Molinari, S

Susan Molinari (born March 27, 1958) is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politician" title="Politician">politician</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalist" title="Journalist">journalist</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbyist" title="Lobbyist" class="mw-redirect">lobbyist</a> from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York" title="New York">New York</a>. She was a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._House_of_Representatives" title="U.S. House of Representatives" class="mw-redirect">U.S. House of Representatives</a> for three terms.

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<h2>Contents</h2>

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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Early_life.2C_education.2C_and_early_political_career">1 Early life, education, and early political career</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#U.S._House_of_Representatives">2 U.S. House of Representatives</a>

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<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Elections">2.1 Elections</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Tenure">2.2 Tenure</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Committee_assignments">2.3 Committee assignments</a></li>

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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Post-congressional_career">3 Post-congressional career</a>

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<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Journalism">3.1 Journalism</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Lobbying_and_consulting">3.2 Lobbying and consulting</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Political_activities">3.3 Political activities</a></li>

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<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#Personal_life">4 Personal life</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-11"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#References">5 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-12"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#External_links">6 External links</a></li>

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<h2>Early life, education, and early political career</h2>

Molinari was born in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staten_Island,New_York" title="Staten Island, New York" class="mw-redirect">Staten Island, New York</a>, the daughter of lawyer and perennial Republican politician <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Molinari" title="Guy Molinari">Guy Molinari</a> and granddaughter of Republican politician <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.Robert_Molinari" title="S. Robert Molinari">S. Robert Molinari</a>. She graduated from the then SUNY Albany (now called the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_at_Albany,The_State_University_of_New_York" title="University at Albany, The State University of New York" class="mw-redirect">University at Albany, The State University of New York</a>). She served on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Council" title="New York City Council">New York City Council</a> before winning a special election to the House of Representatives in 1990 as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Republican_Party" title="U.S. Republican Party" class="mw-redirect">Republican</a> to replace her father, who retired from Congress to become Staten Island Borough President.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-0">[1]</a>

<h2>U.S. House of Representatives</h2>

<h3>Elections</h3>

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On January 1, 1990, incumbent Republican U.S. Congressman <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Molinari" title="Guy Molinari">Guy Molinari</a> decided to resign in order to become <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borough_President" title="Borough President">Borough President of Staten Island</a>. She ran for her father's seat in Staten Island-based <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York%27s_14th_congressional_district" title="New York's 14th congressional district">New York's 14th congressional district</a>. On the eve of the special election, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times" title="New York Times" class="mw-redirect">New York Times</a> endorsed Molinari because she “promises to add a moderate Republican voice to the city’s Democratic-dominated congressional delegation.” On March 1990, she defeated Robert Gigante 59%-35%.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-1">[2]</a>

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After redistricting, she ran in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York%27s_13th_congressional_district" title="New York's 13th congressional district">New York's 13th congressional district</a>. She won the Republican primary with 75%.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-2">[3]</a> In the general election, she defeated NYC Councilmember Sal Albanese 56%-38% and was elected to her first full term.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-3">[4]</a>

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She won re-election to her second full term with 71% of the vote.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-4">[5]</a>

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She won re-election to her third full term with 62% of the vote.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-5">[6]</a>

<h3>Tenure</h3>

While in the House of Representatives, Molinari was among the more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moderate" title="Moderate">moderate</a> and liberal members of the Republican party.

She signed on to the Republicans' 1994 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract_with_America" title="Contract with America">Contract with America</a>, which promised a balanced budget amendment to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.Constitution" title="U.S. Constitution" class="mw-redirect">U.S. Constitution</a>, and opposed the placing of U.S. troops under <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">U.N.</a> command. Concerning social policy, she leaned more liberal than many of her Republican colleagues. Molinari was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-choice" title="Pro-choice" class="mw-redirect">pro-choice</a> but stated on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNN" title="CNN">CNN</a> in January 2012 that since she had children she is now <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-life" title="Pro-life" class="mw-redirect">pro-life</a>. She also sided with the Democrats in voting for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_and_Medical_Leave_Act" title="Family and Medical Leave Act" class="mw-redirect">Family and Medical Leave Act</a>, a cornerstone of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton" title="Bill Clinton">Bill Clinton</a>'s social policy. She offset these positions with her own standing as a new mother, framing her outlook in terms of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_values" title="Family values">family values</a>," and in fact energetically campaigned for fellow Republicans with whom she disagreed on both abortion and FMLA. On issues of crime and punishment, she favored extended use of the federal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_penalty" title="Death penalty" class="mw-redirect">death penalty</a> and restrictions. She favored reduction of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security%28United_States%29" title="Social Security (United States)">Social Security</a> taxes, middle class tax cuts, and tax credits for families; these were policies consistent with traditional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiscal_conservatism" title="Fiscal conservatism">fiscal conservatism</a>.

