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</font></div><div style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="" /><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Republican Attorneys General Attack on Democracy: A Timeline</b></font></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Former Republican Attorneys General Association Executive Director Adam Piper says of Republican AGs, “No group of elected officials have been more supportive of President Trump.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Over the course of 2020 and into 2021, Republican Attorneys General and the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) attacked our democratic institutions and voting rights, and even attempted to overturn the will of the American people in the 2020 Presidential election.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In fact, the more we learn about the deadly attack on January 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol, the more we learn about the Republican Attorneys General and the Republican Attorneys General Association’s deep ties to the attack and the campaign to undermine our democracy.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Republican AGs’ bad behavior is not something new, but as they attempt to deny responsibility and distance themselves from one of the most unpatriotic and darkest days in our nation’s history, it’s important to understand just how coordinated and connected the Republican AGs were to the insurrection.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Here’s a quick overview of what’s included in this blog post:</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">August — October: Republican AGs attack voting rights and refuse to protect democratic norms.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">November — December: Republican AGs try to overturn the results of the election multiple times.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">January: Republican AGs and RAGA’s connection to the Jan 6th deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol exposed.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">February: Republican AGs continue pushing the lie that the election was stolen from Donald Trump.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Below is a detailed timeline to help illustrate the un-American campaign waged by the Republican Attorneys General and the Republican Attorneys General Association:</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">AUGUST 2020</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Harris County</b> (largest county) over their plan to send all voters in the county mail-in ballot applications.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Republican Attorneys General FAIL to take action to protect the U.S. Postal Service after President Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy alter mail delivery — with a goal of negatively impacting vote-by-mail.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">SEPTEMBER 2020</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Republican Attorneys General and the Republican Attorneys General Association FAIL to combat significant disinformation being put forth by President Trump:</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Republican Attorneys General and RAGA do not correct President Trump for telling supporters to “vote twice.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Republican Attorneys General and RAGA do not correct President Trump for attacking the vote-by-mail process.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Republican Attorneys General do not take action to protect voting rights that came under attack in more than 10 states.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton files an appeal to block Harris County from sending mail-in ballot applications to voters across the county. Later, indicted Texas AG Ken Paxton asks the Texas Supreme Court to weigh in on the case — hoping they would block millions of people from safely voting during a pandemic.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>September 24–25: Republican Attorneys General Association & Rule of Law Defense Fund hold a two day summit in Atlanta to discuss “election integrity.” Now resigned RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper refers to this meetings as “WAR GAMES —</b> 32 AG Staff Members are huddled in Atlanta for a series of conversations planning for what could come if we lose the White House.” This information becomes public as part of a public records request by a Missouri organization [see Page 56]. Read more about this alarming preparation to attack democracy here:</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 102);">Missouri AG's office had invite to Jan. 5 conference call by group urging Capitol march</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt's</b> office had an invitation to a conference call the day before the deadly…</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">www.kansascity.com</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">OCTOBER 2020</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>In the lead up to the election, Republican Attorneys General Association Executive Director Adam Piper says of Republican AGs, “No group of elected officials have been more supportive of President Trump.” This comes after Trump repeatedly attacks the U.S. electoral system, refused to denounce white supremacy time and time again, and went through an impeachment trial.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tries to block counties from having more than one ballot drop-off location.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>NOVEMBER 2020</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Between Election Day and well past November 7 when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are declared the winners of the 2020 Presidential election, Republican Attorneys General — past and present — were sowing doubt in the election:</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">November 5: Former Florida Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi holds a press conference with Rudy Giuliani and Corey Lewandowski.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">November 5: RAGA tweets “<b>Don’t let #LawlessLiberals corrupt the election process.”</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">November 5: RAGA tweets “.@RepublicanAGs have boots on the ground in PA, NC, NV, AZ, WI, and MI to defend the rule of law. Don’t let #LawlessLiberals corrupt the process!”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">November 6: Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes announces he will take time off to travel to Nevada in search of election fraud.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">November 8: </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Former Nevada Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt and Chairman of the American Conservative Union Matt Schlapp hold a press conference in Las Vegas, NV.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">November 8: Former RAGA Chair West Virginia Republican Attorney Genera<b>l Patrick Morrisey </b>tweets “Excited to weigh in with my colleagues at the US Supreme Court about the critical role state legislatures play in setting time, place, and manner restrictions on voting and why the PA Supreme Court cannot usurp that role. The Trump campaign is correct to fight to get this right!”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">November 9: Utah Attorney General<b> Sean Reyes, after spending a weekend in Nevada, says “voting problems occurred there.”</b></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">November 9: RAGA, along with 10 Republican Attorneys General, file an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to throw out legally cast mail-in votes in Pennsylvania.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">November 17: Former Nevada Republican Attorney General <b>Adam Laxalt says 15,000 people voted in multiple states.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>
</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>DECEMBER 2020</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">More than a month after Joe Biden’s and Kamala Harris’ decisive victory in the 2020 election, Republican Attorneys General continued to take frivolous and unfounded action to sow doubt in the results.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>December 8: Former RAGA Chair, indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, files a lawsuit against the states of Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin</b> seeking to overturn the results and throw out the votes of hard working Americans in these battleground states.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">December 9: RAGA Vice Chair Missouri Attorney General<b> Eric Schmitt leads 16 other Republican Attorneys General</b> in supporting indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s absurd lawsuit. This includes Florida AG Ashley Moody, Kansas AG Derek Schmidt, and South Carolina AG Alan Wilson.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><b>December 9: Republican Attorneys General meet with President Trump at the White House. </b>Attendees include: Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Former RAGA Chair Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, Former RAGA Chair Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, RAGA Vice Chair Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Chair of RAGA’s Policy Arm — the Rule of Law Defense Fund — Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.</span></div><div style=""><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</b></div><div style=""><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Chair of RAGA’s Policy Arm — the Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF) — meeting with President Donald Trump shortly after Republican Attorneys General file lawsuit to overturn the 2020 election in four battleground states</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">December 11: <b>Alaska’s acting Attorney General Ed Sniffen (who has since resigned due to sexual misconduct allegations</b>) announces his support of indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s frivolous lawsuit — bringing the total number of Republican Attorneys General attempting to overturn a free and fair election to 19. Later that day, the U.S. Supreme Court declines indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>JANUARY 2021</b></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">With President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration days away, <b>indicted Texas Attorney General and former RAGA Chair Ken Paxton</b> continues to sow doubt around the 2020 election:</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">
</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">January 3: Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton confirms he will be attending the January 6th event in Washington, D.C. saying, “All Patriots need to be present to stand with President Trump.”</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">January 4: Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continues to promote the “Stop The Steal” rally in Washington, D.C. saying, “Join us in D.C. make this the largest MAGA rally ever.”</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">January 5: Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton promotes “Stop The Steal” rally in Washington, D.C. saying, “Looking forward to standing with @realDonaldTrump tomorrow. It’s gonna be HUGE!”</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">January 5: Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton retweets an account saying, “Someday they will say that on Jan 6, 2021 “some people did a thing”…those people were Patriots and what they did was save a nation.”</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">January 5: Reporting by the ALReporter uncovers a meeting at Trump Hotel between RAGA’s Executive Director, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, members of Trump’s family, and close campaign advisers. PIPER AG MARSHALL?</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">January 5: Reporting by Documented later uncovers a<b> robocall</b> paid for by RAGA’s policy arm — the Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF) — promoting the “Stop The Steal” rally occurs on this day. The robocall says, “At 1:00 p.m., we will march to the Capitol building and call on congress to stop the steal. We are hoping patriots like you will join us to continue to fight.” The same reporting uncovers that RAGA (later changed to RLDF) was listed as a sponsor on the march’s official website.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>
</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>January 6: Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the “Stop The Steal” rally in Washington, D.C. telling attendees, “You’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength … we will not quit fighting. We’re not quitting.”</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">January 6: Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tweets, “Americans are here in Washington to stand up and support the President. A lot of voters, as well as myself, believe s<b>omething went wrong in this election.</b> I’m here to support @realDonaldTrump #MarchToSaveAmerica”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">After the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol building, indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton falsely tweets, “These are not Trump supporters” and spreads disinformation that “Antifa” was actually the cause for the violence.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>January 7: RAGA and Republican Attorneys General attempt to distance themselves from the robocall that promoted the January 6 insurrection saying, “The Republican Attorneys General Association and Rule of Law Defense Fund had no involvement in the planning, sponsoring, or the organization of yesterday’s rally,” which is quickly dismissed.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">January 8: RLDF Chair Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall indicates he will lead an internal review of how RAGA/RLDF became affiliated with the Jan 6 insurrection. More than one month later, they remain silent.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>January 11: RAGA’s Executive Director [REYES?] resigns from the Republican Attorneys General Association</b> without taking responsibility and refuses to address their support of the rally turned deadly insurrection. This includes RLDF Chair Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall saying, “Every decision Adam made on behalf of RLDF was with the best of intentions and with the organization’s best interests in mind.”</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">January 21: The New York Times reports that <b>a RAGA/RLDF “donor had demanded [the robocall] and made a contribution contingent upon its release.”</b></span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">January 31: The New York Times reports that <b>Trump’s legal team drafted the lawsuit indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton would eventually bring against Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in an attempt to overturn their results and thus give the election to President Trump.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>
</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>FEBRUARY 2021</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>
</b></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">More than 40 days after the deadly attack at the U.S. Capitol, and more than three months since the 2020 Presidential election results were known, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita continues to spread disinformation around the results of the election.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Republican Attorney General and RAGA behavior during the 2020 election was par for the course for a group of election officials who jumped off the deep end following the 2018 Midterms elections. From flirting with QAnon, to promoting COVID-19 scams, to attempting to overturn a free and fair election, the top legal officers and law enforcement officials of the so-called party of “law and order” are now legally and morally bankrupt.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">RAGA Chair (and former Vice Chair) Chris Carr refuses to take responsibility and refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing by the organization he leads — and has been a leader of for years.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In 2022, there are more than 30 state AG seats on the map including many of the same Republican AGs who drove distrust in our democracy and supported the events on January 6, 2021 that led to a deadly attack.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">More from Democratic Attorneys General Association</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Follow</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jan 22, 2021</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>
</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Republican Attorneys General Under Pressure to Address Ties to January 6 Attack on the Capitol</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In case you missed it, the policy arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) — known as the Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF) —</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...</font><strong style="background: rgb(255, 255, 102); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Red Flag # 2: </strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">At least three of the “nonprofit” groups that fomented the Big Lie that the election had been stolen and actively solicited thousands of people to turn out for the January 6 event were funded by Koch Industries or its front groups.</span></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">According to the TrumpMarch.com website, which was sponsored by </span><b style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Women for America First, its “Coalition Partners” for the January 6 event at the Capitol included the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"> Rule of Law Defense Fund;</span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">the Tea Party Patriots; and Turning Point Action, among others. The TrumpMarch.com website has since been taken down but it was </span><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210102203540/https:/trumpmarch.com/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 102); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">captured on January 2, 2021</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> (give it a little time to load) by the Internet Archives’ Wayback Machine.</span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Rule of Law Defense Fund is the dark money arm of Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA)<strong style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">,</strong> a group that is raising millions of dollars from corporate felons in order to elect the highest law enforcement officers at the state level. (See our <a href="https://wallstreetonparade.com/2021/01/the-untold-story-of-how-the-republican-attorneys-general-association-funded-with-large-sums-from-corporate-felons-including-oxycontin-drug-pusher-purdue-participated-in-recruiting-the-mob-that-atta/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">in-depth report</a> of January 14, 2021.) </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">According to IRS filings made by<b> RAGA, it has received $511,400 from Koch Industries</b> and a subsidiary since 2014.</span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>A division of Koch Industries, i360, has a massive voter database that some suggest is far more sophisticated than that of the Republican National Committee. </b>The database includes phone numbers of people likely to turn out for an event of this nature. Its program, Predictive Dialer, says it can “scale call volume quickly so you aren’t let down as you ramp up your campaigns, from hundreds of outbound calls per hour to more than 100,000.” <b>The Congressional Committees that are investigating the attack at the Capitol need to ascertain if Koch’s i360 services were used to make robo calls for the event.</b></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">As </span><a href="https://documented.net/2021/01/republican-attorneys-general-dark-money-group-organized-protest-preceding-capitol-mob-attack/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 102); text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">originally reported</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> by Jamie Corey at the watchdog group, </span><span style="background: rgb(255, 255, 102); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Documented</b></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">, the dark money arm of </span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">RAGA made robo calls </b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">to boost turnout for the January 6 event at the Capitol. The message was as follows:</span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 40px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“I’m calling for the Rule of Law Defense Fund with an important message. The ‘March to Save America’ is tomorrow in Washington D.C. at the Ellipse in President’s Park between E St. and Constitution Avenue on the south side of the White House, with doors opening at 7:00 a.m. At 1:00 p.m., we will march to the Capitol building and call on congress to stop the steal. We are hoping patriots like you will join us to continue to fight to protect the integrity of our elections. For more information, visit MarchtoSaveAmerica.com. This call is paid for and authorized by the Rule of Law Defense Fund, 202-796-5838.”</font></span></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Another of the Coalition Partners, Turning Point Action, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210107060012/https:/twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1346271038011625472" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tweeted</a> that it was “honored to help make this happen, sending 80+ buses full of patriots to DC to fight for this president.” The Tweet was <a href="https://www.dailydot.com/debug/charlie-kirk-delete-tweet-buses-capitol/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">first reported</a> by DailyDot.com.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Turning Point Action is a dark money group that does not report its donors to the Federal Election Commission. However, <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2020/04/01/koch-foundation-criticizes-turning-point-usa-even-koch-network-funds-group/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">according to the Center for Media and Democracy</a>, its sister group, Turning Point USA, has received $610,000 from Donors Trust since 2017.</span> (We should note that the IRS has not posted the 990 tax filings as yet for Donors Trust’s tax years of 2019 and 2020 so it is quite possible that the cash haul is far greater than $610,000.)...</font></p><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2021/05/04/more-staff-flee-gop-attorneys-general-group-after-it-doubles-down-on-insurrection/">
</a></font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2021/05/04/more-staff-flee-gop-attorneys-general-group-after-it-doubles-down-on-insurrection/">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2021/05/04/more-staff-flee-gop-attorneys-general-group-after-it-doubles-down-on-insurrection/</a></font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">david a</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The staff and leadership exodus at the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) continues to grow in the wake of the group’s decision to promote Peter Bisbee, who was responsible for generating robocalls to turn people out for the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, to be the group’s new executive director. </font></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In an Apr. 25 email obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), <b><a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Republican_Attorneys_General_Association" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a>’s director of operations, Jason Heath, </b>writes, “After 8 years of service, I am writing to inform you that I have made the difficult decision to resign as RAGA’s Director of Operations. I respect your votes, but the direction is not one I can honestly stand behind.”</font></span></p><div id="DC-note-2033030" class="DC-embed DC-embed-note DC-note-container DC-embed-enhanced" style="box-sizing: inherit; word-spacing: 3.6px; max-width: 750px;">[docs]</div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Heath had been working for RAGA since it broke off from the Republic State Leadership Committee in 2014.</font></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Heath’s departure comes on the heels of the sudden </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-22/chairman-quits-republican-attorneys-general-group-in-gop-split" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">resignation</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr as RAGA’s chair over Bisbee’s selection, </span></b><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20685685-raga-chair-resignation-letter-41621" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">citing</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> “a significant difference of opinion…as to the direction this organization should take going forward” and “vastly opposite views of the significance of the events of January 6.”</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Bisbee was formerly the head of RAGA’s sister organization, the <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rule_of_Law_Defense_Fund" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Rule of Law Defense Fund</a> (RLDF), and was responsible for </span><a href="https://documented.net/2021/01/republican-attorneys-general-dark-money-group-organized-protest-preceding-capitol-mob-attack/" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">sending out robocalls</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> encouraging supporters to “march to the Capitol and call on Congress to stop the steal” days prior to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol invasion. </span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Other RAGA staff have quit over Bisbee’s selection as well. On April 22, the Alabama Political Reporter </span><a href="https://www.alreporter.com/2021/04/22/raga-finance-director-resigns-amid-january-6-robocall-fallout/" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">published</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> a resignation letter sent to Republican attorneys general from <b>Ashley Trenzeluk, RAGA’s finance director </b>stating that,</span></font></p><blockquote style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 40px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As RLDF Executive Director, Pete Bisbee approved the robocall expenditure, and was the only other person accountable for RLDF involvement in the January 6 events. Over the last few months, I have fielded, reassured and assuaged concerns from our core donor base on the future direction of our organization. The result of the executive committee vote to nominate Pete as RAGA’s Executive Director is a decision I cannot defend.</font></span></p></blockquote><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Bisbee replaced Adam Piper, who </span><a href="https://www.alreporter.com/2021/01/12/after-aid-to-deadly-rally-republican-attorneys-general-association-director-resigns/" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">resigned</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> a week after the violent events unfolded at the Capitol and the story broke about RAGA’s involvement. Before his resignation, Piper was adamant that RAGA and RLDF had no role in the insurrection.</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">At least one other GOP attorney general has signaled discomfort with RAGA’s direction following the insurrection. in a Jan. 11 </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20489412-idaho-ag-office-email-11121" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">email</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> obtained by CMD, Idaho’s Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane writes that “Idaho will not be participating in any RLDF activities until further notice,” and any participation in RAGA will be “subject to the approval of Attorney General Wasden.”</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><b>Carr has been replaced as RAGA’s chair by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a strong Trump supporter.</b> Schmitt </span><a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article249466165.html" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">received</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> an invitation for an RLDF conference call with Bisbee on Jan. 5, but has not confirmed if he was on the call.</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">“Attorney General Schmitt absolutely had no knowledge of or involvement in the robocall, and condemns the violence that took place on [Jan. 6] in the strongest possible terms, period,” Schmitt spokesman Chris Nuelle </span><a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/schmitt-had-no-knowledge-of-ag-group-s-robocall-before-capitol-siege-spokesman-says/article_977d6c7a-669b-56b7-bdce-2fec05164fdd.html" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">said</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> in a statement.</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Schmitt undeniably worked hard for Trump in trying to prove that voter fraud led to Biden’s victory in November. On Nov. 9, nine Republican AGs joined Schmitt in filing an</span><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-542/160113/20201109134744257_2020-11-09%20-%20Republican%20Party%20of%20Pa.%20v.%20Boockvar%20-%20Amicus%20Brief%20of%20Missouri%20et%20al.%20-%20Final%20With%20Tables.pdf" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> </span><i style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">amicus brief</span></i></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> with the U.S. Supreme Court in a case challenging Pennsylvania’s vote-by-mail ballots.</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Schmitt also joined Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s controversial suit against Georgia,</b> Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in the U.S. Supreme Court, challenging those states’ election law changes as unconstitutional. That case was dismissed.</font></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Paxton, also a co-chair of Lawyers for Trump, was a speaker at the Jan. 6 rally preceding the violent events at the Capitol, where he </span><a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/Paxton-Trump-DC-rally-election-2020-georgia-15850073.php" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">told</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> the crowd, “We will not quit fighting.”</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Schmitt’s Solicitor General John Sauer registered for a “Senior Staff Summit” organized by RLDF on Sept. 23 and 24, where it held “war games” to map out post-election strategies if Trump lost. </font></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Piper emailed on Sept. 24, “WAR GAMES – 32 AG Staff Members are huddled in Atlanta for a series of conversations planning for what could come if we lose the White House.”</b></font></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Piper also </span><a href="https://www.alreporter.com/2021/01/26/trump-appointee-says-tuberville-raga-director-met-with-trump-family-top-advisors-on-eve-of-capitol-attack/" data-wpel-link="external" target="blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">huddled</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> the night of Jan. 5 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. in Trump’s “private residence” with Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Peter Navarro, Corey Lewandowski, Michael Flynn, and others.</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">RAGA, RLDF, its members, and donors will be forever </span><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2021/01/11/republican-ags-forever-tied-to-violent-pro-trump-insurrection/" data-wpel-link="internal" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">tied</a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> to the Jan. 6 insurrection, especially now that they have apparently doubled down on fanning the flames of Trump’s Big Lie.</span></font></p></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></div><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">an 6 22 kickass</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">On September 2020, a dark-money group called the Rule of Law Defense Fund convened a meeting in Atlanta of staffers from the fund's corporate sibling, the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA). Their purpose was to run "war games," to be ready in the event Donald Trump lost reelection in November. A little over three months later, the same group would help to assemble the mob before the White House on Jan. 6, 2021.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This wasn't an isolated incident. Shadowy preparations like these began long before the violence of Jan. 6. As the House Select Committee investigating those events begins hearings this week, we may learn much more about those preparations and the people behind them.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But it will be difficult to see the full picture, because much of the preparation is shrouded in dark-money secrecy, with funds channeled through front groups that don't have to disclose who controls them.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">For now, we're left with mysteries, like Georgia. It was Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger whom Trump <a href="https://www.salon.com/2021/02/09/georgia-investigating-trump-call-pressuring-secretary-of-state-to-find-votes-overturn-election/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" class="rm-stats-tracked" style="text-decoration-line: none; opacity: 1; transition: color 0.25s ease 0s, background 0.25s ease 0s, opacity 0.25s ease 0s;">personally pressured to "find" the 11,779 votes</a> necessary to flip the state in Trump's favor. Georgia was ground zero for some of Trump's lawyers' most <a href="https://www.salon.com/2021/08/10/dominion-hits-back-at-pro-trump-outlets-files-lawsuits-against-newsmax-and-oan-for-election-lies/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" class="rm-stats-tracked" style="text-decoration-line: none; opacity: 1; transition: color 0.25s ease 0s, background 0.25s ease 0s, opacity 0.25s ease 0s;">desperate and ridiculous legal claims</a> about the election results — like the "Kraken" suit alleging a role by the deceased Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez in rigging Dominion voting machines. Georgia is where the Rule of Law Defense Fund hatched its scheme. Georgia also saw efforts to create an alternative slate of Trump electors.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Then came the attempt to wield the power of the Justice Department to attack Georgia's election results.</b> For this mission, <a href="https://www.salon.com/2021/08/06/doj-notes-revealed-trumps-coup-was-longer-in-the-making-than-we-thought/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" class="rm-stats-tracked" style="text-decoration-line: none; opacity: 1; transition: color 0.25s ease 0s, background 0.25s ease 0s, opacity 0.25s ease 0s;">someone cranked up Jeffrey Clark</a>, a relative unknown who was acting chief of the Department's Civil Division as a result of pre-election DOJ vacancies. Clark prepared a draft letter alleging, falsely, that the department was investigating accusations of voter fraud in Georgia. Of course, we don't know if Clark actually wrote that letter himself; he had no expertise in this area, and evidence suggests the White House communications office was involved. Either way, on New Year's Eve 2020, Trump tried to install Clark as acting attorney general, until then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen and his deputies threatened mass resignation.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">As the Georgia maneuvers foundered, the effort shifted to Washington. The Rule of Law Defense Fund — the same group convened in Atlanta months earlier — made robocalls hours before Jan. 6 urging followers to "march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal." President Trump whipped up insurrectionists at the rally and sent them down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol. Violence ensued.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">In the aftermath, many of these actors were quick to close ranks. RAGA's leader, <b>Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall,</b> claims to have had no knowledge of the robocall, but he also refuses — to this day — to admit that Joe Biden is the "duly elected and lawfully serving" president of the United States. <b>At the end of the Trump administration, Clark landed a job at a right-wing dark money group.</b></font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Given the anonymity dark money affords, we likely cannot connect all the dots between these dark-money groups, Trump's Georgia obsession and the Jan. 6 riots. We don't know who paid for the planning of the Rule of Law Defense Fund's "war games"; <b>we don't know how Jeffrey Clark nearly vaulted into the attorney general's office to attack Georgia's election results, where his letter came from or who paid his salary when he was gone</b>; we don't know who was behind groups like Women for America First, which footed much of the bill for the Jan. 6 rally.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Successful investigations often "follow the money." But when the money flows through anonymizing channels, investigators hit impenetrable dead ends. The select committee must rely instead on texts, emails, testimony and other documents to make its case. It doesn't have to be this way. Our political system doesn't need to aid and abet the destruction of our democracy.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>For starters, we could enforce the rules on the books. Groups like the Rule of Law Defense Fund and Women for America First are 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations.</b> As such, they do not have to disclose their donors, but they are also not allowed to spend more than half their funds on political activity. Is anyone checking compliance with those rules?</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>Spending reports from 501(c)(4) groups to the IRS can differ markedly from what they report to the Federal Elections Commission.</b> Filing conflicting reports to two federal agencies meets the prima facie definition of a criminal false statement. There is adequate predication for the Treasury Department, the FEC and the Department of Justice to take a look. Have they?</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Although dark-money groups can hide their influence apparatus from the IRS and the public, nothing says that grand juries can't get access to that information</b>. <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In the Watergate investigation, courts decided that even executive privilege had to yield to grand jury investigative subpoenas. But investigators won't get what they don't ask for — or don't subpoena.</span></font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">The strongest solution is to require disclosure of who spends to influence our politics. My DISCLOSE Act would require groups that spend money in elections — including super PACs and 501(c)(4) dark-money groups — to disclose donors who gave $10,000 or more during an election cycle</span>. Pass this law and the American people might find out who funded the Jan. 6 insurrection.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The dark channels of influence that have corrupted our politics for years were used to plan and execute the Jan. 6 coup attempt. The American people ought to know who the planners are and what they wanted — and we ought to help them find out.</font></p><p style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://republicanags.com/2021/06/15/republican-ags-prevail-in-lawsuit-against-biden/">https://republicanags.com/2021/06/15/republican-ags-prevail-in-lawsuit-against-biden/</a></font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">JUNE 2021</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">A federal court today granted a coalition of 13 Republican AGs, led by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a major win against the Biden Administration’s attempts to disrupt the American energy industry. The court’s preliminary injunction will prevent the federal government from implementing the Biden ban on oil and gas lease sales on federal lands. <b>The court’s action reinforces Constitutional limitations</b>, will preserve thousands of jobs, and prevent energy costs from soaring.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“This is a victory not only for the <b>rule of law</b>, but also for the thousands of workers who produce affordable energy for Americans,” said <b>Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry.</b> “We appreciate that federal courts have once again recognized<b> President Biden is completely outside his authority</b> in his attempt to shut down oil and gas leases on federal lands.”</font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“Today’s injunction shows the <b>power of our nation’s Republican attorneys general</b> and their ability to halt harmful actions being handed down by the Biden Administration,” said<b> RAGA Chairman South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.</b> <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“This is a victory for Americans who have seen gas prices double since President Biden took office, and the <b>Biden Administration should take note before they try to implement policies through the back door.”</b></span></font></p></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" /><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">2022</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>RAGA LEADERSHIP</div><div>Steve Marshall</div><div>STEVE MARSHALL</div><div>Alabama</div><div>
</div><div>Ashley Moody</div><div>ASHLEY MOODY</div><div>Florida</div><div>
</div><div>Todd Rokita</div><div>TODD ROKITA</div><div>Indiana</div><div>
</div><div>Daniel Cameron</div><div>DANIEL CAMERON</div><div>Kentucky</div><div>
</div><div>Jeff Landry</div><div>JEFF LANDRY</div><div>Louisiana</div><div>
</div><div>Eric Schmitt Immediate Past Chairman</div><div>ERIC SCHMITT</div><div>Missouri</div><div>
</div><div>Austin Knudsen Policy Chairman</div><div>AUSTIN KNUDSEN</div><div>Montana</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Alan Wilson Chairman</span></div><div>ALAN WILSON</div><div>South Carolina</div><div>
</div><div>Sean Reyes</div><div>SEAN REYES</div><div>Utah</div><div>
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</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://climatecasechart.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/case-documents/2021/20210720_docket-615-cv-01517_reply-1.pdf"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">http://climatecasechart.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/case-documents/2021/20210720_docket-615-cv-01517_reply-1.pdf</font></a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">5/17</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 700;">i</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 700; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">n Young People’s Climate Lawsuit </span><span style="background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 700;">Against U.S., Federal Magistrate Recommended Denial of Motions to Certify Case for Appeal.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);"> A magistrate judge in the federal district court for the District of Oregon recommended denial of motions by federal defendants and by intervenor oil and gas trade groups to certify the district court’s denial of motions to dismiss the lawsuit brought by young people alleging that the defendants violated rights protected by the Constitution by allowing greenhouse gas emissions to accumulate. The magistrate rejected the intervenors’ contention that the issue of whether the political question doctrine barred the plaintiffs’ claims should be certified. The magistrate judge said that the court would be capable of granting equitable relief that would not “micro manage” federal agencies or make policy judgments in the event the plaintiffs prevailed. The magistrate “emphatically rejected” any contention that the topic of “climate change” was “formed and determined by political values and is thus a non-justiciable political question” and said that climate change was “quintessentially a subject of scientific study and methodology, not solely political debate” and that courts were “particularly well-suited for the resolution of factual and expert scientific disputes.” The magistrate further indicated that the issues in the case “and the fundamental constitutional rights presented” would not be “well served by certifying a hypothetical question to the Court of Appeals bereft of any factual record or any record at all beyond the pleadings.” </span></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);">
</span></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(238, 238, 238);">The magistrate judge indicated that the federal defendants’ significant admissions regarding the threats posed by human-induced climate change had, “if anything, … enhanced” the plaintiffs’ due process claim and that any appeal would be premature because the taking of evidence was necessary to “flesh out… critical issues.” The magistrate judge also was not persuaded that certification should be granted for the public trust claim, indicating that the federal defendants were relying on an overly expansive reading of Supreme Court precedent to narrow the scope of the federal public trust obligations. In recommending denial of certification on the issue of the plaintiffs’ standing, the magistrate said that the alleged harms to the plaintiffs from climate change should not be “minimalized by the fact that vast numbers of the populace are exposed to the same injuries.” The magistrate noted that numerous factual questions would be addressed at trial (e.g. “Is climate change occurring?” “If so, to what extent is it being caused by fossil fuel production?), and said the defendants and the intervenors “would put the cart before the horse” by certifying hypothetical questions before the relevant factual issues were addressed. The parties were given 14 days to file written objections to the magistrate judge’s recommendation, followed by 14 days to file a response to the objections.</span></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">22 PP</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</font></b></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">STEVE MARSHALL Attorney General of Alabama </b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Edmund G. LaCour Jr. (AL Bar No. 9182-U81L) Solicitor General Thomas A. Wilson (AL Bar No. 1494-D25C) Deputy Solicitor General STATE OF ALABAMA OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 501 Washington Ave. Montgomery, AL 36130 Telephone: (334) 242-7300 Fax: (334) 353-8400 Edmund.LaCour@AlabamaAG.gov Thomas.Wilson@AlabamaAG.gov Counsel for Proposed Defendant-Intervenor State of Alabama [additional counsel listed on signature page] UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF OREGON EUGENE DIVISION KELSEY CASCADIA ROSE JULIANA, et al., Plaintiffs, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, et al., Defendants. Case No. 6:15-cv-01517-AA </span></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">PROPOSED DEFENDANT-</span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">INTERVENORS:</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> </span><b style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> STATES OF ALABAMA, ALASKA, ARKANSAS, GEORGIA, INDIANA, KANSAS, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TEXAS, UTAH, AND WEST VIRGINIA</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">’</span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">S REPLY </span></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR LIMITED INTERVENTION. (ECF Nos. 475, 508, 509) </font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">7/21</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) sought to file an amicus brief that argued that the court should deny the intervention motion without prejudice. NRDC reasoned that the states would not be prejudiced if intervention were deferred until the time of any proposed consent decree that might affect the states’ interests.</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) sought to file an amicus brief that argued that the court should deny the intervention motion without prejudice. NRDC reasoned that the states would not be prejudiced if intervention were deferred until the time of any proposed consent decree that might affect the states’ interests.</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>
