Chamber Of Commerce Sues Yes Men Over Climate Change Policy Prank

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a civil complaint on Monday against members of a liberal activist group who staged a news conference to falsely announce that the 3 million-member business federation had reversed its stance on climate change legislation.

"The defendants are not merry pranksters tweaking the establishment," said Steven Law, general counsel for the chamber. "Instead, they deliberately broke the law in order to further commercial interest in their books, movies and other merchandise."

The chamber said it filed the complaint in U.S. District Court in Washington to protect its trademark and other intellectual property from unlawful use by members of the group known as Yes Men and others involved in the group's commercial enterprises. The activists misappropriated the chamber's logo, created a fraudulent Web site and falsely claimed to be speaking as the chamber under the group's copyright, the chamber said in a statement.

As part of its hoax on Oct. 19, Yes Men announced at the National Press Club that the chamber would stop lobbying against the Senate's 800-page climate bill. Reuters moved a story based on the false press release, and both CNBC and Fox Business Network reported it – with the anchors correcting themselves mid-story upon learning it was false.

The chamber has taken heat from some of its members because of its position against the climate bill.

Some companies have defected from the group, including Apple Inc., Exelon Corp., Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and the Public Service Co. of New Mexico.

Comments

[BillLaimbeer]

How does one apply to become a Yes Man?

[BillLaimbeer]

What I like about America is that you can get in trouble for doing the right thing.

[JeanPaulSatire]

The USCoC does NOT have 3 million *members*; it has only around 300,000. (However, it does claim to represent approx. 3 million businesses and organizations.)

Where did I get this info? Right here on HuffPo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/27/us-chamber-of-commerce-do_n_335157.html.

You might think that once a story debunking a claim had appeared on this site the site wouldn't continue to repeat the claim without either correction or an update. But you'd be wrong.

Heckuva job, editors.

[Dosadi]

Where is the conservative outrage? What happened to the freedom of speech the conservatives always defend? Just like I thought, fake rage, false, hopes, all talk and no substance. The republican party, a no-show again.

[crazylikeafox]

The YEs Men only said they were from the Chamber of Commerce, not that they were a specific person from there. They didn't impersonate someone from there.

I don't think lying is the same as impersonating. Hell most businessmen would be in jail is lying were a crime.

[CarmanK]

I am sure those activists must have done something against the law. After all the Chamber has a reach in high places. But the Yes Men were really funny in what they did. And of course, I am wondering why this article repeated the false inflated membership numbers for the chamber. You need to correct the US chamber membership . They are not the numerically powerful group they claim to be.

[BlueDog1]

Like Dylan said you talk non sense Sir................

[jalowe1957]

Memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Are you so thin-skinned to where you can't take a joke, given that the joke was on you?

[HST]

I hope the yes men get a good ACLU lawyer and countersue-hit these money grubbing SOBS where they'll feel most, in their wallets.

[tonysaprano]

Second that motion ! I think the "Yes Men" are da bomb. I like how they fooled people into thinking they can reprocess hamburgers made from poo. Funny as hell !

[NYCSocialWork]

"Instead, they deliberately broke the law in order to further commercial interest in their books, movies and other merchandise."

I had zero clue they HAD these items until the guy they quoted in this article said they had them! He just defeated his own cause by giving them more publicity! Good lawyerin'...now I'm gonna go check it out!

[LeeCalif]

So what if the Yes Men's prank made it to those news organizations.

So did Balloon Boy.

[Laserbeam]

Excellent point, Lee!

[LeftCoastLarry]

The Chamber's membership is more like 300,000. Not the three million they like to promote - falsely.
That was exposed as the lie that it is weeks ago and the author of this story should know that.
Plus, the CoC has done immeasurable damage to our economy by promoting the exporting of our manufacturing base to the detriment of this country.

[thaneb]

It's an AP "dump." Figures.

[LeftCoastLarry]

Spot on.
I also have noticed how right-wing the AP has become. Almost as bad as FOX.

[proudloudlib]

Proving once again that Conservatives have absolutely no sense of humor.

[isaidit]

The yes-men will weave it into gold. I'm confident of it. They were born for this role.

[Laserbeam]

Does the Chamber believe this is a GOOD PR move? It's not.

[isaidit]

It's a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world. . . except for Lola. CoC is booking on that.

[motoGpifupleez]

The beauty of the Yes Men is that they get corporations and groups to stand up and publicly announce they they do indeed have no morals or ethics.
The DOW/Union carbide announcement was a tour de force.