In her autobiography she intimated that the tense ideological atmosphere within the Republican Party after they won majority in the House and Georgian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newt_Gingrich" title="Newt Gingrich">Newt Gingrich</a> became Speaker contributed to her unease. Molinari gave the keynote speech at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Republican_National_Convention" title="1996 Republican National Convention">1996 Republican National Convention</a>, but resigned the House in June 1997 to take a job as a television journalist for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBS" title="CBS">CBS</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-6">[7]</a>

<h3>Committee assignments</h3>

When first elected, she received assignments on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._House_Committee_on_Small_Business" title="U.S. House Committee on Small Business" class="mw-redirect">Small Business Committee</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Committee_on_Transportation_and_Infrastructure" title="House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure" class="mw-redirect">Public Works committees</a>. In the 102nd Congress (1991–1993), she traded those assignments to take a seat on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Committee_on_Education_and_the_Workforce" title="House Committee on Education and the Workforce" class="mw-redirect">Education and Labor Committee</a>. When the Republicans took control of the House in the 104th Congress (1995–1997), Molinari traded in her Education/Labor seat for a place on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Budget_Committee" title="House Budget Committee" class="mw-redirect">House Budget Committee</a>.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-7">[8]</a>

She was vice chairwoman of the Republican Conference and Republican Policy Committee.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-8">[9]</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-9">[10]</a>

<h2>Post-congressional career</h2>

<h3>Journalism</h3>

At <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBS" title="CBS">CBS</a>, Molinari was co-host of the CBS "Saturday Morning" show, news program, for roughly nine months, ending in 1998. Her hiring was controversial from the very beginning; Although Molinari had earned degrees in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication_studies" title="Communication studies">communication</a>, her major professional credentials were political, and her main national public recognition came from her speech at the Republican National Convention. Media critics asked whether a partisan politician could reasonably be expected to maintain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objectivity_%28journalism%29" title="Objectivity (journalism)">objectivity</a>. Others at the time criticized her on-air demeanor as either too "stiff" or too "perky," or attacked her interviews as superficial. Conservatives accused her of "selling out." Although allegedly CBS had first tried to respond to these criticisms by switching Molinari into "home and garden" journalism, the official comment from CBS executives was that they thought her better suited to political commentary, and had no such position available.

Molinari announced she was pregnant at the end of her nine-month run at CBS. Her second child was born in late January 1999.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-10">[11]</a>

Molinari later hosted a public affairs show called The Flipside and has frequently been a guest commentator on major political talk shows.

<h3>Lobbying and consulting</h3>

After a stint as a lobbyist on her own, Molinari joined the Washington Group in October 2001, becoming the lobbying firm's president and chief executive.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_note-11">[12]</a>

Molinari joined the law and public policy firm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracewell_%26_Giuliani" title="Bracewell & Giuliani">Bracewell & Giuliani</a> in 2008 as a senior principal. The firm is home to former <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City">New York City</a> Mayor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolph_Giuliani" title="Rudolph Giuliani" class="mw-redirect">Rudolph Giuliani</a> and has a well-established government relations and strategic communications practice. Previously, she was president of Ketchum Public Affairs and also served as chief executive officer of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchum_Inc." title="Ketchum Inc.">Ketchum Inc.</a>'s lobbying firm, The Washington Group, where she served as its chairman. In 2006, Molinari's firm received $300,062 from home mortgage giant <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_Mac" title="Freddie Mac">Freddie Mac</a> to lobby on their behalf.<a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://apnews.myway.com/article/20081207/D94U30A80.html">[1]</a>

Molinari has cooperated for years with the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAINN" title="RAINN" class="mw-redirect">RAINN</a>), which operates a telephone hotline in conjunction with more than 1,000 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape" title="Rape">rape</a> crisis centers nationwide. The group also sponsors outreach programs on college campuses. Her activities have included sponsoring legislation, and more recently heading a task force directed toward developing an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet" title="Internet">Internet</a>-based counterpart to the existing hotline.

