BNSF’s Attempts At Gaining Support For Unpopular Rail Hub in Western Maricopa County Backfire With Bogus and Sexually Suggestive Email Addresses From Zip Codes Far From Impacted Area
(Wittmann, Ariz.) Raunchy or fake email addresses, so-called supporters far away from impacted areas, possible auto generated email addresses: That’s what an inspection of email addresses, from so-called supporters of a controversial rail hub proposed for western Maricopa County, found.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe is claiming its proposed 4,200-acre rail hub which would create noise and air pollution, increase crime and traffic, and destroy the quality of life in Wittmann and the surrounding areas such as Surprise, Sun City, Sun City West, and Wickenburg, has a long list of supporters according to emails submitted to Maricopa County.
A closer inspection of those email addresses, obtained from Maricopa County, reveals questionable or downright raunchy email addresses with a vast majority of zip codes outside Maricopa County District Four, where BNSF wants to build the rail hub.
Some emails resemble joke names or handles unlikely to be used in legitimate public input (please note adult content):
jaymesuckscock@gmail.com
crazyzoomom@yahoo.com
armyofgodaz@yahoo.com
gummybearsrainbowsandgir@gmail.com
gothic.horrors@icloud.com
bobbertbob@bob.com
To make matters worse, BNSF actually submitted this support list to Maricopa County, apparently unaware of the outlandish names it contained. Follow the link for a copy of the email list along with BNSF’s questionable solicitation letter. Warren Buffett, through his company Berkshire Hathaway, bought BNSF in 2010.
BNSF solicited Arizona residents to sign a campaign in support of their project, seeking their email address, first name, last name, and zip code. The campaign received more than five thousand responses. Only 721 (13.7%) of those who signed have a zip code inside Maricopa County District 4, where the project is planned to be developed. Nearly 40% of the “supporters” live outside Maricopa County.
- A few entries include profanity or sexually suggestive words in the email handle, which are atypical of real public comment forms.
- Many emails resemble joke names or handles unlikely to be used in legitimate public input.
- Many emails follow the format of disposable or mass sign-up styles, such as full names and numbers, year of birth, or random number strings.
- The disproportionate use of Gmail and Yahoo.
- The emails addresses contain many variations of the same name or format used, suggesting auto-generation.
- The use of questionable names and duplicate names.
- The list is labeled “Arizona supports”, but some names and emails suggest non-Arizona familiarity or foreign-style formatting (odd combinations of letters or European-style emails).
This real-life battle against the rail hub project is so much like an episode of Yellowstone it has inspired a real-life documentary. The first two episodes have generated more than 160,000 views and a third episode will be released shortly. Follow this link to see episodes one and two.
The project is so controversial, hundreds of REAL residents showed up in person to a May 6th public meeting to voice their opposition. Not one person in the audience that night spoke out in favor of the project. Hundreds more REAL residents, who actually live in Maricopa County District Four, have written REAL emails opposing the project.