</div><div>07/06/2021<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Amicus Motion<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Download<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Motion filed by New York and other states for leave to file brief as amici curiae.<b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Six states, led by New York, filed a motion for leave to file a brief as amici in support of the plaintiffs; they asserted an “interest in correcting proposed intervenors’ erroneous assertions about purported collusion between the parties</b>” in two lawsuits referenced in the motion to intervene, as well as an interest in correcting the proposed intervenor states’ “incomplete picture of the effects that federal action to address climate change will have on States and state residents.”</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">5 22 heated drilled</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">sorta wants to be CYA intervenor in <b>our children's trust?! Juliana?!</b></font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div></div><div style=""><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Negin UCS</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">feb 2018</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/exxonmobils-climate-disinformation-campaign-is-still-alive-and-well" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;">https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/exxonmobils-climate-disinformation-campaign-is-still-alive-and-well</a>/</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In a recent <a href="https://energyfactor.exxonmobil.com/perspectives/better-approach-climate-change/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">blog post</a>, <b>ExxonMobil executive Suzanne McCarron </b>reiterated her company’s claim that it fully accepts the reality of climate change and that it wants to do something about it....“I want to use this opportunity to be 100 percent clear about where we stand on climate change,” she wrote. “We believe the risk of climate change is real and we are committed to being part of the solution. So why is the company still a part of—in fact, a major part of—the problem?An exchange between Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt during a recent <a href="https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/1/oversight-hearing-to-receive-testimony-from-environmental-protection-agency-administrator-scott-pruitt" oversight="oversight" hearing="hearing" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;"> is a case in point, providing a window into how ExxonMobil’s undue influence continues to block climate action.</a></font><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="font-weight: inherit;">During the January 30 hearing, which was held by the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, Sen. Cory Booker inadvertently provoked Inhofe by raising the issue of </span><b>environmental justice</b></span><b>. </b><span style="font-weight: inherit;">The New Jersey Democrat cited the threat climate change-induced flooding poses to three dozen Superfund sites in his state and asked Pruitt if he was “taking into account the environmental burdens disproportionately impacting communities of color, indigenous communities and low-income communities.”</span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit;">Inhofe seized the opportunity to contradict Booker, claiming that minority and low-income communities are disproportionately </span><span style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;"><b>harmed</b></span><span style="font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit;"> by environmental protections, specifically citing the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan, which would have dramatically reduced carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants if Pruitt hadn’t repealed it.</span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="font-weight: inherit;">Booker, Inhofe said, was implying that Pruitt was trying to “punish” vulnerable Americans. “I wanted to just remind you,” Inhofe told the committee, “that we had a guy I remember so well, </span><b>Harry Alford. He was the president of the National Black Chamber of Commerce</b><span style="font-weight: inherit;">.</span></span><span style="font-weight: inherit;"> He provided some of the most powerful testimony that I have ever heard when it comes to the effects of the Clean Power Plan and some of the other regulations … on black and Hispanic poverty, including job losses and increased energy costs.</span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“[Alford] was very emphatic as to who was paying the price on these,” the Oklahoma Republican continued, “and I think sometimes that the previous administration forgot that there are already people out there who are paying all they can pay just to try to eat and keep their house warm.”</font></p><h3 style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 1rem auto 1.6rem; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.002em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ExxonMobil’s Echo Chamber</font></h3><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Inhofe’s source for his assertion? A discredited, ExxonMobil-funded study by an Exxon-funded advocacy group that was based on discredited studies by other ExxonMobil-funded organizations.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Inhofe rested his argument on previous congressional testimony by Harry Alford, president of the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), a shoestring, mom-and-pop operation that is unapologetic about taking fossil fuel industry money. “Of course we do and it is only natural,” Alford <a href="http://www.nationalbcc.org/news/beyond-the-rhetoric/2428-fossil-fuels-and-african-americans-it-s-family" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">wrote</a> on NBCC’s website. “The legacy of Blacks in this nation has been tied to the miraculous history of fossil fuel…. [F]ossil fuels have been our economic friend.”</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">One of NBCC’s closest economic friends is ExxonMobil, which has donated more than $1.14 million to the group since 2001.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">What did the company get for that money?</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In 2015, NBCC commissioned a report that <a href="http://www.nationalbcc.org/news/latest-news/2426-epa-rule-impoverishes-minorities" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">claimed</a> the Clean Power Plan would “inflict severe and disproportionate economic burdens on poor families, especially minorities.”</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In fact, unchecked climate change would more than likely <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-change-hits-poor-hardest/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">hurt</a> those communities most, and investments in energy efficiency under the plan would ultimately <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/global-warming/reduce-emissions/how-much-will-clean-power-plan-cost?ga=2.50634219.339710596.1518014951-803850457.1367700932#bf-toc-2" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">lower</a> electricity bills across the country.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">How did NBCC arrive at its upside-down assessment? The Union of Concerned Scientists took a </span><a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/new-flawed-study-of-the-clean-power-plan-how-the-misi-study-gets-it-so-wrong-759" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">close look</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;"> at the report and found it was based on several flawed fossil fuel industry-friendly studies</span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">. Two of those bogus studies were produced by ExxonMobil grantees</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">: the </span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Heritage Foundation,</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;"> which received $340,000 from ExxonMobil between 2007 and 2013, and the </span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which received $3 million between 2014 and 2016.</b></font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">The Chamber study, which came out just days before the EPA released a draft of the Clean Power Plan, was debunked not only by the </span><a href="https://blog.epa.gov/blog/2014/05/setting-the-record-straight-on-the-chamber-of-commerces-report/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">EPA</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">, but also by </span><a href="https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2014/may/30/its-epa-vs-us-chamber-commerce-over-climate-change/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;"><em style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">PolitiFact.com</em></a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;"> and </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2014/06/03/gop-lawmakers-rush-to-cite-study-to-discredit-new-epa-rule-but-study-assumed-epa-rule-would-be-tougher/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;"><em style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">The Washington Post</em></a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">. Among its many faults, the </span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Chamber study—which was co-sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute—</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">wildly inflated the cost of the plan and failed to consider the benefits of cutting carbon emissions.</span></font></p><h3 style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 1rem auto 1.6rem; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.002em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ExxonMobil Spreads its Money Around</font></h3><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">But there’s more than just the fact that ExxonMobil financed deliberately flawed studies to try to derail the Clean Power Plan. The company also is a major supporter of a number of Senate EPW Committee members, including Inhofe, who are adamant <a href="https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/pg5zqg/a-guide-to-the-climate-change-deniers-in-congress" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">climate science deniers</a></span>.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Inhofe has deep ties to the oil and gas industry, which has <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/summary?cid=N00005582&cycle=CAREER" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">donated</a> $1.85 million to his campaign war chest over his long career in Congress, more than twice than any other industry. </b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="font-weight: inherit;">Three oil and gas companies are among the senator’s </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/summary?cid=N00005582&cycle=CAREER" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">top 10</a><span style="font-weight: inherit;"> corporate contributors: Koch Industries, Devon Energy and …</span><b> ExxonMobil.</b></span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Six of the other 10 Republicans on the EPW Committee also are on ExxonMobil’s <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=d000000129" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">donation list</a>, including Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the current committee chairman. Roughly half of the $119,500 ExxonMobil contributed to the seven senators over the last decade went to Barrasso and Inhofe, the committee’s previous chairman.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">Then there’s ExxonMobil’s link to </span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Pruitt, Oklahoma’s attorney general before President Trump tapped him to run the EPA</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">. From 2012 through 2013, he chaired the Republican Attorneys General Association </span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">(RAGA) </b><span style="font-weight: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">and afterward served on the organization’s executive committee. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">From 2014 through 2016, ExxonMobil </span></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtedetail_donors.php?url=527cmtedetail_donors.php%3Fcycle%3D2014%26ein%3D464501717&cname=Exxon+Mobil&ein=464501717&cycle=2014" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">gave</a><span style="font-weight: inherit;"> RAGA $160,000 in three annual installments.</span></span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">Just a few weeks after the company made its 2016 donation of $50,000,</span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Pruitt and then-RAGA Chairman Luther Strange, at the time Alabama’s attorney general, co-authored a <em style="border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">National Review</em> <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/435470/climate-change-attorneys-general" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">column</a> attacking a <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/30032016/climate-change-fraud-investigation-exxon-eric-shneiderman-18-attorneys-general" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">coalition of state attorneys general</a> investigating ExxonMobil and other fossil fuel companies for misleading investors </b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); font-weight: inherit;">and the general public about climate change. Parroting ExxonMobil’s </span><a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/13012018/exxon-climate-change-investor-fraud-investigations-lawsuit-free-speech-new-york" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102); border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">argument</a><span style="font-weight: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">, Pruitt and Strange charged that the coalition was </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">violating the company’s first amendment right to free speech.</span></span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>“The debate” over climate change, they wrote “is far from settled.</b><span style="font-weight: inherit;"> Scientists continue to disagree about the degree and extent of global warming and its connection to the actions of mankind. That debate should be encouraged — in classrooms, public forums, and the halls of Congress. It should not be silenced with threats of prosecution. Dissent is not a crime.”</span></font></p><h3 style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.23077; margin: 1rem auto 1.6rem; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.002em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Inhofe Upstaged</font></h3><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-weight: inherit;">In this case, Inhofe’s counterfactual comment didn’t make it into the ensuing media coverage. Along with nearly everything else that was said during the two-and-a-half hour marathon,</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="font-weight: inherit;"> it was eclipsed by a bombshell dropped by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse. The Rhode Island Democrat revealed that during a </span><b>February 2016 <a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/01/30/scott-pruitt-trump-audio/" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">radio interview</a>, Pruitt said Trump would be “more abusive to the Constitution than Barack Obama, and that’s saying a lot.”</b><span style="font-weight: inherit;"> Whitehouse read Pruitt’s remark aloud and asked him if he recalled making it.</span></span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“I don’t,” Pruitt <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/30/politics/pruitt-trump-2016-remarks-abusive-constitution/index.html" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">responded</a>, “and I don’t echo that today at all.”</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“I guess not,” Whitehouse replied.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px auto 1.6rem; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; letter-spacing: -0.001em; max-width: 32rem;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-weight: inherit;">Not surprisingly, that embarrassing nugget was the story. There was no way that Inhofe’s rambling, ExxonMobil-sponsored falsehood could compete in the media with red meat like that. But overshadowed or not, Inhofe provided yet another incontrovertible piece of evidence that—</span><b>despite ExxonMobil’s statements to the contrary—the company is still very much engaged behind the scenes in trying to stymie any government attempt to seriously address climate change.</b></font></p></div><footer class="article-footer wrapper" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px 1rem; box-sizing: inherit; position: relative; width: 640px; max-width: 32rem;"><div class="taxonomy" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 4rem; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; 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font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">Tags: </span><a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/tag/disinformation/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: inherit; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; border-width: 0px 0px 2px; border-top-style: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 174, 235); border-left-color: initial; border-image: initial; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; box-sizing: inherit;">disinformation</a></font></p></div></footer><p style="background-color: rgb(253, 250, 243); margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; box-sizing: border-box;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(253, 250, 243); margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small; box-sizing: border-box;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2x? SAAB:</font></p><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/10/25/exxon-faces-consequences-climate-denial">
</a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/10/25/exxon-faces-consequences-climate-denial">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/10/25/exxon-faces-consequences-climate-denial</a></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>ExxonMobil, the $78 billion fossil fuel giant, has been lying to its shareholders about the threats of climate change, according to New York Attorney General, Barbara Underwood, following a multi-year investigation.</b></font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The New York state lawsuit, filed Wednesday, accuses Exxon of a “longstanding fraudulent scheme” to mislead investors on “the company’s management of the risks posed to its business by climate change regulation,” according to </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/climate/exxon-lawsuit-climate-change.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The New York Times</span></a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Citing messaging to the public that was inconsistent with internal practices, Underwood brought the lawsuit under the Martin Act, which empowers her to investigate and prosecute securities fraud.</span></font></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) has reported on Exxon’s illegal and unethical efforts to undermine climate science and hide the global impact of its operations for years.</font></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2016, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) and Common Cause <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3123646-IRS-Cover-Letter-10-05-2016.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">complained to the IRS</a> that Exxon was running an <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2016/10/06/exxon-alec-running-illegal-lobbying-scheme-irs-complaint/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">illegal scheme</a> to use the American Legislative Exchange Commission (ALEC) to promote its climate denial policies and legislative agenda “in gross violation of ALEC’s 501(c)(3) charitable status.”</font></p><h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Industry Plan to Sow Doubt over Climate Science</font></h2><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3123455-ALEC-Exxon-Supplemental-Submission-With-Signature.html#document/p4" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">Evidence</a> presented in the joint CMD/Common Cause IRS filing showed that Exxon had pumped more that $1.7 million into ALEC between 1998 and 2014 to finance lobbying activities that cast doubt on climate science and promoted public policies benefiting the corporation.</font></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Exxon/ALEC scheme arose from a 1998 “<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3116140-Exhibit-78-API-Global-Clima" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">Global Climate Science Communications Action Plan</a>,” authored by the <b>American Petroleum Institute (API</b>). The stated mission of the API plan was to “inform the American public that science does not support the precipitous actions Kyoto [International Climate Treaty] would dictate, thereby providing a climate for the<b> <span style="box-sizing: inherit;">right policy decisions to be made</span>.</b>” [emphasis added]</font></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Exxon was listed as a source of funding for the plan, while ALEC was listed as a “potential fund allocator.” Public records show that Exxon’s funding of ALEC subsequently increased.</font></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Exxon’s more recent efforts to rehabilitate its public image around climate change led the oil giant to <a href="https://www.prwatch.org/news/2018/07/13368/alec-too-extreme-exxon-long-term-alec-board-member-dumps-alec-over-climate-denial" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">split with ALEC</a> in July 2018, reportedly over ALEC’s opposition to the EPA’s findings on greenhouse gases.</font></p><h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Collusion Between Republican AGs and Industry Lobbyists</font></h2><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">In 2016, CMD exposed <b>secret, <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/RAGA-Exxon" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(0, 51, 153); outline: none; background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">closed-door meetings</a> between state attorneys general and fossil fuel interests to coordinate push-back against New York’s investigation of Exxon. [LA JOLLA SUMMIT?]</b></font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">CMD published an audio recording of a meeting where </font><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">representatives of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) and the <b>American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM</b>) — organizations historically funded in part by <b>Exxon — discussed strategies with Republican attorneys general.</b></font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) facilitated the private sessions, a premium service that the pay-to-play organization provides to corporations that pay RAGA up to $125,000 per year.</b></font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“These documents reveal a serious conflict of interest: RAGA is facilitating secret meetings between the profit-motivated fossil fuel industry and attorneys general to engineer pushback on investigations of ExxonMobil — and then raising money from oil and gas companies to keep those same Republican attorneys general in office,</span>” said<b> Nick Surgey, CMD’s Research Director </b>at the time.</font></p><h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">History of Misinformation Campaigns</font></h2><p class="p1" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 10px; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Numerous investigations have shown that Exxon was fully aware of the risks of climate change from burning fossil fuels as early as the 1970s, despite funding multiple groups like ALEC that denied climate science and humans’ contribution to climate change....</font></p></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2021/11/16/alec-academy-featured-a-whos-who-of-voter-suppression-leaders/">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2021/11/16/alec-academy-featured-a-whos-who-of-voter-suppression-leaders/</a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">big bad code so no lnx</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">an “Academy” for state lawmakers on voter suppression strategies run by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in July featured a veritable who’s who of the right-wing leaders behind this year’s disinformation campaign about voter fraud and assaults on voting rights across the country, documents obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) show.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">While the July 26-28 session was ostensibly led by the dark money group Honest Elections Project, it was organized, hosted, and bankrolled by ALEC, despite repeated claims by its CEO, Lisa Nelson, that the group does not work on voting issues.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nelson provided the formal welcome at the conference’s opening session, ALEC staff organized turnout, and ALEC provided two nights of accommodations at the five-star Grand America Hotel, five meals, and a $450 travel reimbursement for attendees. ALEC’s annual meeting was held at the same hotel immediately after the Academy.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">An invite published by CMD in July stated that “13 legislators from across the country” would be in attendance, but the materials acquired by CMD do not include an attendance list.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rather than email materials to ALEC lawmakers that may be subject to open records laws, ALEC distributed hard copies of the agenda at registration along with a “zip drive containing a resources document and a one-pager on your state’s election policies,” according to an email from Sarah Wall, ALEC’s manager of legislative outreach and coalitions, obtained by CMD. Wall’s email also lists Michael Bowman, president of ALEC Action, as a key contact for the event.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nelson tipped her hand about ALEC’s voter suppression subterfuge in May at a meeting of the far-right Council for National Policy. Video of the event obtained by CMD shows Nelson speaking frankly about ALEC’s work on voting and revealing its plans to outsource model policy on the controversial topic to avert the spotlight. “We don’t have model policy. We will be developing that at the Honest Elections Project [Academy], through them,” Nelson said.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Honest Elections Project, the group ALEC chose to carry the ball on its voting agenda, is a dark money operation formed in February 2020 to push for voting restrictions and spread baseless and dangerous claims about election fraud, laying the groundwork for Trump’s attempt to overturn the election. It is a project of The 85 Fund, the new legal name for the Judicial Education Project, a group linked to Leonard Leo that played a central role in Trump’s effort to pack the federal judiciary with right-wing judges.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Speakers at the Academy featured many of the key strategists and leaders on the Right spreading misinformation around voter fraud, promoting Trump’s lies around the 2020 election, and pushing sweeping new voting restrictions.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita gave the keynote address. A proponent of Trump’s Big Lie that the election was stolen, Rokita recently testified in front of the U.S. Senate against strengthening the federal Voting Rights Act.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Rokita was one of only four state attorneys general to not sign a National Association of Attorneys General letter condemning the Jan. 6 violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, and is a member of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA). RAGA was a member of the “March to Save America” coalition that organized the Jan. 6 rally, and its policy arm, Rule of Law Defense Fund, sent out robocalls urging supporters to “march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal.”</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Agenda Focused on Election Legislation</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Most of the Academy sessions focused on legislation, giving legislators a chance to discuss bills to restrict voting that have already been introduced and passed in their states this year and hear from Republican-aligned leaders about what more they think needs to be done.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By the time ALEC held its voter suppression Academy in July, 18 states had already passed 30 laws this year making it harder to vote, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Honest Elections Project’s Executive Director Jason Snead, who worked with ALEC to organize the event, laid out “priorities for election integrity across the states” and polling results in a breakfast session and appeared on another panel on how to “shore up” legislative control over election processes with Jason Torchinsky and Lee Goodman.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Honest Elections Project has aggressively promoted a radical legal theory called the “independent state legislatures doctrine,” which holds that state courts don’t have the authority to review state election laws and would empower heavily gerrymandered state legislatures to determine election outcomes.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Republican legislators have already introduced and passed bills in 2021 “interfering with nonpartisan local election administration and consolidating power to administer and determine elections results themselves,” the Voting Rights Lab reported.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Snead is a former senior policy analyst with the Heritage Foundation where he developed its Election Fraud Database, which the Brennan Center for Justice says “grossly exaggerated” the extent of voter fraud. </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Torchinsky is general counsel for the National Republican Redistricting Trust and has been defending ALEC against CMD’s state complaints alleging that ALEC illegally gave sophisticated voter management campaign software linked to the Republican National Committee to its legislative members.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Goodman is an elections attorney and a former Republican chairman and commissioner of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) between 2013 and 2018.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jessica Anderson, the executive director of Heritage Action, and Ken Blackwell, executive director of the MAGA voter suppression center at America First Policy Institute led another legislative session on “securing absentee ballots.” </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Anderson bragged to Heritage donors in April that policies, “severely restricting mail ballot drop boxes” and “preventing election officials from sending absentee ballot request forms to voters” were among recommendations Heritage gave Georgia for its massive voter suppression bill.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Blackwell’s Center for Election Integrity recently published a “Top 25 Common-Sense State Election Integrity Reforms” fact sheet that includes these Heritage recommendations alongside other extreme voter suppression wish-list items, such as eliminating no-excuse absentee ballots and requiring an affidavit for absentee applications.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Blackwell also moderated a panel at the Academy with state legislators “discussing election challenges they’ve faced in their own states.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Another panel over breakfast covered “things to consider with implementation of laws” related to election day voter registration, “election observer protections,” and organizing seniors to work the polls. Chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission Donald Palmer, a Trump appointee, and Cleta Mitchell, chair of the Conservative Partnership Institute’s Election Integrity Network, led the session.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mitchell is a Big Lie fueler and Trump legal advisor who lost her job at Foley & Lardner following news that she participated in a January call in which Trump asked Georgia election officials to “find” enough votes to make him the winner of the state’s electoral votes.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“On Dec. 30, Cleta Mitchell wrote to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and offered to send some 1,800 pages of documents purporting to support claims of election fraud,” The Washington Post Magazine reported. Meadows is now a colleague of Mitchell’s at the Conservative Partnership Institute.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Three Republican secretaries of state, Tennessee’s Tre Hargett, Kentucky’s Michael Adams, and West Virginia’s Mac Warner, spoke on a panel about “what policies the states need to employ to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Easier to vote and harder to cheat” has been a favored talking point of Republicans in recent years.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">All three are active in the Republican Secretaries of State Committee (RSSC), with Hargett serving as chair and Adams as vice chair. Republican secretaries of state produced a report on “Best Practices for Making It Easier to Vote and Harder to Cheat” for the Republican State Leadership Committee, obtained by CMD. </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The RSSC holds monthly calls that Commissioner Palmer often attends. Secretary Warner and Palmer also participated in an “off-the-record” Election University session on June 21 as part of the U.S. House GOP’s “Faith in Elections Project,” as first reported by CMD.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ALEC Lawmakers Consider Litigation</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">ALEC’s Academy featured two panels on litigation. The first dealt with “anticipating challenges to the Voting Rights Act in Arizona,” legal challenges mounted by Democratic voting rights attorney Marc Elias, and redistricting fights, and was led by with Republican lawyers Torchinsky, Michael Thielen, and Brian Barnes.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Thielen is the executive director of the Republican National Lawyers Association and served on the national board of Lawyers for Trump in 2020. Barnes was involved in legal challenges to changes in voting procedures in North Carolina and Pennsylvania last fall.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Goodman and Utah’s former Solicitor General Tyler Green led the second panel on “operationalizing litigation challenges.” Noted in the description of the panel are “ways to challenge the scope of litigation attacks on new election integrity legislation (defense) as well as advance the ball on election integrity (offense).”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As of Oct. 3, “at least 43 voting cases have been filed in 12 states, and Georgia and Texas lead the way with ten new lawsuits each in 2021,” the Brennan Center reports.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Training Sessions on “the Left”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Two trainings focused on “the Left” filled out the remaining agenda at the ALEC Academy. Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow and manager of the Heritage Foundation’s “Election Reform Initiative,” and Ken Cuccinelli, former Trump staffer and chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative, led a session focused on “the Left’s attack on our election system” through “state-level attacks on election integrity legislation” and HR 1, the sweeping voting rights and campaign reform bill pending in Congress....Spakovsky, who was appointed by Trump to his voter fraud myth from the Right for well over a decade.president of the Scott Walter gave the keynote for a “Mapping the Left Lunch.” Walter and CRC received funding from the Bradley Foundation... ;inspired by CMD’s SourceWatch, called “Influence Watch.” The site was “constructed in partnership with Berman and Company,” run by PR spin doctor Richard Berman, and in collaboration with ALEC.</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">omfg, HOW MUCH OF THIS WAS TEED UP BY CPP BS? ANTI-GUBMINT</font></p><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">no lnx an 11 21</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div><b>
</b></div><div><b>'Pro-death cult strikes back': Right-wing judges block Biden’s vaccine rule for big companies</b></div><div>
</div><div> Kenny Stancil and Common Dreams November 08, 2021</div><div> </div><div>Progressives concerned about workplace safety and public health responded with dismay after a federal appeals court on Saturday temporarily blocked the Biden administration's attempt to require workers at companies with 100 or more employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or tested weekly.</div><div>
</div><div><b>Citing "grave statutory and constitutional" problems with the rule, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued the stay in response to a joint petition filed Friday by a coalition of businesses, conservative advocacy groups, and the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Utah.</b></div><div>
</div><div>That legal challenge, and separate lawsuits from Republican-led states, came just one day after President Joe Biden announced that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration <b>(OSHA) w</b>ould begin enforcing its newly unveiled Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) in the coming weeks. Companies with at least 100 employees have until December 5 to require unvaccinated workers to wear masks indoors, and by January 4, they must require vaccinations or administer weekly tests.</div><div>
</div><div>Decrying the decision of the "right-wing Fifth Circuit," labor journalist Steven Greenhouse said on social media that "it's terrible for worker safety and public health that three conservative activist judges have suspended Biden's... new rule requiring workers at companies with more than 100 workers to get vaccinated or tested."</div><div>
</div><div>"OSHA's mission is to protect workers' health," Greenhouse continued, "but the appellate judges seem to forget that Covid has killed thousands of meatpacking, retail, and other workers."</div><div>
</div><div><b>More than 750,000 people in the U.S. have died from Covid-19 since the pandemic started last March, and the disease continues to kill nearly 1,100 people per day, most of them unvaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).</b></div><div>
</div><div><b>Recent studies confirm that vaccines save lives. </b>Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services analyzed the relationship between county-level inoculation rates and Covid-19 outcomes among U.S. seniors and found that vaccines helped ward off 265,000 infections, 107,000 hospitalizations, and 39,000 deaths during the first five months of 2021.</div><div>
</div><div><b>And in September, CDC researchers found that individuals in the U.S. who were not fully vaccinated last spring and summer were 11 times more likely to die after being infected with the coronavirus</b>—and over 10 times more likely to be hospitalized—than those who were fully inoculated.</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Greenhouse said that "the judges evidently sympathize with [Texas Republican Gov.] Greg Abbott's let-people-die stance—that it's<b> overreach </b>for OSHA to act strongly to protect workers from Covid."</span></div><div>
</div><div>David Michaels, a leader of OSHA during the Obama administration, also rebuked the federal appeals court, describing its decision as legally dubious and politically motivated.</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">"The same activist court that refused to stay Texas' law that permits bounty hunters to sue anyone who aids an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy has stayed an OSHA rule that is clearly within OSHA's authority, will save lives, and make workplaces saf</span>e," he told the New York Times.</div><div>
</div><div>According to the Times, "At the core of the legal challenge is the question of whether OSHA exceeded its authority in issuing the rule and whether such a mandate would need to be passed by Congress."</div><div>
</div><div>The newspaper reported:</div><div>
</div><div>The suit against the mandate stated that President Biden "set the legislative policy" of substantially increasing the number of Americans covered by vaccination requirements, and "then set binding rules enforced with the threat of large fines."</div><div>
</div><div>"That is a quintessential legislative act—and one wholly unrelated to the purpose of OSHA itself, which is protecting workplace safety," the suit said. "<b>Nowhere in OSHA's enabling legislation does Congress confer upon it the power to end pandemics."</b></div><div>Corporate executives asked, and the Biden administration agreed, to delay implementation of OSHA's new ETS "until after the New Year, citing concerns about worker shortages during the important holiday season," Reuters noted.</div><div>
</div><div>Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda, meanwhile, said in a statement that the Labor Department, home to OSHA, is "confident in its legal authority" to issue vaccine requirements.</div><div>
</div><div>The vaccine rule for companies with 100 or more employees "applies to 84.2 million workers at 1.9 million private-sector employers," Reuters reported. "OSHA estimates that 31.7 million of [those] workers are unvaccinated and 60% of employers will require vaccinations, up from 25% today, resulting in another 22.7 million employees getting vaccinated."</div><div>
</div><div>Several million additional workers are covered by the Biden administration's vaccine mandate for employees of the executive branch, federal contractors, and staff at healthcare facilities that accept Medicare or Medicaid funding. OSHA officials say they are considering expanding the jab-or-test rule to include companies with fewer than 100 workers.</div><div>
</div><div>"The Occupational Safety and Health Act explicitly gives OSHA the authority to act quickly in an emergency where the agency finds that workers are subjected to a grave danger and a new standard is necessary to protect them," Nanda said. "We are fully prepared to defend this standard in court."</div><div>
</div><div><b>The Fifth Circuit panel's two-page order directs the Biden administration to respond to the request for a permanent injunction against the rule by 5 p.m. ET Monday.</b></div><div>
</div><div>As the Times noted, it remains unclear whether the court's stay "would be a procedural blip for the Biden administration or the first step in the unwinding of the mandate."</div><div>
</div><div>The newspaper explained that "after both sides have filed briefs, the court will decide whether to lift the temporary injunction, allowing the rule to proceed as planned, or whether to grant a permanent injunction. OSHA could then take the case to the Supreme Court."</div><div>
</div><div><b>While some legal experts argue that the Labor Department has the regulatory authority to compel private employers to protect the health of workers and the broader public through mandatory vaccination amid a deadly global pandemic, </b>Josh Blackman, a professor at South Texas College of Law Houston, told Reuters that "there will be so much litigation it will never see the light of day."</div><div>
</div><div><b>Twenty-four attorneys general threatened to sue the Biden administration over the rule back in September, and several followed through immediately after it was published in the federal register on Friday.</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">In addition to the petition filed with the Fifth Circuit, attorneys general in 11 states—Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming—filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.</span></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">And in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, the states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia sued, with Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis saying at a press conference that "the federal government can't just unilaterally impose medical policy under the guise of workplace regulation."</span></div><div>
</div><div>Roughly 70% of U.S. adults are fully inoculated against Covid-19, and about 80% have received at least one shot, according to the CDC. Recent polling shows that a majority of U.S. adults favor Covid-19 vaccination requirements, with only about one-fifth to one-quarter of respondents opposed.</div><div><b>
</b></div><div><b>OSHA, Reuters pointed out, is "fighting history. The agency has issued 10 ETS over its 50 years. Of the six that were challenged in court, only one survived entirely intact."</b></div><div>
</div><div>Donald Verrilli, U.S. solicitor general during former President Barack Obama's administration, however, told the news outlet that the Biden administration "wouldn't move forward unless they thought that they could defend it legally... I think the constitutional challenges are all going to fail."</div></div></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">10 21 --> scotus</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">BS ACE trump plan</font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">RAGA: west va Morrisey has been one of the most active Attorneys General in the country<b> fighting federal overreach by filing lawsuits</b> and submitting amicus briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court and other courts on a number of issues, ranging from protecting the Second Amendment to defending state jobs and our valuable energy resources</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">. <b>Morrisey spearheaded the 27 State litigation against the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, one of the most illegal and unprecedented regulations in our country's history. In February 2016, the Morrisey-led coalition won a historic and unprecedented stay of the Power Plan at the U.S. Supreme Court. Most recently, he led a 13-state effort challenging a provision in law preventing states from lowering taxes. He has been out in front defending the Second Amendment and human life.</b></span></div><div><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
