Blackwater Worldwide is ramping up its lobbying representation in Washington. The North Carolina-based private-security contractor protects U.S. government officials in Iraq. But the company has attracted considerable congressional scrutiny, as well as criticism from the Iraqi government and human rights groups for its involvement in several dozen shooting incidents, some involving the deaths of civilians. Now the company is tapping law firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice to lobby the government on contracting and other issues. The information was posted online by the Senate's public records office. Womble Carlyle is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it is the third lobbying firm to be hired by Blackwater since October. (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
January 09, 2008
Blackwater Ramps Up Lobbying After Scrutiny For Iraqi Deaths
December 15, 2007
Canuck corruption on tasers
Hill & Knowlton are the ones who devised the "scheme" whereby no one speaks of tasers in public as weapons. Any wonder the type of statements we have been hearing since Dziekznski's death by likes of coroners, cops, Stockwell Day and other??
O! Somedays knowing this much just gets a bit overwhelming and I think not a soul really sees I think I post or even wants to know. That said, it's all here, buried in this huge messa blog posts - the real raw truth if anyone cares to look. The owners of Taser International are here, the video of the US Air force testing them on pigs improperly, the future of tasers, it's all here. (even if I misspell the name constantly ;>)
Veeger
Taser manufacturer hired former aide to minister Stockwell Day as lobbyist
JACK AUBRY, CanWest News Service
Published: 3 hours agoAmid controversy over police use of Tasers, the U.S. company that makes the devices hired a well-connected lobbyist who is a former policy adviser to Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Ken Boessenkool, of the Hill & Knowlton public affairs consulting firm, was retained by Taser International Inc. on Nov. 28, a few days after the B.C. government announced a public inquiry into the Oct. 14 death of Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport. A video recording of the Polish immigrant being subdued by Taser-wielding RCMP officers provoked national debate about police use of the conducted energy weapons.
Boessenkool is registered to lobby the Prime Minister's Office, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada, the RCMP and MPs. The Harper government's much-heralded crackdown on lobbying remains in limbo until Treasury Board approves new regulations.
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2007
November 27, 2007
Taser International in perspective: Weapon or safety device
From Common Sense PR
Taser Death a PR Test for RCMP and Manufacturer
by Eric Eggertson on November 16th, 2007
Canada’s national police force wants us to hold off on deciding whether police were too quick to taser an upset immigrant at Vancouver International Airport.
For Canadians, shock was the reaction to seeing the short video released this week of Mounties zapping Robert Dziekanski about 25 seconds after arriving at the international arrivals area. The Polish immigrant spoke no English and had spent 10 hours waiting to meet his mother, who had been trying to get airport staff to help her locate her son.
A plea by the RCMP for people not to make up their minds until they’ve heard from all sides about the incident predictably fell on deaf ears, as the video made the rounds of news agencies and online video sites. The RCMP request was doubly suspect because they delayed returning the video to the Victoria resident who shot the footage.
A better response from the RCMP would have been to emphasize their difficult role in protecting the public and suspects from harm. Asking people not to react to the video is like telling people not to breathe.
Meanwhile, the manufacturer calls it "an unfortunate incident." A look at the Taser International website uses the company’s mantra about "reducing officer and suspect injuries" and reminds us that a Taser is a "non-lethal" containment device. They’re starting to try out the phrase "less-lethal", while also gearing up their "scalable force" options for military use.
The coy use of every possible word except "weapon" to describe a Taser shows you how the company wants to play up the safety angle, while downplaying the danger to life.
Tags: rcmp, taser, death, police, canada, weapons, non-lethal, video, public relations
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2 opinions for Taser Death a PR Test for RCMP and Manufacturer
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Valeria Maltoni
Nov 16, 2007 at 8:28 amThis gives a whole new definition to eye witness. After years of training watching the pros do it on TV regular people can now be reporting live.
