Today at a lunchtime rally in sterile corporatized downtown Houston, the HTX chapter of Billionaires for Coal counter-protested 20 activists from Rainforest Action Network, Houston Global Awareness and Earth First! over Merrill Lynch’s financial support of TXU’s proposed 11 new coal fired power plants in north and central Texas. As the environmental activists fliered downtown patrons, the soot-covered Billionaires sang the praises of Global Warming, Coal Power, TXU and the banks that love them. After the Billionaires firmly dealt with the environmental faction, they attempted to deliver a letter of support the Merrill office in 1 Houston Center, but the building’s security and the Houston Police Department informed them that their appointment had been cancelled. Apparently, the Merrill representatives have Wednesday golf.

Later in the day RAN and HGA activists visited the Merrill Lynch offices in Houston’s Galleria and delivered a letter to the Asst. Managing Director calling on Merrill Lynch to NOT FUND TXU’s DIRTY PLAN. He took the letter, shook their hands and then excused himself. Then, the activists visited another Merrill office and attempting to pass out some flyers to the employees but were locked out.