New Orleans City Council Fines Entergy $5 Million For Fake Crowds At Power Plant Hearings

[hatrack]

The New Orleans City Council voted Wednesday to approve a resolution that calls for Entergy New Orleans to be fined $5 million for paying actors to support its proposed $210 million natural gas-fired power plant.

An independent external investigation recently concluded that Entergy New Orleans, a subsidiary of Energy Corp., knew it was paying actors to show up at public meetings in support of the new power station. The utility, which provides electric service to the entire city, will not be permitted to pass the $5 million fine onto ratepayers.

The council’s resolution gave Entergy 30 days to show why the penalty should not be imposed. The resolution also requires Entergy management-level employees to complete a third-party ethics training course.

Community and environmental groups, however, say the fine isn’t enough. They believe the city should be doing much more to hold Entergy accountable. “A $5 million fine is not a remedy for what went wrong with the public process. It’s a slap on the wrist and Entergy still gets to build its gas plant, pollute all of New Orleans East, and get paid tens of millions in return for their investment,” Susan Miller, an attorney for EarthJustice, said Thursday in a statement.

EDIT

https://thinkprogress.org/city-council-fines-entergy-new-orleans-5-million-for-using-paid-actors-to-support-power-plant-350f9a23de17/

[rampartc]

1. I'm sure this is a common and universal practice

By filling the council chamber with actors, Entergy was able to exclude community activists from the proceedings.

And don't let them cool you, I will be among those customers who will pay the fine.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

2. You may be correct.

Once corp America finds a scam/scheme to get what they want, and the price is right, it'll become an off-shoot cottage industry.

[rampartc]

3. Energy's defense was corporate standard as well

"WE did not hire any actors"

Well. Thechnically, no, but isn't outsourcing to a "crowdsourcing" company the same thing?

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

4. Right.

Such a bunch of crap when they do this. When dt says employments up...to a screaming crowd of newly employed (for his rallies), they may be speaking (yelling) from experience. After all, they're 'employed' that night, right? Sheesh.

[rampartc]

8. A perfect example.

[Sherman A1]

5. Good

Hope that they collect every dime.

[littlemissmartypants]

6. Jobs, jobs, jobs! Kicking. nt

[defacto7]

7. How will the city keep the fine from being passed to the customer?

If they will pull one stunt they will pull another.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

9. Yes. I have a sneaking feeling

they'll use an ancillary reason to kick up the cost to the consumer...and just call it something else. Gods forbid a corp or whatever back it out of their profits for a while.
CORPORATE REFORM.....SOON. Eliz Warren rips their asses on stuff like this and that's one of the reasons i wish President Hillary had chosen her as a VP. Mr Kaine is a hell of a guy, but, a puzzling choice. Doesn't matter though. She won. And we all know it.