On Tuesday, June 9, 2009, the Washington Times published an editorial headlined “Kneecapping FedEx.” In it, the paper complained about an amendment to federal legislation which would place FedEx Express’s ground drivers under the same federal labor law as all of its express delivery competitors.

That afternoon, conservative talk-show icon Rush Limbaugh read excerpts from the Times editorial and concluded with this rather sappy trot down memory lane:

“The first time I went to Seattle was for a radio industry convention, and it was time to leave, and I got to the airport in Seattle. I guess it was ten o’clock at night. As soon as I got out of the car I saw a FedEx DC-10 taking off and I thought I was watching the American flag. I really did. I got a little goose bump. I was proud. ‘There’s a FedEx plane!’ Because I knew the story of Fred Smith starting his own company.”

Well, at least he didn’t feel a thrill go up his leg the way MSNBC’s Chris Matthews does when he listens to Barack Obama speak.

But the point was clear. FedEx: As American as baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet (under new government management!). A huge success story. Strong and proud. Taking risks despite the obstacles. Fearless in the face of opposition. Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Yeah, yeah….I get it.

So why, then, is FedEx hiding behind the Internet equivalent of mommy’s skirt in this fight they’ve picked with UPS over this bill?

Let’s start with this. I created this website, FedExcess.info, to highlight the inequality of FedEx getting special treatment under the law. Now, if you go to WHOIS to find out who purchased the domain name and runs the website, here’s what you’ll find….

The Registrant’s name, Administrative Contact and Technical Contact is: Charles Muth. Me. With my home address listed. And my daytime phone number. When you go to the website, every post has my name, “chuckmuth,” listed, along with an “About Chuck Muth” page and how to contact me.

I’m using my real name, not a fake Internet name. I personally bought the domain name directly through GoDaddy.com – an American company which publishes its website in English.

Now let’s look at BrownBailout.com. (Copyright 2009 FedEx)

WHOIS reports that the domain name was purchased through Gabia.com – which to the best of my knowledge is a South Korean company. I can’t be sure because their home page is filled with what looks to me like some Asian language that I certainly don’t understand. But when I hit Google’s “Translate” button for the website, it tells me the language being translated is “Korean.”

I’m assuming it’s South Korean and not North Korean.

Seriously, though. Go to Gabia.com and then tell me why FedEx would use this Korean service instead of an American company such as GoDaddy.com? But there’s more.

A “Reseller” is also listed: “Corporation Service Company.” Among the services this company advertises on its own website: “Domain Strategy” – including providing “a central repository to safeguard confidentiality and preserve evidence.”

Why is FedEx so worried about safeguarding the confidentiality of exactly who is behind their Brown Bailout attack website? But let’s move on.

The actual Registrant, as well as the Administrative, Technical and Billing contact is listed as JDYConsultations LLC. The mailing address is listed simply as “314 Norman Road.” No city, state or zip listed. Just “314 Norman Road.”

They also list a telephone number which is identified as a fax number: (646) 209-0090. I tried calling it, assuming I’d get a fax tone. But a man answered. I asked if this was JDY Consultations. He said I had the wrong number. Thinking maybe I had possibly dialed the wrong number, I tried again. This time a woman answered. I again asked if this was JDY Consultations. She hung up. Immediately after, a “Private” call came into my phone. As soon as I answered, the person hung up. Weird.

So I did a “reverse look-up” to see if I could find out whose phone number this really was since the parties answering said it wasn’t JDY Consultations as listed in WHOIS. US Search informed me that the number was actually an Omnipoint Communications cellular number in New York City somewhere off 4th Street near Gramercy Park and East Village, not a fax number.

Oh, and for $4.95 I could find out the actual name and address of the person the number belongs to. For fun, I coughed up the $4.95 and I’m waiting on the results as we speak.

While we’re waiting, let’s try checking out JDY Consultations. We already know the phone number they’ve listed is suspicious, but what about the contact email address they provided?

It’s info@jdyconsultations.com. “Info.” No name. Just “info.” Hmmm.

So I surfed on over to jdyconsultations.com to get more information on them. I’m sure they’re an established, reputable consulting firm, right? I mean, an all-American, righteous corporation like FedEx wouldn’t use some shady, fly-by-night consulting firm to administer its attack website, would it? I mean, a company with pockets as deep as FedEx’s would use a huge and reputable consulting firm like Burson-Marsteller or another big-name conglomerate, right?

Oops. Turns out the JDY Consultations webpage “is under construction.”

So we have no idea who the Registrant and Administrative Contact is for the FedEx attack website, where he, she, it or they are located, who the owners are, or how to get in, you know, contact with them. Very suspicious.

So I looked up jdyconsultations.com in WHOIS to find out who is behind THAT website. Get a load of this….

The Registrant, Administrative, Technical and Billing Contact is listed as “Modern Outlook Sdn Bhd.”

And where are they located?

Lot 13-01A, Level 13 (East Wing) Berjaya Times Square, No.1, Jalan Imbi
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia 55100

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia?

So I tried Googling JDY Consultations. But the only thing to pop up was a blog by a FedEx employee who had someone post a comment on the blog wondering pretty much the same thing as us. “Brian” wrote:

“So ‘True Blue’ FedEx can’t even be bothered to fight it (the legislation) off themselves, instead hiring a PR/marketing firm to do it for them. Then they can’t be bothered to hire an American PR firm, instead opting for some obscure Malaysian company to front it. It doesn’t exactly inspire sympathy.”

OK, now let’s look at the Brown Bailout website itself which was apparently built and designed by South Koreans and Malaysians.

First, there’s no contact page. No names. No addresses. No phone numbers.

There is a toll-free number listed for members of the media seeking press interviews, but when I called it was answered by a recording.

There’s also an email address for reporters: media@brownbailout.com. Again no actual name.

There is a pair of press releases published on the website. And who is the contact person listed on those press releases?

Media@brownbailout.com. Again, no real name. Why not?

How about the website’s blog? Well, when I checked just before posting this here on FedExcess.info, there were four entries.

The first, dated June 8, 2009, was posted by “Brown Bailout Team.” No names. No links.

The other three were posted by “editor.” And again, no name. No link. No identity whatsoever. Just “editor.”

FedEx has certainly gone to a lot of trouble and effort to hide the identities of anyone and everyone it has hired to attack UPS through this website over this legislation. Again, why? Why are they so afraid that Congress, the media or the public might find out who their hired guns are? What’s the big secret? What is all-American FedEx trying to hide through its South Korean and Malaysian surrogates?

And if FedEx is willing to go to such lengths to attack their competitor anonymously and in such a cowardly fashion, what’s that say about the validity of their position on the issue itself?

I’d say….a lot.

Come out, come out, whoever you are.