Deniers: American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)

 

Contents 1 Details 2 Key Quotes 2.1 21 January, 2004 2.2 21 January, 2004 3 Quotes 3.1 2002 3.2 16 February, 2005 4 Key Deeds 4.1 8 May, 2003 4.2 13 May, 1996 4.3 21 January, 2004 5 Funding

[edit] Details

1129 20th St. NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202-466-3800 Fax: 202-466-3801

ALEC provides state legisators with model legislation, including a continuing program trying to discredit state level legislation aimed at providing incentives to cut global warming pollution. Funded by conservative foundations and corporate grants, ALEC is a pivotal player between state and federal right-wing think tanks.

ALEC was founded in 1973 by Paul Weyrich, and is affiliated with the ALEC Foundation. ALEC maintains 15 task forces, including one targeting environmental issues. ALEC has developed over 150 pieces of model legislation. Past and present membership includes 3,000 state legislators, 12 sitting governors, and 80 members of Congress. They also have at least 300 corporate members that pay annual membership fees. ALEC boasts that its Annual Meeting is "the largest gathering of conservatives held each year." Its 2003 Annual Meeting was attended by representatives of the CATO Institute, the US Sportsman's Alliance, Evergreen Freedom Foundation, Competitive Enterprise Institute, American Enterprise Institute, and the Heritage Foundation. Speakers included Vice President Dick Cheney, Tom Ridge, and David Horowitz. ALEC is firmly opposed to the Kyoto protocol. Its 2002 Annual Report summarized, "though it is still unclear whether global warming is occurring or, even if it is occurring, whether it would have a major impact on our climate, environmental activists are pushing the states and our economy towards an energy starvation diet" (p.21). Domestically it says it has to "guard against proposed back-door Kyoto Protocol" regulations that would significantly increase energy costs but yield negligible environmental benefits (p.4). ALEC is a former member of the Cooler Heads Coalition and a current member of the State Policy Network.

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[edit] Key Quotes

[edit] 21 January, 2004

"Like Mark Twain, the reports of Kyoto's death in this country have been greatly exaggerated...Carbon dioxide, the inescapable by-product of burning fossil fuels, is beneficial to plant and human life alike. The effort to regulate it as a greenhouse gas is an attempt to tax energy. Losing fuel diversity can only be harmful to our economy and ultimately the environment itself." "States should reject every form of Kyoto legislation for the very same reasons as our leaders in Washington, D.C...The Kyoto Protocol is just another highly regressive energy tax on America's working families, with no measurable benefit to environmental or human health."
Source: ALEC Website-Sons of Kyoto

[edit] 21 January, 2004

"Carbon dioxide, the inescapable by-product of burning fossil fuels, is beneficial to plant and human life alike. The effort to regulate it as a greenhouse gas is an attempt to tax energy."
Source: sons-of-kyoto legislation, ALEC press release, 1/21/04

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[edit] Quotes

[edit] 2002

"Climate change policy and global warming have become the new mantra for environmentalists and non-governmental organizations in their quest to redistribute international and domestic wealth."
Source: American Legislative Exchange Council Annual Report, 2002

[edit] 16 February, 2005

“The United States has categorically refused to ratify the treaty because of the enormous economic harm that it would cause through increased energy prices with little environmental benefit. The United States depends on fossil fuels to meet over 85% of its energy needs. There are no other sources that can even begin to meet future energy demand, let alone replace fossil fuels.”
Source: ALEC Press Release 2-16-05

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[edit] Key Deeds

[edit] 8 May, 2003

Worked with the U.S. Sportsman's Alliance to create the "Animal and Ecological Terrorism Act," their model legislation that would criminalize virtually all types of environmental- or animal-rights-related advocacy. In early 2003, versions of the Act were proposed in the Texas and New York legislatures.
Source: "Environmentalists = Terrorists: The New Math," Tom Paine, 5/8/2003

[edit] 13 May, 1996

Supported legislation in Oklahoma that would grant "priviledged immunity" to companies that report problems to environmental agencies. Audits relating to these problems would then be kept from the public.
Source: "Environmental Audit Immunity Delayed," Daily Oklahoman, 5/14/96

[edit] 21 January, 2004

Launched attack on "Son of Kyoto" legislation across the country. Press release subtitiled "States React to the Myth of Global Warming" Project includes maps of states with Greenhouse Gas Legislation, Renewable Portfolio Standards and Carbon Sequestration incentives.
Source: sons-of-kyoto legislation, ALEC press release, 1/21/04

====2002
Released the report "Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol: Paper Tiger, Economic Dragon" written by climate sceptic, Patrick J. Michaels from the Cato Institute. ALEC 2002 Spring Task Force Summit in Las Vegas.
Source: American Legislative Exchange Council Annual Report, 2002

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[edit] Funding

American Legislative Exchange Council has received $1,245,700 from ExxonMobil since 1998.

1992
$unknown Exxon Corporation
Source: ALEC literature, 1992

1992
$unknown Mobil Corporation
Source: ALEC literature, 1992

1998
$15,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
conference for freshman legislators
Source: ExxonMobil 1998 grants list

2000
$70,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
general support
Source: ExxonMobil Foundation 2000 IRS 990

2001
$10,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Source: ExxonMobil 2001 Annual Report

2001
$70,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Source: ExxonMobil 2001 Annual Report

2002
$163,200 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
50K conference, 80K general support, 5K membership, 25K project support, 3,200 'other'
Source: ExxonMobil 2002 Annual Report

2002
$30,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
general operating support
Source: ExxonMobil 2002 Annual Report

2003
$78,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual Conference
Source: ExxonMobil 2003 Corporate Giving Report

2003
$50,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Energy and Climate Change
Source: ExxonMobil 2003 Corporate Giving Report

2003
$100,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
General Operating Support
Source: ExxonMobil 2003 Corporate Giving Report

2003
$140,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Global Climate Change
Source: ExxonMobil 2003 Corporate Giving Report

2004
$55,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual Conference
Source: Exxon Giving Report 2004

2004
$62,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Energy and Climate Change
Source: Exxon Giving Report 2004

2004
$75,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
Climate Change
Source: Exxon Giving Report 2004

2004
$30,000 ExxonMobil Foundation
General Operating Support
Source: Exxon Giving Report 2004

2005
$151,500 ExxonMobil Foundation
DISCREPANCY: 2005 Giving Report: $151,000 for: Energy Sustainability Project (80,000), General Operating Support (71,500). iRS 990 2005: Energy Sustainability Project (Climate Change)($80,000); Climate Change Environmental Outreach ($21,500)
Source: ExxonMobil 2005 DIMENSIONS Report (Corporate Giving)

2005
$90,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual Conference
Source: ExxonMobil 2005 DIMENSIONS Report (Corporate Giving)

2006
$15,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual meeting host committee sponsorship
Source: ExxonMobil Corporate Giving Report 2006

2006
$31,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
Annual meetings sponsorship
Source: ExxonMobil Corporate Giving Report 2006

2006
$10,000 ExxonMobil Corporate Giving
general support
Source: ExxonMobil Corporate Giving Report 2006

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