PR Firm Pays Actors To Support Entergy New Orleans Power Plant

"Entergy New Orleans confirmed Thursday (May 10) that paid actors appeared to testify in support of the company's proposed New Orleans East power plant before the City Council, but the company said it was not aware a consultant had hired them.

The company, releasing the results of an internal investigation, said a consultant hired to organize "grassroots support" for the power plant had paid the actors to testify. Entergy identified its "grassroots support" consultant as The Hawthorn Group, a national public affairs firm, which it said hired a company called Crowds on Demand to "pay individuals that it recruited to appear and/or speak at those two meetings."

The Lens first reported last week that Crowds on Demand had been involved in organizing paid testimony during hearings on the Entergy plant over the last six months. The City Council voted 6-1 in March to approve the power plant, which Entergy said was needed to supplement power generation during periods of peak demand."

Kevin Litten reports for the New Orleans Times-Picayune May 10, 2018.

SEE ALSO:

"Hawthorn Group, PR Firm Behind Paid Actors Scandal In New Orleans, Has Long Record Of Being Paid By Utilities To Lie To The Public" (Energy and Policy Institute)