EPA Engages In ‘Covert Propaganda’ To Promote New ‘Waters Of The United States’ Rule
EPA Engages In ‘Covert Propaganda’ To Promote New ‘Waters Of The United States’ Rule
The Government Accountability Office issued a report on December 14th concluding that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) violated federal law by using ‘Covert Propaganda’ and social media to promote its “waters of the United States” rule under the Clean Water Act. The federal Antideficiency Act places limits on funding indirect or grassroots lobbying to generate support for the new rule, and tamp down congressional efforts to block the rule by adopting legislation. GAO Report HERE.
According to the government report the EPA used social media platforms to manufacture support for its effort to expand the scope of its own regulatory jurisdiction and combat opposition to the rule. Washington Post story HERE.
Lest we forget, the New York Times already documented EPA’s efforts to manufacture support through orchestrating public comments and then justifying the adoption of that rule by citing to the manufactured comments. New York Times story HERE.