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3.1.2002
PR firm's strategy in paint case revealed
BY PETER B. LORD
Journal Environment Writer
PROVIDENCE -- Titled "Rhode Island Positioning," the memo distributed two weeks ago by public-relations consultant Jody Powell to the dozens of lawyers and consultants representing the nation's lead-paint companies was a straightforward exposition on how to spin public perceptions.
Unfortunately, it seems for Powell's firm, the memo actually became public.
Powell, former press secretary to President Jimmy Carter, is an executive with Weber Shandwick, a national public-relations agency hired by the paint industry. According to the memo, he was seeking to prepare industry representatives for yesterday's hearing before Judge Michael A. Silverstein.
"As we all know, how the media reports the events on Feb. 28th is important for how this proceeding is viewed by Wall Street and by potential plaintiffs in other suits," the memo reads.
It advises participants to emphasize the nuisance case is only the first of a multi-step approach. Lead paint is not a public nuisance except in the small percentage of cases where landlords allow it to deteriorate, the memo says.
It recommends briefing "three key reporters" at The Providence Journal, the Associated Press and The Wall Street Journal before the hearing "as the best way to make sure that the media carries these messages."
Local lawyers were surprised to see the memo published last week in the Rhode Island Law Tribune, a publication distributed to lawyers across the state. Without explaining its source, the Tribune reproduced the memo and published a front-page story about it entitled: "Reporter Spin: PR Firm Bares Lead Strategy."
No public-relations people contacted The Providence Journal this week about the hearing.
But just before yesterday's hearing got under way, Matthew M. Swetonic introduced himself to The Journal's reporter. He said he was from a New York public-relations firm called The Dilenschneider Group.
He said they were assigned to replace Shandwick as of last Friday.
Swetonic declined to answer specific questions about the public-relations switch. But he confirmed that the memo published in the Tribune was authentic. And he even pointed out where its author went wrong: among the many names in its "Send to:" list was the e-mail address of a writer at the Tribune's parent company.
Contacted late yesterday in Illinois, Phil Goldberg, the Shandwick vice president who handled the Rhode Island case, said: "I can confirm that we're not involved in the lead litigation at this point."
But he said he couldn't comment on why the assignment came to an end.
Swetonic was asked yesterday if he had devised a game plan for handling the Rhode Island press covering the lead case.
"Not in writing," he said with a laugh.
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