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</font></a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/2021/01/gop-state-attorneys-general-spread-election-lies-fueled-capitol-riot"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">https://www.facingsouth.org/2021/01/gop-state-attorneys-general-spread-election-lies-fueled-capitol-riot</font></a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><div class="article-body" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-bottom: 60px;"><div class="field-body" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">after its nonprofit subsidiary promoted lies about election fraud and <a href="https://documented.net/2021/01/republican-attorneys-general-dark-money-group-organized-protest-preceding-capitol-mob-attack/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">made a robocall</a> ahead of the Capitol riot urging Trump supporters to march there to "stop the steal," the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) — a political spending group that promotes the election of GOP state AGs — is under fire for its role in the campaign to block certification of the presidential election.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">On Jan. 11, five days after the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/capitol-riot-custodial-staff-cleanup-janitors-maga-trump-white-supremacists-2021-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">bloody, feces-strewn riot</a> that left four protesters and one Capitol police officer dead, RAGA Executive Director Adam Piper <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/news/533731-head-of-republicans-ags-group-steps-down-over-robocalls-pushing-supporters-to" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">resigned</a> his post, a move RAGA <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-11/republican-ag-group-s-shakeup-follows-capitol-rally-turned-riot" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">announced without explanation</a>. Since then, a number of companies and other organizations <a href="https://popular.info/p/after-riot-major-corporations-suspend?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxMTA3OTEwLCJwb3N0X2lkIjozMTMwNTU4OCwiXyI6InVTU2pvIiwiaWF0IjoxNjEwNTU2Njc4LCJleHAiOjE2MTA1NjAyNzgsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0xNjY0Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.OrAb-C9IBWc_sZoajg4PQbo_crIZfDPmijpB4vjyohg" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">have said</a> they will suspend or reconsider their donations to the group.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Piper, who <a href="https://theaapc.org/adam-piper/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">held leadership roles</a> in South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson's office from 2011 to 2017, previously served as RAGA's policy director. He also formerly served as president and executive director of RAGA's Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF), a 501(c)(4) secret-money nonprofit whose <a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/sites/default/files/rldf_990_2017.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">most recently available IRS filing</a> says its mission is to "share best practices among state attorneys general." The day before the riot, RLDF sent robocalls announcing, "At 1 p.m., we will march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal," according to <a href="https://documented.net/2021/01/republican-attorneys-general-dark-money-group-organized-protest-preceding-capitol-mob-attack/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">reporting by Documented</a>, a watchdog group that investigates corporate influence. That hour coincided with the planned timing of the election certification vote.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA's RLDF was also a sponsor of the rally preceding the riot, where President Trump fired up the crowd with false allegations of election theft while U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama told protesters, "Today is the day that American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass" — for which he <a href="https://oanow.com/news/state-and-regional/mo-brooks-faces-censure-resolution-in-u-s-house-of-representatives/article_bcfd1d18-550a-11eb-8405-9bf0d90cc01d.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">faces House censure</a>. (Brooks, a lawyer and former Tuscaloosa assistant district attorney, has since <a href="https://www.wsfa.com/2021/01/07/al-congressman-mo-brooks-blames-antifa-riot-capitol-no-verifiable-evidence-back-up-claims/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">incorrectly blamed</a> the riot on "antifa.") Beside RLDF, the rally's other sponsoring groups were the Black Conservatives Fund, Eighty Percent Coalition, Moms for America, Peaceably Gather, Phyllis Schafly Eagles, Stop the Steal, Tea Party Patriots, Turning Point Action, WildProtest.com, and Women for America First, as Document <a href="https://documented.net/2021/01/republican-attorneys-general-dark-money-group-organized-protest-preceding-capitol-mob-attack/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">reported</a>.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Following the ensuing riot — which led to the injury and <a href="https://www.uscp.gov/media-center/press-releases/loss-uscp-colleague-brian-d-sicknick" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">eventual death</a> of Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick, the <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/claudiakoerner/capitol-police-suicide" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">suicide</a> of another Capitol police officer, the injuries of at least <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/police-capitol-injuires-trump/2021/01/11/ca68e3e2-5438-11eb-a08b-f1381ef3d207_story.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">58 D.C. police officers</a>, and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/09/ashli-babbitt-capitol-mob-trump-qanon-conspiracy-theory" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">shooting death</a> of a protester by Capitol police — Piper and other RAGA leaders <a href="https://republicanags.com/2021/01/06/raga-and-the-republican-attorneys-general-strongly-condemn-violence-and-lawlessness-at-the-u-s-capitol/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">issued a statement</a> condemning what they called "anarchy." However, RAGA did not acknowledge its role in fueling Trump supporters' ire by sharing <a href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/jan/07/donald-trump/trump-clings-fantasy-landslide-victory-egging-supp/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">repeatedly debunked lies</a> about the outcome of the presidential election, which was <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/09/politics/2020-election-results-certified/index.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">certified by all 50 states</a>, Republican- and Democrat-led alike, and <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news/2020/11/12/joint-statement-elections-infrastructure-government-coordinating-council-election" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">called</a> "the most secure in American history" by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>Alabama AG Steve Marshal</b>l took over the leadership of the RLDF from Utah AG Sean Reyes in November;</span> Marshall also serves as RAGA's policy chair. He <a href="https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2021/01/08/steve-marshall-dark-money-groups-involvement-pro-trump-rally-unauthorized/6594042002/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">told the Montgomery Advertiser</a> that he was unaware of RLDF's involvement in the anti-certification rally and blamed staff. Marshall was appointed AG by former Gov. Robert Bentley (R) in 2017 to replace Luther Strange, who filled Jeff Sessions' U.S. Senate seat when he became Trump's attorney general. A former Democrat who switched to the GOP in 2011, Marshall's statement on the pro-Trump mob's violence at the Capitol drew a distinction between what he called the "passionate but peaceful protestors" who had gathered as lawmakers certified the election and "those who chose to engage in violence and anarchy" — who, he said, "should and will be held accountable under the law." A month before he took the RLDF's reins, Marshall <a href="https://www.wtvy.com/2020/10/22/supreme-court-blocks-curbside-voting-in-alabama/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">led a successful challenge</a> to the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down a federal court order allowing curbside voting in Alabama for voters worried about contracting COVID-19.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Besides Marshall and Reyes, other members of RAGA's 2021 executive committee are AGs Chris Carr of Georgia and Eric Schmitt of Missouri, chair and vice chair respectively, and members Daniel Cameron of Kentucky, Mike Hunter of Oklahoma, Jeff Landry of Louisiana, Ashley Moody of Florida, and South Carolina's Wilson. Landry chaired the group last year, which RAGA <a href="https://republicanags.com/2020/11/10/republican-attorneys-general-association-announces-new-leadership-team-for-2021/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">called</a> a "historic year" in which Republicans "enforced law and order amid nationwide anarchy and violence." Among RAGA's fundraising campaigns in 2020, a year that saw a nationwide uprising against police brutality and racial injustice, was one called <a href="https://lawlessliberals.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">"Lawless Liberals,"</a> featuring videos titled "Our America vs. Their America," "Antifa Is an Organization" (restricted as "inappropriate for some users"), and "This Is Getting Scary." In addition, RAGA sent out tweets before and after the election promoting false conspiracy theories that the Democrats were conspiring to "steal" it, as Popular Information <a href="https://popular.info/p/after-riot-major-corporations-suspend" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">reported</a>.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">RAGA leaders were also involved in Texas AG Ken Paxton's <a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-legislature-wisconsin-7791c43bb5c2c8521a60b7d141d760f3" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">lawsuit</a> filed last month in the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the presidential election results in the battleground states of Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, </span>claiming changes made to accommodate voters in the COVID-19 pandemic were unlawful. Among those signing on to the suit were RAGA's Hunter, Landry, Marshall, Moody, Reyes, Schmitt and Wilson, as well as the R<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">epublican AGs of Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, and <b>West Virginia.</b></span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Supreme Court <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/12/11/945617913/supreme-court-shuts-door-on-trump-election-prospects" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">ruled</a> that Texas lacked standing to bring the case, one of <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/11/supreme-court-refuses-quick-action-on-trump-election-lawsuits.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">more than 60 lawsuits</a> challenging the presidential election results that were rejected by state and federal courts. But the judiciary's rejection of the legal gambit did not stop RAGA's RLDF from continuing to falsely claim in its Jan. 5 robocall that the 2020 presidential election was "stolen."</font></p><h2 class="h3" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 25px; margin-bottom: 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA funders reconsider</font></h2><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">RAGA was formed in 1999 by conservatives including former Texas Attorney General John Cornyn <a href="https://www.texasobserver.org/64-capitol-notebook-corporate-attorneys-general/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">seeking to curb lawsuits</a> against corporate wrongdoers</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. (Three years later, Cornyn would be elected to the U.S. Senate, where's he's now his state's senior senator; he split with junior Sen. Ted Cruz over certifying the 2020 presidential election, </span><a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2021/01/05/john-cornyn-texas-republican-election-certification/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">saying</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> that "allegations alone will not suffice" and "evidence is required.") Three years later when the Republican State Leadership Committee was launched, RAGA operated as its subsidiary until becoming independent in 2014. At the time of RAGA's founding there were 12 Republican attorneys general nationwide; </span><a href="https://www.stateagreport.com/guide-to-state-attorneys-general/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">today there are 26</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, including in 11 of the 13 Southern states.</span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA is organized as a 527 nonprofit under IRS rules. Such groups are permitted to raise unlimited funds from individuals, corporations or labor unions but must register with the IRS and disclose contributions and expenditures. They can work to influence issues, policies, appointments, or elections but are not supposed to coordinate with candidates' campaigns. 527s can be dominant forces in elections, however: In the 2016 AG race in West Virginia, for example, RAGA <a href="https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Morrisey-expected-to-announce-US-Senate-run-433637353.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">bought $6.8 million in ads</a> supporting the re-election of Republican Patrick Morrisey, outspending both his and his opponent's campaigns. Morrisey, who served as RAGA's chair in 2017, has <a href="https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/politics/morrisey-declines-to-address-role-of-republican-ags-group-in-urging-protesters-to-come-to/article_77d42d17-12e1-58a2-bd6b-c0f1a789f610.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">declined to comment</a> on the group's role in the Capitol riot.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Facing South reviewed the three quarterly disclosures RAGA filed with the IRS in 2020 (<a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/sites/default/files/raga_irs8872_1Q_2020.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">first</a>, <a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/sites/default/files/raga_irs8872_2Q_2020.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">second</a>, and <a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/sites/default/files/raga_irs8872_3Q_2020.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">third</a>) as well as the <a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/sites/default/files/raga_irs8872_11-23-2020.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">post-election filing</a> covering the period up to Nov. 23. During that period the group raised over $18.3 million — much of it from corporate interests.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">The group's biggest donor by far, giving over $2.7 million, is <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Concord Fund</strong> of Washington, D.C. Known until recently as the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Judicial Crisis Network</strong>, this far-right <a href="https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Judicial_Crisis_Network#Funding_and_Finances" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">secret-money</a> network has been working with President Trump to get allies appointed to the federal judiciary; </span>it also pushed voting restrictions before the 2020 election, <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/05/conservative-dark-money-network-voting-restrict/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">according to reporting</a> by OpenSecrets.org and The Guardian. It's run by Carrie Severino, a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, whose wife, Ginni Thomas, <a href="https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/wife-of-justice-thomas-takes-down-facebook-page-after-promoting-trumps-jan.-6-rally" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">took down her Facebook page</a> after reports surfaced about her promotion of the Jan. 6 anti-certification rally.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Among the other donors who have given RAGA at least six-figure contributions in 2020 </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">were the </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($750,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Karen Wright</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Thomas Rastin</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Ohio gas compressor manufacturer </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Ariel Corp.</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($500,000 each); multinational conglomerate </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Koch Industries</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($375,000); multilevel marketing company </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Melaleuca</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($290,000); Virginia tobacco giant </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Altria</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($275,000); index-fund pioneer </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Rex Sinquefield</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Missouri ($250,000); telecomm firm </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Comcast</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($210,315); attorney and former U.S. diplomat </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">C. Boyden Gray</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($200,000); pharma company </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Pfizer</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($150,930); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Ronald Cameron</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, owner of Arkansas poultry giant </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Mountaire Farms</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($150,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Cherokee Nation Businesses</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Oklahoma ($150,000); billionaire Home Depot founder </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Bernard Marcus</strong> of Atlanta ($150,000); <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Wal-Mart Stores</strong></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($140,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Home Depot</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($130,957); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Anthem</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, the largest for-profit managed care company in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association ($130,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Lowe's</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> home improvement company ($125,775); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Ace Cash Express</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($125,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">AT&T</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($125,000); financial services firm </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">AWL Inc.</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($125,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Anschutz Corp.</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, owner of Coachella Music Festival ($125,000); home health company </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Caremark</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($125,000); health care insurer subsidiary </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Centene Management</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($125,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Fears Nachawati</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, a personal injury law firm in Dallas ($125,000); media and internet holding company </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">InterActiveCorp</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, ($125,000); e-cigarette maker </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">JUUL</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($125,000); home health services company </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">LHC Group</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Lafayette, Louisiana ($125,000); online dating company </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Match Group</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($125,000); pharma company </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Horizon Therapeutics</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($100,265); retail giant </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($100,000); brewer </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Anheuser-Busch</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($100,000); retired banking executive </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Leslie Baker</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Winston-Salem, North Carolina ($100,000); electricity company </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Entergy</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Louisiana ($100,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">General Motors</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($100,000); billionaire venture capitalist </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Peter Thiel</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($100,000); and </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Uber Technologies</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($100,000).</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">RAGA's disclosure reports show the group also has a number of major donors in Southern states.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> They include numerous energy interests: </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">NextEra Energy</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Juno Beach, Florida ($75,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Valero Energy</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of San Antonio, Texas ($50,350); </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Dominion Energy</strong> of Richmond, Virginia </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">($50,000); Texas-based oil giant </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">ExxonMobil</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,000); Texas gas driller </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Range Resources</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Southern Company</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Atlanta ($42,500); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">CenterPoint Energy</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Houston ($25,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Florida Power & Light</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($25,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Georgia Power</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($25,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Diversified Gas and Oil </strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">of Birmingham, Alabama ($15,000); and </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">D</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">uke Energy</strong>, h</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">eadquartered in North Carolina ($10,000). RAGA's Southern donors also include health care interests: </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Fresenius Medical Care</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Metairie, Louisiana ($50,800); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,000); Nashville, Tennessee-based </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">HCA</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Ochsner Clinic Foundation</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of New Orleans ($50,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Smile Direct</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> teledentistry company of Nashville, Tennessee ($40,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Sensiva Health</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of New Orleans ($25,000); and </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Tenet Healthcare</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Dallas ($25,000). Others major Southern donors are Atlanta-based </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Coca-Cola</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,000); software giant </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">SAS Institute</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Cary, North Carolina ($50,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Sazerac</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, an alcoholic beverage company with offices in Kentucky and Louisiana ($50,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Smithfield Foods</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Virginia ($50,000); </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Tyson Foods</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Arkansas ($40,000); </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Reynolds American</strong> tobacco of North Carolina </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">($30,000); home construction giant </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Lennar Corp.</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Miami ($15,000); and </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">U.S. Sugar</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Lewiston, Florida.</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Other prominent companies and organizations that made major donations to RAGA last year are the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">National Rifle Association</strong> ($85,000), </span><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Cigna Health</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and Life Insurance</span></strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($80,350), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Caesar's Entertainment</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($75,350), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Facebook</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($75,000), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">TikTok</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($75,000), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Charter Communications</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,645), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">University of Phoenix</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,400), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">American Petroleum Institute</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,000), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Johnson & Johnson</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($50,350),</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Fox Corp.</strong> ($50,000), <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Monsanto</strong> ($50,000), <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">American Gas Association</strong></span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;"> </strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">($40,000), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Microsoft</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($36,622), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Toyota</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($35,000), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">National Beer Wholesalers Association</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($25,750), </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 51);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">DoorDash</strong> ($25,000</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">JPMorgan Chase PAC</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($25,000), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">PepsiCo</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($25,000), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Walgreens</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($25,000), </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Yelp</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($15,375), and </span><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;">Lyft</strong><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> ($15,000).</span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Taking a longer perspective, ProPublica's <a href="https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=republican+attorneys+general+association" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">Nonprofit Explorer</a> shows RAGA's industry-level funders from 2012 to 2019. Among the biggest are the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers</strong>, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association</strong>, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Distilled Spirits Council</strong>, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Recording Industry Association of America</strong> (RIAA), and the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</strong>. RAGA also received significant funding from numerous energy industry groups including the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers</strong>, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">American Natural Gas Alliance</strong>, and the <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Edison Electric Institute</strong>. Not surprisingly, RAGA has been involved in efforts to block state action on climate change, as <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/11427" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">DeSmogBlog has reported</a>. Climate change, like the 2020 election, has been a target of a corporate-backed<a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/climate/disinformation" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;"> disinformation campaign</a> that has involved RAGA donors, including <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/elliott-negin/exxonmobil-claims-shift-on-climate-continues-to-fund-climate-deniers" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">ExxonMobil</a> and the <a href="https://climateinvestigations.org/trade-association-pr-spending/american-petroleum-institute/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">American Petroleum Institute</a>.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The public outrage over the riot at the U.S. Capitol is hurting RAGA's fundraising. Popular Information </span><a href="https://popular.info/p/after-riot-major-corporations-suspend?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxMTA3OTEwLCJwb3N0X2lkIjozMTMwNTU4OCwiXyI6InVTU2pvIiwiaWF0IjoxNjEwNTU2Njc4LCJleHAiOjE2MTA1NjAyNzgsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0xNjY0Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.OrAb-C9IBWc_sZoajg4PQbo_crIZfDPmijpB4vjyohg" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">reports</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> that the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> University of Phoenix is demanding its $50,400 donation back</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, while <b>DoorDash, Edison Electric Institute, Facebook, Lyft, RIAA, and Smithfield Foods </b>said they are suspending further contributions to RAGA. The</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"> Cherokee Nation</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> has also </span><a href="https://www.newson6.com/story/5ffcebdad22b0d0bcdf42070/cherokee-nation-withdraws-donation-to-republican-ag-assoc-after-robocalls-promoting-dc-rally--" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">announced</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> it's withdrawing its $150,000 donation to the group. And Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, and Smile Direct </span><a href="https://popular.info/p/after-riot-major-corporations-suspend?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxMTA3OTEwLCJwb3N0X2lkIjozMTMwNTU4OCwiXyI6InVTU2pvIiwiaWF0IjoxNjEwNTU2Njc4LCJleHAiOjE2MTA1NjAyNzgsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0xNjY0Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.OrAb-C9IBWc_sZoajg4PQbo_crIZfDPmijpB4vjyohg" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">told</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Popular Information they're reviewing their contribution policies in light of RAGA's messaging.</span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 25px 0px 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA has not released any additional statements on the riot or its funders' decision to walk away. But at least one leader is distancing from the organization, at least in a small way: The Tampa Bay Times <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2021/01/11/floridas-ashley-moody-worked-with-group-linked-to-capitol-insurrection/?itm_source=parsely-api" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold;">reported</a> that Florida AG Moody erased the RLDF, on whose board she served, from her online biography.</font></p></div></div><div class="article-info border-top medium-padding" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 60px; padding-bottom: 60px; border-top: 4px solid rgb(8, 69, 109);"><h2 class="h4" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Tags</font></h2><ul class="field-tags list-inline" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style: none; margin-left: -5px; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.75px; line-height: 1.75;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/republican-attorneys-general-association" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION</a></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/rule-law-defense-fund" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/donald-trump" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">DONALD TRUMP</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/republican-party" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">REPUBLICAN PARTY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/voter-fraud" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">VOTER FRAUD</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/us-capitol-riot" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">US CAPITOL RIOT</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/adam-piper" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">ADAM PIPER</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/mo-brooks" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">MO BROOKS</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/steve-marshall" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">STEVE MARSHALL</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/daniel-cameron" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">DANIEL CAMERON</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/jeff-landry" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">JEFF LANDRY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/ashley-moody" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">ASHLEY MOODY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/alan-wilson" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">ALAN WILSON</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/ken-paxton" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">KEN PAXTON</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/conspiracy-theories" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">CONSPIRACY THEORIES</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/2020-elections" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">2020 ELECTIONS</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/john-cornyn" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">JOHN CORNYN</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/ted-cruz" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">TED CRUZ</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/527s" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">527S</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/patrick-morrisey" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">PATRICK MORRISEY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/concord-fund" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">THE CONCORD FUND</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/judicial-crisis-network" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">JUDICIAL CRISIS NETWORK</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/money-politics-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">MONEY IN POLITICS</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/secret-money" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">SECRET MONEY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/independent-spending" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">INDEPENDENT SPENDING</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/us-chamber-institute-legal-reform" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">US CHAMBER INSTITUTE FOR LEGAL REFORM</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/koch-industries" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">KOCH INDUSTRIES</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/altria" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">ALTRIA</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/ronald-cameron" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">RONALD CAMERON</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/mountaire-farms" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">MOUNTAIRE FARMS</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/bernard-marcus" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">BERNARD MARCUS</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/walmart" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">WALMART</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/blue-cross-blue-shield" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/entergy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">ENTERGY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/nextera-energy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">NEXTERA ENERGY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/valero-energy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">VALERO ENERGY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/dominion-energy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">DOMINION ENERGY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/exxonmobil" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">EXXONMOBIL</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/range-resources" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">RANGE RESOURCES</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/southern-company" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">SOUTHERN COMPANY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/centerpoint-energy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">CENTERPOINT ENERGY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/florida-power-light-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">FLORIDA POWER &LIGHT</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/georgia-power" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">GEORGIA POWER</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/diversified-gas-and-oil" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">DIVERSIFIED GAS AND OIL</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/duke-energy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">DUKE ENERGY</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/fresenius-medical-care" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/hca" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">HCA</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/ochsner-clinic-foundation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">OCHSNER CLINIC FOUNDATION</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/smiledirect" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">SMILEDIRECT</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/sensiva-health" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">SENSIVA HEALTH</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/tenet-healthcare" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">TENET HEALTHCARE</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/coca-cola-0" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">COCA COLA</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/sas-institute" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">SAS INSTITUTE</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/sazerac" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">SAZERAC</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/smithfield-foods" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">SMITHFIELD FOODS</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/tyson-foods" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">TYSON FOODS</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/reynolds-american" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">REYNOLDS AMERICAN</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/lennar" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">LENNAR</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/us-sugar" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">US SUGAR</a></li> <li rel="dc:subject" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><a href="https://www.facingsouth.org/tags/disinformation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">DISINFORMATION</a></li></ul></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">flip had art'l 821</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Axios</div><div>Donations fizzle to GOP AG group involved in Jan. 6 rally</div><div>Segments of corporate America have distanced themselves from groups that pushed efforts to overturn the legitimate 2020 election results. RAGA's ...</div><div>2 days ago</div><div>Brennan Center for Justice</div><div>Tracing the Money Behind the Supreme Court Case Against ...</div><div>RAGA's 2018 corporate donors included Anthem, Fresenius Medical Care, and Pfizer, and its corporate trade association givers included the U.S. ...</div><div>Aug 31, 2020</div><div>
</div><div>The New York Times</div><div><b>Corporate America Rethinks Political Donations</b></div><div>Corporate America rethinks political donations. Big businesses often donate to both political parties and say that their support is tied to ...</div><div>1 month ago</div><div>
</div><div>Jacobin</div><div><b>We Should Know Exactly Who Funded Last Week's Right ..</b>.</div><div>Require dark money nonprofits to disclose their donors. A dark money arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) was one of ...</div><div>Jan 11, 2021</div><div>
</div><div><b>Jacobin</b></div><div><b>Corporations Are Still Funding the GOP Campaign to Roll ...</b></div><div>Soon after the money flowed to RAGA, the group helped direct people to the ... Some of those same corporate donors signed the “We Stand for ...</div><div>May 27, 2021</div><div>
</div><div>WSFA</div><div>Alabama AG orders review of dark money group he chairs ...</div><div>Following the riots, NBC News reports some of RAGA's largest corporate donors have expressed their concerns about the organization's ...</div><div>Jan 12, 2021</div><div>
</div><div>Jacobin</div><div>The Giant Corporate Giant Slush Fund Bankrolling the ...</div><div>And the vast majority of these companies do not publicly disclose if and when they make donations to dark money groups that also spend on ...</div><div>Jan 14, 2021</div><div>
</div><div>Energy and Policy Institute</div><div>Utility Money to Members of Congress who Supported ...</div><div>The PACs for Southern Co. and its utilities sent $709,000 to the ... Nonetheless, EPI has exposed some examples of utility dark money ...</div><div>Jan 12, 2021</div><div>
