poor, I refer to the movement by the anti-oil extremists to close off every good domestic oil resource, which is a direct cause of the high energy prices Americans face.Democrats in Congress have been forced to choose between the very well funded extreme anti-oil interests and the poor, because on energy prices there is no compromise between the two. The Democrats have begun to recognize the position they are in, and are trying to have it both ways with today’s vote.Earlier this month, a group of protesters came to Capitol Hill calling on Congress to Stop the War on the Poor by groups and congressmen who are closing off America's energy resources.Included in the group were pastors and civil rights leaders calling on this body to unlock America's oil resources for the benefit of Americans, and especially for the benefit of lower income Americans.One of the Participants was Bishop Harry Jackson. I would like to quote some of his remarks for the record. These are his words:"I am a registered Democrat, but this has nothing to do with partisan politics. Unless the public understands that there are specific people and organizations that are fueling this war against the poor, nothing will change and the poor will continue to suffer. We will unmask those behind this war regardless of their political party or ideology. Party labels and partisan ideologies are meaningless when it comes to protecting the lives of America's most vulnerable citizens,"By the way, Mr. President, you can see more about the stop the war on the poormovement on the web at <a href="http://www.stopwaronpoor.org/" title="www.stopwaronpoor.org" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">www.stopwaronpoor.org</a>.</blockquote>Ironically, Niger Innis, co-chair of the Stop the War on the Poor effort, <a href="http://www.financialpost.com/trading_desk/energy/story.html?id=687887" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none;">says</a> that U. S. politicians are "being cowered by a very powerful, well-funded environmental extremist lobby that has a great deal of influence over them, and a great deal of influence over policy” and that their primary mission is "’outing’ the extremist groups and the politicians it says are doing their bidding.”Bold words for a man heading an effort that is itself a <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2008/07/dubious_grassro.html" style="text-decoration: none;">phony Astroturf campaign</a> on behalf of energy interests. </div><div class="terms-container" style="margin-top: 28px;"><h3 style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-top: 0.769em; margin-bottom: 0.769em; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.4em; padding-bottom: 9px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(152, 152, 152);">FILED UNDER</h3><div class="tags"><div class="vocabulary-84"><h3 style="font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-top: 0.769em; margin-bottom: 0.769em; text-transform: uppercase; padding-bottom: 10px; border: 0px; margin-right: 5px; display: inline;">ORGANIZATIONS:</h3> <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/americans-for-american-energy" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">Americans for American Energy</a></div><div class="vocabulary-85"><h3 style="font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-top: 0.769em; margin-bottom: 0.769em; text-transform: uppercase; padding-bottom: 10px; border: 0px; margin-right: 5px; display: inline;">PEOPLE:</h3> <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/sarah-palin" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">Sarah Palin</a></div><div class="vocabulary-2"><h3 style="font-size: 10px; line-height: 1.3em; margin-top: 0.769em; margin-bottom: 0.769em; text-transform: uppercase; padding-bottom: 10px; border: 0px; margin-right: 5px; display: inline;">TOPICS:</h3> <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/civil-rights" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">Civil Rights</a>, <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/congress" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">Congress</a>, <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/politics" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">Politics</a>, <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/republicans" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">republicans</a>, <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/science" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">Science</a>, <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/senate" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">senate</a>, <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/utah" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">Utah</a>, <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/vote" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">vote</a>, <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/women" style="text-decoration: none; font-size: 12px;">Women</a></div></div></div></div></div></div>- See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/hatch-joins-phony-stop-war-poor-effort#sthash.49aRpdWn.dpuf==

bs: 

Jim Sims, Western Business Roundtable, Lakewood, Colo.

