Astroturf Scandal: Americans for American Energy?

More obfuscation on arctic drilling:

"Americans for American Energy"

Front Group Supports Arctic Drilling Coming to a Media Market Near You
July 27, 2006

Americans for American Energy is an industry front-group funded by a controversial $3 million no-bid contract from the Alaskan Legislature to pressure Senators across the nation to change their votes and approve devastating oil drilling in our nation’s premier wildlife sanctuary, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Americans for American Energy aims to pressure lawmakers dedicated to protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by masquerading as a grassroots movement within their districts.

In reality the there is no grassroots component to Americans for American Energy. The only “American” in Americans for American Energy is big business crusader Jim Sims, nominal President and the only listed staff member on AmericansforAmericanEnergy.net.

It is simply the latest “astroturf”, grassroots, creation of PAC West Communications, a PR Agency with close ties to Resource Committee Chairman Richard Pombo and Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.

The article is here. The teaser for a related piece is below:

The ANWR Opinion Machine

No one's made a penny drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But the decades-long debate over the Refuge's fate has produced a gusher of money for pollsters, consultants, advertisers and activists in Washington. Living on Earth's Jeff Young looks at who's striking it rich in one of the nation's most enduring environmental fights.

For the record, Minnesota Rep. Gil Gutknecht has been a staunch supporter of drilling in ANWR. Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman has opposed it.