Raw Story investigation reveals revolving door on Iraq PR

Source: Raw Story

Larisa Alexandrovna and Muriel Kane
Published: Wednesday October 17, 2007



New questions are being raised about political operatives who have promoted President Bush’s Iraq war agenda and their role in spreading “good news” about Iraq, illustrating a public relations revolving door among the Republican Party, the White House and the private sector.

A month long investigation by RAW STORY, originally prompted by the pro-Iraq war advertising of a “grassroots” group called Freedom’s Watch, has unearthed a series of connections between the Bush administration and two subsidiaries of the PR giant Burson-Marsteller, particularly BM’s own “grassroots” firm, Direct Impact.

Founded in 1988, Direct Impact boasts of over “1,200 field representatives covering every Designated Market Area in the nation, ready to engage their community in a moment's notice. Self-designated as a “grass roots” company, Direct Impact's community operations include media and online advocacy.

Direct Impact began working with Burson-Marsteller by 1997 and became a full-fledged subsidiary in late 2001. Following the acquisition, the formerly low-profile firm began hosting a steady stream of powerful Republican Party political and communications figures.



Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/All_presidents_PR_men_Raw_Story_1017.html

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They are an Astroturf Company. Fake grassroots.

The privatization of propaganda

The National Security Act of 1947, Section 503(f), defines domestic propaganda as illegal. The Act states that “no covert action may be conducted which is intended to influence United States political processes, public opinion, policies, or media.”

However, when asked specifically by Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) in February 2006 about his views of the President’s power to conduct domestic covert propaganda, then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said he was unable to answer the question:

FEINSTEIN: Can the president suspend, in secret or otherwise, the application of Section 503 of the National Security Act, which states that no covert action may be conducted which is intended to influence United States political processes, public opinion, policies or media? In other words, can he engage in otherwise illegal propaganda?

GONZALES: Senator, this will probably be my response to all of your questions of these kind of hypotheticals. Questions as to whether or not – can Congress pass a statute that is in tension with the President’s constitutional authority? Those are very, very difficult questions, and for me to answer those questions sort of off the cuff, I think would not be responsible.

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