In Latest Hoax, Yes Men Announce That Chamber of Commerce Has Changed Its Position on Climate Change Legislation

The Yes Men, in quite possibly their most epic prank yet, held a phony press conference Monday claiming to be the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and proclaiming that the organization had reversed its stance opposing climate change legislation.

Various news organizations were initially fooled by the announcement including CNBC and Reuters.

The Chamber was not amused. A real Chamber representative crashed the news conference and set the record straight that the proceedings were a hoax and that the Chamber had not changed its position. The organization also called upon law enforcement to investigate the event.

“Public relations hoaxes undermine the genuine effort to find solutions on the challenge of climate change,” Thomas Collamore, a spokesman for the Chamber of Commerce said.

Environmental group Avaaz, who also helped organize the press conference hoax with the Yes Men, said on their website they wanted to “make this the worst Monday ever for the anti-climate PR machine at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.”

For video footage of the Yes Men’s latest hoax, see here.