Molinari also serves as Chair of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_Council" title="The Century Council">The Century Council</a>, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunk_driving" title="Drunk driving" class="mw-redirect">drunk driving</a> and underage drinking by advocating and facilitating education, communications, research, law enforcement, and other programs. In its fight against these types of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholism" title="Alcoholism">alcohol abuse</a>, the Council is funded by "America's leading distillers" of alcoholic liquor, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacardi" title="Bacardi">Bacardi, Inc.</a> and several other liquor manufacturers.

On February 23, 2012, Molinari was named to head <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google" title="Google">Google</a> Inc.'s lobbying and policy office in Washington, D.C. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-tech/post/google-names-former-gop-house-member-susan-molinari-to-head-dc-office/2012/02/23/gIQAtnVzVR_blog.html">[2]</a>

<h3>Political activities</h3>

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<td class="mbox-text">This section of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Biographies_of_living_persons" title="Wikipedia:Biographies of living persons">biography of a living person</a> does not <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">include</a> any <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">references or sources</a>. Please help by adding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources" title="Wikipedia:Reliable sources" class="mw-redirect">reliable sources</a>. Contentious material about living people that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately. (April 2010) </td>

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Although she has maintained a public face, Molinari's subsequent political activities have been largely behind the scenes. She supported <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W.Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a>'s election in 2000, but joined with more moderate Republicans such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Ford" title="Gerald Ford">Gerald Ford</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Rockefeller" title="David Rockefeller">David Rockefeller</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Riordan" title="Richard Riordan">Richard Riordan</a> in forming the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Unity_Coalition" title="Republican Unity Coalition">Republican Unity Coalition</a>, which opposed Bush's decision to support an amendment to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Constitution" title="United States Constitution">United States Constitution</a> banning <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_marriage" title="Gay marriage" class="mw-redirect">gay marriage</a>. She did not seek any elected office in 2006, bucking speculation that she would run against <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Party%28United_States%29" title="Democratic Party (United States)">Democratic</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" title="United States Senate">Senator</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_Clinton" title="Hillary Rodham Clinton">Hillary Rodham Clinton</a>. Molinari served as an adviser to former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's (R) 2008 presidential campaign. There was early speculation she might consider running for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_of_New_York_City" title="Mayor of New York City">mayor of New York City</a> in 2009, but she never did. In January 2010, Molinari confirmed the fact that she was seriously considering a Senate bid against U.S. Senator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsten_Gillibrand" title="Kirsten Gillibrand">Kirsten Gillibrand</a>, before issuing a public statement three days later saying that she had decided not to run.

<h2>Personal life</h2>

Molinari married fellow U.S. Representative <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Paxon" title="Bill Paxon">Bill Paxon</a> on July 3, 1994, after having previously married John Lucchesi. Molinari-Paxon's two daughters are Susan Ruby and Kate.

<h2>References</h2>

<li id="cite_note-0"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-0">^{</a></span}> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=m000843">&quotMOLINARI, Susan, (1958 - )&quot</a>. congress.gov. Retrieved September 13, 2010.</li>

<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-1">^{</a></span}> <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=108816">http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=108816</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-2">^{</a></span}> <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=143040">http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=143040</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-3">^{</a></span}> <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=28189">http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=28189</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-4">^{</a></span}> <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=29289">http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=29289</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-5"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-5">^{</a></span}> <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30152">http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30152</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-6"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-6">^{</a></span}> Molinari, Susan; Elinor Burkett (1998). Representative Mom: Balancing Budgets, Bills, and Baby in the U. S. Congress. New York: Doubleday.</li>

<li id="cite_note-7"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-7">^{</a></span}> <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://womenincongress.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=174">http://womenincongress.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=174</a></li>

<li id="cite_note-8"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-8">^{</a></span}> Hall, Mimi (December 27, 1994). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55273579.html?dids=55273579:55273579&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+27%2C+1994&author=Mimi+Hall&pub=USA+TODAY+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Republican+women%3A+A+%60contrast%27+with+America+%2F%2F+%60Militant-type%27+feminism+is+out%2C+newest+members+say&pqatl=google">&quotRepublican women: A 'contrast' with America // 'Militant-type' feminism is out, newest members say&quot</a>. USA TODAY.</li>

<li id="cite_note-9"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-9">^{</a></span}> . <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF983B40F0C485&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM">http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF983B40F0C485&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM</a>.</li>

