Courtesy of Repower America, here’s a press release talking about Virginia students highlighting the millions of dollars big oil is spending to mislead voters in this election.
It’s Halloween, and the big oil companies are playing a game of “trick or cheat.” This fall, oil companies and their allies are spending millions on TV and radio advertising to trick the American people into believing their lies. And they are trying to cheat us out of a clean energy future.
Students at VTech, VCU and UVA gathered on their campuses this week to put the spotlight on this year’s misleading advertising by front groups on behalf of the fossil fuel industry and its allies. More than 300 Virginia students cast their votes for the worst climate polluter this year.
“It’s time for big oil to stop the lies and put a halt to the tricks,” said UVA student, Roberto Obando. “They are pumping millions into the airwaves to attack sensible clean energy solutions to our economic crisis. Virginians deserve to know that big oil and their backers are trying to cheat all of us out of a clean energy future.”
The creators of these ads are little-known organizations with names that sound innocent, like Americans for Prosperity or American Future Fund. But these front groups are paid for by big oil companies and other business groups with a financial interest in keeping us dependent on dirty fossil fuels. They are funding these tricks and lies on the airwaves while we continue to spend a billion dollars a day on foreign oil.
“Big oil companies and their allies have a lot of money to spend on ads to trick the American people,” said Lindsay Arends, Repower State Director. “But we won’t let them cheat. Instead of listening to their lies, we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and build a clean energy future.”
more photos on the “flip”