A subpoena or six might be on the way for Shannon Troughton Watts:

[friendly_iconoclast]

H/t to DUer Judi Lynn

https://www.democraticunderground.com/122864184

How Monsanto manipulates journalists and academics

Carey Gillam


Sun 2 Jun 2019 00.00 EDT Last modified on Sun 2 Jun 2019 00.28 EDT

Monsanto’s own emails and documents reveal a disinformation campaign to hide its weedkiller’s possible links to cancer

But these once-confidential Monsanto documents demonstrate that the deception has gone much deeper. In addition to the manipulation of science and of regulators, the company’s most insidious deceit may be its strategic manipulation of the media, according to the records.

We recently learned that a young woman falsely posing as a freelance BBC reporter at one of the Roundup cancer trials was in fact a “reputation management” consultant for FTI Consulting, whose clients include Monsanto. The woman spent time with journalists who were covering the Hardeman v Monsanto trial in San Francisco, pretending to do reporting while also suggesting to the real reporters certain storylines or points that favored Monsanto.

Over the past year, evidence of Monsanto’s deceptive efforts to defend the safety of its top-selling Roundup herbicide have been laid bare for all to see. Through three civil trials, the public release of internal corporate communications has revealed conduct that all three juries have found so unethical as to warrant punishing punitive damage awards.

Much attention has been paid to Monsanto conversations in which company scientists casually discuss ghostwriting scientific papers and suppressing science that conflicts with corporate assertions of Roundup’s safety. There has also been public outrage over internal records illustrating cozy relationships with friendly regulators which border on – and possibly cross into – collusion.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/02/monsanto-manipulates-journalists-academics

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1172133670

http://momsdemandaction.org/about/

Much like Mothers Against Drunk Driving was created to reduce drunk driving, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (www.momsdemandaction.org) was created to demand action from legislators, state and federal; companies; and educational institutions to establish common-sense gun reforms. We are a non-partisan grassroots movement of American mothers demanding new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws, loopholes and policies that for too long have jeopardized the safety of our children and families.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/shannontroughton

Shannon Watts's Overview

Current
Founder at Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Past
Freelance Senior Consultant/Counselor at Fleishman-Hillard
Founder and President at VoxPop Public Relations
Vice President, Corporate Communications at WellPoint

And not exactly run by a progressive, either:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/launch-of-new-public-relations-agency-voxpop-public-relations-llc-shannon-troughton-named-40-under-40-by-pr-week-65339842.html

...At WellPoint, Troughton led a team of 40 public relations professionals responsible for implementing communications programs for the 14 states in which the company operates, as well as the company's business units.

Previously, Ms. Troughton served as director of Global Communications for GE Healthcare, a $15 billion medical diagnostics and device business within General Electric.

Troughton also served as director of Public and Corporate Affairs for Monsanto Company in St. Louis where she led external initiatives designed to generate positive, proactive media coverage of the company's agriculture biotechnology products.

In addition, Troughton was vice president of Corporate and Public Affairs at Fleishman-Hillard public relations agency in Kansas City, Missouri, where she developed strategic issues and crisis management programs to help protect and enhance the reputation of public and private organizations and corporations.

None dare call it causewashing...