</div><div>Newsweek</div><div>General Motors, Best Buy, PayPal Talk Up Voting Rights, Then Fund Effort to Restrict Them</div><div>Soon after the money flowed to RAGA, the group helped direct people to the ... Some of those same corporate donors signed the "We Stand for ...</div><div>May 26, 2021</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">raga did not do well in 2018</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article251160729.html</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="" /><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="">no lnx</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Missouri AG takes over GOP group facing scrutiny and staff shake-ups after Jan. 6</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">BY BRYAN LOWRY</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">MAY 04, 2021 03:32 PM, UPDATED MAY 04, 2021 07:16 PM</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Play VideoDuration 4:28</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Greitens and Schmitt attack President Biden during speeches at GOP event</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, both running for a Missouri U.S. Senate seat, attacked President Biden during their speeches at Jackson County GOP</b> event on Saturday, April 17, 2021. BY SHELLY YANG</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">WASHINGTON</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has taken over as chairman of a Republican attorneys general group after Georgia’s attorney general stepped down last month, citing an internal rift created by the Jan. 6 insurrection.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A spokesman for the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) said Tuesday that Schmitt became chairman two weeks ago after previously serving as the group’s vice chairman.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Schmitt was elevated to chair under the group’s bylaws, but he does not plan to remain in the position permanently because of his run for U.S. Senate. The group will vote on a new chairman when Schmitt eventually steps down.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr resigned as chair last month, saying there was widespread disagreement among the group’s members about its direction.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“This fundamental difference of opinion began with vastly opposite views of the significance of the events of January 6 and the resistance by some to accepting the resignation of the executive director,” Carr wrote in an April 16 letter obtained and published by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">RAGA’s former executive director Adam Piper stepped down in January after reports that the group’s policy arm, <b>the Rule of Law Defense Fund</b>, helped organize the Jan. 6 march on the Capitol when Congress was meeting to accept the Electoral College results.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The group’s role in organizing the march has come under scrutiny since the deadly riot at the Capitol. Both Schmitt and his Kansas counterpart, Attorney General Derek Schmidt, distanced themselves from robocalls the group made the day before the riot.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Schmitt’s office was in contact with the organization about a Jan. 5 meeting, but has maintained that the robocalls did not come up in any of their communication.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In April, RAGA’s board voted to name Peter Bisbee as its new executive director. Bisbee had previously headed up the Rule of Law Defense Fund and his promotion rankled long-time staff.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The Center for Media and Democracy, a progressive watchdog group, reported Tuesday that RAGA’s operations director, Jason Heath, stepped down in the wake of Bisbee’s promotion.</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“After 8 years of service, I am writing to inform you that I have made the difficult decision to resign as RAGA’s Director of Operations. I respect your votes, but the direction is not one I can honestly stand behind,” Heath said in the email published by the center.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Brandon Richards, spokesman for the Democratic Attorneys General Association, said in an email that by accepting the chairmanship “it also indicates that AG Schmitt is comfortable with Bisbee’s role in the Jan 6 events and agrees he was deserving of the promotion.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>The internal rift in RAGA comes after Schmitt and several attorneys general played prominent roles in unsuccessful litigation that sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Schmitt, now a candidate for U.S. Senate</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, organized an amicus brief in support of a Texas lawsuit that sought to throw out President Joe Biden’s victories in four swing states, including Georgia, Carr’s home state.</span></b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In his April resignation letter, Carr said the differences between the Republican attorneys general “have continued as we have tried to restore RAGA’s reputation internally and externally.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Carr had been announced as RAGA’s chairman in November of 2020 shortly after the election. The same release named Schmitt, who had just won election to a full term as Missouri attorney general, as his vice chairman.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Schmitt has been closely aligned with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton</b>, partnering with him on litigation to challenge the election results and multiple lawsuits against Biden’s administration.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">On the campaign trail, Schmitt has vowed to “take a blowtorch” to Biden’s agenda and has sought to highlight his ties to former President Donald Trump</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">RAGA spokesman Johnny Koremenos said the Republican AGs “are going to continue to fight the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> radical overreach of the Biden Administration which has destroyed jobs on the Keystone XL pipeline, radical energy policies that destroy jobs, let China run rampant over American interests, and implemented policies that trample on religious freedom and civil liberties.”</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This story was updated to clarify the reason Schmitt’s status as chair is temporary.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt greets a supporter at the Jackson County GOP’s Reagan-Lincoln Day Dinner at the Adams Pointe Conference Center in Blue Springs on April 17. Schmitt has joined the U.S. Senate race to replace Senator Roy Blunt. SHELLY YANG SYANG@KCSTAR.COM</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Profile Image of Bryan Lowry</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">BRYAN LOWRY</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">202-383-6167</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bryan Lowry is a White House correspondent at McClatchy. He previously covered Congress for The Kansas City Star. He also reported on state politics in Missouri and Kansas for The Star and The Wichita Eagle, contributing to The Star’s 2017 project on state government secrecy in Kansas that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/24/14-states-sue-biden-administration-over-oil-and-gas-leasing-moratorium.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/24/14-states-sue-biden-administration-over-oil-and-gas-leasing-moratorium.html</a></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">no lnx</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">POLITICS</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>14 GOP state attorneys general sue Biden administration over oil and gas leasing moratorium</b></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">PUBLISHED WED, MAR 24 20211:56 PM EDTUPDATED WED, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">MAR 24 2021</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">2</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Emma Newburger</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">@EMMA_NEWBURGER</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">KEY POINTS</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Fourteen states including Louisiana and Wyoming filed suit on Wednesday against President Joe Biden’s moratorium on new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and waters.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Biden’s order on Jan. 27 to pause new leasing was part of a series of executive actions to address climate change and curb planet-warming carbon emissions.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The president also directed the secretary of the Interior Department to begin a thorough review of existing permits for fossil fuel development.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jeff Landry, Louisiana attorney general, speaks during a news conference outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Sept. 9, 2019.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jeff Landry, Louisiana attorney general, speaks during a news conference outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Sept. 9, 2019.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Fourteen states filed suit on Wednesday against President Joe Biden’s moratorium on new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and waters.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">A coalition of 13 states, led by Louisiana, filed one lawsuit on Wednesday. Wyoming filed a separate lawsuit. The states in Louisiana’s suit are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia. All 14 states have Republican attorneys genera</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">l.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“This moratorium might make for a nice headline about fighting climate change, but the real consequences of the action are far from certain and far from uniformly environmentally friendly,” the Wyoming lawsuit said. </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Biden’s order on Jan. 27 to pause new leasing was part of a series of executive actions to address climate change and transition the economy away from fossil fuel production and toward clean energy.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In a statement Wednesday, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry called Biden’s order an “aggressive, reckless abuse of Presidential power.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">CNBC Politics</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Read more of CNBC’s politics coverage:</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[California Gov. Gavin Newsom is facing a recall — here’s what to know and why he’ll likely win</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Biden and Merkel to discuss Afghanistan, cybersecurity and Nord Stream pipeline this week</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Police arrest 4 on various weapons and drug charges at Denver hotel near Coors Field</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Biden also directed the secretary of the Interior Department to begin a thorough review of existing permits for fossil fuel development and ordered the federal government to conserve 30% of public lands and water by 2030.]</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The suits also come as the Biden administration prepares to unveil its proposal for overhauling the nation’s infrastructure, which is expected to include an ambitious set of climate-related proposals.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Louisiana lawsuit argued that the president’s executive order would hurt communities dependent on oil and gas drilling and drive up energy prices. The lawsuit also requested the Bureau of Land Management be allowed to restart quarterly oil and gas lease sales.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Interior Department declined to comment on the lawsuits.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The oil and gas leasing moratorium would not end fossil fuel extraction since the industry still holds undeveloped leases.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Drilling on federal lands contributes to roughly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and generates billions of dollars in revenue.</span></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.prwatch.org/news/2019/12/13517/gop-state-attorneys-general-fight-environmental-regulations-fossil-fuel-companies"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">https://www.prwatch.org/news/2019/12/13517/gop-state-attorneys-general-fight-environmental-regulations-fossil-fuel-companies</font></a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">alex k</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">As Republican Attorneys General faced 2018 re-election bids and continued their legal challenges to Obama-era environmental regulations, fossil fuel companies poured millions of dollars into the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), a political nonprofit that spends money to elect GOP AGs. That trend has continued into this year. From 2017 through mid-2019, oil, gas, and coal companies, trade associations, fossil fuel utilities, and industry executives donated over $6.7 million to RAGA, a CMD investigation has found. Fifty-five companies and trade groups and four executives made these donations.</font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Giving the most money to RAGA since 2017 are oil and natural gas exploration company Noble Energy ($1,020,000), oil refining and materials conglomerate Koch Industries ($755,000), natural gas energy supplier NextEra Energy Resources ($500,855), and oil and gas drillers Anadarko Petroleum ($500,000) and PDC Energy ($350,000).</font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">RAGA's <a href="https://republicanags.com/2019/08/01/republican-attorneys-general-association-brings-in-groundbreaking-9-6-million-fundraising-haul-for-first-half-of-2019/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">$9.6 million</a> haul in the first half of 2019 dwarfs that of 2015, the last similar fundraising period. That amount includes contributions to RAGA’s related entities such as the Rule of Law Defense Fund, a 501(c)(4) dark-money group founded in 2014 and <a href="https://maplight.org/story/conservative-group-led-by-epa-chief-pruitt-received-dark-money-to-battle-environmental-regulations/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">funded</a> by Koch-linked political groups, the Edison Electric Institute, the Judicial Crisis Network, and the Federalist Society in past years.</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In addition to helping elect Republican candidates, the corporations' donations to RAGA score them personal meetings with GOP attorneys general. At four private events each year at luxury hotels, industry lobbyists, lawyers, and executives get exclusive access to the attorneys general, and the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">AGs have been happy to <a href="https://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/09/13136/RAGA-Clean-Power-Plan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">oblige the corporations’ wishes</a>. Numerous GOP AGs have launched lawsuits attacking Obama-era environmental regulations such as the Clean Power Plan, the Clean Air Act, the Waters of the United States rule (WOTUS), and ozone caps.</span></font></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Other <a href="https://documented.net/2019/04/republican-attorneys-general-group-hosting-oil-and-gas-summit/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">perks</a> for annual RAGA donors include access to additional RAGA events, policy conference calls, monthly political briefings, passes to the annual Edmund Randolph Club retreats, and the option to pitch topics and be panelists at conferences. One RAGA event this year, in April, was an <a href="https://documented.net/2019/04/republican-attorneys-general-group-hosting-oil-and-gas-summit/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">oil and gas summit</a> to Houston.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In some cases, oil and gas corporations extend their communications with attorneys general beyond RAGA events. For example, former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt had secret meetings with industry lobbyists and challenged EPA regulations by sending letters to the agency that appeared to be written by Pruitt’s office but were actually <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/us/politics/energy-firms-in-secretive-alliance-with-attorneys-general.html?r=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">authored by lobbyists for oil and gas exploration company Devon Energy</a>. Pruitt filed 14 legal challenges to environmental regulations during his tenure as Oklahoma AG.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">CMD sued Pruitt for access to <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/pruitt-emails-key-findings/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">thousands of emails</a> between Pruitt's office and energy interests </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">and </span><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/02/07/lawsuit-filed-against-trump-nominee-pruitt-polluter-emails/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">sued to stop the emails' destruction</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. The correspondence records led to </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/02/22/oklahoma-attorney-generals-office-releases-7500-pages-of-emails-between-scott-pruitt-and-fossil-fuel-industry/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">national coverage</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> of Pruitt's close relationships with Devon Energy, the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers trade association, the Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity, and other industry interests.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Pruitt became Trump's director of the EPA in 2017, but his fellow Republican AGs continue to fight Obama's environmental regulations in the courts, buoyed by election support from RAGA.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In early 2017, as Democratic AGs began to sue the Trump administration, RAGA ramped up its electoral operation, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-politics-republican-ags-exclusive-idUSKBN16Z1A5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">ending a longstanding agreement</a> with its Democratic counterpart to refrain from targeting the other party's incumbent AGs.</font></font></p><h2 style="line-height: 2em; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Arizona</font></font></h2><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In the 2018 Arizona elections, Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich faced a Democratic challenger, and voters weighed in on a ballot measure to require utility companies to generate 50 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Brnovich ran against the measure and was buoyed by Pinnacle West Capital--the holding company that owns Arizona Public Service, the state's largest public utility--which gave $200,000 to RAGA in the 2018 election cycle. Pinnacle West PAC also donated $7,000 to the Brnovich campaign, and CEO Don Brandt gave $2,500.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA put nearly $3.7 million into Arizona state elections in the 2018 cycle, giving $2.9 million to Arizona for Freedom PAC, which spent most of that on ads, and over $750,000 to the RAGA Arizona PAC, which transferred the money to the state Republican Party.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Democratic challenger January Contreras had backing from the Democratic Attorneys General Association and the Tom Steyer-linked outside group Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona, which spent several million dollars supporting her, but she lost a close race to Brnovich.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Far more expensive was the ballot measure campaign, the <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/10/16/arizona-clean-energy-ballot-measure-proposition-127-most-expensive-state-history/1660198002/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">most costly</a> in Arizona's history</b>. Pinnacle West poured $32.3 million into political group Arizonans for Affordable Electricity, which campaigned against the measure, and Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona, financed mostly by Steyer's NextGen Climate Action, spent $24 million in favor. The measure lost by a big margin.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2015, Brnovich and Arizona Public Service <a href="https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizona-officially-sues-epa-over-clean-power-plan-7772833" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">joined</a> the multi-state lawsuit against Obama's Clean Power Plan. After Trump was elected, in late 2016, Brnovich joined 23 other states in a letter urging the new president-elect to withdraw the Clean Power Plan.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Also in 2015, Brnovich <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/258343-five-states-sue-over-ozone-rule" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">led a coalition</a> in suing the EPA over restrictions on ozone, which coal company Murray Energy had also legally challenged.</font></font></font></p><h2 style="line-height: 2em; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Colorado</font></font></h2><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Colorado's outgoing Republican Attorney General Cynthia Coffman had joined other states in challenging the Clean Power Plan, and </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">2018 GOP candidate George Brauchler also opposed the greenhouse gas restrictions and pledged not to challenge the Trump administration's actions. Brauchler favored the White House's "Affordable Clean Energy Rule" to replace the Clean Power Plan, while Democratic candidate Phil Weiser supported the restrictions and called attention to Brauchler's "<a href="https://gazette.com/news/energy-environment-are-crux-of-colorado-attorney-general-battle-between/article_f4822fd6-b1fa-11e8-a214-1781c1cddec7.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">pro-industry approach to energy extraction</a>."</span></font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA spent <a href="https://coloradosun.com/2018/12/10/campaign-finance-2018-colorado-super-pac/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">over $5.1 million</a> backing Brauchler through Colorado Freedom, a RAGA state affiliate set up by RAGA's chief financial officer, Lee Russell. Weiser, who won the race, <a href="https://gazette.com/news/energy-environment-are-crux-of-colorado-attorney-general-battle-between/article_f4822fd6-b1fa-11e8-a214-1781c1cddec7.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">criticized</a> Colorado Freedom for being a "dark money" group funded, via RAGA, by "mostly out-of-state corporations" including Koch Industries.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Some of the same fossil fuel companies that financed RAGA including Anadarko Petroleum, Extraction Oil and Gas, Noble Energy, and PDC Energy also <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/oil-and-gas-money-fueling-the-campaigns-for-colorados-amendment-74-against-prop-112-10954929" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">gave millions</a> of dollars to another outside group, Protect Colorado, which spent a massive $40 million advocating the oil and gas industry's interests around two ballot measures.</font></font></p><h2 style="line-height: 2em; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Michigan</font></font></h2><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The 2018 AG race in Michigan was another open contest between candidates with a stark contrast on energy policy. <b>Republican candidate Tom Leonard </b>ran with explicit support for an aging Enbridge oil pipeline, while Democrat Dana Nessel pledged to shut it down in her first act as attorney general.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Enbridge did not donate to RAGA in the 2018 cycle, but ExxonMobil, with which it co-owns multiple pipelines, gave over $125,000. This year, Enbridge contributed $25,000 to RAGA.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA spent at least <a href="https://republicanags.com/2018/08/29/raga-announces-4-million-tv-buy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">$1.5 million</a> backing Leonard and gave $6,800 to the Leonard campaign, but Nessel won the race. Under Nessel, Michigan has joined other Democratic states to challenge Trump initiatives including its <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-359-92297_47203-504608--,00.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">Clean Power Plan replacement</a>. She also <a href="https://www.michiganradio.org/post/michigan-withdraws-lawsuits-over-federal-environmental-rules" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">withdrew</a> the state from the Republican challenge to the Clean Power Plan and from a Murray Energy lawsuit against EPA clean air regulations, which the state had joined as a petitioner.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In the next AG race, in 2022, RAGA will very likely harness cash from its fossil fuel donors in an attempt to reinstate a pro-industry Republican.</font></font></p><h2 style="line-height: 2em; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Texas</font></font></h2><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In the Longhorn State, Attorney General Ken Paxton, RAGA's chair in 2019, ran for re-election against Democrat Justin Nelson in 2018. Like other Republican AGs seeking new terms, Paxton got major support from RAGA, which made $650,000 in direct donations to his campaign as well as $21,500 in in-kind contributions for research. Paxton won the race by 3.6 percent of the vote.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Paxton's RAGA <a href="https://republicanags.com/ags/ken-paxton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">biography</a> boasts that he has sued the Obama administration 22 times. The suits include challenges to the Clean Power Plan, the EPA's "Regional Haze" rule, methane emission standards, and restrictions on coal mining near waterways.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This year, Paxton sued ExxonMobil over a fire at its chemical plant that injured 37 people, the fourth fire that has occured at the Bayton, Texas plant this year. But his lawsuit, filed at the state level, could upend two suits by the county in county court, putting Paxton in charge of the whole operation. Some, wary of his fossil fuel-friendly history, worry he <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/texas/blog/2019/09/ken-paxton-environmental-champion" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">might go easy on the oil giant</a>.</font></font></p><h2 style="line-height: 2em; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2019 Races</font></font></h2><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In 2019, Republicans flipped two state AG offices and held onto another. In Kentucky, RAGA made its biggest ad pre-booking expenditure ever: <a href="https://republicanags.com/2019/08/29/raga-announces-3-25-million-kentucky-ad-buy-supporting-daniel-cameron/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">$3.25 million</a> benefiting GOP candidate Daniel Cameron, who would go on to win the race. Coal is a major industry in the state, but the election centered more on health care and the opioid crisis.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>In Mississippi, successful AG candidate Lynn Fitch</b> got a $150,000 in direct campaign donations as well as more than $76,000 worth of in-kind contributions from RAGA’s Mississippi PAC, according to state campaign finance data.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>In Louisiana, Republican Jeff Landry won re-election.</b> In January, Landry <a href="https://thehayride.com/2019/01/landry-war-between-federal-agency-overreach-self-governance-still-rages/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">railed against EPA regulations</a> in an op-ed, criticizing the Clean Power Plan and fuel efficiency increases and praising Trump for cutting numerous environmental standards. RAGA has elected Landry to be its 2020 chair.</font></font></p><h2 style="line-height: 2em; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2020 Races</font></font></h2><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="https://stateagelections.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">Ten states</a> have AG elections in 2020, including Utah, where Republican Sean Reyes will seek re-election. Under Reyes, Utah became the <a href="https://www.deseret.com/2018/12/11/20660906/ranchers-reveling-in-trump-s-proposed-rollback-of-water-regulations" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">first state</a> in a 10-state coalition to challenge Obama's Waters of the United States rule, which expanded the definition of protected waters under the 1972 Clean Water Act.</font></font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2017, along with a number of other GOP AGs including Landry and Paxton, Reyes signed <a href="http://ago.wv.gov/Documents/2017.06.19%20WOTUS%20Comments.PDF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">a letter</a> to Pruitt's EPA urging it to "respect the states" regarding WOTUS.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"The 2015 WOTUS Rule is a clear example for federal overreach that infringed on the States' traditional role as primary regulators of land and water resources within their borders," <a href="https://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/utah-ag-and-coalition-blocks-2015-wotus-rule/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">said</a> Reyes in August of this year, after a federal district court maintained an injunction against the WOTUS rule that Reyes and other GOP AGs sought. In October, the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers <a href="https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/epa-repeals-wotus-rule-35667/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">officially repealed the rule</a>, reinstating the less strict standards that were in place before the rule</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CMD <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/07/18/watchdog-group-sues-utah-ag-withholding-raga-documents/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">sued</a> Reyes for withholding public records about his involvement in RAGA and the Rule of Law Defense Fund, generating <a href="https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=5522658&itype=cmsid" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">local</a> and <a href="https://thinkprogress.org/watchdog-group-sues-utah-attorney-general-727c69a88c7f/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">national coverage</a> of RAGA's pay-to-play arrangement with corporations, including fossil fuel companies. The suit is still pending.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Nine other states--Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia--also have AG races in 2020. </b>In Indiana and Missouri, Republican incumbents are seeking re-election. Indiana AG Curtis Hill, like his fellow GOP AGs, has advanced energy industry interests, leading 15 states in two 2018 friend-of-the-court briefs <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalnewsline/2018/06/04/states-against-climate-change-lawsuits-ask-for-dismissal-of-nycs/#5a6e099997b8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">seeking dismissal</a> of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalnewsline/2018/04/20/as-boulder-sues-15-states-including-colorado-oppose-global-warming-lawsuits/#4c11b9464518" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">California</a> and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/legalnewsline/2018/06/04/states-against-climate-change-lawsuits-ask-for-dismissal-of-nycs/#69826fab97b8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">New York's</a> lawsuits against the industry over its effect on climate change. Coffman, Paxton, Reyes, and Landry were among the other signatories of the briefs.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 1.5em 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Meanwhile, RAGA has supported the AGs’ efforts. In 2018, it <a href="https://republicanags.com/2018/08/22/raga-chair-and-arkansas-attorney-general-leslie-rutledge-talks-clean-energy-on-americas-newsroom/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">publicized</a> Arkansas AG Leslie Wheeler's appearance on a Fox News show during which she discussed her opposition to the Clean Power Plan. RAGA's Rule of Law Defense Fund hosted <a href="https://republicanags.com/2019/10/18/icymi-south-carolina-ag-alan-wilson-and-rule-of-law-defense-fund-host-policy-panel-on-climate-change-litigation-and-public-nuisance-lawsuits/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="blank" style="text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(204, 51, 51) 0px 3px 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s;">a panel</a> in October 2019, featuring South Carolina AG Alan Wilson, about strategies to combat climate change legislation.</font></font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">---</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/10/both-republicans-and-democrats-have-weaponized-their-ags/574093/"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/10/both-republicans-and-democrats-have-weaponized-their-ags/574093/</font></a></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">see AG</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2018/11/19/democratic-ag-midterm-climate-change/">https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2018/11/19/democratic-ag-midterm-climate-change/</a></font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font color="#000000"><b>N</b></font><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>early lost in the sometimes breathless coverage of the massive Democratic gains in the House of Representatives and state legislatures was a political sea change in the recent midterm election: for the first time in years, Democrats gained control over the levers of environmental law in four critical state</b>s.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>In four formerly reliably Republican states—Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin and Nevada—GOP attorneys general were ousted by Democratic challengers. </b>It is a development, observers say, that represents a stunning defeat for the oil and gas industry, which poured millions of dollars into those campaigns. And it could alter the landscape for several high-profile cases that seek to hold the industry accountable for the ravages of climate change.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“Democratic AGs now hold 27 offices,” said Lizzie Ulmer, communications director for the Democratic Attorneys General Association. “That puts us in the majority.”</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Democrats’ gains on Nov. 6 give them precisely the slim majority the Republicans used to hold. Among the ousted were some staunch supporters of the fossil fuel industry.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The question is whether this new coalition of Democratic attorneys general will act en masse, launching investigations and filing suits as a coordinated bloc, as their Republican predecessors did.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Throughout most of the Obama administration, the GOP attorneys general formed a united front. They challenged the Democratic administration on a host of issues, from health care to critical environmental issues like the Clean Power Plan, which sought to leverage market forces to cut carbon emissions, and the Waters of United States rule that gives federal regulators a larger role in regulating tributaries to major navigable waterways, which previously had been beyond federal reach.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“They were very coordinated in their efforts to be a bloc and to be obstructionist during the Obama administration,” Ulmer said. As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott once described his former job as the state’s attorney general: “I go into the office, I sue the federal government and I go home.”</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Even when they were in the minority, however, Democratic attorneys general have been active, especially since the beginning of the Trump administration. They have, either separately or as a team, sued the administration 38 times, with some, like California’s recently re-elected Xavier Becerra, proving particularly litigious. Becerra was involved in 24 of those cases and has won 14 of them.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Those lawsuits are likely to continue, and the new crop of Democratic attorney generals could bolster their ranks and file a few more of their own.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>That’s particularly likely in a place like Michigan, where Democrat Dana Nessel easily defeated Tom Leonard, the heir apparent to Republican Bill Schuette, who unsuccessfully ran for governor.</b> Under Schuette, Michigan was among the most ferocious states in its support of the oil and gas industry, filing an amicus brief, for example, <a href="https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/09/05/bill-schuette-backs-exxon-mobil-appeal-that-calls-climate-change-unsettled-science" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">backing Exxon against a landmark lawsuit</a> filed by New York State alleging that the company defrauded investors by hiding the risks of climate change. In the brief, Schuette declared climate change to be “unsettled science.”</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Many expect Michigan will do an about-face, said Lisa Wozniak, executive director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. In a state that is still coping with the fallout from the catastrophic lead contamination of Flint’s water supply, Nessel ran on an aggressive environmental platform. A <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/10/dana_nessel_hopes_to_bring_the.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">cornerstone of her campaign</a> was a pledge to use the full force of the office to decommission the 65-year-old Enbridge 5 pipeline, which carries tar sands oil from Canada under the environmentally sensitive Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. “It’s been deemed one of the most serious threats to the Great Lakes and our drinking water,” Wozniak said, “but I’d also say that it’s intimately linked to climate since it is carrying tar sands.”</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">A larger questions is whether Nessel would consider joining New York and Rhode Island in their liability suits against the industry. “I know she cares deeply about energy policy and climate change,” Wozniak said. “And while she has not specifically said that she’s going to be joining those cases I would not be surprised if she did.” Nessel declined to comment for this story.</span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></span></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit;"><b>In neighboring Wisconsin, Josh Kaul unseated another of Exxon’s chief allies, Republican Brad Schimel</b>. That gave the party dominance in the upper Midwest because in Minnesota, Rep. Keith Ellison will replace fellow Democrat Lori Swanson and Illinois also replaced its incumbent with another Democrat, Kwame Raoul. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The oil and gas industry also lost an ally in Nevada, where outgoing Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt had <a href="https://www.rgj.com/story/news/politics/2018/09/10/adam-laxalt-nevada-republican-nominee-exxon-mobil-koch-brothers-donor-foil/1203690002/" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">emerged as a key foe</a> of New York’s lawsuit against Exxon. Nevada voters rejected both Laxalt’s bid for governor and elected Aaron Ford, a Democrat, over Laxalt’s hand-picked successor, Wes Duncan.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><b>Democrats also picked up a seat in the gas-rich state of Colorado, where Democrat Phil Weiser defeated Republican George Brauchler.</b> Weiser <a href="https://pagetwo.completecolorado.com/2018/08/21/attorney-general-candidates-worlds-apart-on-state-issues/" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">has not made clear</a> how aggressively he intends to pursue climate-related cases and investigations. Weiser’s office did not immediately respond to a request for an interview, but in the past, the University of Colorado Law School professor has expressed skepticism about the suits filed against oil and gas producers. Three Colorado communities, including the City and County of Boulder, <a href="https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2018/04/17/colorado-climate-lawsuits-exxon-suncor/" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">have filed liability suits</a> against Exxon and Suncor.</span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">And it remains unclear whether the ever-litigious Becerra, who in the two years since he succeeded Kamala Harris as California’s AG, will join lawsuits against Exxon and other oil producers. He <a href="https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2017/09/18/exxon-climate-fraud-california-xavier-becerra-kamala-harris/" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">has remained noncommittal</a> on that topic, so it remains to be seen whether that changes now that he has a mandate from the voters.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">What is clear is that the new class of attorneys general is taking office at a time when their colleagues have already begun the spade work on some novel approaches to holding fossil fuel producers accountable for the effects of climate change.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In addition to <a href="https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2018/10/24/new-york-attorney-general-exxon-climate-fraud/" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">the New York suit</a>, which relies on a 1921 anti-fraud act aimed at curbing Wall Street excesses, and <a href="https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2018/07/02/rhode-island-climate-liability-suit/" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">a suit by Rhode Island</a>, which uses its anti-nuisance laws to hold 14 oil and gas companies liable for pollution, Massachusetts <a href="https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2017/11/13/maura-healey-massachusetts-exxon-climate-investigation/" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">is using consumer protection laws</a> to argue that the industry’s failure to alert the public to the long-term risks of its products amounted to false and unfair advertising.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“One thing that’s really interesting in working with Democratic attorneys general across the country is that every office is a little bit different in how it’s structured, what powers they’ve been given, what their budgets are, what sort of authority they have,” Ulmer said. “When it comes to issue-specific questions, it truly is going to depend on the state.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; line-height: 22px; overflow: hidden; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“But I can tell you a number of these candidates have talked about the importance of climate change, protecting the environment, protecting natural resources, making sure that the citizens of their states have clean water and really clean air and protecting the future during their campaigns. We know that’s something they’re going to continue…once they’re fully transitioned into office.”</font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.333; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The 7 States that Flipped from GOP Governors to Democrats</font></font></h3><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px 138.594px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Four of the seven states that switched to Democratic governors are in the Midwest, partially reversing the region's swing toward Republicans in 2014.</font></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px 138.594px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong style="box-sizing: inherit;">In Michigan</strong>, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer, a former state legislator, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/06/us/elections/results-michigan-elections.html" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent;">defeated</a> Republican Bill Schuette, the state attorney general. Whitmer had support from environmental advocates because of her criticism of Enbridge's Line 5 fossil fuel pipeline and her support for moving to 100 percent renewable energy. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder had reached the state's term limit.</font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/10/25/exxon-faces-consequences-climate-denial"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/10/25/exxon-faces-consequences-climate-denial</font></a></font></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></div><div><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ExxonMobil, the $78 billion fossil fuel giant, has been lying to its shareholders about the threats of climate change, according to New York Attorney General, Barbara Underwood, following a multi-year investigation.</font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The New York state lawsuit, filed Wednesday, accuses Exxon of a “longstanding fraudulent scheme” to mislead investors on “the company’s management of the risks posed to its business by climate change regulation,” according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/climate/exxon-lawsuit-climate-change.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">The New York Times</em></a>. Citing messaging to the public that was inconsistent with internal practices, Underwood brought the lawsuit under the Martin Act, which empowers her to investigate and prosecute securities fraud.</font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) has reported on Exxon’s illegal and unethical efforts to undermine climate science and hide the global impact of its operations for years.</font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2016, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) and Common Cause <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3123646-IRS-Cover-Letter-10-05-2016.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">complained to the IRS</a> that Exxon was running an <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2016/10/06/exxon-alec-running-illegal-lobbying-scheme-irs-complaint/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">illegal scheme</a> to use the American Legislative Exchange Commission (ALEC) to promote its climate denial policies and legislative agenda “in gross violation of ALEC’s 501(c)(3) charitable status.”</font></font></p><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Industry Plan to Sow Doubt over Climate Science</font></font></h2><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3123455-ALEC-Exxon-Supplemental-Submission-With-Signature.html#document/p4" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Evidence</a> presented in the joint CMD/Common Cause IRS filing showed that Exxon had pumped more that $1.7 million into ALEC between 1998 and 2014 to finance lobbying activities that cast doubt on climate science and promoted public policies benefiting the corporation.</font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Exxon/ALEC scheme arose from a 1998 “<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3116140-Exhibit-78-API-Global-Clima" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Global Climate Science Communications Action Plan</a>,” authored by the American Petroleum Institute (API). The stated mission of the API plan was to “inform the American public that science does not support the precipitous actions Kyoto [International Climate Treaty] would dictate, thereby providing a climate for the <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">right policy decisions to be made</em>.” [emphasis added]</font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Exxon was listed as a source of funding for the plan, while ALEC was listed as a “potential fund allocator.” Public records show that Exxon’s funding of ALEC subsequently increased.</font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Exxon’s more recent efforts to rehabilitate its public image around climate change led the oil giant to <a href="https://www.prwatch.org/news/2018/07/13368/alec-too-extreme-exxon-long-term-alec-board-member-dumps-alec-over-climate-denial" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">split with ALEC</a> in July 2018, reportedly over ALEC’s opposition to the EPA’s findings on greenhouse gases.</font></font></p><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Collusion Between Republican AGs and Industry Lobbyists</font></font></h2><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2016, CMD exposed <b>secret, <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/RAGA-Exxon" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">closed-door meetings</a> between state attorneys general and fossil fuel interests to coordinate push-back against New York’s investigation of Exxon.</b></font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">CMD published an audio recording of a meeting where representatives of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) — organizations historically funded in part by Exxon — discussed strategies with Republican attorneys general.</font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) </b>facilitated the private sessions, a premium service that the pay-to-play organization provides to corporations that pay RAGA up to $125,000 per year.</font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“These documents reveal a serious conflict of interest: RAGA is facilitating secret meetings between the profit-motivated fossil fuel industry and attorneys general to engineer pushback on investigations of ExxonMobil — and then raising money from oil and gas companies to keep those same Republican attorneys general in office,” said Nick Surgey, CMD’s Research Director at the time.</font></font></p><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">History of Misinformation Campaigns</font></font></h2><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Numerous investigations have shown that Exxon was fully aware of the risks of climate change from burning fossil fuels as early as the 1970s, despite funding multiple groups like ALEC that denied climate science and humans’ contribution to climate change.</font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">A <a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa815f/pdf" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Harvard University study</a> of Exxon’s communications between 1977 and 2014 found that “ExxonMobil misled the public about climate change,” even as its private and academic research acknowledged serious climate risks.