burson

Mr Ponemon says he is flattered by the attention but did not hire Burson and is concerned about the "optics" thee e- mail created .

In thee- mail , Burson did not identify its client as Microsoft .

USA Today then ran with the piece and accused Burson of spreading a "whisper campaign" about Google for an unknown client.

"First, Burson is not working for the Clinton campaign, only myself and people from Penn, Schoen and Berland, " says Mr Penn.

Three days later, USA Today posted an article about Burson's "whisper campaign" for "an unnamed client. "

Mr. Burson is the only dealer (that) we know who gives good advice.

"Countrywide was a client of Burson but that ended, " says Mr Penn, declining to elaborate.

Burson-Marsteller, a global communications firm, prepares both internal and external communications campaigns for its clients.

Today I had to talk with the Burson-Marsteller San Francisco office to give them some detailed information on our client.

When asked about thee- mail , the Burson employee who sent it said it was meant to " support " Mr Ponemon's institute .

But even more so for Burson-Marsteller, a huge PR firm that has represented lots of blue-chip corporate clients in its 58-year history.

Soghoian asked Burson directly what company was paying the agency to spread this stuff around. Burson wouldn't say.

The Burson rep wouldn't disclose who had hired the firm, and Soghoian promptly posted the e-mail exchange online.

Anthony Burson started teaching with a language school in Brazil. After nine years he left to teach privately