Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumWhen A Utility Hires Actors To Appear At Public Meetings: "Clearly . . . A Misunderstanding"
The head of a public relations firm that Entergy New Orleans hired to lobby the New Orleans City Council tried to deflect blame Friday for a scheme in which actors were paid to show up at council meetings and pose as supporters of a proposed new power plant.
Reading from a prepared statement, the president of the Alexandria, Virginia-based Hawthorn Group said in an interview that a subcontractor had hired the actors, and that Hawthorn had not been aware of the plan. However, the subcontractor, called Crowds on Demand, describes its methods in frank language on its website.
Ed. - Emphasis added.
Paying participants was not requested or authorized by our client or by Hawthorn, said Suzanne Hammelman, Hawthorns president and chief operating officer. Clearly, there was a misunderstanding, which we deeply regret.
Hawthorn has at least once before done business with a firm accused of manufacturing public sentiments, in an episode the company wouldnt comment on Friday. Asked about the previous incident in which a subcontractor hired by Hawthorn admitted in 2009 to forging letters of opposition to a congressional proposal on capping carbon pollution Hammelman declined to answer questions.
EDIT
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_e66139b0-554d-11e8-8943-ef6ceabc67fe.html
NBachers
(16,998 posts)LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,536 posts)We learned about becoming firemen, nurses, teachers, auto mechanics and cops. No one told us anything about becoming a professional crowd participant.
https://crowdsondemand.com/
To be fair, no one said a word about making a career out of firing dead chickens at aircraft windshields, either.
riversedge
(69,706 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)we have a President that has a on call group of Actors to fill in the background when ever he speaks.
YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)Such bullshit. They're all 'extras'
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)of this,but,how many millions believe these are real concern Tumpers. Notice the Sister twins from Phoenix are always in the back ground. Then there is the African American dude wearing the T-shirt with Blacks for Trump,another one from Phoenix. Then there are the Gramps and Grams Couple from Vegas,always there.BTW,most of these Xtra's show up in Commercials as background walk on's .
lostnfound
(16,138 posts)Have to distinguish between PR people / spokesmen Vs this kind of thing.
Beartracks
(12,761 posts)Volaris
(10,260 posts)Too bad oil and power companies, don't like natural things, or they'd have their OWN grass.