Who Is Richard Berman ? Probably the same guy behind the corn sugar bs!

[democracy1st]

Who is Richard Berman?

Richard Berman is a Washington, D.C.-based hired gun who uses front groups to defend his corporate clients against the public interest. Using his lobbying and consulting firm, Berman and Company, as a revenue vehicle for his activities, Berman runs at least 23 industry-funded projects, such as the Center for Union Facts, and holds 24 "positions" within these various entities.


http://www.bermanexposed.org/



Lobbyists Hide Behind Non-Profit Fronts


May 3 - KGO (KGO) -- Lobbying in Washington is taking a new turn. A growing number of lobbying firms are setting up non-profit front groups to push their corporate messages. We found one example when we began investigating the source of information on a website called Fishscam.


For years we've heard about health risks associated with eating certain kinds of fish because of high mercury levels. The Chicago Tribune recently did a big report on canned tuna with high levels of mercury, forcing the FDA to reevaluate their standards. So I was particularly interested when I came across Fishscam.com which says those mercury warnings are full of baloney.

Like to eat ahi but you're worried about mercury? Click on Fishscam.com, a website run by the Center for Consumer Freedom.


http://fishscam.com/

David Martosko, Center for Consumer Freedom: "The best science indicates that the trace amounts of mercury in the fish we feed our children and our families is so small that it's not a danger to anybody."

David Martosko is director of research at the Center for Consumer Freedom -- a non-profit tax exempt educational organization.

David Martosko: "We like to call shenanigans on people when they're really off base. So we're sort of a watchdog group in that respect."

The center has found there's a lot to watch. You know those warnings about drinking and driving&

David Martosko: "Government statistics and independent science confirms very clearly that the drunk driving problem in this country has been reduced to a small hard core of repeat offenders."

In fact, government statistics don't show that. The majority of arrests are first-timers, but the center runs ad campaigns against lowering the legal blood alcohol limit.

You know those warnings that Americans are getting fat? The center says we should be promoting exercise.

David Martosko: "That would do far more to combat childhood obesity than say suing McDonald's."

The centers ads are eye catching. And the message is food police are out to take the ice cream away from children, the hot dog out of your hand.

The Center for Consumer Freedom ads say activists are trying to scare us. One of those activists is San Francisco physician Jane Hightower.

Dr. Jane Hightower, research scientist: "I'm honored." (laughs)

Dr. Hightower published a report linking the coronary artery disease in her patients with the large amounts of tuna and swordfish they were eating.

Dr. Jane Hightower: "I didn't get paid to do this study. I did it because people were not feeling well and they all had elevated mercury levels."

Her research is supported by the Environmental Protection Agency which warns pregnant women -- don't eat any swordfish.

David Martosko: "Dr. Hightower I think is three parts activist and one part scientist."

Martosko attacks Hightower for being an activist. But Martosko himself is no part scientist. He was a music major in college and then an AM radio talk show producer before becoming chief researcher for the Center for Consumer Freedom which is headquartered inside the lobbying offices of Richard Berman, a lobbyist for the restaurant and beverage industry.

Berman set up the Center for Consumer Freedom and a number of other tax exempt educational organizations. And those educational non-profits all seem to support messages that dove tail nicely with the food beverage and tobacco industries that have hired Richard Berman.

David Martosko: "Welcome to Washignton. This is the way things tend to be done here."

When we tried to ask Rick Berman himself about that, he ducked out of our interview.

Rick Berman: "We'll give you a photograph. Say whatever you want to say."

ABC7's Mark Matthews: "Oh don't do that to me."

Berman wouldn't talk with us about how his non-profits are connected financially to his lobbying business, and his research director didn't tell us.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/politics&id=4140447





oh yea and who first brought us this info ?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtwDb_3TKWs

http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/

[Beaverhausen]

1. I'm shocked, shocked!

not