Paul Kapustka's Blog
« Telco FUD -- Funny, and plenty to go around | Main | Snowe, Dorgan jump on net neutrality pig pile »
May 18, 2006
Sen. Boxer Outs an Astroturfer
You may or may not agree with her politics, but there was no denying Sen. Barbara Boxer's smackdown skills Thursday, when she exposed Julia Johnson, chairman of something called the Video Access Alliance, as a professional lobbyist whose firm specializes in setting up so-called advocacy groups.
During a spotty live webcast of Thursday's hearings on the Senate Commerce Committee's communications reform bill, we were able to catch the priceless snippet of Boxer not asking, but telling Johnson that she was a lobbyist, and not the head of some community organization.
Johnson tried to respond to Boxer's claim by saying she was proud to be an African-American and a business owner, but Boxer quickly cut her off by saying sure, we're all proud of you but that's not the point.
"I really don't see you as an independent voice," said Boxer, noting that Johnson's firm touts its lobbying abilities, and has represented big communications firms in the past.
Like any good astroturf, the "alliance" doesn't share any information on its web site about whose cash is responsible for its "grassroots" effort. My question: How the heck to such obviously fake people get into these hearings as credible witnesses? I mean, isn't having MC Walt McCormick enough?
Meanwhile, Ed Markey on Thursday had an event with the artist Moby, who is backing net neutrality legislation. That's the real Moby, and not some fake artist claiming to represent artists.
Who do you believe?
Posted by paul at May 18, 2006 12:56 PM