Facebook's Skullduggery

Facebook fans may not ‘like' this.

On Thursday reports surfaced that the social-networking site hired public relations giant Burson-Marsteller to plant unfavorable stories about Google in various media outlets. It's the latest blow in the long-term rivalry between companies and it couldn't come at a more pressing time. As the Obama administration continues to go after the CEOs of major oil companies and banks, could Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg be next on the list? On Friday, Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) discussed this possibility on Varney & Co.

"On one hand it is a big amusing because the idea that a public relations firm, a high octane one like Burson-Marsteller would be caught doing something like this," said Huckabee, "To quote Calude Rains, ‘I am shocked, shocked' that companies would engage in such backdoor skullduggery."

Despite Facebook's confirmation that it did hire the PR company, according to Huckabee, the media is not "beating up on Facebook" the way it has done on other companies in situations with similar themes.

"Does anyone recall when George Bush was president, and big oil and Halliburton were the evil twins of the empire and we could not say enough bad things about them?"

It is no secret that President Obama is a Facebook supporter. Last month, he and Zuckerberg sat side by side as the White House hosted a "town hall" meeting at Facebook's headquarters. Huckabee says it is this relationship that will keep Facebook's scandals from causing any real damage.

"Because Facebook is so friendly with the Obama administration, they are going to be silent."

According to Burson-Marsteller spokesman Paul Cordasco, the firm is no longer working with Facebook and the arrangement has been terminated.