Verizon Wireless tries to ‘set the record straight? on its sponsorship of climate denier rally.
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on September 14th, 2009 4:35 am by HL
Verizon Wireless tries to ‘set the record straight? on its sponsorship of climate denier rally.
In recent weeks, Verizon Wireless has come under intense criticism for its $1,000 sponsorship of the coal-powered “Friends of America Rally,” which was held in West Virginia on Labor Day. The point of the gathering was to rail against the Waxman-Markey clean energy legislation. Verizon executives refused to cancel the sponsorship, and even responded by […]
In recent weeks, Verizon Wireless has come under intense criticism for its $1,000 sponsorship of the coal-powered “Friends of America Rally,” which was held in West Virginia on Labor Day. The point of the gathering was to rail against the Waxman-Markey clean energy legislation. Verizon executives refused to cancel the sponsorship, and even responded by mocking environmental activists. Now, Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam has written a letter to the Center for Biological Diversity expressing regret at the “confusion” the sponsorship caused and distancing the company from the rally organizers’ positions:
First, let me be clear that the decision to $1,000 to the event was a local decision focused on promoting our products at the event. It was not a statement of our position on any public policy issue, and it certainly was not an expression of support for mountaintop removal coal mining or in opposition to climate legislation.
Verizon supports the goals of policy makers who are committed to reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment.
(HT: Treehugger and NRDC Switchboard)
