Sierra Club Exposes Climate Change Denier and Likely Project Veritas Operative Volunteering at

[diva77]

Angeles Chapter

Saturday, December 1, 2018
Oakland, CA -- Lauren Lantry
https://angeles.sierraclub.org/news/blog/2018/12/sierra_club_exposes_climate_change_denier_and_likely_project_veritas_operative
SNIP
The organization recently learned that a political operative likely working for the right-wing smear organization Project Veritas volunteered at the Angeles Chapter Office in an attempt to undermine Sierra Club’s work, indicating that Project Veritas is likely using substantial resources to attempt to undermine organizations that protect the environment and pursue climate action.

Ernest “Ernie” White, a right-wing commentator, Trump advocate and climate change denier, signed up as a local office volunteer using the apparently fake name “Earl White.” During this same period, he made false claims to at least one federal campaign about his role with the Sierra Club. Previously, White had been identified as one of the infiltrators at the Sinema for Senate campaign in 2018, separate from his attempted infiltration of the Sierra Club.

“At a time when voters are sending climate champions into office, Trump’s cronies are sinking even further by using dirty tricks to again try to peddle falsehoods and deceptions. Nobody should be fooled,” said Sierra Club Communications Director Maggie Kash. “Our strength is built on our members, supporters and volunteers, and the deceitful actions of a few infiltrators will not diminish our enthusiasm or derail our mission to openly bring communities together to advocate for climate action and clean energy.”
SNIP

[UTUSN]

1. K&R

[AnnieBW]

2. Goodbye, Earl!

Ironically, a Dixie Chicks song.

[diva77]

5. Ha! and now modified, perhaps to "Good riddance, Earl!"

[pecosbob]

3. I would probably attribute this up the food chain

and in the lap of the Kochs or the Sinclairs or someone of that ilk.

[diva77]

4. interesting thought - I wonder whether they'll investigate that possibility

[pecosbob]

7. Anyone that still gives funds to Veritas knows exactly what they're getting

[lunasun]

6. I am a Sierra club member and this really pisses me off. It's one thing to disagree

But another to sabotage the organization

[diva77]

8. definitely sucks; old trick too

[rwsanders]

12. Not the first time.

About 8 years ago, they had no rules requiring those who run for office to be members for a certain period of time. So a bunch of right-wingers flooded the club with candidates trying to take over the Excom. It was narrowly adverted by a campaign within the club to expose and identify those who were trying to take over.
I think the club should claim they have a couple of members with counter-insurgency experience who will verify identities. Even if not true it might make outsiders shy away.
Anyway, they also published a guide to help identify fake members. If I remember right, too eager, too much time on their hands, no solid address, "new in town", promoting actions outside club values, etc.
And it is not just Project Veritas. Many groups speaking out against the wars in Iraq and Afganistan were infiltrated by undercover cops.
Despite the constitution, real resistance will never be tolerated.

[PatrickforO]

13. Real resistance on the LEFT will never be tolerated.

As to the RIGHT-WING nutjobs, the POB tend to wink at them unless they do something really egregious. I mean, the media NEVER EVER reports acts of terror like the idiot who shot up the abortion clinic in Colorado Springs, or even the slime who killed those people in the synagogue.

But if you're on the left, you're lookin' at COINTELPRO, bro.

[rwsanders]

16. Sorry, you are absolutely correct.

I got my hands on a copy of the book "Operation Biteback". What the feds did to that guy was appalling.

[lunasun]

17. I joined just a few yrs ago so did not know this- thanks

[thbobby]

9. K&R

[Haggis for Breakfast]

10. I can't believe it took any time at all to flush him out.

[Pepsidog]

11. WTF ? Scumbags the whole lot of them

[farmbo]

14. And guess what... they have Tax-exempt status

https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/irs-grants-project-veritas-tax-exempt-status

The IRS has lost it's mind.

[Hortensis]

15. We need to be able to put people who do these things

repeatedly away for the protection of society, at least in cases like this when the clear goal is to deceive and destroy public faith and/or understanding on a large scale. Anyone know if there are criminal statutes that might apply? State or federal?