Internal PG&E documents turned over to state regulators and made available to the Mercury News on Monday also reveal that PG&E went beyond mere online monitoring. A series of e-mail exchanges show that PG&E sent an employee to monitor a SmartMeter demonstration in Rohnert Park in October. The employee, whose name was redacted, took at least four photographs of protesters, writing in an e-mail, "This is fun, no one said 'espionage' in the job description."
"It's quite creepy to know that we were actually being spied on by PG&E," Sebastopol resident Sandi Maurer said. "They were at our protest, watching, taking photographs and sending notes back to PG&E." (more)What part of this story is stupid?
A. That PG&E spied on an activist group?
B. The PG&E employee's comment?
C. That one of the protesters thought spying was "quite creepy?"
D. None of the above.
E. All of the above?
Answers...
A. It is not uncommon for businesses to infiltrate / monitor the activities of activist groups. In many cases it is justifiable.
B. The PG&E employee was not hired for their investigative skills. Unprofessional comments and a blown cover should be expected.
C. Typical knee-jerk reaction. A lawsuit will be the next thought.
E. Logic flaw, trick answer.
D. None of the above is the correct answer. The stupid part was PG&E not handling their business investigation in a professional manner. DIY investigations (like DIY TSCM) is like DIY laser eye surgery – blindingly stupid.
Who knows why they did it: too cheap to hire a professional investigator, a rogue operation by some mid-level manager, etc.??? The story is still unfolding down the Stairs of Fiasco like a drunken slinky. Stay tuned.
What we do know...
This is costing PG&E (and ultimately) their consumers a ton of money and bad publicity. The worst may yet be headed toward the fan... "It is of serious concern to the CPUC that a senior PG&E official may have been involved in unethical behavior," commission representative Terrie Prosper said Monday. "The allegations of misconduct, if proven to be true, could warrant possibly severe sanctions by the CPUC."
Who knows why they did it: too cheap to hire a professional investigator, a rogue operation by some mid-level manager, etc.??? The story is still unfolding down the Stairs of Fiasco like a drunken slinky. Stay tuned.
What we do know...
This is costing PG&E (and ultimately) their consumers a ton of money and bad publicity. The worst may yet be headed toward the fan... "It is of serious concern to the CPUC that a senior PG&E official may have been involved in unethical behavior," commission representative Terrie Prosper said Monday. "The allegations of misconduct, if proven to be true, could warrant possibly severe sanctions by the CPUC."
Moral: Always hire the best professional you can for the job.
