brady, larry

=<div><h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mercatus-Taught Oversight Techniques</h3>Prior to working for Vitter's EPW Committee, <a href="http://www.bfna.org/person/kristina-moore" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Moore worked for U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Ca.)</a> [11], serving as senior counsel for the minority staff of the <a href="http://oversight.house.gov/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">House Oversight and Government Reform Committee</a> [25], headed by Issa.The Watchdog Institute revealed in a February 2011 investigation that <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20110304212404/http://www.watchdoginstitute.org/2011/02/28/industry-insiders-score-jobs-on-issas-team/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">many of the so-called “oversight” investigations conducted by the Committee benefited corporate campaign contributors</a> [26].And many of Issa's Oversight Committee staffers, including Moore, attended Mercatus Center staff retreats. Mercatus schooled them in oversight tactics and techniques.“In February 2009…Issa…approved a trip to a Mercatus-funded retreat for his committee staff director, Larry Brady,” <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20110304212404/http://www.watchdoginstitute.org/2011/02/28/industry-insiders-score-jobs-on-issas-team/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">wrote The Watchdog Institute</a> [26]. “On his disclosure form, Brady, who did not respond to an interview request, cited the purpose of the trip: 'Provide in-depth briefings on issues of relevance to oversight investigations.'”<h3 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Daniel Epstein's Koch Connection</h3>Daniel Z. Epstein, executive director of Cause of Action — which did the presser premiering the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-grandia/taxpayers-fund-vitters-bi_b_5689624.html" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Vitter green billionaire's club report</a> [27] to the U.S. public — <a href="http://danielzepstein.brandyourself.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">formerly served as counsel for Issa's Oversight Committee before launching Cause of Action</a> [28].Epstein, who <a href="http://thehill.com/capital-living/announcements/25108-announcements-april-1-2009" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">worked alongside Moore for the Oversight Committee's investigations team</a> [29], introduced Vitter at the event. <img alt="" src="http://desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Screen%20Shot%202014-08-22%20at%204.13.44%20PM.png" style="border: 0px; width: 350px; height: 197px;" />U.S. Sen. David Vitter (L), Dan Epstein (L); Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qViUij0Ztwo#t=12" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Youtube Screenshot</a> [6]On the day of the release and the day after the release of the report, Cause of Action <a href="http://causeofaction.org/cause-action-statement-new-report-senate-committee-environment-public-works/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">published</a> [30] <a href="http://causeofaction.org/hill-green-movement-backed-billionaires-club/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">four</a> [31] <a href="http://causeofaction.org/fox-news-republican-report-alleges-billionaires-club-funding-environmental-causes-shady-network/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">different</a> [32] <a href="http://causeofaction.org/discussion-sen-david-vitter-environmentalist-money-shaping-public-policy/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">items</a> [33] on its website promoting it, including issuing a <a href="http://causeofaction.org/cause-action-statement-new-report-senate-committee-environment-public-works/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">public statement</a> [30].According to a 2009 article appearing in The Hill, Epstein served as “an associate in legal reform at the Koch Foundation, working together with Koch Industries Inc.’s assistant general counsel.”“The job was an interesting mixture of corporate culture with an emphasis on social change — I miss that synergy,” <a href="http://thehill.com/capital-living/announcements/25108-announcements-april-1-2009" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">he told The Hill at the time</a> [29]. On his personal website, Epstein lists that 2008-2009 gig as “<a href="http://danielzepstein.brandyourself.com/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Counsel, Legal Reform at CGKF</a> [28].” CGKF is shorthand for the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/4043" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Charles G. Koch Foundation</a> [34] and an in the Marin Independent Journal confirms <a href="http://desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Head_of_nonprofit_providing_free_legal_aid_t.PDF" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Epstein worked there from June 2008 through January 2009</a> [35].Beyond Koch ties, Epstein also has personal financial ties that may make him averse to environmental regulations.A <a href="http://desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Daniel%20Epstein%20Duke%20Energy%2C%20Dominion%20Resources.pdf" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">financial disclosure form submitted by Epstein</a> [36] when he worked for Issa's Oversight Committee shows that he had (or still has) personal investments in both <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/7552" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dominion Resources</a> [37] and <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/tags/duke-energy" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Duke Energy</a> [38].<a href="http://desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Daniel%20Epstein%20Duke%20Energy%2C%20Dominion%20Resources.pdf" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><img alt="" src="http://desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Screen%20Shot%202014-08-23%20at%2010.15.17%20AM.png" style="border: 0px;" /></a> [39]Both of those companies stand to lose from President Barack Obama's U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) coal-fired power plant regulations, as both <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dominion#Existing_coal-fired_power_plants" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dominion</a> [40] and <a href="http://www.duke-energy.com/power-plants/coal-fired.asp" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Duke</a> [41] own coal-fired power plant assets.</div><div></div>