Wal-Mart, critics slam each other on Web
By MARCUS KABEL, AP Business Writer Tue Jul 18, 8:18 PM ET
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Paidcritics.com was started last week by Working Families for Wal-Mart, a group funded primarily by Wal-Mart, to reveal what it described as "the real motives of the union leaders behind the campaign against Wal-Mart."
It characterized one of its leading critics, Andrew Grossman of union-backed Wal-Mart Watch, as "a political operative with a checkered past" in a section called "Paid Critic of the Week" that also lambasted Wayne Hanley, head of the Canadian chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
The site is part of Wal-Mart's aggressive defense since last year against its increasingly organized critics. Wal-Mart won't say how much it is spending, but it has set up a political campaign-style "war room" staffed by consultants, hired Washington D.C. lobbyists, formed the Working Families group and created another Web site called Wal-Mart Facts.
In response to the new site, union-funded WakeUpWalMart.com started its own Web site Tuesday, http://www.abunchofgreedyrightwingliarswhoworkforwalmart.com, which attacks the retailer's public relations and lobbying figures.
"These great guys who love to stretch the truth (or what mom called liars) honed their special Wal-Mart skills on an array of right wing political campaigns," the Web site reads.