Frightened by popular support for Occupy Wall Street, Republican lobbyists have been exposed suggesting an $850,000 campaign of dirty tricks and misinformation to smear and intimidate supporters of the Occupy Wall Street movement. In particular, the secret memo suggests targeting any and all Democratic politicians who express support and sympathy for the movement.
Sunday morning the MSNBC program “Up w/ Chris Hayes” revealed the sinister and cynical Republican plot to smear and intimidate supporters of the Occupy movement. The smear campaign was proposed by a well known Washington lobbying firm with links to the financial industry and heavy hitting Republican politicians, including Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner.
The proposal was written on the letterhead of the lobbying firm Clark Lytle Geduldig & Cranford and addressed to one of CLGC’s clients, the American Bankers Association (ABA). MSNBC reports:
CLGC’s memo proposes that the ABA pay CLGC $850,000 to conduct “opposition research” on Occupy Wall Street in order to construct “negative narratives” about the protests and allied politicians. The memo also asserts that Democratic victories in 2012 would be detrimental for Wall Street and targets specific races in which it says Wall Street would benefit by electing Republicans instead.
The memo goes on to claim that Democratic support of the Occupy Wall Street movement “would mean more than just short-term political discomfort for Wall Street. … It has the potential to have very long-lasting political, policy and financial impacts on the companies in the center of the bullseye.”
A Republican smear campaign of dirty tricks will come as no surprise to Democrats and other keen observers of American politics. Such tactics have been part and parcel of the Republican repertoire since the criminal activities of disgraced former president and Republican Richard Nixon.
However, the fact that the Occupy Wall Street movement has Republicans frightened should please supporters of the movement, and suggests that the Occupations across the country are having the desired effect.
The following is a sample of comments about the story from MSNBC:
The 1% must protect their interests - at all costs. It's that simple. No matter what it takes, no matter who is hurt, no matter how much it costs, the rich must be protected against the rabble.I really wish that the 1%er's would understand (as Warren Buffet does) that their long-term fortunes are tied to the well being of the 99%. This is a business problem for them and they are failing in their vision.The 1% planning a hit job on the message of the 99%! IMO, this confirms the validity of the Occupy Wall Street movement. The GOP has to plot a secretive campaign to support their friends on Wall Street while appearing to hold their nose.This memo does not surprise or shock me. I am surprised that more of these directives have not been intercepted. I have always said that these phony-hypocritical right wing politicians and talking-heads are tools of the corporations. Marionettes that follow the script written by their masters. My only hope is that there will be an awakening of empathy and conscience among the right.
Are you surprised by the disclosure that Republican lobbyists are secretly proposing a campaign of dirty tricks to smear and discrefit the Occupy movement? What do you think? Leave a comment - express yourself.
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