Voices from the Flats – “Grasser Roots” Means Astro-Turf
1.5 Million Astro-Turf Seeds for Alaska
On May 15, 2008, the federal government put polar bears on the endangered species list. I figured if George W. Bush said they’re endangered, there were probably 11 of them left and we should put them in zoos. It took exactly one week for half-governor Palin to respond with a threat to sue.
www.visionsofthewild.com
At the time, the ADN reported:
She and other Alaska elected officials fear a listing will cripple oil and gas development in prime polar bear habitat off the state’s northern and northwestern coasts.
Palin argued there is not enough evidence to support a listing. Polar bears are well-managed and their population has dramatically increased over 30 years as a result of conservation, she said.
Climate models that predict continued loss of sea ice, the main habitat of polar bears, during summers are unreliable, Palin said.
Good Lord, I thought we had moved on.
This week the Legislative Council allocated $1.5 million for a conference and public relations campaign to sully the Endangered Species Act. Six members of this council are appointed by Senate President Gary Stevens (R) and six by Speaker of the House, John Harris (R).
| CHAIR: | Representative Harris | ||
| VICE-CHAIR: | Senator Davis | ||
| MEMBER: | Representative Chenault | MEMBER: | Senator Ellis |
| MEMBER: | Representative Dahlstrom | MEMBER: | Senator Hoffman |
| MEMBER: | Representative Gatto | MEMBER: | Senator Olson |
| MEMBER: | Representative Stoltze | MEMBER: | Senator Stedman |
| MEMBER: | Representative P.Wilson | MEMBER: | Senator Stevens |
| MEMBER: | Representative Guttenberg | MEMBER: | Senator Egan |
It was reported in the ADN:
The effort was conceived as a national public relations campaign aimed at creating a “grass-roots” call for limits on the Endangered Species Act. The Legislative Council has solicited bids from public relations firms willing to organize a conference in Anchorage on the act, with the findings to be used in the public relations effort.
“Grass-Roots”?! More like astroturfing!
Eddie Grasser, a legislative staffer for the Outdoor Heritage Caucus which is chaired by John Harris (R) and Charlie Huggins (R), organized the quest for public relations solicitation. A quick Google of Mr. Grasser shows he packs quite an agenda.
Mr. Grasser is the President of the Hunter Heritage Foundation. A 501(c)3 organization “formed to promote conservation of Alaska’s fish, wildlife and wild places…” Their website offers no membership or donation button. No data base came up with any verification of a 501(c)3 status-it was only listed on their site. They do list their corporate sponsors, though: Alaska Chapter Safari Club International, Alaska Friends of NRA, Northern Dynasty/Pebble Project, British Petroleum, Conoco Phillips, Agrium, Tesoro , Anadarko Petroleum, Shell Oil, Alyeska Pipeline Company, Alaska Tanker Company, and the City of Wasilla, to name a few.
Mr. Grasser has one up on Obama. He’s the President twice! Not just of the Hunter Heritage Foundation, but he is also the President of the Outdoor Heritage Foundation of Alaska. Another 501(c)3 that has a remarkably similar mission statement about fish, wildlife, etc. The last event listed was in 2007 and was the launch of the website. Their business license is active. They have no site link to join their organization or donate to their cause. Mr. Grasser has his home listed as the address for the organization. They too have a list of sponsors: The Alaska Outdoor Council, Safari Club International-Alaska Chapter, Alaska Friends of the NRA, SCI Kenai Chapter, British Petroleum, Conoco Phillips, Pebble Partnership/Northern Dynasty, The NRA, PacWest, Shell Oil, Pioneer Natural Resources, Clay Cartridge Company, ACS, Udelhoven Oilfield Services, Anadarko Petroleum, Tesoro Alaska…you get the idea.
I’m curious if PacWest has an interest in the $1.5 million dollar job. They sponsor Mr. Grasser’s organization and have offices around the country. In February 2007, Pac/West announced that former U.S. House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo was joining the firm as a “senior partner.” Previous Pac/West campaigns had backed Pombo’s “attempts to rework the Endangered Species Act and open the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve to oil drilling.” Rolling Stone magazine listed Pombo at number seven in their article The Ten Worst Congressman. “No member of Congress has worked harder to savage America’s natural resources than Pombo.”