</font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In 2015, the year New York launched its investigation of Exxon, Inside Climate News <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15092015/Exxons-own-research-confirmed-fossil-fuels-role-in-global-warming" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">reported</a> that Exxon had been aware of climate change but “put its muscle behind efforts to manufacture doubt about the reality of global warming.” Exxon warned top executives of possible climate catastrophe, but then “led efforts to block solutions.” The <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Los Angeles Times</em> also published an <a href="http://graphics.latimes.com/exxon-arctic/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">article</a> that year telling a similar story. Exxon dismissed those reports as “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/08/24/exxonmobil-asked-people-to-read-the-documents-it-produced-on-climate-change-so-these-harvard-researchers-did/?utm_term=.9ff52318322a" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">cherry picked</a>.”</font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">According to the <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">New York Times</em>, this most recent lawsuit “poses a financial risk to Exxon, as well as a potential reputational blow.”</font></font></font></p><p class="p1" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; word-spacing: 3.6px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">If history is any indication, Exxon could face significant damages. Similar <b>litigation against tobacco companies found in 2006 that the industry had engaged in “a massive 50-year scheme to defraud the public,” and resulted in a $246 billion settlement</b></font></font></font></p></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/04/18/corporations-pour-cash-into-gop-attorneys-general-group-at-start-of-2018-election-cycle/">http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/04/18/corporations-pour-cash-into-gop-attorneys-general-group-at-start-of-2018-election-cycle/</a></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">T<span style="box-sizing: inherit;">he latest </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4439118-RAGA-8872-Q1-2018.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(15, 15, 15) 0px -1px 0px inset; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">financial report</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"> for the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) has been filed (see below). It reveals numerous corporations, top executives, and their trade groups donating a total of $4,537,553 to ensure Republican state attorneys general candidates are financially backed heading into the 2018 election cycle.</span></font></font></font></div><p style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">According to the report, which covered the first quarter of 2018, RAGA reported $4,537,553 in total contributions. RAGA’s fundraising has been steadily increasing. During the first quarter of 2016, the last election year for a majority of attorneys general races, RAGA raised $3,511,055.</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Its Democratic opponent – the Democratic Attorneys General Association (DAGA) – has also improved its own haul since 2016. In the first quarter of 2016 it raised $1,029,111, rougly half of the $1,975,476 it raised in the same period in 2018.</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA is a 527 political organization that can accept unlimited contributions from individuals and corporations, and spends millions of dollars each cycle in an effort to elect state Republican attorneys general.</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">In return for both high-priced membership fees and other contributions, the group provides exclusive access to Republican state attorneys general and their staff. Last year, <b>RAGA held an event at </b></span><b><a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/top-gop-law-enforcement-chiefs-held-secret-weekend-event-mar-lago-2614608" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(15, 15, 15) 0px -1px 0px inset; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort</span></a><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">, and a </span><a href="https://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/03/08/raga-2017-holiday-party/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(15, 15, 15) 0px -1px 0px inset; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">holiday party</span></a></b><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><b> at the Washington D.C. Trump International Hote</b>l.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Here are some highlights from the new report:</font></font></p><ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The fossil fuel industry collectively spent hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting RAGA in the first quarter of 2018. Contributors included Koch industries ($250,000), Entergy ($125,000), American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers ($75,000), Joseph Craft who is the CEO of coal company Alliance Resources ($50,000), Whiting Oil and Gas ($50,000), Edison Electric Institute ($50,000), American Petroleum Institute ($50,000), NextEra Energy ($25,000), Southern Company ($25,000), American Gas Association ($15,350).</font></font></font></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">C. Boyden Gray, the former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, whose clients in the past have included Exelon, First Energy, and Constellation Energy gave $125,000.</font></font></font></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The National Rifle Association (NRA), which was RAGA’s second largest contributor in 2017, contributed $25,000. Documented reported in February that RAGA has promoted NRA backed candidates in elections and has utilized NRA materials that grade candidates based on their opposition to restrictions on gun ownership.</font></font></font></li><li style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243); box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform and the Judicial Crisis Network both contributed $250,000 — making them the highest contributors in the first quarter along with Koch Industries, which also contributed $250,000.</b></font></font></font></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Tech companies also supported RAGA, including Amazon ($50,000), Yelp ($15,350) and Oracle ($50,000). Smaller contributions from Facebook ($350), Lyft ($700) are likely RAGA conference fees.</font></font></font></li><li style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243); box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA paid America Rising a total of $14,421 on research expenditures. In 2017, Mother Jones reported that the EPA paid a company affiliated with America Rising, Definers Public Affairs, to provide “media monitoring.” The New York Times reported that the EPA employees’ who spoke out against the agency had their emails targeted by a lawyer at America Rising. The contract with Definers was cancelled following media scrutiny.</font></font></li><li style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243); box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[docs]</font></font></li><li style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243); box-sizing: inherit; padding-bottom: 16px;"><h3 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-transform: capitalize;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Related Posts:</font></font></h3><ol style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 1.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 1.4;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/02/23/meeting-republican-attorneys-general-provides-nra-corporations-private-access/" rel="bookmark" title="Meeting of Republican State Attorneys General Provides NRA and Corporations with Private Access" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Meeting of Republican State Attorneys General Provides NRA and Corporations with Private Access</font></a></font></font></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/03/08/raga-2017-holiday-party/" rel="bookmark" title="Republican State Attorneys General Group Held 2017 Holiday Party at Trump Hotel" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Republican State Attorneys General Group Held 2017 Holiday Party at Trump Hotel</font></a></font></font></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2017/12/06/alec-hires-former-koch-staffer-to-lead-its-energy-task-force/" rel="bookmark" title="ALEC Hires Former Koch Staffer to Lead its Energy Task Force" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">ALEC Hires Former Koch Staffer to Lead its Energy Task Force</font></a></font></font></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/02/26/nra-second-highest-donor-republican-attorneys-general-association-2017/" rel="bookmark" title="The NRA was second highest donor to Republican Attorneys General Association in 2017" style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">The NRA was second highest donor to Republican Attorneys General Association in 2017</font></a></font></font></li></ol></li></ul><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/09/24/attorney-general-schimel-withholds-documents-related-his-legal-war-against-affordable-care-act">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/09/24/attorney-general-schimel-withholds-documents-related-his-legal-war-against-affordable-care-act</a></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b> Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) filed suit today against Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for refusing to disclose public records related to his high-profile legal war against the Affordable Care Act (ACA).</b></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In February of this year, Schimel and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton <a href="https://www.doj.state.wi.us/news-releases/ag-schimel-and-texas-ag-lead-fight-end-obamacare" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">filed a lawsuit, </a>joined by 18 other Republican AGs designed to do what Congress couldn’t — kill the Affordable Care Act. The suit seeks to strike down the law’s individual mandate and would eliminate coverage for preexisting conditions, the ACA’s most popular provision.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CMD submitted an open records request on August 3, 2018 for internal records and communications from the offices of Attorney General Schimel and the Solicitor General regarding the ACA. CMD limited the request to records between January 1, 2018 and August 3, 2018.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">On August 20, 2018, the DOJ identified 1,940 relevant emails, but denied CMD’s request outright by claiming it would be “excessively burdensome” to review and redact them.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“Schimel’s case against the Affordable Care Act is of significant public interest. Why he would deny the public information about this controversial suit, which may ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, is unknown. But the citizens of the state deserve answers,” said CMD Executive Director Arn Pearson.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>“Wisconsin’s Open Records Law has a strong presumption of public access,</b>” said Pines Bach attorney Christa Westerberg, who is representing CMD. “The Department’s denial is a burden on the public’s right to know on a matter of obvious public concern.”</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">If successful, Schimel’s ACA suit could result in <a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2018/lawsuit-ACA-preexisting-condition-prot" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">17 million people losing their health insurance.</a> Insurance companies could be allowed to reject those with pre-existing conditions or jack up their rates.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Congress attempted to repeal and replace the ACA in 2017, but ultimately could not muster the votes in the Senate. Now Republican attorneys general are using their 527 political organization, the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), to coordinate attacks on the ACA to weaken it and, with the latest suit, upend it.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Two of RAGA’s top donors, the billionaire Koch brothers, have spent <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/09/14/kochs-put-cash-over-principle-endorse-pro-aca-rep-will-hurd/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">hundreds of millions</a> on the ACA repeal effort since the law was enacted. Koch Industries has contributed <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/07/23/koch-justice-billionaires-expand-influence-law-enforcement-courts-2018/" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">close to half a million</a> to RAGA over the last year and a half and <a href="https://cfis.wi.gov/ReportsOutputFiles" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">$10,000</a> directly to Schimel’s reelection campaign.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>RAGA, in turn, has pumped <a href="https://cfis.wi.gov/ReportsOutputFiles/0104385JulyContinuing201852f7d7162018101741AMCF-2Report.pdf" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">$44,000</a> into Schimel’s campaign and has a $2.5 million <a href="https://www.wsaw.com/content/news/RAGA-launches-ad-blasting-Kaul-in-Wisconsin-AG-race-494199071.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">ad</a> buy praising the Attorney General running statewide.</b></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>“It is puzzling that Attorney General Brad Schimel, the man who created Wisconsin’s Office of Open Government,</b> would deny a reasonable records request that clearly meets the criteria of Wisconsin’s Open Records law,” said David Armiak, a researcher with CMD.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Center for Media and Democracy is a non-profit investigative watchdog group. Our reporting and analyses focuses on corporate influence and money in politics. We publish ExposedbyCMD.org, PRWatch.org, SourceWatch.org, and ALECExposed.org.</font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The complaint can be accessed on our website <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4940904-Summons-amp-Complaint-F-S-9-24-18.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">here.</a></font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</font></font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">under pruitt $ skyrocket, mostly for neg attack ads</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=
</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://theintercept.com/2018/02/12/gop-law-enforcement-chiefs-invited-donors-to-help-set-policy-via-secret-bulletin-board/">https://theintercept.com/2018/02/12/gop-law-enforcement-chiefs-invited-donors-to-help-set-policy-via-secret-bulletin-board/</a></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> fang &</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">an <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.1em; box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px, rgb(17, 17, 17) 0px 4px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400;">ASSOCIATION OF</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><b> </b></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><b>top Republican law enforcement officials has created a secret online bulletin board called the “Briefing Room” that’s allowing big donors to help shape legal policy</b>, according to records reviewed by MapLight and The Intercept.</span></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.01em;">
</span></font></font></font></div><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Republican Attorneys General Association frequently directs officials working for GOP attorneys general to review files posted on the file-sharing website before participating in conference calls hosted by RAGA’s nonprofit policy arm, the Rule of Law Defense Fund. The association works to get Republicans elected to the top law enforcement job at the state level. The Briefing Room is hosted by RLDF on the virtual cloud website, box.com.</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Republican law enforcement officials in more than a dozen states denied having records of the bulletin board or argued that documents kept on the Briefing Room shouldn’t be made public. Nine offices said they have no records of communications with RAGA or RLDF. While communications between elected officials and RAGA and RLDF should be subject to disclosure under open records laws, the secret bulletin board can shield the correspondence from public reach.</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Zack Roday, a RAGA spokesperson, said the Briefing Room is a tool for RLDF staff to share policy documents “with the RLDF team.” When asked about a past RAGA information sheet that </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3098829-RAGA-New-Member-Packet-2016.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">offered</a></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> “posting access” to the Briefing Room for donors who give more than $25,000 annually, Roday said the file “was worded incorrectly and has been changed.” However, the 2018 RAGA membership sheet contained the very same offer. Roday insisted that only RLDF staff can upload documents to the bulletin board.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ethics experts said Republican attorneys general — who are responsible for ensuring compliance with open records laws — are improperly hiding their own policy dealings from the public.</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“It looks like a clear effort on the part of these attorneys general’s offices to evade their transparency requirements under open records laws by keeping documents on this website,” </span>said Brendan Fischer, a lawyer at the Campaign Legal Center in Washington, D.C. “They have the ability to access these records, the records are connected to their official duties, and they’re just refusing to turn them over.”</font></font></p><h3 kern="kern" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1; margin: 1em 0px; font-kerning: normal;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Working With Donors</font></font></h3><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">In recent years, ethics watchdogs have criticized RAGA because its </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/us/politics/energy-firms-in-secretive-alliance-with-attorneys-general.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">members worked with donors</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> like Devon Energy to challenge Obama-era air pollution regulations. RLDF has </span><a href="https://maplight.org/story/conservative-group-led-by-epa-chief-pruitt-received-dark-money-to-battle-environmental-regulations/" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">helped</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> GOP attorneys general organize some of their federal challenges. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt previously chaired RAGA and RLDF while he was Oklahoma’s attorney general; he </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/14/us/scott-pruitt-trump-epa-pick.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">sued</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> the EPA 14 times while in that role.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">RAGA’s largest </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4365789-RAGA1.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">donors</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> in 2017 included the Judicial Crisis Network ($2.9 million), a </span><a href="https://maplight.org/story/tax-returns-identify-dark-money-organization-as-source-of-gop-supreme-court-attacks/" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">dark money organization</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> that led a $10 million media campaign to confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch; the <b>U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform ($590,000)</b>, a trade association that works to limit lawsuits against corporations; and <b>Koch Industries ($205,000)</b>, the global conglomerate run by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Some RAGA donors have been involved in a range of state-level investigations and lawsuits, including Marathon Oil Company, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, and Purdue Pharma. Purdue, the manufacturer of the popular painkiller Oxycontin, is being sued by </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-opioids-litigation/alabama-sues-oxycontin-maker-purdue-pharma-over-opioid-epidemic-idUSKBN1FQ2HC" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">14 states</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> for allegedly downplaying the addiction risks posed by its prescription opioid medication. RAGA members are leading the lawsuits in </span><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/05/31/530929307/ohio-sues-5-major-drug-companies-for-fueling-opioid-epidemic" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">Ohio</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-opioids-litigation/alabama-sues-oxycontin-maker-purdue-pharma-over-opioid-epidemic-idUSKBN1FQ2HC" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">Alabama</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, </span><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article157264164.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">Missouri</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> and </span><a href="http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article167268497.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">South Carolina</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">.</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">RAGA is a political organization created under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Service code, which means it can accept unlimited donations from corporations or individuals. RLDF, which was created as a dark money nonprofit, is not required to disclose its donors, but tax returns show it has received at least $785,000 from the Judicial Crisis Network since 2014.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">State records show that RAGA regularly pays thousands of dollars to send state officials to donor conferences at luxury hotels around the country. At one </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4366352-Nebraska-Palm-Beach-Trip.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">meeting</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> last year, RAGA arranged a golf outing and a museum tour to connect attorneys general with donors who give the association at least $125,000 annually. RAGA spent more than $1,900 on first-class airfare to fly Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson and his wife to the event.</span></font></font></font></p><h3 kern="kern" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1; margin: 1em 0px; font-kerning: normal;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Access Denied</font></font></h3><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Emails sent in 2016 by RLDF’s former President Samantha Dravis, who currently leads the EPA’s policy office, shed some light on what gets shared in RAGA’s Briefing Room.</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Examples include:</font></font></p><ul style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">A </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4368009-RLDF-BR-AZ-2016-09-16.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">draft</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> of Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt’s complaint challenging a rule by the Obama Labor Department that would have made 4 million workers eligible for mandatory overtime pay.</span></font></font></font></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">A </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4368011-RLDF-BR-AZ-2016-06-13.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">document</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> summarizing arguments against a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule requiring payday lenders to verify whether borrowers can pay back their loans.</span></font></font></font></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">A </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4368012-RLDF-BR-AZ-2016-05-18.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">letter</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> from attorneys general challenging the Obama Justice Department’s policy on transgender students’ use of restrooms and locker rooms.</span></font></font></font></li></ul><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Shortly before a RLDF </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4367352-RLDF-BR-Policy-Call-20170725.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">policy call</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> in July 2017, Louisiana Solicitor General Liz Murrill </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4366362-Louisiana-Medicaid-Letter.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">emailed</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> RLDF to add an item to the agenda — a letter requesting the Health and Human Services Department give attorneys general the authority to investigate complaints of Medicaid fraud by beneficiaries. Seven Republican attorneys general ultimately signed the letter, which was sent in September.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Records show RLDF held at least seven policy conference calls with senior officials in attorneys general’s offices between June and November. Emails about four of the calls mentioned the Briefing Room.</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">MapLight and The Intercept found references to RLDF policy calls in emails provided by the Nebraska, Arizona, and Ohio attorneys general’s offices. The </span><a href="https://cdn.muckrock.com/foia_files/2017/12/27/20171342_Public_Records_Request_Andrew_Perez_MapLight.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">Nebraska</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> and </span><a href="https://cdn.muckrock.com/foia_files/2018/01/18/Andrew_Perez_MapLight_PRR_9Jan2018.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">Arizona</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> attorneys general’s offices rejected requests for any Briefing Room materials referenced in emails received by their officials, on the grounds that the files were not produced by their offices and were posted to a third-party website.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Nebraska office notably declined to release copies of documents mentioned in a May 2017 </span><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4367359-RLDF-BR-Items-20170519.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">email</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, received by the attorney general’s chief of staff, where RAGA’s policy director told state officials that new items had been added to the Briefing Room and provided them with direct links for each document.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, said the office would not provide copies of materials posted to the Briefing Room because the bulletin board “is not operated by our office. Our staff generally neither accesses it, prints/saves copies of its content to place in our office records, nor uploads any documents to it.” Tierney added that “campaign organizations are separate from our public office and are generally not subject to the Ohio Public Records Act.”</font></font></p><h3 kern="kern" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1; margin: 1em 0px; font-kerning: normal;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“A Really Troubling Development”</font></font></h3><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“I think it’s a really troubling development,” said Anne Weismann, a lawyer for the watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “I think we’re seeing more and more how, at the federal and state level, public officials are trying to use new technologies to avoid responsibilities under record keeping and disclosure laws.”</font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">The increasing secrecy around RAGA communications comes as RLDF has coordinated efforts to roll back federal regulations closely with the current administration, </span><a href="https://maplight.org/story/republican-ags-formed-working-group-to-partner-with-trump-administration/" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">creating</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> an organization of state officials to work with the White House.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; letter-spacing: 0.01em;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Annie Donaldson, a special counsel to President Donald Trump and the chief of staff to the Office of White House Counsel, traveled to an RLDF conference in May in Charleston, South Carolina, </span><a href="https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/Travel%20Reports/71B299D4618DABCC852581EF00551DF7/$FILE/WHO%2011.2017%201353%20Travel%20Report.pdf?open" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">ethics records</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> show. RAGA paid more than $75,000 to </span><a href="https://maplight.org/story/top-gop-law-enforcement-chiefs-held-secret-weekend-event-at-trump-florida-resort/" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">host</a> <a href="https://www.citizensforethics.org/republican-attorneys-general-group-spent-75k-trump-businesses-filing-shows/" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">events</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> at Trump family properties last year, including a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach resort and golf club where the president </span><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/how-much-time-trump-spending-trump-properties-n753366" style="box-sizing: border-box; outline: none; text-decoration-line: none;">has spent 52 days</a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> since taking office.</span></font></font></font></p><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">off bs</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.republicanags.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">https://www.republicanags.com/</a></font></font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> i count 27, one gone?</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">STEVE MARSHALL</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ALABAMA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MARK BRNOVICH</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ARIZONA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">LESLIE RUTLEDGE</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ARKANSAS</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CYNTHIA COFFMAN</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">COLORADO</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">PAM BONDI</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">FLORIDA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>CHRISTOPHER M. CARR</b></font></font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>GEORGIA</b></font></font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">LAWRENCE WASDEN</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">IDAHO</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CURTIS HILL</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">INDIANA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DEREK SCHMIDT</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">KANSAS</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">JEFF LANDRY</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">LOUISIANA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">BILL SCHUETTE</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MICHIGAN</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">JOSHUA HAWLEY</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MISSOURI</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">TIM FOX</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MONTANA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DOUG PETERSON</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">NEBRASKA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ADAM LAXALT</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">NEVADA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">GORDON J. MACDONALD</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">NEW HAMPSHIRE</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WAYNE STENEHJEM</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">NORTH DAKOTA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MIKE DEWINE</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">OHIO</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MIKE HUNTER</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">OKLAHOMA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ALAN WILSON</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">SOUTH CAROLINA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MARTY J. JACKLEY</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">SOUTH DAKOTA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">HERBERT SLATERY</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">TENNESSEE</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">KEN PAXTON</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">TEXAS</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">SEAN REYES</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">UTAH</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">PATRICK MORRISEY</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WEST VIRGINIA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">BRAD SCHIMEL</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WISCONSIN</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA 2018 CANDIDATES</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">STEVEN BAILEY</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CALIFORNIA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">GEORGE BRAUCHLER</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">COLORADO</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">SUE HATFIELD</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CONNECTICUT</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">JOHN SHABAN</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CONNECTICUT</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ASHLEY MOODY</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">FLORIDA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">FRANK WHITE</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">FLORIDA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ERIKA HAROLD</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ILLINOIS</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CRAIG WOLF</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MARYLAND</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">JAY MCMAHON</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MASSACHUSETTS</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DANIEL SHORES</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MASSACHUSETTS</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">TOM LEONARD</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MICHIGAN</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">TONYA SCHUITMAKER</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MICHIGAN</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DOUG WARDLOW</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MINNESOTA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WES DUNCAN</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">NEVADA</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MICHAEL HENDRICKS</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">NEW MEXICO</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">KEITH WOFFORD</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">NEW YORK</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DAVE YOST</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">OHIO</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">JASON RAVNSBORG</font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /></font></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">SOUTH DAKOTA</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p libre="Libre" franklin="Franklin" helvetica="helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> Republican Attorneys General Association (“RAGA”) will host its annual two-day Winter National Meeting beginning February 25, 2018, details of which were obtained by Documented. At the event, taking place at the Park Hyatt hotel in Washington, D.C., donors including the National Rifle Association (NRA) will have access to GOP attorneys general and their staff for two days of issue briefings, private talks and social events. </font></font></font></p><p libre="Libre" franklin="Franklin" helvetica="helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA is a 527 political organization, meaning that it can accept unlimited donations from individuals and corporations. In return for these contributions, RAGA provides donors access to attorneys general, with the level of access depending on the size of the donation.</font></font></font></p><p libre="Libre" franklin="Franklin" helvetica="helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">According to a <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4386044-2018-RAGA-Membership-Benefits.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(15, 15, 15) 0px -1px 0px inset; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;">2018 membership document</a>, RAGA’s Edmund Randolph Club (ERC) membership ($125,000 per year), along with its Attorneys General Capital Club membership ($50,000 per year), allow corporate donors to lead private issue briefings with Republican attorneys general. The higher paying ERC donors receive the additional benefit of attending exclusive dinners and other events with attorneys general.</font></font></font></p><p libre="Libre" franklin="Franklin" helvetica="helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Benefits for the highest paying 2018 Victory Fund donors ($250,000+) are not listed and only available “on request”. The National Rifle Association (NRA), which provided RAGA with $775,000 in 2017 and has <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4359823-2016-RAGA-Winter-Meeting-Brochure.html" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(15, 15, 15) 0px -1px 0px inset; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;">sponsored RAGA meetings</a> in the past, is amongst these top donors. The NRA’s financial backing of RAGA increased significantly in 2017, far exceeding the $110,675 that it had given in 2016, and $103,860 in 2015. The NRA frequently touts <a href="https://www.nraila.org/articles/20171201/state-attorneys-general-back-national-reciprocity" target="blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: rgb(15, 15, 15) 0px -1px 0px inset; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;">support from Republican attorneys general</a> for its agenda.</font></font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">no lnx pix</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /></font></font></font></font><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New 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size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">MEETING OF REPUBLICAN STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL PROVIDES NRA AND CORPORATIONS WITH PRIVATE ACCESS</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>POSTED ONFEBRUARY 23, 2018</div><div> Jamie Corey</div><div>JAMIE COREY </div><div>jamie@documentedinvestigations.org</div><div>@JamieMCorey</div><div> Nick Surgey</div><div>NICK SURGEY </div><div>nick@documentedinvestigations.org</div><div>@NickSurgey</div><div>FacebookTwitterReddit</div><div>The Republican Attorneys General Association (“RAGA”) will host its annual two-day Winter National Meeting beginning February 25, 2018, details of which were obtained by Documented. At the event, taking place at the Park Hyatt hotel in Washington, D.C., donors including the National Rifle Association (NRA) will have access to GOP attorneys general and their staff for two days of issue briefings, private talks and social events. </div><div>
</div><div>RAGA is a 527 political organization, meaning that it can accept unlimited donations from individuals and corporations. In return for these contributions, RAGA provides donors access to attorneys general, with the level of access depending on the size of the donation.</div><div>
</div><div>According to a 2018 membership document, RAGA’s Edmund Randolph Club (ERC) membership ($125,000 per year), along with its Attorneys General Capital Club membership ($50,000 per year), allow corporate donors to lead private issue briefings with Republican attorneys general. The higher paying ERC donors receive the additional benefit of attending exclusive dinners and other events with attorneys general.</div><div>
</div><div>Benefits for the highest paying 2018 Victory Fund donors ($250,000+) are not listed and only available “on request”. The National Rifle Association (NRA), which provided RAGA with $775,000 in 2017 and has sponsored RAGA meetings in the past, is amongst these top donors. The NRA’s financial backing of RAGA increased significantly in 2017, far exceeding the $110,675 that it had given in 2016, and $103,860 in 2015. The NRA frequently touts support from Republican attorneys general for its agenda.</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action. Friday, December 1, 2017.</div><div>RAGA has promoted NRA backed candidates in elections as it spends millions of dollars every election cycle, and has utilized NRA materials that grade candidates based on their opposition to restrictions on gun ownership.</div><div>
</div><div>View image on Twitter</div><div>View image on Twitter</div><div>
</div><div>RAGA</div><div>?</div><div>@RepublicanAGs</div><div> .@JohnAdamsforVA will protect Virginians' 2nd Amendment rights as AG. @NRA gives @MarkHerringVA an "F" rating https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h37_LQnhhdQ …</div><div>
</div><div>9:48 AM - Sep 11, 2017</div><div>See RAGA's other Tweets</div><div>Twitter Ads info and privacy</div><div>RAGA members were at the White House this week, speaking with the President about guns in schools.</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>RAGA</div><div>?</div><div>@RepublicanAGs</div><div> Indiana @AGCurtisHill and Florida @AGPamBondi at the White House today. @POTUS @realDonaldTrump met with state and local officials to discuss school safety.</div><div>
</div><div>Peter Zampa</div><div>?</div><div>@PeterZampa</div><div>AG Curtis Hill tells @realDonaldTrump we should enhance penalties of crimes with weapons. @WNDU</div><div>
</div><div>View image on Twitter</div><div>12:48 PM - Feb 22, 2018</div><div>4</div><div>See RAGA's other Tweets</div><div>Twitter Ads info and privacy</div><div>View image on Twitter</div><div>View image on Twitter</div><div>
</div><div>Curtis T. Hill, Jr.</div><div>?</div><div>@AGCurtisHill</div><div> I'm with @POTUS, @AGPamBondi, US AG Jeff Sessions and others this morning at the @WhiteHouse to discuss school safety and how #IN's Red Flag Law works to protect Hoosiers. I'm glad to have the opportunity to share our successes with other elected officials. -CH</div><div>
</div><div>11:33 AM - Feb 22, 2018</div><div>42</div><div>23 people are talking about this</div><div>Twitter Ads info and privacy</div><div>Others RAGA contributors in 2017 included Koch Industries ($205,000), ExxonMobil ($50,375), U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform ($590,000), Southern Company ($90,250), Caesars Entertainment ($75,975), Peabody Energy ($50,000), and Karen Wright ($100,000) who is President and CEO of Ariel Corporation and a board member of the American Petroleum Institute.</div><div>
</div><div>According to an agenda obtained by Documented through a public records request, the first day of the meeting includes six secretive “issue briefings,” a new member private reception, a welcome reception and an exclusive dinner for the “ERC and DC Host Committee.”</div><div>
</div><div>The agenda on the second day includes two issue panels, as well as an event called “DC Dine Around Dinners” which takes place at “member offices and restaurants throughout Washington, D.C.”</div><div>
</div><div>The issue panels on the second day will be:</div><div>
</div><div>Issue Panel I: Stay, Delay, and Withdrawal – How Republican AGs are instrumental to reducing the regulatory burden.</div><div>
</div><div>Issue Panel II: Better Protecting Consumers while Enabling Prosperity: A conversation on corporate citizenry, compliance, and predictability.</div><div>
</div><div>RAGA 2018 Winter National Meeting Agenda</div><div>[docs]</div><div><ol libre="Libre" franklin="Franklin" helvetica="helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em 1.5em; padding: 0px; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 1.4;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/03/08/raga-2017-holiday-party/" rel="bookmark" title="Republican State Attorneys General Group Held 2017 Holiday Party at Trump Hotel" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;">Republican State Attorneys General Group Held 2017 Holiday Party at Trump Hotel</a></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/04/18/corporations-pour-cash-into-gop-attorneys-general-group-at-start-of-2018-election-cycle/" rel="bookmark" title="Koch Industries among major donors to GOP Attorneys General Group for 2018 Election Cycle" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; outline: 0px; box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;">Koch Industries among major donors to GOP Attorneys General Group for 2018 Election Cycle</a></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/02/26/nra-second-highest-donor-republican-attorneys-general-association-2017/" rel="bookmark" title="The NRA was second highest donor to Republican Attorneys General Association in 2017" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;">The NRA was second highest donor to Republican Attorneys General Association in 2017</a></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/02/16/david-bernhardt-meets-api-ceo-jack-gerard-undisclosed-meeting/" rel="bookmark" title="David Bernhardt meets API CEO Jack Gerard in undisclosed meeting" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; box-shadow: none; transition: color 80ms ease-in 0s, box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s, -webkit-box-shadow 130ms ease-in-out 0s;">David Bernhardt meets API CEO Jack Gerard in undisclosed meeting</a></li></ol></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/02/26/nra-second-highest-donor-republican-attorneys-general-association-2017/">http://documentedinvestigations.org/2018/02/26/nra-second-highest-donor-republican-attorneys-general-association-2017/</a></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</font></div><div><span libre="Libre" franklin="Franklin" helvetica="helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), a group that works to elect Republican state attorneys general, received a $775,000 influx of cash from the National Rifle Association (NRA) in 2017 according to a review of tax filings by Documented. The contribution was the second largest amount received by RAGA in 2017, and represents a significant increase from the amount given by the NRA in 2015 ($103,860 ) and 2016 ($110,675).</span></div><div><span libre="Libre" franklin="Franklin" helvetica="helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">