Jim Sims is president and chief executive officer of the Western Business Roundtable, an organization comprised of CEOs and senior executives of organizations doing business in the Western United States. He has 30 years of experience in policy advocacy and issue campaigns at the state and federal levels. He served for 18 years in Washington, D.C., both in senior policy positions in the U.S. Congress and the White House and as an energy and environmental policy advocate. He served for 12 years in the U.S. Senate, including as chief of staff to former Senator Robert W. Kasten, Jr. of Wisconsin. Following his Senate service, Mr. Sims helped to found and lead the Geothermal Energy Association for more than six years. He served in the White House in 2001 as President George W. Bush's director of communications for the National Energy Policy Development Group, which helped to craft the recommendations behind the President's National Energy Policy. Mr. Sims also helped to found several non-profit organizations that work to educate citizens, policymakers and the news media on important public policy issues, including the Americans for American Energy and the NextGen Energy Council. He serves on the board of directors of non-profit Center for the New West. Mr. Sims is chairman of Policy Communications, Inc., a public affairs/lobbying firm with offices in Golden, Colo. and Washington, D.C. A former state legislative aide and newspaper reporter, Mr. Sims is an honors graduate of Georgetown University.

Learn more about the <a href="http://www.westernroundtable.com">Western Business Roundtable</a>.

===

Big money from the merchants of doubt is routinely accompanied by conspiracy theories. Policy Communications'/WBR's president and CEO, Jim Sims, for example, <a href="http://www.iceagenow.com/Climate_Science_Debate.htm" target="_blank">has stated of climate change, </a>"It is fashionable these days to say that the 'debate is over' on the science underlying climate change. But in the arena of science, a debate continues to rage on many aspects of this issue."

Who is Sims? He "served in the White House in 2001 as President George W. Bush's director of communications for the National Energy Policy Development Group," which helped forge the administration's National Energy Policy, according a <a href="http://puc.sd.gov/energyconf/speakers/sims.aspx" target="_blank">biographical sketch</a>.

It was this group, riddled with<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111501842_pf.html" target="blank"> oil and gas corporate executives</a>, that crafted the "<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Halliburton_Company#The.22Halliburton_loophole.22_for_Methane_Gas_Drilling" target="_blank">Halliburton Loophole</a>," which makes the chemical stew that's in fracking fluid for shale gas extraction a "trade secret" to average citizens, exempting the oil and gas industry from both the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act when they perform hydraulic fracturing for shale gas.

Aside from being a lobbyist for an oil and gas industry front group, Henry is also a former Chairman of the National Energy Resources Organization (NERO), another group funded by the usual suspects: The American Petroleum Institute, ConocoPhillips, EnCana, Duke Energy (<a href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/11285-the-people-behind-the-parties-and-the-democratic-party-at-the-dnc" target="_blank">major sponsor of the DNC</a>; its CEO Jim Rogers sits on the DNC Host Committee, and the company has lent a floor of its corporate headquarters to the Committee), General Electric and others.

Importantly, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dittus_Communications" target="blank">Dittus Communications </a>is also a <a href="http://nationalenergyresources.com/membersponsors.htm" target="blank">corporate member of NERO</a>, which itself does public relations work for the shale gas industry's public relations machine, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Energy_in_Depth" target="_blank">Energy in Depth</a>.

Climate Denial Drives Destructive Energy Policies

During his time working under the watchful eye of Sims, Henry lobbied for many policies with a common thread: All were environmentally destructive, at least to those looking at the situation through a scientific lens, as opposed to the lens of the merchants of doubt.

In 2007, Henry lobbied against any provisions of the Clean Energy Act of 2007 that would decrease domestic energy production. Later that year he lobbied on behalf of three bills calling for greater domestic energy production - at any ecological price.

Then in the first quarter of 2008, Henry and Friends lobbied on behalf of "responsible implementation" of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the one that includes the"Halliburton Loophole." The oxymoronic nature of such a statement to those citizens whose water has been contaminated with <a href="http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/intelligent-energy/toxic-fracking-fluids-revealed-in-congressional-report/5698" target="_blank">toxic fracking fluid</a>, but don't know what chemicals they were actually contaminated with due to the fact it's a "trade secret," could only leave them laughing - or crying.

At the end of 2008, Policy Communications, Inc./WBR lobbied policymakers by "educating them on the costs vs. benefits of domestic regulation of greenhouse gases," while also pushing for increased domestic production of oil and gas, an end to the moratorium for drilling on the outer continental shelf and a beginning of extreme <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/does-red-leaf-s-ecoshale-technology-greenwash-oil-shale-extraction" target="_blank">oil shale production</a>.