Just a few days after I mentioned PG&E and their most recent astroturf campaign (for proposition 16), I received a mailer from "Common Sense San Francisco"—aka the "Coalition for Reliable and Affordable Electricity"—an astroturf group PG&E used to defeat a public power proposition in San Francisco two years ago that they're reactivating now to stave off yet another perceived threat to their power monopoly. Check out these rock solid community credentials:
All of which is just background for my favorite PG&E lie, which they repeat (mutatis mutandis) with reassuring regularity on each mailer they send out:The Coalition for Reliable and Affordable Electricity is a nonprofit that was formed in 2005. According to the organization's 2008 tax returns, the most recent information available to the public, the president of the organization is Dan Richard, PG&E's former senior vice president for public policy and government relations. Also listed as a director is Nancy McFadden, a senior vice president and senior adviser to PG&E's CEO Peter Darbee. Steven S. Lucas is listed as the coalition's principal officer. [...] Lucas, a partner in the Sacramento law firm of Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor, is also listed as treasurer of the Yes on 16 political action committee.
This information was provided by Coalition for Reliable and Affordable Electricity, a coalition of concerned consumers, small businesses, labor, community organizations and Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
I always get the mental image of a group of "concerned consumers", "small businesses", "laborers", and "community organizations" getting together for a meeting to discuss ways to save themselves and their fellow citizens from the menace of public power, and someone suddenly saying, "Hey, who else should we invite to our coalition? I know—maybe Pacific Gas and Electric would be interested! Do you think we should ask them?" Which is no doubt why PG&E is listed last instead of first.
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