Grasser has been in his position as the “Outdoor Heritage Caucus” staffer since June of 2006. Soon after, the ballot initiative process had begun to ban aerial wolf hunting. I wrote about this extensively in September of 2008. Prior to that, the half-governor allocated over $400,00 of state funds to “educate” Alaskans on the benefits of shooting wolves and bears from planes. Not to be outdone, Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, who was in charge of the state Division of Elections, ensured the ballot language would be as confusing as possible-A YES vote on aerial wolf hunting would ban the practice. A NO vote would maintain the status quo! The aerial wolf hunting ballot proposition was defeated in the August election.
The Safari Club Press release RE: Prop 2 2008 – SCI’s Alaska Chapter president, Eddie Grasser added, “The misinformation spread by the proponents of this ballot initiative was amazing, but not surprising considering these individuals are not Alaskans and do not understand Alaska’s wildlife and ecology. Many organizations rallied together to ensure that Alaskan wildlife management remained the prerogative of the state Department of Fish and Game – not out-of-state extremist groups.”
Wow. That meme is just wrong. There are many “Real Alaskans” who worked hard on the ballot initiative and voted for it. Mr. Grasser seems to consider anyone not agreeing with his ideology to be part of “out-of-state extremist groups”.
While running the NRA booth at the Alaska State Fair in 2008, Time Magazine caught up with him for a story they were writing about VP candidate Sarah Palin:
Across the row from the State Fair livestock pavilion — with its champion pigs, giant cabbage and 900-lb. pumpkins — Eddie Grasser mans an NRA booth. Palin is a lifetime NRA member — a demographic that has not been particularly high on John McCain — and Grasser couldn’t be more excited about the governor he calls Sarah. Like Grasser, everyone here seems to be on a first name basis with their politicians. “It’s just one of those things about Alaska politics,” says Grasser.
What Time should have followed up with: Then why didn’t you support her when she ran for Lieutenant 
Governor?
From Mother Jones – And the day before the Republican primary, in an August 26, 2002 email to Eddie Grasser, a leader of the Alaska Outdoor Council, a lobby for hunters and firearms owners, Palin expressed her disappointment at not receiving the AOC endorsement. She pointed out that she was a “lifetime member of the NRA” and a recipient of its “Defender of the 2nd Amendment Award.” In the email–which promoted her campaign positions–she objected to the process used by the AOC in endorsing one of her opponents in the Republican primary contest: “The AOC stated the endorsement was based on candidates’ answers to the AOC’s ‘extensive questionnaire’…but in reality there was no questionnaire sent to Lt. Gov. candidates.” She asked if she could “use the AOC’s email address book to remind our members of my positions.” And she encouraged Grasser to visit her campaign website. This email–also sent via her official Wasilla city account–was addressed to over 300 people in addition to Grasser.
Grasser was Beverly Masek‘s chief of staff. Masek pled guilty to conspiracy, and awaits sentencing.
In 1988, he was listed as an occasional lobbyist and Vice President of the Alaska Professional Hunters Association. The article, written by Craig Medred, points out the conflict of interest Grasser found himself in when he would host, guide and list as an “assistant guide” the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Protection officer Sgt. Robert Boutang.
Eddie Grasser is not an elected official. He’s a back-door lobbyist. Not many “Grasser-roots” here, but a whole crop of astro-turf.
Please contact the legislators on the committee listed above. Their address links are provided. Alaska has a hard enough time growing grass without the astro-turfing effects of corporate back-door lobbyists.
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More on these developments at TPM Muckraker HERE
GINOX gave a speech to a logger convention in Redding, CA today calling climate science “snake oil” and calling for an end to environmental laws in California, Alaska, and nation wide because they are hurting buisness and killing jobs.
http://cbs13.com/local/sarah.palin.global.2.1480697.html
She touted her efforts to kill polar bear endangered listing in Alaska saying it was just to stop oil and gas exploration.
She is going to be the Republican attack dog leading the charge to blame the recession and job loss on environmental legislation. Now Obama is palin’ around with environmentalists. Environmentalists are terrorists who are killing America. Industrial age carbon emissions never happened, and they don’t cause climate change anyway. God wants Alaska to warm up so more dairy farms can produce more milk. Anyone that does anything to get in the way of oil production or tree harvesting has a pit bull after them.
We made a bunch of rules to keep lobbying out in the open.
Thank you Ms Moore for opening up that back door and shoving Mr Grasser in under the lights we want to keep on lobbyists in Alaska.
Polar bears don’t need the government handing them ice shelves; they need to get out there and build them with their sleeves pushed up and the sweat of their brow. They need to grow small businesses to make ice shelves and floes because that’s “providential” – it’s what Founding Fathers like George Washington mandationed when he rallied the troops, G_d bless ‘em, at The Alamo.
