CAP email

Glenn Greenwald, Salon, May 17, 2009: "Distorting Public Opinion on Torture Investigations":

That's an odd article to be running given that, according to Williams, it's a topic about which "nobody is concerned." And CAP's blog, ThinkProgress, has some of the best and most comprehensive coverage around of the debates over torture and investigations. . . .

CAP's Matt Yglesias disassociates himself from Williams' comments, noting that (1) "it’s not factually accurate to say that the American people don’t want an investigation"; (2) part of CAP's stated goal is "try to shape public opinion," not blindly follow it; (3) "some form of accountability for what happened in the past is important"; and (4) other CAP officials have called for investigations and proceedings against Bush DOJ lawyers [though, to my knowledge, all of them, including Yglesias, oppose (or at least have serious reservations about) prosecutions regardless of whether Bush officials broke the law].

Email from Allison Lessne, Center for American Progress Action Fund, 5/18/2009:

Dear Mr. Greenwald,

I write regarding your article yesterday titled, "Distorting public opinion on torture investigations."

We appreciate and value your coverage but want to clarify that ThinkProgress.org and Matthew Yglesias' blog, Yglesias, are projects of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the Center for American Progress’ 501(c)(4) affiliated organization. While the Center and the Action Fund share a mission, the Center is a research and educational institute, while the Action Fund transforms progressive ideas into policy through rapid response communications, partnership with other organizations, legislative action, and grassroots and political advocacy.

We hope you will keep the distinction between these two organizations in mind in the future.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Deputy Press Secretary, John Neurohr, at xxxxxxx@americanprogressaction.org.

Best,

Allison Lessne