As we’ve been talking about for some time, Verizon, AT&T and the other RBOCs are hiding behind so-called “consumer" groups to push their business agendas. [Click here, here, here and here for our past posts on these misleading tactics.] Cable is fighting back with a campaign of TV commercials, print ads and a new web site exposing this “Phone-y Baloney.”

From the web site: “What's a Phone-y Baloney? It's a group the Bell phone companies pay to serve up baloney about the Bells' legislation -- groups like Consumers for Cable Choice. Groups like FreedomWorks, Internet Innovation Alliance and the Phoenix Center. The truth is that, in most cases, the legislation sponsored by the telephone companies will mean higher telephone rates and competition for fewer consumers.”

On the site, check out the commercials featuring a phone company-backed fat-cat who actually speaks the truth. In case you’re wondering, these materials do in fact go out of their way to disclose that they’re sponsored by the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, unlike, of course, the funders of the shady RBOC "consumer" groups.