I won't say it never happens but I don't know of anyone doing it and I can't see anyone squandering funds on it when they already have access to plenty of volunteers. Organized letter to the editor campaigns are very common and equivalent.

Edit: Also it just reads wrong to me, like someone's fictional account of how they think it would operate, it reminds me of fictional military or science lab stories where the private calls the sergeant sir and is wearing captain's insignia and in the wrong place, or all the scientists are obsessive eggheads dressed in white lab coats.I consider the account fake and barring that the guy was involved in a very amateur group, some PAC's hobbyhorse project, or some company that runs a very half-assed effort but in a new niche where efficiency and good strategy haven't been forced on them yet..