(Late add 3/1, 12:00 noon: We’ve received a response from one of the groups mentioned in this diary. See addendum below.)

We’ve blogged at length on GMD about the Campaign for Vermont, the public-policy nonprofit that seems to be a vehicle for promoting its founder Bruce Lisman. (Who is also its sole funder, according to Andy Bromage of Seven Days. Lisman won’t divulge how much money he’s spent on CFV, which is a bit strange for someone who promotes transparency in government.)

Lisman and CFV first came to my attention through their ubiquitous radio ads on WDEV and elsewhere. Lately, another “issue ad” has been filling the airwaves: a spot urging Vermonters to reject the wireless “smart meters” that CVPS plans to start installing in the near future. The ads warn of a possible loss of privacy and potential health effects of exposure to wireless transmissions.

The group sponsoring the ads is called “Wake Up, Opt Out.” I did a little digging on the Interwebs to see what I could discover about them. I found some very curious, very interesting stuff; it raises some important questions, and makes me doubt the group’s bona fides.  

After the jump: Two organizations, two PR guys from out of state, and a dearth of financial information.  

The head of “Wake Up, Opt Out” is Jesse Mayhew, a PR/communications professional from Northampton, Massachusetts. Mayhew is co-owner of an ad agency/PR firm called Brave One. His partner in the firm is Lukas Snelling.

If that name rings a bell, it’s because Snellling is head of “Energize Vermont,” another advocacy group fighting another energy initiative in Vermont — wind power.

“Brave One” touts itself as an expert shop on “cause marketing” and corporate social responsibility (CSR for short). Its clients include businesses large and small (Capital One and Energizer are on their client list), and some nonprofit organizations.

Corporate social responsibility is a strategy of corporate self-regulation whose goal is compliance with legal and ethical standards. A three-word slogan is often invoked: “People, Planet, Profits.” Depending on how you see it or how it’s implemented, CSR could create meaningful change in a corporation — or it could be a way to whitewash a firm with a bad image and forestall tougher government regulation.

“Cause marketing” involves a cooperative effort between a for-profit business and a non-profit organization, with the aim of benefiting both. One example: a credit card company donates a small amount of money to a nonprofit for every card transaction. The charity gets some bucks, the company gets some positive PR and maybe even an uptick in card use.

In short, Mayhew and Snelling operate in what I see as a big fat ethical gray area. They may be encouraging corporations to move in positive directions, but they certainly never question a corporation’s basic purpose or business plan. Call it corporate responsibility, or call it greenwashing. Really, it could be either. Or both.

So we have two Vermont organizations opposing new energy initiatives, claiming to be gatherings of concerned Vermonters, but headed by PR guys from Massachusetts. Both groups have the same goal: raising questions about the safety and environmental consequences of renewable-energy projects, and fomenting opposition to the projects.

Mayhew has refused to answer questions about the cost of the “Wake Up, Opt Out” campaign or its funding sources. That troubles me greatly. I could not find any information about Energize Vermont’s funding.

I realize that each group has attracted some support from authentic Vermonters, and that some in the GMD community are opposed to wind or smart meters or both. I’m not making any judgments about the merits of these causes. But I do have serious questions, and serious qualms, about Mayhew and Snelling and the organizations they head.

Do they operate out of sincere environmental concern, or are they front men for astroturf organizations? Are they funded by donations from concerned citizens, or are they bankrolled by traditional energy industries like coal or oil? Or nuclear?

We don’t know. And as far as I can tell, the Massachusetts boys aren’t telling. If they are authentic public-interest groups, they should be willing to open their books.

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Addendum: This diary has brought a response from John Liccardi, President of Energize Vermont. He posted it in the Comments below, but I felt I should include it in the diary itself since many GMD readers skip the comments. His statement:

I’d like to thank Mr. Liccardi for responding, and apologize for mischaracterizing his organization. Haven’t heard anything yet from “Wake Up, Opt Out.”