</span></div><div><span libre="Libre" franklin="Franklin" helvetica="helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" background-color="background-color" rgb="rgb">most:</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(243, 243, 243);"><div>coc inst legal</div><div>altria</div><div>ETC</div><div>phar</div><div>anthem</div><div>slect mgmt</div><div>reynolds am</div><div>syngenta</div><div>boozwe</div><div>coke</div><div>FB</div><div>cozen</div><div>ariel corp 2x name</div><div>range res</div><div>rex sinquefield</div></span></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">CMD archive:</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/</a></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">p1 7/18</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><article class="post-5080 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-democracy category-koch category-news category-raga entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/04/02/ag-academy-republican-attorneys-general-get-schooled-corporate-lobbyists/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; outline: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">AG ACADEMY: REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS GENERAL GET SCHOOLED BY CORPORATE LOBBYISTS</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/exposedbycmd-editors/" title="Posts by ExposedByCMD Editors" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">ExposedByCMD Editors</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2018-04-02T10:30:54+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">April 2nd, 2018</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2018-04-02T10:30:54+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">10:30 AM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">GOP Attorneys General, including Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, get advice and counsel from Koch and Big Tobacco lobbyists behind closed doors. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/04/02/ag-academy-republican-attorneys-general-get-schooled-corporate-lobbyists/" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-3815 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-democracy category-featured-investigations category-press-release category-raga entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/news/democracy/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Democracy</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/press-release/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Press Release</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/07/18/watchdog-group-sues-utah-ag-withholding-raga-documents/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WATCHDOG GROUP SUES UTAH AG FOR WITHHOLDING RAGA DOCUMENTS</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/exposedbycmd-editors/" title="Posts by ExposedByCMD Editors" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">ExposedByCMD Editors</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-07-18T10:39:44+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">July 18th, 2017</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-07-18T10:39:44+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">10:39 AM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">AG Reyes refuses to release records relating to his dealings with the Republican Attorneys General Association’s corporate cash-for-influence operation. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/07/18/watchdog-group-sues-utah-ag-withholding-raga-documents/" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-3522 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-climate category-featured-investigations category-raga tag-pruitt entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/climate/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Climate</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/06/14/scott-pruitts-email-account/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">SCOTT PRUITT’S OTHER EMAIL ACCOUNT</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/nick-surgey/" title="Posts by Nick Surgey" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Nick Surgey</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-06-14T16:59:49+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">June 14th, 2017</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-06-14T16:59:49+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">4:59 PM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Here are emails from Scott Pruitt’s previously unknown second email account while he was Attorney General of Oklahoma. Pruitt had told the Senate he only had one account. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/06/14/scott-pruitts-email-account/" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-2416 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-environment category-featured-investigations category-news category-raga tag-climate tag-pruitt entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/news/environment/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Environment</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/news/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">News</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/pruitt-emails-key-findings/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WHAT’S IN THE PRUITT EMAILS WITH COAL, OIL, AND GAS CORPS</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/nick-surgey/" title="Posts by Nick Surgey" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Nick Surgey</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-02-23T12:26:43+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">February 23rd, 2017</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-02-23T12:26:43+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">12:26 PM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CMD is publishing Scott Pruitt’s emails with coal, oil and gas companies. These are some of the most revealing things that have been found so far. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/pruitt-emails-key-findings/" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-2378 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-environment category-featured-investigations category-press-release category-raga tag-climate tag-pruitt entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/news/environment/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Environment</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/press-release/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Press Release</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/Scott-Pruitt-Missing-Emails" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">OKLAHOMA AG RELEASES 7,564 PAGES IN RESPONSE TO CMD REQUEST</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/exposedbycmd-editors/" title="Posts by ExposedByCMD Editors" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">ExposedByCMD Editors</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-02-22T08:30:03+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">February 22nd, 2017</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-02-22T08:30:03+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">8:30 AM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Under court order, Oklahoma Attorney General’s office releases previously withheld emails and holds back others; more emails expected on February 27. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/Scott-Pruitt-Missing-Emails" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-2129 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-featured-investigations category-raga tag-climate tag-pruitt tag-raga entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/26/pruitt-lie-fundraising-raga/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DID PRUITT LIE ABOUT FUNDRAISING FOR RAGA?</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/nick-surgey/" title="Posts by Nick Surgey" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Nick Surgey</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-26T11:59:08+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">January 26th, 2017</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-26T11:59:08+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">11:59 AM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Emails suggest Trump’s pick for head of EPA did not tell the full truth about fundraising for political group. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/26/pruitt-lie-fundraising-raga/" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-1952 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-featured-investigations category-raga tag-pruitt tag-raga tag-rldf tag-trump entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/11/pruitt-helped-block-garland-confirmation-supreme-court-fundraised-special-interests-benefited/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">PRUITT HELPED BLOCK GARLAND CONFIRMATION TO SUPREME COURT, THEN FUNDRAISED FROM POLLUTERS THAT BENEFITED</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/nick-surgey/" title="Posts by Nick Surgey" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Nick Surgey</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-11T11:55:47+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">January 11th, 2017</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-11T11:55:47+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">11:55 AM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, Donald Trump’s choice to be the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), coordinated an effort by Republican state attorneys general to oppose the confirmation of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/11/pruitt-helped-block-garland-confirmation-supreme-court-fundraised-special-interests-benefited/" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-1905 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-democracy category-featured-investigations category-news category-raga entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/news/democracy/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Democracy</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/news/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">News</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/10/cmd-opposes-confirming-sessions-attorney-general/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">FORMER CHIEF NOMINATIONS COUNSEL OPPOSES SESSIONS FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/lisa-graves/" title="Posts by Lisa Graves" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Lisa Graves</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-10T11:27:57+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">January 10th, 2017</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-10T11:27:57+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">11:27 AM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Written statement of Lisa Graves on behalf of the Center for Media and Democracy submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/10/cmd-opposes-confirming-sessions-attorney-general/" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-1891 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-featured-investigations category-raga tag-climate tag-raga entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><header class="entry-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/06/raga-fossil-fuel-funders-2014-2016/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA FOSSIL FUEL FUNDERS 2014-2016</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/nick-surgey/" title="Posts by Nick Surgey" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Nick Surgey</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-06T11:33:27+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">January 6th, 2017</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2017-01-06T11:33:27+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">11:33 AM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Republican Attorney General Association (RAGA) has received almost $4 million from fossil fuel industry connected entities since 2014, according to a review of the group’s quarterly filings with the IRS by the Center for Media and Democracy. </font></p><div class="wrap-excerpt-read-more" style="box-sizing: inherit; width: 1048.09px;"><a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/01/06/raga-fossil-fuel-funders-2014-2016/" rel="nofollow" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none; display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Continue Reading…]</font></a></div></div><footer class="entry-footer" style="box-sizing: inherit;" /></article><article class="post-1392 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail category-environment category-featured-investigations category-news category-raga tag-raga entry" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/CreativeWork" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-top: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 10px 0px; width: 1048.09px;"><header class="entry-header" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><span class="entry-categories" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/news/environment/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Environment</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Featured Investigations</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/news/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">News</a> | <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/category/featured-investigations/raga/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">RAGA</a></font></span></header><header class="entry-header" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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Roman">RAGA718</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2018/04/02/ag-academy-republican-attorneys-general-get-schooled-corporate-lobbyists/</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">AG ACADEMY: REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS GENERAL GET SCHOOLED BY CORPORATE LOBBYISTS</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By ExposedByCMD Editors | <b>April 2nd, 2018 </b>at 10:30 AM (CDT)</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Democracy, Koch, News, RAGA</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">by Andrew Perez, Maplight</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In January, an association of Republican top law enforcement chiefs brought together a group of state officials-turned-lobbyists to advise conservative attorney general hopefuls how to staff and lead a business-friendly office if they get elected.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The<b> theme of their conversation, hosted by the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), was “personnel is policy.</b>” Among the lessons offered to candidates: Be nice to lobbyists, personally handle your office’s dealings with businesses, and keep a close eye on the staffers in your environmental and consumer protection divisions.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Two former attorneys general, Jon Bruning of Nebraska and Jerry Kilgore of Virginia, participated in the panel, as did ex-Wisconsin Deputy Attorney General Andy Cook and <b>former West Virginia Solicitor General Elbert Lin</b>. Bruning, Kilgore, Cook have all registered to lobby at the state level, while Lin works for a law and lobbying firm that represents energy companies. Their companies and clients have been big donors to RAGA.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>RAGA has faced scrutiny because its members worked with donors to challenge federal regulations. The forum in Washington suggests the criticism hasn’t fazed them:</b> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">the lobbyist-stacked panel was part of RAGA’s “AG Academy,” a private, two-day event designed as a training session for candidates for attorney general and an opportunity for them to meet with executives at companies that donate at least $50,000 annually to the association.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Craig Holman, an ethics advocate at Public Citizen, said RAGA’s AG Academy sounds like “a method for wealthy special interests to get immediate access and influence over candidates that they hope will eventually become attorneys general.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Ca</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">ndidates from Florida, Nevada, and New Mexico attended the event, as well as representatives from coal producer Alliance Resource Partners, telecom giant AT&T, and lobbying firms Cozen O’Connor, Troutman Sanders and Reed Smith.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">‘SET THE TONE’</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">B</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">runing, who served as Nebraska’s attorney general from 2003-15, recounted how GOP law enforcement chiefs first decided to sue the federal government over the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 health care law, and eventually fought to overturn dozens of federal rules. “The Obama administration brought regulation, after regulation, after regulation, and we started to challenge it,” he said. “It was fun. We liked it. We realized we could affect policy.”</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Bruning, whose firm has lobbied for Richmond, Va.-based tobacco company Altria, the National Rifle Association, Amazon, and Facebook, </b>told candidates that “you can’t move on those challenges without the right people in your office.” His firm donated $10,900 to RAGA last year, while Altria and the NRA together delivered more than $1 million to the association; <b>Facebook contributed $100,500.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Certainly one of my goals was not to have a consumer protection division that was active and getting ahead of you,” said <b>Kilgore, who served as Virginia’s attorney general from 2002-05.</b> “We made it clear … that we weren’t going to go after companies unless we gave the approval in the front office. It’s important to set that tone early on that you want to be in charge of face-to-face dealings with companies [and] interactions with all the businesses in the commonwealth.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kilgore, who is registered to lobby in Virginia for health care provider Mountain States Health Alliance and the online incorporation company LegalZoom, added that “when I<b> chaired RAGA</b> it was important to work hand in glove with the business community.” His current employer, C</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">ozen O’Connor P.C., donated $100,150 to RAGA last year.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Andy </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Cook, who served as <b>deputy </b>attorney general at Wisconsin’s Department of Justice, described how his office forced out the longtime director of its environmental protection unit, Tom Dawson. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“He worked with environmental groups behind the scenes. And we had to, quite frankly, remove him after a while,” Cook said. “And we had one person in our office watch every case that unit was doing.” </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">After Dawson’s departure, the Department of Justice settled a major pollution case with 3M, but in an <b>unprecedented</b> development the company was not required to pay a fine.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Cook said the department also “paid very close attention to what was going on in <b>consumer protection</b> and watched every case going through.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Cook’s clients currently include Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC — an affiliate of Koch Industries, the conglomerate run by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch — and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform, which works to limit lawsuits against businesses. Koch Industries donated $205,000 to RAGA last year, while the Institute for Legal Reform donated $590,000.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">‘SOMEDAY YOU’LL BE ON THE OTHER SIDE’</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">When RAGA’s policy director, Adam Piper, asked the panel how their offices used to deal with the association’s corporate members, Bruning recommended candidates make lobbyists look good for their clients.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“It’s very easy, it costs you nothing as AG to be kind and make the guy that’s just the hired help — a guy like me, a guy like us, just trying to make a living — make him look good when you’re AG,” he said. “Because someday you’ll be on the other side. You’re AG but you’re not AG for life.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Referring to Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, Bruning said that “Schimel’s been a pro at this. I show up with my client. My client looks the other way, rolls his eyes, and then he looks at my client and says, ‘Jon Bruning’s the best representative you could possibly bring in here!’ He makes me look good, and I appreciate it.” (Bruning, who is not registered to lobby in Wisconsin, didn’t respond to a request for comment.)</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“When you guys are AGs and candidates, it’s so easy to be kind and make that person who’s there just trying to make a living, make him look good, and you can do that for everybody,” Bruning continued. “And I know by the time you win, you’ll have done that a thousand times.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Additional material from the panel discussion with Attorneys General Brad Schimel (WI), Curtis Hill (IN), Ken Paxton (TX).</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Schimel: When you talk about watching out for regulatory overreach, don’t forget the [inaudible] of attorneys general watching out for regulatory overreach in your own state — the importance of holding your regulatory agencies to the rules. That’s one where our governor lets me be the<b> bag man</b> pretty frequently. He’s happy to let me tell his DNR, or DOR, or DSPS or whatever that you guys are going too far. And then I get to be the bad guy. But I don’t necessarily hate that role — being the bad guy.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Additional material from the second panel with Former Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, former Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, former <b><i>Wisconsin</i></b> Deputy Attorney General Andy Cook, former <b>West Virginia</b> Solicitor General Elbert Lin.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Andy</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Cook: One area that we had significant challenges in, I would say, is our environmental protection unit coming in, we had a longtime director for 30 years who quite frankly, when I was in private practice, was an environmental activist arguing from the Department of Justice. He worked with environmental groups behind the scenes. And we had to, quite frankly, remove him after a while. And we had one person in our office watch every case that unit was doing. Also, consumer protection, we just paid very close attention to what was going on in consumer protection and watched every case going through.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">This article was first published on MapLight.org by Andrew Perez. Naomi LaChance contributed reporting.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>PRUITT HELPED BLOCK GARLAND CONFIRMATION TO SUPREME COURT, THEN FUNDRAISED FROM POLLUTERS THAT BENEFITED</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nick Surgey</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By Nick Surgey | January 11th, 2017 at 11:55 AM (CDT)</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Featured Investigations, RAGA</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Oklahoma Attorney General</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Scott Pruitt, President-elect Trump’s choice to be the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), c<b>oordinated an effort by Republican state attorneys general to oppose the confirmation of Merrick Garland </b>to the Supreme Court.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Pruitt then used this effort as a basis to request financial support for his federal Political Action Committee (PAC), called Oklahoma Strong.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In a March 2016 email (see below) that he sent to supporters of Oklahoma Strong, Pruitt boasted of his effort to block Garland’s confirmation.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Donors to Oklahoma Strong include major energy interests and leading D.C. law firms. Many of these donors have interests before the courts that could have been significantly affected by the confirmation of Garland.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Oklahoma Strong has raised <b>more than a quarter of its total funds from the energy industry, according to reporting by Politico. These have included contributions from Joe Craft, the President of the coal firm Alliance Resources, and from J. Larry Nichols, the founder of the fracking giant Devon Energy.</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Pruitt is well known to have strong ties to the energy industry. A 2014 New York Times investigation revealed that Devon Energy lobbyists had drafted letters for Scott Pruitt, which he in turn sent to the EPA and to the Department of the Interior under his own name and with almost no changes. Eric Lipton of the Times received a Pulitzer Prize for this reporting.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">O</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">ther donors to the PAC have included David Green, the CEO of Hobby Lobby, and Harlan Crow, the billionaire real estate developer from Texas who is reported to be a close personal friend of Justice Clarence Thomas. Partners from major U.S. law firms with interests at the Supreme Court, including Reginald J. Brown at Wilmerhale and David B<b>. Rivkin</b> at Baker Hostetler have also contributed.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">On March 16, 2016, President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to become a Supreme Court Justice, taking the seat vacated by the late Antonin Scalia. The next day, a letter was sent to Senator Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and to Senator McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, urging them to block Garland’s confirmation. That letter was signed by 21 state attorneys general, all Republican.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">According to the email from<b> Oklahoma Strong, Pruitt had asked his fellow Republican attorneys general to sign the letter, acting in his role as board chair of the Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF).</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The <b>RLDF is a so-called “501C4” organization, </b>which means it is not required to publicly disclose any information about its sources of funding. It was created in 2014 by the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA), with which it shares staff and office space and holds some joint events.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">RLDF is highly secretive about what it does. For example, it does not put any details about its activities or meetings on its website.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Despite this, the Center for Media and Democracy obtained an agenda for one RLDF meeting via a public records request</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">. This meeting, held in April 2016, featured a session about blocking the Clean Power Plan. Scott Pruitt was a speaker on that panel, which also included David Rivkin, a partner at the law firm Baker Hostetler. Rivkin, also a donor to Oklahoma Strong PAC, is representing the state of Oklahoma in the lawsuit against the Clean Power Plan, which will likely end up at the Supreme Court.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Currently, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">only two funders of RLDF have been identified, both with deep ties to the fossil fuel industry.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">One is <b>Freedom Partners,</b> the mega-fund created by Charles and David Koch, which gave RLDF $175,000 in 2014. The Kochs own Koch Industries, which operates a network of oil and natural gas pipelines and refineries.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">That isn’t the only connection of RLDF to the Kochs. In 2015, RLDF appointed Samantha Dravis as its President, in a shared position with RAGA where she serves as Policy Director and General Counsel. Dravis joined RLDF from Freedom Partners, where she had been the organization’s Legal Counsel.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The other known RLDF donor is the<b> Edison Electric Institute (EEI)</b>, which gave RLDF a $25,000 contribution in 2014. EEI is the trade association for the utility sector, and has also engaged in litigation in an attempt to block the Clean Power Plan.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Unlike RLDF, RAGA must publicly disclose its funding sources.</b> According to the Center for Media and Democracy’s analysis of IRS filings, RAGA has raised almost $4 million from fossil fuel industry connected entities since 2014, including ExxonMobil, Peabody Energy and the American Petroleum Institute.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The Center for Media and Democracy has previously released other materials on both RAGA and RLDF. These materials demonstrate the efforts of the two organizations to block the Clean Power Plan, and to help stall state investigations into ExxonMobil for its role in promoting climate change denial.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">A Senate confirmation hearing is expected soon on Scott Pruitt’s nomination to be Administrator of the EPA. Following his selection by President-elect Trump, Pruitt has announced that he has stepped down from his position at RLDF, and has said that he will close down his Oklahoma Strong PAC. Despite this, little is known about what RLDF did during Pruitt’s time as board chair. As part of the confirmation process, Democrats on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee have written to Pruitt asking him to disclose information about his role as board chair of the RLDF.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[doc]</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">OMG</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">aug 2016</font></div><h2 class="entry-title" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 10px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2016/10/13/20161013new-attorney-general-in-georgia-formerly-koch-corp-lawyer-and-koch-backed-think-tank-vice-president/" rel="bookmark" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL IN GEORGIA FORMERLY KOCH-CORP LAWYER AND KOCH-BACKED THINK TANK VICE PRESIDENT</font></a></h2><div class="post-info" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; float: left; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By <a href="https://www.exposedbycmd.org/author/nick-surgey/" title="Posts by Nick Surgey" class="author url fn" rel="author" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">Nick Surgey</a> | <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2016-10-13T14:11:43+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">October 13th, 2016</time> at <time class="entry-time" itemprop="datePublished" datetime="2016-10-13T14:11:43+00:00" style="box-sizing: inherit;">2:11 PM (CDT)</time></font></div></header><div class="entry-content" itemprop="text" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; float: left; width: 1048.09px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Chris Carr, the newly appointed state Attorney General for Georgia, has multiple ties to organizations connected to the billionaires Charles and David Koch. </font></p></div></article></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Prescription drug money fuels Morrisey campaign</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Eric EyreDavid Gutman Aug 6, 2016 (0)</div><div>
</div><div><b>West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s re-election campaign is benefiting from money — both directly and indirectly — from lawyers and companies that have profited from the state’s prescription drug epidemic.</b></div><div>
</div><div>Prescription drug wholesalers being sued by Morrisey’s office for their role in fueling the state’s ongoing opioid problem have indirectly funded a portion of Morrisey’s re-election efforts.</div><div>
</div><div>Since 2014, McKesson Corp. and Cardinal Health, both defendants in state lawsuits overseen by Morrisey, have donated a total of $50,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association, which has spent more money than any other organization in West Virginia to re-elect Morrisey.</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">What’s more, at least two lawyers representing drug distributors in the lawsuits have contributed directly to Morrisey’s campaign.</span></div><div>
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</div><div><b>Morrisey also has taken campaign contributions from OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma.</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Morrisey is the only candidate in West Virginia, at any level of office, from House of Delegates, to Congress, through the governor’s race, to receive money from Purdue Pharma’s political action committee, which gave him the maximum allowable $1,000 in his uncontested primary election.</span></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">He is the only West Virginia candidate to receive money ($1,000) from Mallinckrodt, an Irish pharmaceutical company that produces several opioid products.</span></div><div>
</div><div>On the campaign trail, Morrisey has repeatedly touted his office’s “aggressive” fight against prescription drug abuse, and he has introduced initiatives that he says will significantly curb the number of opioids in West Virginia.</div><div>
</div><div>Morrisey campaign spokeswoman Kayla Berube said Morrisey holds the office and his campaign to the “highest of ethical standards.”</div><div>
</div><div><b>“He has a policy that prohibits intentional solicitation and acceptance of contributions from companies the office is suing,” Berube said.</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Del. Don Perdue said Morrisey, a former lobbyist for the prescription drug industry, has “put his office up for sale.”</span></div><div>
</div><div>“Any argument that suggests these type of contributions are innocuous or have no effect defies logic,” said Perdue, a Wayne County Democrat and retired pharmacist.<b> “Coupled with his strong personal ties to the drug industry and the legal gymnastics he has performed to slow down the litigation regarding the distribution of narcotics, it defies belief.”</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">While Purdue Pharma isn’t a defendant in the state’s lawsuits against drug wholesalers, the complaints allege the distributors shipped an excessive number of oxycodone pills (often sold under Purdue’s OxyContin brand name) to rogue pharmacies in West Virginia. The companies distribute more than 40 million oxycodone pills to West Virginia every year.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Thirty-five lawyers — whose Washington, D.C.-based law firms either lobby for Purdue Pharma or represent the drug giant in OxyContin-related lawsuits across the nation — have given Morrisey’s re-election campaign a combined $23,550 in the primary election cycle alone.</span></div><div>
</div><div><b>Purdue Pharma, whose drug is held more responsible than any other for the nation’s opioid epidemic, gave $290,000 to the Republican Attorneys General Association since 2014, IRS records show.</b></div><div>
</div><div>“We contribute to those who share our commitment in combating prescription drug abuse,” said Bob Josephson, communications director for Purdue Pharma.</div><div>
</div><div><b>During the same time period, Cardinal Health, the nation’s second largest prescription drug distributor, gave more than $34,000, and McKesson, the largest wholesaler, pitched in $16,000.</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Morrisey inherited lawsuits against Cardinal Health and a dozen other distributors from his predecessor, Darrell McGraw. In January, <b>Morrisey filed suit against McKesson after Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s aides prodded him to do so for more than a year.</b></span></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">RAGA also received donations totaling nearly $37,000 from two law firms — Foley & Lardner and Clark Hill PLC — that are representing other prescription drug distributors Morrisey’s office is suing.</span></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The Republican Attorneys General Association, through an affiliated political action committee, has already spent nearly $640,000 in West Virginia this year to help re-elect Morrisey. That’s more than Morrisey and his Democratic opponent, Delegate Doug Reynolds, combined have spent on their campaigns so far.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">That PAC, Mountaineers Are Always Free PAC, was founded in May and is funded exclusively by RAGA.</span></div><div>
</div><div><b>Scott Will, RAGA’s executive director and chairman of Mountaineers Are Always Free, was Morrisey’s campaign manager in 2012.</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">RAGA has also received major donations from such drug industry titans as Pfizer ($150,000), Eli Lilly ($76,000), GlaxoSmithKline ($50,000) and PhRMA ($50,000), the leading industry trade organization, representing nearly 60 pharmaceutical companies.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The donations from drug companies and their law firms are a veritable drop in the bucket for RAGA, which has raised more than $15 million this election cycle. The organization’s major donors include conservative heavyweights such as Koch Industries, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Sheldon Adelson.</span></div><div>
</div><div>“RAGA receives support from a wide variety of people and industries interested in supporting the rule of law,” Will said in an emailed statement.</div><div>
</div><div>McKesson, Cardinal Health and Purdue Pharma also have donated to the Democratic Attorneys General Association, but that group hasn’t spent any money in West Virginia. Reynolds has largely self-funded his campaign so far and has not received help from any outside groups or super PACs.</div><div>
</div><div><b>RAGA, which advertises on Morrisey’s behalf, is legally prohibited from coordinating with his campaign.</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In April, Huntington lawyer Marc Williams gave $500 to Morrisey’s campaign — one of two lawyers to donate to the campaign who also represents a drug distributor that Morrisey’s office is suing.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“I don’t think there is any conflict,</span>” Williams said. “All of the counsel that are representing the state in that, which includes staff attorneys and retained outside counsel, have done so vigorously and represented the state’s interest well in a way that would make any objective observer proud.”</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Williams said he has also worked on other cases that Morrisey’s office is involved in — both with and against the attorney general — including litigation over the 2014 Elk River chemical spill, where he represents Eastman Chemical.</span></div><div>
</div><div>Williams, who’s defending drug wholesaler J.M. Smith, praised Morrisey, saying he had “significantly enhanced the quality of representation and lawyering in that office since he took over” in 2013.</div><div>
</div><div>The other drug company lawyer, Charles Bailey, did not respond to requests for comment. Bailey, who represents <b>Quest Pharmaceuticals, gave Morrisey $1,000 in 2015.</b></div><div>
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</div><div>Another lawyer who formerly represented a drug wholesaler being sued also donated to Morrisey’s campaign in May.</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Two of Morrisey’s former employers — Washington, D.C., law firms King & Spalding and Sidley Austin — have given RAGA a combined $30,350.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">King & Spalding is lead defense counsel for Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin-related lawsuits. Sidley Austin lobbies for Purdue Pharma on Capitol Hill.</span></div><div>
</div><div><b>While Morrisey worked for Sidley Austin, lobbyists for Purdue Pharma listed Morrisey as the firm’s contact, according to lobbying disclosure forms.</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">At King & Spalding, Morrisey himself lobbied for the Healthcare Distribution Management Association, a trade group that represents McKesson, Cardinal Health and other prescription drug wholesalers, generating $250,000 for the firm.</span></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Morrisey’s wife, Denise Henry, lobbies for Cardinal Health in Washington.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Since last year, King & Spalding lawyers contributed $14,800 to Morrisey’s campaign, while Sidley Austin lawyers and lobbyists have added $8,750 to his coffers.</span></div><div>
</div><div><b>Lawyers from both firms, along with prescription drug wholesaler PACs and executives, also helped bankroll Morrisey’s 2012 campaign.</b></div><div>
</div><div>Cardinal Health executives donated $4,000 to Morrisey’s campaign in 2012, $3,000 of which came after McGraw’s office filed suit against the company. A Cardinal vice president also contributed $1,000 to Morrisey’s campaign in December 2012, a month after Morrisey defeated McGraw. Cardinal Health also contributed $2,500 to Morrisey’s inauguration ceremony</div><div>
</div><div>A McKesson vice president contributed to Morrisey’s campaign in 2012, and AmerisourceBergen’s PAC donated $2,000 to the campaign the same year.</div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In January, Morrisey recused himself from his office’s lawsuit against AmerisourceBergen and 10 other smaller distributors, following a state Lawyer Disciplinary Board investigation. The disciplinary board concluded that Morrisey did not violate any lawyer ethics rules, but the board suggested he step aside from the drug company lawsuit to avoid any appearance of impropriety.</span></div><div>
</div><div>That same month, Morrisey also recused himself from his office’s lawsuit against McKesson, after heading an investigation of the company for more than a year.</div><div>
</div><div>Morrisey previously stepped aside from the Cardinal Health lawsuit — a recusal he characterized as a “permanent screen” — in July 2013, seven months after taking office, according to the disciplinary board.</div><div>
</div><div><b>The investigative panel found the contributions from the drug wholesalers and their executives didn’t appear to “amount to extraordinary campaign support,” and it wasn’t unethical for Morrisey to accept the donations.</b></div><div>
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">But the disciplinary board noted that attorneys general in other states restrict campaign contributions from companies their offices are investigating.</span></div><div>
</div><div>Reach David Gutman at david.gutman@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5199 or follow @davidgutman on Twitter.</div><div>
</div><div>Reach Eric Eyre at ericeyre@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4869 </div></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whistleblowers-dea-attorneys-went-easy-on-mckesson-the-countrys-largest-drug-distributor/">https://www.cbsnews.com/news/whistleblowers-dea-attorneys-went-easy-on-mckesson-the-countrys-largest-drug-distributor/</a></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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Roman">=</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Whistleblowers: DEA attorneys went easy on McKesson, the country's largest drug distributor</div><div>A 60 Minutes/Washington Post joint investigation into the DEA's response to the opioid epidemic again finds investigators who hit a brick wall in Washington</div><div>
</div><div>2017</div><div>Dec 17</div><div>CORRESPONDENT</div><div>Bill Whitaker</div><div>
</div><div>In October, we joined forces with the Washington Post and reported a disturbing story of Washington at its worst - about an act of Congress that crippled the DEA's ability to fight the worst drug crisis in American history - the opioid addiction crisis. Now, a new front of that joint investigation. It is also disturbing. It's the inside story of the biggest case the DEA ever built against a drug company: the McKesson Corporation, the country's largest drug distributor. It's also the story of a company too big to prosecute.</div><div>
</div><div>In 2014, after two years of painstaking inquiry by nine DEA field divisions and 12 U.S. Attorneys, investigators built a powerful case against McKesson for the company's role in the opioid crisis.</div><div>
</div><div>Our reporting turned up the leader of the DEA team, David Schiller, who tells for the first time how his investigators hit a brick wall in Washington when they tried to hold the powerful company accountable.</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: This is the best case we've ever had against a major distributor in the history of the Drug Enforcement Administration. How do we not go after the number one organization? In the height of the epidemic, when people are dying everywhere, doesn't somebody have to be held accountable? McKesson needs to be held accountable. </div><div>
</div><div>Holding McKesson accountable meant going after the 5th largest corporation in the country. Headquartered in San Francisco, McKesson has 76,000 employees and earns almost $200 billion a year in revenues, about the same as Exxon Mobil. Since the 1990s, McKesson has made billions from the distribution of addictive opioids. </div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: I was with DEA for over 30 years. I was the Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Denver Field Division.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: How many people did you supervise?</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: Approximately 100.</div><div>
</div><div>"They're killing people. And their motive? This is all for financial gain. That's the problem."</div><div>Before he retired in August, Schiller had supervised investigations in drug trafficking and money laundering cases, but he considered the case against McKesson to be the single most important investigation of his lifetime.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: What did they do that was wrong?</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: The issue with McKesson was they were providing millions and millions and millions of pills to countless pharmacies throughout the United States, and they did not maintain any sort of due diligence. This wasn't just happening in Denver, Colorado. This was happening in Los Angeles, California. It was happening in Detroit, Michigan. It was happening in New York City. It was a national problem and nobody wanted to deal with it.</div><div>
</div><div>McKesson told us when it comes to the opioid crisis and pills flooding into American communities, there's plenty of blame to go around: drug makers; other distributors; doctors; pharmacies, all played a role.</div><div>
</div><div>But in 2008, McKesson agreed to pay $13.3 million in fines for failing to report huge orders of hydrocodone to shady internet pharmacies. After that settlement, the company promised to do a better job of monitoring shipments of controlled substances. Now, special agent Schiller and his team had caught McKesson again shipping suspicious orders of opioids. </div><div>