Which is a car rental company and cars run on gas and Alasssska provides the good ol’ US of A with 20% of its energy; Alamo started out as a small business, too, and America needs small business and not listening to professor lectures at the lectern of life and Israel, too, in the middle east, also over there by Eye-rack where there is oil, also. So the polar bears need to quit whining and join us *real* Americans in progressing this country with common sense solutions. You betcha. [/bad channeling of SP] beth.
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Palin calls global warming studies ‘snake oil science’
By JUDY LIN
The Associated Press
Published: February 8th, 2010 08:26 PM
Last Modified: February 8th, 2010 08:27 PM
REDDING, Calif. — Former Gov. Sarah Palin called studies supporting global climate change a “bunch of snake oil science” Monday during a rare appearance in California, a state that has been at the forefront of environmental regulations. Palin spoke before a logging conference in Redding, a town of 90,000 about 160 miles north of the state capital. The media were barred from the event, but The Associated Press bought a $74 ticket to attend. [...]
As North Slope oil fields decline, the state is examining offshore drilling for oil and natural gas reserves. Protections for polar bears under the Endangered Species Act could thwart those explorations, according to Palin and her successor, Gov. Sean Parnell, who has picked up the cause.
Palin told the audience that filled the 2,000-seat Redding Convention Center that she disagreed with the science the government used to support the listing.
“We knew the bottom line … was ultimately to shut down a lot of our development,” she said during her 40-minute speech, which was followed by a 20-minute question-and-answer session. “And it didn’t make any sense because it was based on these global warming studies that now we’re seeing (is) a bunch of snake oil science.”
Full article here: http://www.adn.com/palin/story/1130212.html
[[Riverside @ 1: Jinks; I owe you a coke! beth.]]
My gosh! Is that photo of Eddie Grasser untouched!?!
He looks like he should star in a Tim Burton movie.
A great GINOX quote from today’s Redding timber industry event:
“She defended herself as a conservationist.
“We really do love our trees,” Palin said. “I named my daughter Willow. Isn’t that granola enough for them?”
Question: For those of us outside of Alaska, can we contact these representatives? Will it help and will it make a difference? I would happily lend my voice. This is astounding that people in power would want to compromise these wonderful creatures for profit and their own progress. Makes me sick! No surprise Ms. Palin was against the endangered status. She probably figures they are being raptured ahead of the rest. Grrrrrr.
Love your title: Grasser Roots – AstroTurf. Lol! Good one!
So let me guess. Are the oil companies and timber companies positioning to hijack the tea party folks? Recruit themselves an army? After all, if you don’t live along the coast, why worry about sea level rise? Redding is pretty far inland. All they have to worry about is jobs and volcanoes. No evidence that global warming causes volcanoes.
I do think they get a little riled up about Southern California trying to steal their water. But with a little manipulaton and hiding of big agra interests, that could all be blamed on environmentalists, fish lovers and city folk. Sarah could help with that.
For more news and pictures of the logging conference speeches, go to Redding.com. There were a few protesters there with great signs. Look at the conference photo gallery for pictures.
My son lives in Redding and it’s a redneck & fundamentalists paradise with more moving in all the time. Read the comments under the different articles. Thankfully there ARE people with brains speaking up, but the comments from the OTHER side are typical Palinbot insults, deflections and complete lack of facts. I’ve been checking in periodically & the boards have been going nuts.
Interesting. I just checked at Redding.com again and the comments posted earlier on the “Redding going Raucous for Palin” were over 400 and rising every minute. Now there are only 14. Just like ADN, it’s a primarily right supporting newspaper. They’ve also removed several of the stories – there were originally around five of them. Also removed the comments. How very typical & very disappointing.
This is the kind of thing of which nightmares are made. No respect for anything, but the almighty dollar and their right to accumulate them all.
Thank you, Shannyn, for bringing this story to light.
Shame on them all, on their greed, and on their corporate “personhoods.”
Shame.
Shame.
Shame.
Thank you Shannyn and AKM for paying attention and shining the light on such shameful deeds and for speaking out. I take great comfort when I confront the greedy-shameful ones, knowing that so many others from the Mudpuppy Nation are doing the same.
Whatever amount Parnell directs towards the anti-polar bear efforts ought to be deducted from whatever amount the feds direct to Parnell’s favorite causes, ie, earmarks.
