http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/37781-gop-attorneys-general-held-private-meetings-with-fossil-fuel-lobbyists-on-exxon-investigation
[links in on-line article]
GOP Attorneys General Held Private Meetings With Fossil Fuel Lobbyists
on Exxon Investigation
Wednesday, 28 September 2016 00:00 By Nick Surgey, PR Watch | Report
Republican attorneys general held private, undisclosed meetings with
fossil fuel industry lobbyists in July to coordinate on shielding
ExxonMobil from scrutiny as the company faces an ongoing investigation
over allegations that it intentionally misled the public and its own
shareholders about evidence of climate change, according to an audio
recording of the session obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy.
The meeting occurred at a July 2016 summit hosted by the Republican
Attorneys General Association (RAGA) in Colorado, and included
representatives from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) and the
American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), organizations which
have previously received substantial funding from Exxon and the fossil
fuel industry. At the summit, attorneys general including Luther Strange
(R-AL) participated in a panel presentation titled "Climate Change
Debate: How Speech is Being Stifled" alongside CEI Director Myron Ebell
and AFPM President Chet Thompson.
This past June, thirteen Republican attorneys -- including AG Strange --
penned an open letter to their fellow attorneys general in the defense
of Exxon and the oil and gas industry. During the discussion, AFPM
President Chet Thompson thanked the attorneys general for their
'leadership' and 'support' in the investigations of oil companies, and
asked for further assistance in blocking the EPA 'social cost of carbon'
disclosure rules for the fossil fuel industry and halting the college
divestment campaigns.
The Center for Media and Democracy has previously found that
corporations can pay a premium rate RAGA membership fee of up to
$125,000 for the privilege of holding private briefings with attorneys
general and their staff, as well as attending the annual meeting. The
conference provides ample opportunity for attorneys general to directly
solicit campaign contributions from corporate representatives during
private meetings, informal conversations and leisure activities -- like
a golf tournament, zip lining, and a tour of the Olympic training center.
According to materials reviewed by CMD, since 2015 RAGA has received at
least $100,000 from ExxonMobil, $350,000 from Koch Industries, $85,000
from Southern Company, $378,250 from the American Coalition for Clean
Coal Electricity (ACCCE), and $250,000 from Murray Energy. In total,
fossil fuel interests, utilities and their trade groups have given more
than $2.25 million to RAGA since 2015.
RAGA documents obtained by CMD:
Issue Panel Description Climate Change Debate How Free Speech is Being
Stifled
RLDF 2016 Senior Staff Retreat Agenda
RAGA Summer 2016 Meeting Agenda
RLDF Email Correspondence and AG Draft Letter
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