</div><div>DEA investigators discovered that McKesson was supplying pharmacies and doctors, that were fronts for criminal drug rings and pills were ending up on the black market.</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: And everybody kept saying, "It's just a prescription drug. It's a pill. It's a liquid. What's the big deal?" And I would say, "They're killing people." And their motive? This is all for financial gain. That's the problem.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: One of the Former D.E.A. Administrators said that the McKesson Corporation has fueled the explosive prescription drug abuse problem in this country. Do you agree with that?</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: 100%. If they woulda stayed in compliance with their authority and held those that they're supplying the pills to, the epidemic would be nowhere near where it is right now. Nowhere near.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: So you decided to take a swing at a hornet's nest.</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: I knew that if we could get to the distributor, we could make a great impact for the United States citizens immediately. Immediately. </div><div>
</div><div>mckessan-ext.jpg </div><div>McKesson Corp. Headquarters CBS NEWS</div><div>McKesson delivers more than 1/3 of all medicines in the U.S. from a network of 30 warehouses around the country. The DEA requires drug distributors to identify, stop and report orders of unusual size or frequency to the agency - something Schiller says McKesson did not do until the company learned it was under investigation. </div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: They had hundreds of thousands of suspicious orders they should have reported, and they didn't report any. There's not a day that goes by in the pharmaceutical world, in the McKesson world, in the distribution world, where there's not something suspicious. It happens every day.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: And they had none.</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: They weren't reporting any. I mean, you have to understand that, nothing was suspicious? </div><div>
</div><div>In one case, DEA investigators discovered that McKesson was shipping the same quantities of opioid pills to small-town pharmacies in Colorado's San Luis Valley as it would typically ship to large drugstores next to big city medical centers. </div><div>
</div><div>Helen Kaupang: McKesson is supplying enough pills to that community to give every man woman and child a monthly dose of 30 to 60 tablets. Is that not shocking? I found it shocking.</div><div>
</div><div>Helen Kaupang, retired from the DEA this fall after 29 years as an investigator and supervisor. She worked with Schiller on this investigation. She says the delivery of so many pills to such small towns should have set off alarms at McKesson.</div><div>
</div><div>
</div><div>Helen Kaupang: There was no legitimate reason for that pharmacy in that little town in remote Colorado to be getting hundreds of thousands of pills over a several-year period. None. </div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: Did McKesson know this, or should McKesson have known this--</div><div>
</div><div>Helen Kaupang: Absolutely. It was their customer. They were supplyin' it. It was just outrageous. They were turning a blind eye to the very problem that we were trying to address.</div><div>
</div><div>Kaupang said to get around reporting suspiciously large orders, at the time, McKesson would simply raise the limit a pharmacy was allowed. No order, no matter how large, was ever reported as suspicious.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: They would set a threshold. And if they surpass their own threshold--</div><div>
</div><div>Helen Kaupang: Yes.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: They would just bump up the threshold to meet this new higher number?</div><div>
</div><div>Helen Kaupang: Yes.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: So they rigged the system.</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: Absolutely. Absolutely.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: And to be clear here, we're talking addictive opioids.</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: Highly addictive, Oxycodone and Hydrocodone in particular. That's what we're talking about. The most commonly prescribed and abused controlled substance in the United States.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: McKesson would say they're just supplying the doctors and the pharmacies. They're giving them the prescriptions they are allowed to have. How are they wrong? </div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: Because they are going above and beyond those thresholds without any due diligence, with reckless regard and they don't consider any of that suspicious?</div><div>
</div><div>A 2014 DEA memo that outlined the investigative findings from all the field offices, obtained by 60 Minutes and the Washington Post, said McKesson, had a pattern of "dramatic increases in thresholds without justification..." And had "supplied controlled substances in support of criminal...Activities" to pharmacies.</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: I mean the president declared a public health emergency. It's on the front lines of everybody's dinner table conversation. There's not a bigger problem we have in the United States. And who led to the problem? McKesson was at the forefront.</div><div>
</div><div>With the opioid epidemic getting worse year by year, special agent Schiller and his team wanted to send a message to the pharmaceutical industry by hitting McKesson hard. They wanted to fine the company more than a billion dollars, revoke registrations to distribute controlled substances, and, more than anything, put a McKesson executive behind bars. But Schiller says, attorneys for the DEA and the Department of Justice retreated at the thought of going against McKesson and its high-powered legal team.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: Did a DEA attorney actually tell you that they were not going to pursue McKesson because they had lawyers who had gone to Harvard and Yale?</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: They told me those exact words, because the case would take too much time and too much effort and, by the way, "What if we lost?" I said, "What if you lost?" I go, "You-- you can't have a better case on a silver platter."</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: Were they scared?</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: Yes.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: Scared of going after McKesson?</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: A better word might be "intimidated."</div><div>
</div><div>joe-ranazzisi-cu.jpg </div><div>Joe Ranazzisi CBS NEWS</div><div>This was at the time whistleblower Joe Ranazzisi, the DEA's then deputy assistant administrator, was sounding alarms that the DEA and Congress were bending to the will of the pharmaceutical industry. In our October report, he told us Justice Department attorneys were pressing him and his investigators to take a softer approach toward the industry. </div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: The summer of 2014 -- you get a request to play nice with the pharmaceutical industry.</div><div>
</div><div>Joe Ranazzisi: Yes.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: What do you think of that?</div><div>
</div><div>Joe Ranazzisi: I didn't think it was appropriate. We told 'em what they need to do. We told 'em what compliance is and how to comply with the act. We met these people over and over again. The time for meetings and reports are over. You either comply or you lose your registration.</div><div>
</div><div>But in the McKesson case, negotiations with company attorneys went on for more than two years. In the end, instead of the billion-dollar fine DEA investigators wanted, the company was fined $150 million. That was a record for the DEA, but Schiller called it a slap on the wrist for a fortune five company and a second-time offender. </div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: There was backdoor deals being cut that we didn't know about, I didn't know about, and I was representing DEA nationally on the investigation at the highest level. How do you settle? How do you say it's okay just, "Here, write this check this time and-- and close this place for a little bit, sign this piece of paper." How do you do that? No. Put 'em in jail. You put the people that are responsible for dealing drugs, for breaking the law, in jail. Nobody's in jail. They wrote a check. </div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: Did you think McKesson was getting special treatment?</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: I don't think -- I know they were getting special treatment. They were getting treatment like I'd never seen in my 30-year career.</div><div>
</div><div>Getting special treatment, he said, from lawyers at his agency. In an e-mail, a member of DEA's senior leadership team, who sided with Schiller, told him she was overruled.</div><div>
</div><div>"David... I am totally against settling," she wrote, "but how do we hold their feet to the fire...? Our attorneys have us over a barrel with their refusal to go to court."</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: There is not a man or woman in DEA today that's happy with the settlement and morale has been broken because of it.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: Why did you ultimately decide to sit down and talk to us?</div><div>
</div><div>David Schiller: I saw what's happening to our country now with this epidemic. I saw the limitations being placed on it-- on us by our own people and chief counsel fighting with our own agents and investigators. And I know I'm gonna make a lotta enemies, because people don't like to hear the truth. I'm doing it because the truth needs to be told.</div><div>
</div><div>Schiller pointed out to us the $150 million fine was only about $50 million more than McKesson CEO, John Hammergren's compensation last year. He was the third-highest paid CEO in the country; only Tim Cook of Apple, and Reed Hastings of Netflix earned more. In the last earning period McKesson's revenues were up $8 billion. </div><div>
</div><div>We wanted to speak to a McKesson representative on camera but they declined. But in a statement, McKesson said, "In the interest of moving beyond disagreements… The company agreed to settle with the DEA and DOJ." And McKesson promised to do a better job flagging suspicious orders.</div><div>
</div><div>We asked the DEA about allegations its attorneys went easy on McKesson. A spokesperson told us the agreement was a good deal; that the priority was to get McKesson to do the right thing going forward. And now an independent monitor has been put in place to watch McKesson more closely.</div><div>
</div><div>Maggie Hassan: The pharmaceutical industry is doing everything it can to keep this epidemic going.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: That's pretty strong.</div><div>
</div><div>Maggie Hassan: Yeah. It is.</div><div>
</div><div>New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan has been critical of Congress for not aggressively investigating industry's role in this epidemic. New Hampshire has the second highest rate of drug overdose deaths in the country.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: What more is it going to take to convince Congress to act?</div><div>
</div><div>Maggie Hassan: Well, one of the things we have to do is begin to hold the pharmaceutical companies accountable for this. And right now, when you see a fine for the McKesson Company of $150 million when they make a $100 million a week in profits, that isn't gonna do it.</div><div>
</div><div>Bill Whitaker: What incentive do they have to change their behavior?</div><div>
</div><div>Maggie Hassan: Well, right now, they don't have a lot of incentives and that's something that has to be changed. This in many ways reminds me of the situation with big tobacco-- and, you know, I think it's one of the reasons you see attorneys general around the country--beginning to file lawsuits against the pharmaceutical industry--to hold them accountable for the cost of this terrible epidemic.</div><div>
</div><div>41 state attorneys general have banded together to sue the opioid industry. While at McKesson, John Hammergren begins his 18th year as CEO. This year, the board awarded him an additional $1.1 million performance bonus. A bonus based on ethics and accountability.</div><div>
</div><div>Produced by Ira Rosen and Sam Hornblower. Associate Producers, Alex J. Diamond and LaCrai Mitchell.</div></div><div><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">nice overview</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2017-10-27/state-attorneys-general-lead-the-charge-against-president-donald-trump">https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2017-10-27/state-attorneys-general-lead-the-charge-against-president-donald-trump</a></font></p><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">There are 194 Democrats in the House, and another 46 Democrats in the Senate.</font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But since <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2011/05/02/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-donald-trump" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Donald Trump</a> took office, 22 state attorneys general have played among the most pivotal roles slowing and stopping the march of the Trump agenda.</font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Nineteen state AGs sued to stop the administration from withholding Obamacare subsidies from states, 16 to halt the rollback of environmental regulations, and 20 to reverse its decision to rescind a program that had protected young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children from deportation.</font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In what remains their most visible victory, the lawyers won court orders that effectively froze three versions of Trump's travel ban, which had largely sought to bar residents of certain Muslim majority nations from entering the U.S.</font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Most of the lawsuits, just weeks or months old, are still making their way through the courts. Few so far have had the rapid and resounding success of the early victories that halted the travel ban. But the pace has been unrelenting – and, it would seem, unprecedented, with nearly <b>two-dozen multistate lawsuits brought against Trump in his first nine months alone.</b></font></p><div class="teads-ad ad-in-text displayAd-block" id="inart" data-targeting="{" pos="pos" inart="inart" teads_ad="teads_ad" yes="yes" data-dimensions="1x1,fluid" data-google-query-id="CIXZkt6pkdcCFU3kZAod-RkEYw" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; height: 1px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"Who's going to be there to defend students or residents or consumers or the environment when this administration is upending so many long-standing protections and turning the rule of law on its head?" <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/massachusetts" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Massachusetts</a> Attorney General Maura Healey, a Democrat, says. "The role of AG has never been more important."</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class="callout-right hide-for-small" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.9375rem 1.5rem; padding: 0px; width: auto; float: right; max-width: 300px; position: relative; z-index: 2; display: inherit !important;"><h4 class="text-normal text-uppercase text-coal block-normal" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; margin-bottom: 0.9375rem !important; text-transform: uppercase !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></h4><hr class="block-flush" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-image: initial; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; clear: both; height: 0px; margin-top: 1.25rem; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;" /></div></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">With Republicans in control of not only the White House and Congress, but most state legislatures, the Democrats serving in the office of attorney general – once a staid backwater mostly seen as a political steppingstone – have become the bulwark to Trump, doing more to resist than any march or petition or tweet storm could hope.</font></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">And with the Justice Department's special counsel having apparently teamed up with <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">New York</a>'s attorney general in the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, efforts at the state level might not merely frustrate the presidency, but perhaps even prove even fatal.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Yet not all Democrats are cheering. Some fear that each new lawsuit along party lines threatens to further fray the rope that had – at least ostensibly – held AGs' offices above the day-to-day politics that were once relegated to other offices like governor or senator or president.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> It's a trend that's undoubtedly transforming how the states' top legal officers – the people's lawyers – do business, shifting the U.S. legal and political landscape in ways that have yet to be fully understood and may very well prove irrevocable.</span></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>"The more AGs act like congressmen, the more they'll be treated like congressmen,</b>" says James Tierney, a former Democratic attorney general of </span><a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/maine" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Maine</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and a lecturer at </span><a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/harvard-university-03074" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Harvard Law School</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> who's carved a niche consulting both Republican and Democratic AGs and studying the office he once held. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">"It's endangering the very function of attorney general."</span></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span data-rte2-sanitize="bold" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;">Rise of the Activist AG</span></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">State legal challenges against the federal government are hardly new. But the GOP could be said to have built the modern template for the coordinated, multistate challenges being unleashed today.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Among the first and most prominent was the 26-state challenge to the Affordable Care Act – an action that had been in the works months before it was finally filed in March 23, 2010, minutes after President Barack Obama signed the act into law. More legal challenges quickly followed.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">As the GOP wrested control of the House from Democrats and gained crucial seats in the Senate in the 2010 midterms, Republican lawmakers embarked on a campaign to stop Obama's legislative priorities at virtually every turn. As the Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell of <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/kentucky" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Kentucky</a>, told the National Journal one month before the election, <b>"the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president</b>."</font></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The strategy forced the president to carry out much of his agenda through the executive branch, pushing regulations through agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency or issuing enforcement directives and executive orders. With Congress deadlocked and largely unable to stop these measures, Republican attorneys general from <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Texas</a> to <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-carolina" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">South Carolina</a> began filing lawsuits to halt the measures from taking effect.</font></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">From 2009 through 2016, state attorneys general brought 59 multistate lawsuits against the federal government – most by Republicans, but a handful by Democrats, too, according to data compiled by Paul Nolette, a political scientist at <a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/marquette-university-3863" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Marquette University</a>who studies the office of attorney general. Texas, alone, was listed as a lead plaintiff in nearly a third of the cases.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">"I go into the office in the morning. I sue Barack Obama, and then I go home," former Texas Gov. Greg <b>Abbott</b></span>, who served as state attorney general before moving to the governor's mansion, said while serving as AG in 2013, a line he used often.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">President George W. Bush's administration, by comparison, faced 45 multi-state lawsuits. President Bill Clinton's administration was named in 18.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...[hockey stick 2014]</font></font></font></p><div id="content-page" class="sticky-page-container" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div id="ad-in-text-target" class="block-loose" data-swiftype-index="true" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.5rem !important;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Much of the GOP's legal effort during the Obama years was aided by the <b>Republican Attorneys General Association, a group formed in 1999 </b>to help elect GOP AGs in states across the nation. In the 18 years since its launch, it's brought in millions of dollars of year in donations,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/29/us/lobbyists-bearing-gifts-pursue-attorneys-general.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"> much of it from private corporations</a>.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA says that the surge in litigation by its members has simply been a reaction to the excesses of the Obama administration, which<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Executive Director Scott Will accused of "deciding to govern by executive fiat."</span></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"You could look at the number of regulations and executive actions that the president put forth, and Congress couldn't do as much that state AGs could," Will says. "You saw Republican candidates begin to campaign on pushing back against that overreach in general. And that's allowed for us, RAGA, to increase not just our fundraising advantage, but the quality of our candidates as well."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Democrats, by contrast, contend that the Republican strategy was simply an outgrowth of the "obstructionism" that GOP lawmakers were pursuing in Congress.</b>But with the two sides' roles now switched, and Republicans now in control of the White House, left-leaning AGs maintain that their side's legal challenges are seeking more than to simply frustrate the administration, despite any similarities their strategy may have to the Republican playbook.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"You saw a number of frivolous lawsuits that were just obstructionist and attempts to obstruct in any way the Obama administration," Healey, the Massachusetts AG, says. "This isn't about obstructing, it's about standing up for the rule of law. You see that in standing up for women's access to birth control, you see that in standing up against the travel ban."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Trump, in his first two weeks in office, was hit with more than 50 lawsuits from state AGs and others. By May, he'd been sued in federal court more than 130 times. At least 25 of those challenges have been led by state AGs. Many of the lawsuits, which once could take weeks to put together, are now being filed in a matter of days.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"Given the trendline, the total number of suits will likely surpass all of Obama's total in just Trump's first couple of years," Nolette, of Marquette, says.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Democrats aren't alone in ramping up the pace of their legal challenges – including filings that don't even make it before a court. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, for example, said this week that he'd had an amicus brief ready to file in the event the Trump administration decided to continue opposing a ruling allowing an undocumented teenager in federal custody to get an abortion.<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Paxton, a Republican who expressed "profound disappointment" in the court's decision to allow the abortion to proceed, took the highly unusual step of making the draft of his brief public, which stirred concern among some legal observers.</span></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Greg Zoeller, who served as the Republican attorney general of <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Indiana</a> from 2009 to 2017, says that the state AGs' new activism is "a reflection of the failure of the legislative branch to check executive authority. The need for states to check federal authority is only necessary because of our dysfunctional Congress."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Trump administration, in particular, has been bedeviled by infighting among the president's top aides, internecine warfare between the White House and Capitol Hill, and fractious disagreements among GOP lawmakers in Congress. High-profile bills on marquee issues such as health care have suffered devastating losses as Republican senators defected. Legislation on other priorities like immigration reform remain far beyond the horizon, although Trump and congressional Republicans say such measures are coming soon. And most recently, Sen. Jeff Flake and Sen. Bob Corker, Republicans from <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Arizona</a> and <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/tennessee" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Tennessee</a>, respectively, have blasted Trump's leadership as they've announced their decisions not to seek re-election.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Frustrated in Congress, Trump and his Cabinet members have taken up their pens and phones, harnessing the authority of the executive branch to enact their goals through other means – even as Trump criticized Obama for doing the same – such as by threatening federal funding for cities that do not fully comply with immigration enforcement or rolling back regulations that would limit power plant pollution.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Trump signed his 50th executive order Oct. 12, nearly twice the number that his predecessor signed by the same point in his presidency. And each, it seems, has been met with a lawsuit.</b></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"It's quite dramatic just in terms of the sheer number of multistate lawsuits that have picked up over the last several months. But the thing that really stands out to me that does seem to be really a new development is just the speed," Marquette's Nolette says. "Even in contrast to the [George] W. Bush administration, the Democratic AGs – 16 or 18 of them – are this solid coalition that constantly communicate with one another about strategies and getting other AGs to sign on. It's almost like a rapid-response group now in the way that it wasn't before."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>The Democratic Attorneys General Association </b>says it's played a crucial role bringing about that shift. <b>In the past year, as RAGA announced it would<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2017-03-28/exclusive-as-democratic-attorneys-general-target-trump-republican-ags-target-them" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"> end an informal agreement</a> between the two groups not to attack each other's incumbents</b>, DAGA has sought to turbocharge its fundraising and outreach, in effect playing catch-up after launching some 15 years after its Republican counterpart.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="callout-left hide-for-small" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 1.5rem 0.9375rem 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto; float: left; max-width: 300px; display: inherit !important;"><h4 class="text-normal text-uppercase text-coal block-normal" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; margin-bottom: 0.9375rem !important; text-transform: uppercase !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></h4><hr class="block-flush" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-image: initial; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; clear: both; height: 0px; margin-top: 1.25rem; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;" /></div></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"We're looking for competitive advantage; we're going to fight more in this cycle than AGs have ever fought, and the fights matter," DAGA Executive Director Sean Rankin says of the coming year. "If Donald Trump understood the rule of law, if he were to enforce the regulations that are there, Democratic AGs would not be filing the way they are. But we face a situation where the president is stepping on the rights of people at every turn and seemingly not understanding that he's doing it, so we're forced to act."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">DAGA and RAGA have together poured more than $6 million into the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/virginia" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Virginia</a> attorney general's race</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> alone</span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. And when the Republican group announced Thursday that it was spending $550,000 – bringing the group's total spending in the race to $4.1 million – DAGA answered the same day that it would dish up another $725,000, bringing its total to $2.25 million.</span></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"This is the arms race," Rankin says, "not a litigation arms race" but "bigger donors" and "real infrastructure."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Last year, DAGA brought in about $5.2 million in donations, and through the first half of this year collected roughly $3.1 million. It's also expanded its footprint, relocating last year from Denver to a shiny new office in downtown Washington, reaching out to companies in Silicon Valley, and hiring<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Rankin, a longtime Democratic political operative, </span>as its first full-time executive director, along with a new communications director and a policy director.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DAGA's fundraising efforts still trail far behind those of its rival. Last year, RAGA raked in about $14.5 million in donations – nearly three times what DAGA raised – and through the first half of this year brought in about $7.4 million, more than twice DAGA's total. (DAGA points out that it did not have a finance team in place until the second quarter of this year.) Like DAGA, RAGA has also hired up, bringing aboard the spokesman from House Speaker <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/campaign-2008/articles/2008/07/23/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-paul-ryan" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Paul Ryan's</a> political team.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Some legal observers are mostly untroubled by the trend – either the influx of donor money or the vast increase in litigation brought by Democrats and Republicans. State attorneys general, they say, are filling a crucial role in the country's democratic system, checking the power of the executive branch in lieu of a broken Congress.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"States are filling the vacuum," says Jed Shugerman, a professor at the <a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/fordham-university-03107" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Fordham University School of Law</a> who's written about the role that state AGs may play in the Justice Department's Russia investigation. "Our system is designed to have a lot of flexibility for these checks and balances. So state AGs in my view are playing their role in our constitutional system."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA and DAGA, meanwhile, have largely shrugged off concerns about how state AGs' newfound prominence on the national stage may be fundamentally changing the work of their offices, which was once largely grounded in local issues like consumer protection.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"It's fair to say that the role of the AG has changed significantly over the last nine or 10 years, and a lot of that change was brought on by what we're talking about today – Republican AGs finding success in challenging federal regulations that hamper business and the jobs climate and the states' ability to govern themselves," Will, RAGA's executive director, says. "What I'm focused on, and what our group talks about, is the impact they've been having in continuing to repeal the regulations that came down over the last eight or nine years."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Others, though, are not so sure. The office was always political – after all, attorneys general are elected in 43 states and appointed by the governor in six. (In Maine, the attorney general is elected by the state legislature.) Even so, compared to other political offices, theirs is one that's traditionally been treated with deference, both by the courts and the general public. It was an office that, at least aspirationally if not in practice, tried to rise above politics.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Some legal scholars worry that the trend toward greater political polarization risks throwing all that away.</b></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"My long-term concern is that the AGs become seen as one more lawyer, one more politician on the make, and that undercuts the credibility of the office itself," says Tierney, the lecturer at Harvard Law who served as Maine's AG from 1980 to 1990.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">It's an impact that could reverberate beyond the AG's suite, implicating other political appointments to the office and perhaps coloring even the actions of the career employees who do most of a state AG's work. Any action an AG's office takes – whether it's ending a prosecution, bringing a civil lawsuit, or shifting an office's resources from, say, financial fraud to opioid deaths – could end up being cast as an inherently political act.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"I'm worried about the next level: when you get beyond the AG, to the solicitor general, and go down the ranks," Tierney says. "This is deadly, deadly serious."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span data-rte2-sanitize="bold" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Big Money, Bigger Office</font></span></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">There are still areas of agreement between the Democrats and Republicans serving as AG: Some 41 state attorneys general, for example, <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/19/552135830/41-states-to-investigate-pharmaceutical-companies-over-opioids" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">launched a joint investigation</a> of pharmaceutical companies in September to learn more about what role the they may have played in contributing to the nation's opioid crisis.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"This has the potential to be, if not quite the same scope of the tobacco litigation of the late '90s, a big resolution a couple years from now. And that's being done very much on a bipartisan basis," Nolette, of Marquette, says.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">What's more, while AGs are the most prominent members of their offices, the vast majority of employees who work there are civil servants, not political appointees.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"They come in every day, they do a hard job, they don't care who the president of the United States is. For 90 percent of them, there's probably no change," Tierney says.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Even the attorneys general themselves may not be as partisan as they seem: While there were <b>10 Republican AGs who sent a letter threatening to sue the Trump administration if it didn't end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program,</b> there were another 17 who chose not to sign on.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Yet there is broad concern that these areas of bipartisanship – or nonpartisanship – are swiftly becoming exceptions, tokens that illustrate just how partisan the office of state attorney general has become, especially amid the tide of money unleashed by the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission in 2010. That decision lifted limits on political spending by corporations and labor unions.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="callout-right hide-for-small" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.9375rem 1.5rem; padding: 0px; width: auto; float: right; max-width: 300px; position: relative; z-index: 2; display: inherit !important;"><hr class="hide-for-small-only" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-image: initial; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; clear: both; height: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1875rem; display: inherit !important;" /><h4 class="text-normal text-uppercase text-coal block-normal" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.4; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; margin-bottom: 0.9375rem !important; text-transform: uppercase !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></h4><hr class="block-flush" style="box-sizing: inherit; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-image: initial; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; clear: both; height: 0px; margin-top: 1.25rem; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px !important;" /></div></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">An investigation by<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/29/us/lobbyists-bearing-gifts-pursue-attorneys-general.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;"> The New York Times</a> in 2014, for example, revealed how state AG investigations of companies such as 5-Hour Energy, T-Mobile and Bank of America were shut down, dismissed or minimized in the wake of lobbying efforts aimed directly at the office of state AG, and often channeled through groups like RAGA and DAGA. Oil companies and other energy firms were<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/us/politics/energy-firms-in-secretive-alliance-with-attorneys-general.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">reportedly</a> especially active in such efforts, heavily lobbying state AGs to oppose federal environmental regulations.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Environmental Protection Agency Administrator <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2017-02-02/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-scott-pruitt" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Scott Pruitt</a>, for example, repeatedly sued the agency he now leads, as well as the Interior Department, while working as the Republican attorney general of <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oklahoma" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Oklahoma</a>. Pruitt at the time was serving as president of RAGA, and a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/us/politics/energy-firms-in-secretive-alliance-with-attorneys-general.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">New York Times investigation</a> in 2014 revealed that many of the letters he sent to the EPA, Interior Department and White House were originally drafted by energy industry lobbyists.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"Unlike the governor, unlike other state level officials, AGs have an incredible amount of discretion to either bring litigation or shut down investigations, and may even in many states be exempt from public disclosure rules," Nolette says. "It raises these questions that, behind the scenes, there are all these conflicts of interest that fundamentally change the office from being focused on what it really should be focused on – public interest – to one that is focused on the interests lobbying them and giving them money."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Groups like DAGA and RAGA maintain that the deluge of money and growing partisanship are simply now part of the reality of U.S. politics, an environment that they may not like, but that they're forced to act in. How it affects the office of attorney general is beside the point – especially if it means a victory for the cause.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"This is the nature of our politics, and being elected officials themselves, AGs have to play a role, both in the political process, as well as being able to say, 'I'm taking care of the people in my state,'" Rankin says.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span data-rte2-sanitize="bold" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">A New National Platform</font></span></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">If there's one thing that's clear about the office of state attorney general, its new visibility has transformed it into one of the most desirable political offices at any level. Under Trump in particular, it's become a way to appear on the national stage as a champion of the opposition to the current administration, and perhaps even a leader of the so-called "resistance."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Earlier this year, Rep. Xavier <b>Becerra,</b> D-Calif., agreed to leave the House – and a potential leadership post as the outgoing caucus chairman – to become <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">California's</a> new attorney general, a role that's given him at least as much time in the public eye as when he was holding national office.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"I don't need to be a member of Congress to fight and make sure our government is doing the right thing," he says.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office, meanwhile, has arguably become the most visible and vocal AG's office to oppose the Trump administration – a result no doubt of the office's sprawling size and its location, but it's also not one known to be press-averse. Schneiderman so far has brought or joined more than a dozen lawsuits against the Trump administration on education, health care, environmental protections and immigration, including challenges to each of the three travel bans.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">His office has also launched an inquiry of the Weinstein Company in response to a raft of sexual assault and sexual harassment allegations against its co-founder, Hollywood mogul and Democratic megadonor Harvey Weinstein.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">But Schneiderman's lawsuits against the Trump administration may ultimately pale in comparison to his reported role in the Russia investigation.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Schneiderman's office is <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/30/manafort-mueller-probe-attorney-general-242191" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">reportedly</a> working with Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Trump confidant and one-time campaign chairman <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2017-03-29/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-paul-manafort" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Paul Manafort</a> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">– a bid that could be aimed at spurring Manafort to cooperate with Mueller's team in its broader investigation of both Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential collusion between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign team. Notably, while Trump would be able to pardon Manafort of any charges he'd face in the federal probe, the president wouldn't be able to do so for any state charges brought by Schneiderman's offices.</span></font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"Schneiderman could be playing one of the most significant roles in this entire story now," Shugerman, of Fordham Law, says. "Mueller is the most powerful force working against the Trump administration, but Mueller's power depends significantly on the assistance and cooperation of state prosecutors and state AGs."</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">It wouldn't be Schneiderman's first tangle with Trump. Last November, Schneiderman won a $25 million settlement ending a 3-year-old lawsuit that accused Trump University of defrauding students.</span> In September, his office launched an investigation of Trump Foundation for making potentially unlawful campaign contributions and committing other financial improprieties.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Trump and his team have previously <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/us/politics/pam-bondi-donald-trump.html" style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">dismissed</a> Schneiderman as a "hack" simply trying to take down a political enemy and make a name for himself. The attorney general has maintained that the investigations are not politically motivated. The fate of these conquests and others remain far from certain – and in the case of Russia, months if not years away.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item " style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Democratic AGs, in the meantime, have more recently faced some setbacks. A federal judge on Wednesday declined to block Trump's order to end certain Obamacare subsidies. And the Supreme Court this summer allowed parts of the administration's travel ban to take effect, signaling that the justices might be inclined to side with the Trump administration on the ban overall if and when the legal challenges eventually wind their way back to the court – a fate that seems all but inevitable. Indeed, with the Supreme Court firmly in conservative hands, it's far from clear how many of the Democratic AGs' wins in court will end up sticking.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">For now, though, they've vowed to press on. On Thursday, they announced their latest lawsuit, an impending challenge by New York's Schneiderman against the EPA for failing to protect residents from smog pollution drifting across state lines.</font></font></font></p></div><div class="article-body-item ad-in-text-target " style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.25rem; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"If the EPA won't follow the law," Schneiderman said in a statement, "we'll sue to protect the health of New Yorkers."</font></font></font></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/09/19/21168/these-companies-support-climate-action-so-why-are-they-funding-opposition-it">https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/09/19/21168/these-companies-support-climate-action-so-why-are-they-funding-opposition-it</a></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The international climate-fighting pact would create jobs, Google said. Leaving the deal known as the Paris accord would be bad for business, top executives from Bank of America and Coca-Cola argued. When President Donald Trump committed to yanking the U.S. out anyway, PayPal and Western Union countered “<a href="http://wearestillin.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none;">We are still in</a>.”</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">These corporate titans and at least 22 others were among those who sought to preserve the United States’ role in the landmark Paris agreement <a href="http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9444.php" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none;">ratified</a> by about 160 countries. So why exactly would these 27 business powerhouses also support a GOP group that’s fought to <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">undo</em> a key Obama-era domestic climate initiative?