Dominion's Thuggish Tricks on Full Display on Day #1 of Atlantic Coast Pipeline Hearing
Dominion’s tricks to oppress opposition and sway opinion in its favor, ranging from simply coordinating supposedly independent supporters to something as reprehensible as photographing the opposition, were on full display during the first day of the State Water Control Board meeting on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP).
The company’s influence showed itself early when the first three speakers, State Senator Frank Wagner (R) and House Delegates Roxann Robinson (R) and Buddy Fowler (R) gave outlandish endorsements for the ACP. Senator Wagner claimed that our national defense depended on the pipeline (!), while Delegate Robinson said the ACP would improve our air quality (!!), despite a study showing that the pipeline will result in emissions equivalent to around 20 coal plants. The politicians’ support is not altogether surprising, though, considering that they have collectively received over $125,000 in donations from Dominion, and that the corporation’s corrupting influence in Virginia politics is well-documented.
What is surprising is how much was done to increase Dominion’s support platform in the meeting, while reducing the platform of those there exercising their constitutional right to speak out and oppose the pipeline.
Those in opposition to the ACP arrived to stand in line and reserve a right to speak before the venue doors opened, some as early as around 6 am. This was in contrast to the August public hearings for the ACP, where Dominion bused in pipeline supporters early so that they could speak first. The reason for this soon became clear: speakers were made to indicate whether they opposed or favored the pipeline when signing up to give testimony, and then speakers were called in an order that made it so that testimonies of alternating viewpoints were given in succession.
Read more: https://bluevirginia.us/2017/12/dominions-thuggish-tricks-on-full-display-on-day-1-of-atlantic-coast-pipeline-hearing
