Astroturf Gone Wrong: Fake Protesters Offered $20 To Stand At Anti-Wind Energy Rally

[kpete]

Astroturf Gone Wrong: Fake Protesters Offered $20 To Stand At Anti-Wind Energy Rally
By Rebecca Leber posted from Climate Progress on Jan 24, 2013 at 7:00 pm

Most Americans like clean energy. So when conservatives wage campaigns against clean energy initiatives, they have typically resorted to fronting astroturf groups and paying fake protesters to generate noise.

Needing 100 anti-wind protesters by next week and apparently unable to find them, a mysterious firm advertised a “quick and easy $20″ on Craigslist. According to the ad, the only thing the “volunteers” would need to do for their pay is “stand next to or behind the speakers and elected officials/celebrities” at a rally against a wind turbine project in the UK.

View the screenshot (the ad was quickly pulled down after Grist made the catch):




http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/01/24/1493101/astroturf-wind-protest/

[Berlum]

1. Republican Family Values - DeGenerate Style

as usual.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. This is the kind of story that needs to go viral.

[Denzil_DC]

3. There are a few versions of that ad around

but they're quickly being pulled. Here's another that makes me certain it's Trump behind it:

Are you a golfer? From England/Scotland? Earn $20/hour - Easy Money (Midtown East)

2013-01-23T17:34:26-05:00
Our firm is looking for extras that are avid golfers or look like golfers; we are also looking for individuals from England and Scotland. If you meet both qualifications - even better. We are hosting an event next Wednesday, January 30th at 12 noon i [...]

http://www.feedage.com/feeds/1167731/craigslist-general-labor-jobs-in-new-york-city

It originally linked to http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/lab/3566843737.html but only the front page blurb shown above is there now, and that'll soon be gone too. Heh.

[Kalidurga]

4. At another website forum

I actually talked to someone that was against wind energy, cuz bats. I do think it is sad that flying critters can be killed by wind mills, but I think it will be sadder if more are killed from climate change.