My respect for ABC News is dropping by the hour. After doing some extra searching, I discovered that the virulently anti-nuclear Project for Government Oversight or POGO, didn't just serve as a source for interviews on the "Loose Nukes" series, it was actually hired as a consultant. My source: POGO's own blog:
But it gets worse. What I discovered was that POGO is currently getting a 2-year $200,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York -- the same Carnegie Corporation that provided the ten Carnegie Fellows for the "Radioactive Roadtrip". For more, click here.
I don't really know what else to say, other than ABC News has some explaining to do. I do know one thing -- I don't think they'll be calling us to do any "consulting" anytime soon.
UPDATE: Welcome readers of Little Green Footballs, we're glad you're here..
Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Energy, Technology, Homeland Security, ABC News
ABC News is scheduled to run an investigative series next week about nuclear security and safety at home and abroad. The series, which POGO consulted on, will in theory run on a variety of ABC News programs, such as 20/20, Nightline, Good Morning America, and World News Tonight. It promises to be a comprehensive report on the many problems caused by worldwide proliferation of weapons grade nuclear materials.It's one thing to interview a biased source. But this is another thing entirely.
But it gets worse. What I discovered was that POGO is currently getting a 2-year $200,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York -- the same Carnegie Corporation that provided the ten Carnegie Fellows for the "Radioactive Roadtrip". For more, click here.
I don't really know what else to say, other than ABC News has some explaining to do. I do know one thing -- I don't think they'll be calling us to do any "consulting" anytime soon.
UPDATE: Welcome readers of Little Green Footballs, we're glad you're here..
Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Energy, Technology, Homeland Security, ABC News
Comments
I wonder though whether ABC News has stepped over the line and the universities have a case to sue them for libel. By hiring POGO as a consultant, and not getting an alternate view, I suspect that ABC had scant regard for the truth, one might go so far as to say they were acting maliciously. It is of course defamatory to suggest that the universitites are operating their reactors unsafely.
ABC wouldn't want me on a jury.
Liar liar, pants on fire.
POGO's conclusions may have been that there was a problem, but that can hardly be classified as "virulently anti-nuclear." Could just be that there was a problem, and a serious one at that.
THE MONEY
The nuclear power industry has given $8.7 million to federal candidates and committees so far in the 2002 election cycle. Overall, the industry has favored Republicans, giving 70 percent of its individual, PAC and soft money contributions to the GOP. Top Senate recipients include Robert C. Smith (R-N.H.), who has received more than $90,000 in individual and PAC donations so far in 2001-2002. Smith is the ranking Republican of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which oversees the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Top House recipients include Dingell (D-Mich.), who has received more than $83,000, and Joe Barton (R-Texas), who has received more than $63,000. Dingell is the ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Barton is the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power and the sponsor of the House resolution to turn Yucca Mountain into a nuclear waste repository.
Top contributors include Southern Company, which has donated $1.1 million in individual, PAC and soft money donations so far this year, 72 percent to Republicans. Although much of the power Southern Company’s electric utilities generate comes from coal, the company does operate three nuclear power plants in Georgia and Alabama. Dominion Resources, which has given more than $800,000 so far, spent $1.3 billion to purchase a nuclear power facility in Connecticut. Earlier this year, it also tried to buy another plant in New Hampshire, but lost out to Florida Power & Light Group (FPL). FPL is also a top contributor, giving more than $400,000 so far in 2002, 90 percent to Republicans.
The Center for Responsive Politics calculated the nuclear power industry’s campaign contributions by including money from several different sources: companies that have significant revenue from nuclear power operations (either by owning or operating a power plant); industry trade associations (such as the Nuclear Energy Institute); and companies that build nuclear power plants or develop nuclear technology (such as General Atomics). Totals also include contributions to leadership PACs.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/nuclear/
http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/profile.aspx?act=clients&year=2003&cl=L002405
Peter Jennings is spanking his monkey madly in his grave.
Signed, Elmo.
P.S. Anonymity is for Cowards and Panty Waisted Paranoid L3's.
It is the duty of every American and every American business to contribute to campaigns. If they don't, people like the Clintons and Algore will get more money from foreign sources like the Lippo Group, the People's Liberation Army and George Soros.
Today any contributor who is interested in keeping America alive will favor Republicans in their campaign contributions.
If POGO wasn't consulting, why did they write that they were?
ABC is incapable of making decisions about what is true and what is not true. The distinction is of no concern to them.
AND IF POGO ANSWERED THE PHONE WHEN ABC CALLED, BY GOD, WE'LL GET 'EM.
BTW, did ABC "consult" with NEI?
The deleted posts on the ABC site made the convincing case that these individuals never really were "strolling around". They were identified and reported as behaving suspiciously. Steps were taken to monitor their activities and in many cases restrict their access to certain areas. One case of attempted removal of an item was prevented. In another case the individuals were detained by law enforcement personnel. At no time did these individuals have the opportunity to case any kind of incident that would have endangered public safety.
I find it ironic that the same groups and individuals who are now decrying the supposed "lax" security are either the same or allied with groups that only a short time ago were criticizing nuclear facilities are being too "secretive", and denying the public's "right to know" what is going on at those places. Sounds like a no-win situation to me, damned if you do, damned if you don't.
https://secure.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/pogo/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=8
"POGO does not accept gifts from corporations, government agencies, or labor unions."
Perhaps "consulted" is more along the lines of..."I consulted with the campus security guard before propping open the door to the nuclear research reactor all night."
I do however have a problem with media outlets promoting editorial comments as unbiased news. If POGO was consulted as their blog claims (and that claim is still posted there), ABC News should also have consulted other lobby groups with different views. This was a news show not a talk show. A talk show host is clearly presenting a personal opinion for entertainment purposes. A news show reports and interprets the news, if it has a comment on the news, that should be clearly distinguished.
let them feel the results of their plame gate stuff, treasonous commie bastards.