More forged letters from lobby firm found

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- A Washington lobbying firm sent at least 12 forged letters to three members of Congress this summer, one of the firm's clients alleged.

The letters, allegedly sent by Bonner & Associates, were made to look as though they were sent by local groups concerned about climate-change legislation, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, a pro-coal group that hired Bonner to lobby on the issue, criticized the lobbying firm, and the Hawthorn Group -- an Alexandria, Va., firm that subcontracted work to Bonner -- has fired Bonner, the Post said.

Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, said Friday his panel would look into a letter sent by a Bonner employee to Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Va. The letter, which was written on letterhead of a Charlottesville, Va., Latino organization Creciendo Juntos, urged Perriello to make changes in greenhouse gas legislation.

Bonner & Associates founder Jack Bonner told the Post the company fired a temporary employee after discovering the employee wrote a forged letter "contrary to our policies."

The Post reported Tuesday that more forged letters have been uncovered, including letters sent to Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa., and Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, D-Pa.