Team,
Every once in a while, you find out that things seemingly separate are actually connected by hidden strings. Dark money is the hidden string tying together the climate denial operation.
Recently Vox did an excellent job showing the importance of fighting climate denialism, and exposing the ties between denial groups, the fossil fuel industry, and conservative donors who seek to influence American policy. Just a couple of decades ago, as climate science was emerging, the fossil fuel industry saw an opportunity to promote climate denialism and try to save its own skin. They took it.
The article talks about how after Professor Michael Mann published his famous hockey stick curve 25 years ago – an illustration showing the direct effect humans have on climate and how quickly fossil fuels are heating up the planet – a massive array of front groups tied to fossil fuel companies and conservative donors, including the Koch operation, responded by trying to discredit Professor Mann.
(And yes, those are the same Kochs who had Justice Thomas on hand while fundraising for their climate denial operation.)
For years I’ve been tracking the dark money machine pumping poison into our politics.
Dark money has made its way into every corner of our politics. The special interests funding climate denial are the same special interests funding confirmation campaigns for right-wing Supreme Court judges. They’re the same special interests that have spent millions to elect members of Congress who will block progress on climate and SCOTUS reform.
It’s a vicious cycle, and it must be stopped.
Thank you,
Sheldon Whitehouse
donate