I love your reference to Paylin as ‘half-term governor’ and can’t understand why that or even ‘ex-half-term governor Paylin’, ‘former half-term governor’ or even Mrs. Paylin IS NOT CONSISTENTLY USED by anyone and everyone in defining her rather than the usual term of ‘governor’ when she clearly DOES NOT DESERVE this title. Thank you for ALL you constantly do to inform us all AK Muckraker because without you we would not know of her lack of ethics, her lack of honesty, and all we have learned about AK politics. You are one of a kind and your title should be ‘AK MUCKRAKER EXTRAORDINAIRE’.
Well I don’t care what, Exxon, Scarah, Parnell and a bunch of Alaskans want. I’d like to know how much Scarah, heck all of them, are being paid to bad mouth climate change.
I say find another way to make money and jobs. You can bet Murkowski is backing this crap too.
I’ll be contacting my Senators, the D.C Government and my President about this. I read on a right wing blog, I think it was the nut case Briebart, (or what ever his name is), that they are now accusing the President of deception towards the American public because Ken Salazar supposedly received 2 to 1 public support FOR drilling oil. They claim he is sitting on this information. Well if it’s true, it’s most likely because they drove a campaign to make 2 to 1.
Anyway, they’re gonna use this to slam and smear the Prez, some more. Poor guy. 1 very tough first year in office out of four, and they are judging him, calling him inept, unprepared and unable. Funny it’s the opposite in my opinion of Obama and everything true about Scarah. How can they do this.
Alaskans please do your part. Mudpups in the lower 48 Contact:
Tell them you are not for more oil drilling.
Ken Salazar, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior
Mailing Address:
Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20240
Phone: (202) 208-3100
E-Mail: feedback@ios.doi.gov
BTW, also tell everyone you email or speak with that you are proud of this President, support him, think he’s doing a fine job and are looking forward to more campaign promises being met. And that you are sick and tired of Republican obstruction.
I don’t know if this is good or bad, I haven’t researched it yet. The Prez is setting up a new agency to study and report on climate change……. Course Scarah’s gonna claim he’s growin government.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/08/climate-service-new-feder_n_453541.html
‘Climate Service,’ New Federal Climate Change Agency, Is Forming
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, announced NOAA will set up the new Climate Service to operate in tandem with NOAA’s National Weather Service and National Ocean Service.
“Whether we like it or not, climate change represents a real threat,” Locke said Monday at a news conference.
Lubchenco added, “Climate change is real, it’s happening now.” She said climate information is vital to the wind power industry, coastal community planning, fishermen and fishery managers, farmers and public health officials.
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, announced NOAA will set up the new Climate Service to operate in tandem with NOAA’s National Weather Service and National Ocean Service.
“Whether we like it or not, climate change represents a real threat,” Locke said Monday at a news conference.
NOAA recently reported that the decade of 2000-2009 was the warmest on record worldwide; the previous warmest decade was the 1990s. Most atmospheric scientists believe that warming is largely due to human actions, adding gases to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas.”
That guy has a very crooked mouth. Does it go with a very crooked mind?
Great post. It’s discouraging, but we have to keep on it.
beth: LOL and sad, but great comment, as always.
Is this even legal? accepting bids from political opposition groups? with tax payer money? I see the City of Wasilla is also behind Grasser. Gee, she’s gettin pretty big for her britches isn’t she.
And the Leg. votes “for” this conference using $1.5 million tax payer dollars? are all those council members Repubs? or does the whole Leg favor oil drilling. I don’t understand why they even need to do this. I thought I read the Polar Bear being listed as endangered wouldn’t be
“The Legislative Council has solicited bids from public relations firms willing to organize a conference in Anchorage on the act, with the findings to be used in the public relations effort.”
These people have knee jerk reactions and deficit thinking abilities to understand the long range, big picture….lessee, just the thought of melting permafrost releasing all the stored up methane of the northern tundra, thereby making Earth resemble Venus, should be enough to stop them if they had a brain, I mean, where is that heartfelt christian-y stewardship that we ALL should be adhereing to, concern for our fellow planetary inhabitants…the Polar bear is also a symbol, the canary in the coal mine, to the plight of us all if the greedfest continues without concern for this world,( do they have an escape capsule they aren’t talking about?)…
Palin calling global warming “snake oil”???!!!
Maybe she needs to visit Alaska where she can see the Arctic from her house?
Perhaps she should visit with a few folks up there who have first hand stories of the changes that are taking place to the polar ice, the permafrost, the rivers, the forests, the animals?
Pucky to you, Palin.
And just think this is a tiny example of how future state & national elections will be sorted out –
Which corporations or companies are backing which person through how many different shadow companies.
What a tangled web.