Glenniturf

Via TPM:

This article in Roll Call describes how Google, preeminent search engine and purveyor of fun online gizmos, is courting Republicans in Washington, as part of their efforts to build up a bigger presence in DC. ...
But buried down deep in the article it says they've hired the DCI Group.

If you're a dirty tricks and slimey opps afficionado a chill most certainly just went down your spine.

DCI, if you're not familiar with them, is an interlocking group of companies which is the phony seed bed for most noxious astroturf organizing and general bamboozlement in contemporary politics.

So, Google's hired DCI to spin it's non-philanthropy into a philanthropy. DCI is the group that according to an e-mail to BoingBoing:

Among other things, DCI invented "journo-lobbyists" in the form of "Tech Central Station." ... It will be interesting to see what TCS thinks about Google these days... look, here's an article from yesterday on invasive privacy practices, which Google is getting dinged on, but the article is all about Amazon and Sony.

Hmmh. Tech Central Station. I wonder who the author is of that TCS article. Here's a little hint:

NOT GRASSROOTS, BUT ASTROTURF: Bill Quick has identified some near-identical letters to the editor opposing an invasion of Iraq. So who's behind this? Some sleazeball PR firm in the pay of Saddam Hussein? Or a domestic political outfit?

UPDATE: As the comments below Bill's post show, the source seems to be a Usenet posting sent to a lot of green and Democratic groups, from someone named Eli Pariser at Moveon.org.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Now Quick has more information on his page, including a list of Moveon.org donors.

Who says bloggers don't do original reporting?

Glibertarian Credo:
Clause I: Government invasion of privay is bad until I say so.
Clause II: Corporate invasion of privacy is bad unless they pay well.