Political attack ads don't lie — do they? The "American Energy Alliance" is running attack ads against Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM), who is running for the Senate. That's according to the New Mexico Independent.

But the American Energy Alliance is a bit of a mystery group, a kind of political ghost created by the magic of public relations. No information on the group has been available for years. One of the last known mentions of it was a 1996 Washington Post article, which said it had been created by PR firm Burson-Marsteller as a front for the American Petroleum Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Edison Electric Institute. But you would never know.

• "Ad Watch: Pro-Drilling Group Airs Ads Against Udall," [2] New Mexico Independent, July 23, 2008, by Matthew Reichbach.