<li id="cite_note-10"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-10">^{</a></span}> Douglas Feiden (January 30, 1999). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1999/01/30/1999-01-30_2nd_baby_for_molinari__paxon.html">&quot2nd Baby for Molinari, Paxton&quot</a>. New York Daily News.</li>

<li id="cite_note-11"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Molinari#cite_ref-11">^{</a></span}> Judy Sarasohn (October 4, 2001). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/83085068.html?dids=83085068:83085068&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+04%2C+2001&author=Judy+Sarasohn&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Molinari+Joins+the+Washington+Group&pqatl=google">&quotMolinari Joins the Washington Group&quot</a>. Washington Post.</li>

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<h2>External links</h2>

<ul>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000843">Susan Molinari</a> at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress" title="Biographical Directory of the United States Congress">Biographical Directory of the United States Congress</a></li>

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<span style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none;">Several organizations supported by Internet giant Google are calling on Congress to let the wind production tax credit to expire. A full-page advertisement from the Koch brothers' organization Americans for Prosperity <a href="http://americanenergyalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/WindPTC_letter.pdf" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px; outline: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">states</a><span style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none;"> that the "undersigned organizations and the millions of Americans we represent stand opposed to extending the production tax credit (PTC)" because the "wind industry has very little to show after 20 years of preferential tax treatment."

"Americans deserve energy solutions that can make it on their own in the marketplace -- not ones that need to be propped up by government indefinitely," the letter concludes.

Signatories of the letter who are Google-supported organizations, according to <a href="http://www.google.com/publicpolicy/transparency.html" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">Google's public policy transparency page</a>, include:

<li class="first" style=" list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px !important;">American Conservative Union</li>

<li style=" list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px !important;">Competitive Enterprise Institute</li>

<li class="last" style=" list-style: disc inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px !important;">R Street Institute</li>

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<p style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-indent: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Google's public policy division, which chose to support the above groups, is run by former Republican Congresswoman <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/07/05/2257691/is-google-funding-climate-science-denial-jim-inhofe-fundraiser-planned-for-july-11/" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">Susan Molinari</a>.

In addition to Americans for Prosperity, other signatories notorious for promoting climate-change denial and attacks on climate scientists include the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), Cornwall Alliance, Freedom Works, Independent Women's Forum, Club for Growth, and the American Energy Alliance.

The listed organizations are not the only Google-supported opponents of wind power. This year, Google <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norman-solomon/google-doing-evil-with-al_b_4079436.html" target="_hplink" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">joined</a> the <a href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/sign/google_stop_funding_alec/" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">American Legislative Exchange Council</a> (ALEC), whose energy agenda is driven by Koch Industries and other fossil-fuel companies. ALEC's vigorous campaign against state-level renewable energy standards led to the <a href="http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059975552" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">resignation</a> of the American Wind Energy Association and the Solar Energy Industries Association, who had been members in ALEC until this year.

Google is a major beneficiary of the wind PTC, as the company has the stated goal of "<a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/another-windy-day-in-texas-new-power.html" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">100 percent renewable energy</a>" power for its operations, which include energy-intensive data centers across the nation. Google currently is the sole customer of the entire output of three different wind farms -- NextEra's 114-megawatt Story County II wind farm in Iowa, NextEra's 100.8MW Minco II wind farm in Oklahoma, and Chermac Energy's planned 239.2 MW Happy Hereford wind farm in Amarillo, Tex. Breaking Energy's Glenn Schleede has estimated that Google will receive a <a href="http://breakingenergy.com/2013/10/25/opinion-google-buys-wind-energy-cost-to-taxpayers-could-top-350-mm/" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">$370 to $417 million</a> benefit from the PTC over ten years if it is continued.

If the PTC expires, Google shareholders will suffer, as will the nation's growing wind industry. The effort to meet the challenge of eliminating greenhouse pollution will be stalled, as the fossil-fuel industry enjoys the benefits of not having to pay for the costs of its civilization-threatening pollution -- with Google's help. Climate accountability group, Forecast the Facts, has called on Google to end its support for politicians and groups that reject the threat of climate change and oppose clean-energy policy. Their petition to Google can be found <a href="http://act.forecastthefacts.org/sign/google_stop_funding_alec/" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">here</a>.

Google has not responded to requests for comment.

Follow Brad Johnson on Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/climatebrad" style=" list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; text-decoration: none; overflow: visible; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-indent: 0px !important; outline: 0px;">www.twitter.com/climatebrad</a>

Molinari, S

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