</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The answer is, well, complicated. The overwhelming majority of these companies have no overt incentive to undermine the U.S. climate effort. One leading solar company, in fact, had a driving financial imperative to cheer it on. These companies’ donations of more than $3 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association over the past three-and-a-half years speaks instead to the difficulties for corporations trying to navigate the political system in a country that's polarized — particularly on climate change.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The<b> Obama-era Clean Power Plan</b> provides a stark example. Starting in 2014, the group comprising many states’ Republican attorneys general spoke out against this Obama-era rule aiming to reduce climate-changing carbon emissions in the U.S. power sector. Nearly all the Republican attorneys general sued in 2015, alongside fossil fuel groups, to quash the power plan. A few Democratic attorneys general did as well; the majority pushed back in court to try to save it.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In giving to the GOP group, many of the big businesses said they were simply following a time-honored corporate tradition of donating to both parties — though most of these companies donated more to the Republican group than its Democratic counterpart. And they nodded at the political reality: A business needs to engage with elected officials on both sides of the aisle to influence policy, they said.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“This is a function of our democratic system,” Verizon subsidiary Oath said in a statement, speaking on behalf of one company on the list that it recently acquired, Yahoo.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But campaign finance experts countered that business officials can influence policy without writing a check to decision-makers like attorneys general — advocating their policy positions through lobbyists, for example. Because these businesses have said climate action is a priority, making political contributions that can work against that goal puts their reputations or even revenues at risk, these experts said.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“I don’t doubt that their public statements about the Paris climate agreement are sincere but it matters that when it actually comes down to how they spend their money, they’re giving to politicians that have almost the exact opposite goal,” said Daniel Weiner, senior counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice’s Democracy Program, which advocates for campaign finance reform. “It doesn’t mean that they’re actually lying, but it does lead one to wonder how strong their commitment to fight global warming actually is.”</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">no links below</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Attorneys general and climate change</b></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The job of state attorney general has in recent years become increasingly high-profile and partisan. <b>The GOP group, also known as RAGA, and the competing Democratic Attorneys General Association didn’t even exist until 1999 and 2002, respectively</b>. Now, both are sharply focused on election fundraising to increase their parties’ control of top state prosecutor jobs.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Attorneys general have flexed their muscles in a variety of ways, most recently when the Trump administration said it was partly threats of litigation from GOP AGs that caused the president to halt a program protecting from deportation certain immigrants brought to the country as children. A coalition of Democratic AGs then promptly sued.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But it’s the domestic Clean Power Plan that has received an outsize share of energy from Republican attorneys general. RAGA has called the rule “unlawful” and a prime example of the federal Environmental Protection Agency exerting authority that it doesn’t have to carry out a political agenda against fossil fuels. The GOP group has warned that it would kill jobs, raise electricity prices and put in jeopardy the power grid’s reliability. (These arguments were disputed by the Obama administration.)</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA, which did not respond to requests for comment, isn’t the only Republican fundraising group whose elected officials have doubts about global warming or the necessity of combating it through federal action. But the attorneys general association has stood out for making the power plan specifically its Enemy No. 1. The victory that tops RAGA’s list of accomplishments on its website: Convincing the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016 “to halt implementation of Obama’s signature climate change initiative.”</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Republican attorneys general were likely crucial in securing the Supreme Court decision to keep the rule from taking effect while a lower court considered its legality because they “gave the opposition to the plan a legitimacy it wouldn’t otherwise have had,” said Daniel Farber, a law professor with the University of California, Berkeley. That pause left the still-in-limbo plan more vulnerable to the new administration, which is now determining its next steps after Trump vowed to dismantle it. </font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“As we've seen with Obamacare,” Farber said by email, referring to health care reform efforts, “once something has gone into effect, it becomes a lot harder to undo it.”</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Pro-Paris companies' donations to group fighting climate rule</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">These companies recently advocated for the U.S. to stay in an international climate change-fighting pact known as the Paris accord. Still, they donated from 2014 to 2017 to the Republican Attorneys General Association as it organized against the Clean Power Plan, the domestic effort to reduce the power sector’s planet-warming emissions. Here’s what these companies contributed to RAGA and its Democratic counterpart during that period. See the companies' comments here.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Company<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>RAGA total<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>DAGA total</b></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">eBay<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$257,269<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$160,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Citigroup<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$258,180<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$200,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Monsanto<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$235,925</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$150,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Walmart<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$230,575<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$175,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Facebook<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$211,420</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$150,775</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Exxon Mobil<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$210,375<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$0</b></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Coca-Cola<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$202,665<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$75,137</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Google<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$200,750</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$150,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Microsoft<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$197,160<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$125,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">General Electric<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$155,370<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$25,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Yahoo<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$150,000<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$100,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">PepsiCo<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$141,237<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$75,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Dow Chemical<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$140,000<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$0</b></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">JPMorgan Chase<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$111,615<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$96,150</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Best Buy<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$80,000<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$80,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Bank of America<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$75,820<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$75,439</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">PayPal<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$75,410<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$75,785</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Western Union<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$62,150<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$35,575</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Hewlett Packard<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$56,945<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$40,575</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Airbnb<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$55,000<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$55,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Intel<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$50,000<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$25,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Uber Technologies</b><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$50,000<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$25,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">DuPont<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$35,570<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$25,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>SolarCity<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></b>$36,035<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$0</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Lyft<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$31,995<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$15,300</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Novartis<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$15,000<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$15,000</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Corning<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$15,000<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>$0</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">* Contributions for Dow Chemical and Corning each include a $15,000 donation by their former joint venture, Dow Corning, before it was reorganized</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> Hewlett Packard split into two companies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP on Nov. 1, 2015</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Intended and unintended consequences</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Some political contributors couldn’t be happier. Though RAGA has said it reached its conclusion that the power plan was an unconstitutional overreach on its own, separate from political contributions, coal conglomerate Murray Energy was among those that donated to the group, then urged legal action, Bloomberg News reported.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The 27 companies that spoke out against leaving the Paris accord and then supported RAGA are another matter.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Only two pushed back in some way against the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Obama administration Clean Power Plan fought by RAGA — Exxon Mobil, which panned it, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">and General Electric, </span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">which advocated for several changes while it was still a proposal. Far more were active on the other side, urging officials to support the rule — or even, in the case of Google and Microsoft, filing arguments in court to try to counteract the lawsuit by the attorneys general whose political group they’d helped fund.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The most striking example? SolarCity, the nation’s largest residential solar-panel provider. Its investors were certain the Obama power plan would be good for business — and its absence was bad news. The company’s stock nose-dived 26 percent the morning after the Supreme Court paused the rule.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Still, three months later, SolarCity donated $20,000 to RAGA, on top of the roughly $15,000 it donated to the group the year before.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“There’s actually policy implications that go with the money that they spend.”</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">- Ann Skeet, director of leadership ethics at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Dues for “membership”</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">So why did it do that? SolarCity declined to comment. Several others didn’t respond, including Bank of America and Google. But other companies, such as PayPal, echoed a common theme: the need to support or work with candidates and organizations on both sides of the aisle that deal with issues central to their business.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">During the timeframe that the<b> 27 companies donated about $3.3 million to the Republican group</b>, 23 of them collectively gave about $1.9 million to the parallel Democratic organization.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Some companies, including JPMorgan Chase, told the Center that their contributions to RAGA are “dues” or that they are “members” — as if the political group with a mission of getting officials elected is no different than a trade association. Western Union said its membership in both attorneys general groups allows it to “properly educate” state prosecutors and support other initiatives in individual states.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Indeed, RAGA has pitched itself that way (and still does) to would-be contributors, laying out the “membership benefits” — access — for various amounts of money, according to internal documents obtained by The New York Times. The Democratic group has done the same, the newspaper reported in a 2014 investigation.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Sean Rankin, executive director of the Democratic Attorneys General Association, said the money flowing to its attorneys general isn’t changing their stance on issues. But they see an existential need to catch up with their Republican counterparts’ fundraising. The attorneys general for twenty states and the District of Columbia are Democrats, down from 32 in 2010.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Between 2014 and mid-2017 alone, RAGA raised nearly three times as much as the Democratic group from all sources.</b></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>“The money is significant,” Rankin said. “It was money that played a role to put more Republican AGs into office.”</b></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">For Coca-Cola, which gave just over $200,000 to the Republican group and about $75,000 to the Democratic group between 2014 and mid-2017, political donations aren’t earmarked to support all the policy positions held by recipients. “Our goal is not perfect philosophical alignment,” the company said.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Intel, which gave $50,000 to the Republican group and $25,000 to its counterpart, was more direct.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“We recognize that it is impractical and unrealistic to expect that we or our stockholders and stakeholders will agree with every issue that a politician or trade association may support, particularly given our strategy of bipartisan giving,” William Moss, a spokesman for Intel, wrote in an email.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[Carbon Wars</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The fossil-fuel industry is under attack as the world warms and pollution impairs and shortens lives. But industry is fighting back.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Stories in this series</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">These companies support climate action, so why are they funding opposition to it?</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By Rachel Leven and Jamie Smith Hopkins September 19, 2017</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Questions and answers about schools and traffic pollution</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By Jamie Smith Hopkins February 17, 2017</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Is your school near a busy road and its air pollution?</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By Chris Zubak-Skees and Jamie Smith Hopkins February 17, 2017</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">‘This very dangerous road divides us’</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">By Jamie Smith Hopkins February 17, 2017</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Click here for more stories in this series]</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Risks to the bottom line</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But the implicit dilemma is that political spending is an action, even when companies split their contributions to the country’s two major parties down the middle, said Ann Skeet, director of leadership ethics at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“There’s actually policy implications that go with the money that they spend,” Skeet said.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Conference Board, a business membership and research association, warns companies flat out in its corporate political activity handbook that that they “must be mindful of the risks” to their reputation or bottom line if they belong to trade groups opposing their positions on major issues. Bruce F. Freed, a co-author of that report — which cites climate change as a potent example of priority clash — said the same point is true of corporate political giving to any group. Freed is president of the Washington watchdog Center for Political Accountability.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Target, which is not one of the 27 companies on the Center’s list, could tell them a thing or two about PR problems. The company, which built a reputation for gay-friendly policies, faced boycotts in 2010 after contributing $150,000 to a super PAC backing a candidate who opposed gay marriage. The company apologized after initially saying the donation fit into Target’s strategy of giving to pro-business candidates “on both sides of the aisle.”</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“There are real consequences,” said Freed, “when there is a disconnect.”</font></font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">---</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">new</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">equates paris w/ cpp, prolly fair</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/9/20/1700089/-27-companies-publicly-supporting-Paris-climate-accord-donated-millions-to-GOP-group-undermining-it">https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/9/20/1700089/-27-companies-publicly-supporting-Paris-climate-accord-donated-millions-to-GOP-group-undermining-it</a></font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Twenty-seven companies that urged the Trump regime to stick with the Paris Climate Accord also contributed a total of $3.3 million to the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) that has worked assiduously to dump President Obama’s signature Clean Power Plan. </b>That plan was designed specifically to reduce greenhouse emissions from U.S. power plants in 2030 by 32 percent over 2005. It’s the key U.S. government effort to help meet the emissions goals of the nonbinding Paris accord. And it’s in limbo.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">[table list]</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">companies supporting Republican Attorney Generals Association who also say they support Paris Climate Accord.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This is how the 27 companies that urged the Trump regime not to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord divided their donations to the Republican and Democratic attorney generals associations. The Republican group has been highly active in trying to dump the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan that would cut greenhouse emissions.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The excuse from the companies that responded to investigators from the Center for Public Integrity who revealed the contributions? It’s just politics. They said they had also contributed to the Democratic Attorneys General Association. In other words, all that cash was just pragmatism on their part. Uh-huh.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The center’s Rachel Leven and Jamie Smith Hopkins write:</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But campaign finance experts countered that business officials can influence policy without writing a check to decision-makers like attorneys general—advocating their policy positions through lobbyists, for example. Because these businesses have said climate action is a priority, making political contributions that can work against that goal puts their reputations or even revenues at risk, these experts said.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"I don't doubt that their public statements about the Paris climate agreement are sincere but it matters that when it actually comes down to how they spend their money, they're giving to politicians that have almost the exact opposite goal," said Daniel Weiner, senior counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice's Democracy Program, which advocates for campaign finance reform. "It doesn't mean that they're actually lying, but it does lead one to wonder how strong their commitment to fight global warming actually is.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">While RAGA has, of course, engaged in other activity, the center’s reporters note that the Clean Power Plan, which requires states to come up with methods of reducing emissions from fossil-fuel power plants within their boundaries, has gotten “an outsize share of energy” from Republican attorneys general.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Along with a handful of Democratic AGs, the Republicans have sued the Environmental Protection Agency over the plan in a case that is slowly winding its way toward the Supreme Court. The court itself ruled 5-4 in early 2016 that the plan should be on hold until a lower court ruling on it is decided. Indeed, on RAGA’s list of achievements on its website: convincing the court "to halt implementation of Obama's signature climate change initiative." </font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Levin and Hopkins found that<b> only two of the 27 companies had openly challenged the Clean Power Plan.</b> Several others have supported it strongly, with Google and Microsoft going so far as to file legal arguments against the lawsuit the Republican AGs had launched. And yet those two contributed nearly $400,000 to RAGA. Worst of all among the 27 was SolarCity, the nation’s largest provider of residential solar panels. The morning the Supreme Court stayed the Clean Power Plan, SolarCity’s stock plummeted. That ought to have delivered a clear message. Yet just three months later, the company contributed $20,000 to RAGA, giving nothing to the Democratic Attorney Generals Association. Perhaps that was just stupidity. But it sure wasn’t evidence of sincerity.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In response to the Center for Public Integrity’s reporters, Coca-Cola and Intel noted that they don’t expect their contributions to align perfectly with every group to which they give money.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But Bruce F. Freed, president of the watchdog Center for Political Accountability, points out how not paying attention to what’s being done with that money can backfire. In 2010, Target, which had developed a reputation for gay-friendly policies, was boycotted for contributing $150,000 to the super PAC of a candidate who opposed marriage equality. The company at first said this was just pragmatic politics, contributing to pro-business candidates in both parties. But the boycott eventually generated a Target apology. "There are real consequences," Freed said, "when there is a disconnect."</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Real consequences. And big ones.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">While Daniel Weiner at the Brennan Center may not doubt the companies’ sincerity in the matter of climate change, it should not be forgotten that long before the Clean Power Plan was around to be bashed by the group now getting their cash, many of these companies were not exactly on the cutting edge in dealing with climate change. In fact, as we have learned over the recent past, Exxon Mobil—which gave $210,000 to RAGA and none to its Democratic counterparts—donated a hell of a lot more money to help engineer decades of climate science denial when they full well knew that this disinformation was contributing to a global disaster.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">But that stream of cash, just like their current contributions, was designed to protect their bottom line. Never mind the planet’s bottom line.</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">no linsk</font></font></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">http://www.exposedbycmd.org/2017/07/18/watchdog-group-sues-utah-ag-withholding-raga-documents/</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-transform: uppercase; text-align: center;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">AG REYES</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> REFUSES TO RELEASE RECORDS RELATING TO HIS DEALINGS WITH THE REPUBLICAN ATTORNEYS GENERAL ASSOCIATION’S CORPORATE CASH-FOR-INFLUENCE OPERATION</span></font></font></font></h2><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">SALT LAKE CITY – The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) filed suit in District Court yesterday against the </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Utah Office of Attorney General for its refusal to turn over emails and other documents concerning Attorney General Sean Reyes’ dealings with the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">) and its partner organization,<b> the Rule of Law Defense Fund (RLDF</b>) in violation of Utah’s Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA).</span></font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">RAGA and RLDF are </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/us/politics/energy-firms-in-secretive-alliance-with-attorneys-general.html?r=0" target="blank" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">cash-for-influence</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> organizations that promote and coordinate actions by Republican attorneys general at the behest of its corporate members in the energy, telecom, financial, pharmaceutical, and other sectors. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">RAGA allows member companies to <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/09/13136/RAGA-Clean-Power-Plan" target="blank" style="background-image: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; box-sizing: inherit; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">pay a premium of up to $125,000</a> for the privilege of holding private briefings with AGs and their staff, and RAGA events give corporate CEOs and lobbyists numerous opportunities to rub elbows with AGs during informal sessions and leisure activities, like golfing, rifle shooting, skiing, and kayaking.</span></font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Center for Media and Democracy, a nationally recognized watchdog that leads investigations into corporate influence in our democracy, is represented pro bono in the lawsuit by David Reymann, a prominent First Amendment and media lawyer located in Salt Lake City.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“Attorney General Reyes dealings with RAGA and RLDF, including events he and his staff have attended in their official capacities, involve important matters of public policy and the conduct of the public’s business,” said Arn Pearson, general counsel for CMD.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">When CMD filed an open records request for AG Reyes’ correspondence with RAGA and RLDF in March 2017, it received just 19 documents, which failed to include at least 13 interactions that CMD already knew about. On administrative appeal, the Office of Attorney General took the position that all its interactions with RAGA and RLDF “involve unofficial political/campaign activities” and are therefore not public business.</font></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">However, RLDF has coordinated legal briefs and official letters for Reyes, including one letter denouncing <b>climate fraud</b> investigations, and Reyes and at least two of his staff have attended at least six RAGA national meetings.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“It is disingenuous for Reyes to hide his activity by pretending that it is all related to some future political campaign,” Pearson said. “It’s all the more troublesome because RAGA mixes public policy and political fundraising in the same events.”</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Last year, CMD’s reporting revealed that Reyes and Parker attended RAGA’s 2015 Summer National Meeting, at which fossil fuel giants Murray Energy and Southern Co. <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/09/13136/RAGA-Clean-Power-Plan" target="blank" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">paid for private meetings</a> with Republican AGs to discuss their opposition to President Obama’s Clean Power Plan. Two weeks later, Reyes signed Utah onto a lawsuit to block the plan.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In addition, Reyes spoke on an issue panel at RAGA’s February 2017 National Meeting, Reyes was a featured speaker at the opening and closing luncheons of RLDF’s Senior Staff Retreat in April 2016, and Reyes’ chief of staff, Parker Douglas, moderated a panel at that staff retreat as well.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“The issue of dark money and influence from RAGA and RLDF is troubling and should be of concern to all Utahns, and the AG’s refusal to comply with the GRAMA request just feeds the appearance of impropriety,” said Joshua Kanter, founder and board chair for the Alliance for a Better Utah.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CMD’s suit argues that the Attorney General’s Office has unlawfully withheld its RAGA/RLDF-related records, and seeks a thorough search of both official and private email accounts used by Reyes and his staff.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“The public has a right to know what special interests are seeking to influence our state’s top law enforcement officer, and whether they have been successful,” said attorney David Reymann.</font></font></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Find a fully copy of CMD’s suit filed today <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3896629-CMD-v-OAG-Complaint.html" target="_blank" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a>.</font></font></font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">===</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><pre class="DV-textContents" style="box-sizing: content-box; line-height: 1.4em; overflow: hidden; white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 20px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ashley Highlander ahighlander@republicanags.com
AG Pruitt in DC
September 22, 2016 at 9:53 AM
Ashley Highlander ahighlander@republicanags.com
Ashley Montenegro amontenegro@republicanags.com
Gree$ngs!
I’m reaching out to let you know that AG Sco: Prui: (OK) will be in DC next Wednesday 9/28 and
has $me available to meet with prospec$ve members of RAGA. If you would be interested in
mee$ng with the AG, let me know!
Feel free to circulate with your colleagues. Look forward to hearing from you!
Ashley Highlander
Republican A-orneys General Associa3on Finance Assistant
1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006
Office: 202.296.5911 Cell: 859.797.3593
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</font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="font-weight: 600;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">February 2, 2016 </font></span></font></font></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /></font></font><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Congressional Leadership Series </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Washington, DC</div><div>ERC and Capital Club members are invited to attend </div><div><span style="font-weight: 600;">
</span></div><span style="font-weight: 600;">Feb. 21-22, 2016 </span><div>Winter National Meeting Park Hyatt</div><div>Washington, DC </div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" font-weight="font-weight">April 27-28, 2016</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"> </span></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Senior Staff Policy Retreat </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Salt Lake City, UT</div><div>ERC and Capital Club members are invited to attend </div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" font-weight="font-weight">June 8, 2016</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"> </span></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Congressional Leadership Series </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Washington, DC</div><div>ERC and Capital Club members are invited to attend </div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" font-weight="font-weight">July 9-12, 2016</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"> Ebell strange)</span></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Summer National Meeting The Broadmoor</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Colorado Springs, CO </div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" style="font-weight: 600;">July 16, 2016</span></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">State Leadership Reception in conjunction with CWAG Annual Meeting</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Sun Valley, ID</div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" font-weight="font-weight">July 18-21, 2016</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"> </span></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Republican National Convention </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Cleveland, Ohio</div><div>sponsorship packages available</div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" font-weight="font-weight">August 4-7, 2016</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"> </span></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Edmund Randolph Club (ERC) Retreat </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Pebble Beach, CA</div><div>ERC members are invited to attend</div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" font-weight="font-weight">Nov. 11-14, 2016</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"> </span></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times 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Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font 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TX</div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px; text-align: center;" /><div><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large" font-weight="font-weight">December 8, 2016</span><span times="Times" new="New" roman="Roman" font-size="font-size" large="large"> </span></div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" 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face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Congressional Leadership Series </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div>Washington, DC</div><div><span style="font-weight: 600;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Dec. 8, 2016</font></span></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Holiday Party</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Washington, DC</font></div><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> </font></p><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> <span style="font-weight: 600;">For further info on upcoming events, membership </span><span style="font-weight: 600;">and/or sponsorship opportunities, contact: </span></font></p><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ashley Montenegro, Finance Director</font></span></p><p style="margin: 16px 0px 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">at 202-448-7987 or AMontenegro@RepublicanAGs.com </font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://twitter.com/republicanags?lang=en">https://twitter.com/republicanags?lang=en</a></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.exposedbycmd.org/RAGA-Exxon">http://www.exposedbycmd.org/RAGA-Exxon</a></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">...</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">july 11 audio]</font></div><div><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Transcript available <a href="http://www.exposedbycmd.org/RAGA-Exxon-Transcript" style="box-sizing: inherit; background: 0px 0px; transition: all 500ms ease-in-out 0s; text-decoration-line: none;">here</a>.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The meeting occurred at a<b> July 2016 summit hosted by the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) in Colorado</b>, and included representatives from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) and the <b>American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM),</b> organizations which have previously received substantial funding from Exxon and the fossil fuel industry.<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> 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 <b>CEI Director Myron Ebell </b>and AFPM President Chet Thompson.</span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“The great irony here is that we have heard false cries from the Republican attorneys general about a conspiracy between environmental groups and the Democratic attorneys generals,” said Nick Surgey, Research Director of the Center for Media and Democracy. “But these documents reveal a serious conflict of interest: RAGA is facilitating secret meetings between the profit-motivated fossil fuel industry and attorneys general to engineer pushback on investigations of ExxonMobil— and then raising money from oil and gas companies to keep those same Republican attorneys general in office.”</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>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.</b> 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.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">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.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">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.</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">docs</font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3115535-RAGA-Summer-2016-Meeting-Attendees.html">https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3115535-RAGA-Summer-2016-Meeting-Attendees.html</a></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3113426-RLDF-Email-Correspondence-and-AG-Draft-Letter.html</font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3098829/RAGA-New-Member-Packet-2016.pdf</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">bs</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) is the only national organization whose mission is electing Republicans to the Office of State Attorney General. RAGA supports our 27 current Republican attorneys general and recruits outstanding candidates, providing them with research and financial support as well as assisting in message development. Through robust candidate recruitment RAGA brings effective public servants to the office of AG and deepens our Party’s talent pool from which many future Governors and U.S. Senators will be drawn. In 1999, a few Republican AGs formed RAGA to address the lack of commitment by some state attorneys general to defend federalism, adhere to the law, and apply a common sense, free market approach to governing. In its first election year, RAGA made its mark on American politics by emerging as the only Republican organization to gain seats during the hard-fought 2000 elections. In just 16 years RAGA has multiplied its effectiveness, culminating most recently with the 2014 elections, when we grew the number of Republican attorneys general from 24 to take the clear majority with 27. The success was a direct result of our high quality candidates and strong financial support from our members.</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> Facts Republican attorneys general hold 27 seats across the country, and our Chairman, Attorney General Bill Schuette (MI), leads RAGA. Republican attorneys general scored a major victory against Obamacare that allowed states to choose whether or not to participate in Medicaid expansion. They also have pending suits challenging the ability of the IRS to enforce certain provisions and assess penalties in the 34 states without state health exchanges. They have sued the EPA over its egregious proposal to unreasonably pick and choose sources of energy and, in a separate suit, are fighting the EPA’s attempt to vastly expand control over “waters of the U.S.” Republican attorneys general have challenged the constitutionality of Dodd-Frank. </font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> <b>Arizona won a successful challenge against the National Labor Relations Board</b> which challenged the state’s constitutional amendment guaranteeing worker’s rights to vote by secret ballot on whether to join a union. This case set valuable precedent that will allow these issues to be resolved at the state, not federal, level. </font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> Republican AGs played a pivotal role in defeating the NLRB's politically motivated attempt to disallow Boeing's business expansion in South Carolina. Republican AGs have called for tougher laws to prevent patent trolls from stifling American innovation</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
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</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Feb. 2, 2016 Congressional Leadership Series Washington, DC ERC and Capital Club members are invited to attend Feb. 21-22, 2016 Winter National Meeting Park Hyatt Washington, DC April 27-28, 2016 Senior Staff Policy Retreat Salt Lake City, UT ERC and Capital Club members are invited to attend Second Quarter, 2016 Congressional Leadership Series Washington, DC ERC and Capital Club members are invited to attend July 9-12, 2016 Summer National Meeting The Broadmoor Colorado Springs, CO July 18-21, 2016 Republican National Convention Cleveland, Ohio *sponsorship packages available August 4-7, 2016 Edmund Randolph Club (ERC) Retreat <b>Pebble Beach,</b> CA ERC members are invited to attend Third Quarter, 2016 Congressional Leadership Series Washington, DC ERC and Capital Club members are invited to attend Fourth Quarter, 2016 Congressional Leadership Series Washington, DC ERC and Capital Club members are invited to attend Nov. 12-14, 2016 Fall National Meeting Omni Barton Creek Austin, TX *Dates and Locations are Subject to Change For Additional Information on upcoming events, membership and/or sponsorship opportunities, Please contact Ashley Montenegro, Finance Director</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">---</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New 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</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Full Court Press The Republican state AGs continue to be Obama’s most formidable opponents</b></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">. By Fred Barnes, March 9, 2015 </font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>President Obama’s legacy is in jeopardy. The fates of his main achievements—Obamacare, his amnesty for five million illegal immigrants, the Dodd-Frank financial institution reforms—are now in the hands of the federal courts. </b></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This is extraordinary. Until Obama, no president has been in a situation in which judges rather than the elected branches of government can decide if his successful initiatives—successful in having been enacted by Congress or himself—live or die. The instigators of putting Obama in a legal box are Republican state attorneys general. Once they began banding together in lawsuits to protect states from encroachments by the federal government, they became a powerful force and a thorn in Obama’s side. </font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>
</b></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>There are 27 of them, a majority of state AGs. </b>And they are determined to elect three more in the next two years. When they met in Washington last week, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell showed up to encourage them. He committed himself to help elect a GOP attorney general in Kentucky’s oddyear election this November. “We haven’t had a Republican attorney general in Kentucky since World War II,” McConnell said. Little attention was paid to the office, he said, except by trial lawyers who were “focused like a laser on [electing] Democrats.”</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> The current AG, Jack Conway, is term-limited. So the seat will be open. The prize in last November’s election was Adam Laxalt of Nevada, the grandson of Paul Laxalt, the former senator and governor. Nevada is a swing state and Adam Laxalt, 36, won in a squeaker— 251,539 to 246,671. He immediately joined 25 other Republican AGs in a lawsuit challenging Obama’s immigration actions as unconstitutional. A federal judge in Texas ruled in the AGs’ favor in February. The Obama administration has appealed. Laxalt’s participation irritated Nevada’s Republican governor Brian Sandoval, who supports comprehensive immigration reform. He “continues to believe that the best course of action is a legislative solution rather than legal action,” Sandoval’s spokesman said. Laxalt didn’t need the governor’s approval. Under Nevada law, the attorney general is an independent figure, not the governor’s underling. The rise of the Republican AGs began in 2010, when they sued to stop Obamacare. They failed, but won limits on Medicaid expansion and neutralized the use of the commerce clause to broaden the reach of the federal government.</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> That was followed by another suit against Obamacare, filed by <b>Attorney General Scott Pruitt</b> of Oklahoma, to block the federal exchange used by residents of 37 states from handing out subsidies to buy health insurance. Pruitt argued the health care law didn’t authorize subsidies for those who use the federal exchange, while it specifically allows subsidies to flow through the state-run exchanges. That issue is now before the U.S. Supreme Court (in the case known as King v. Burwell). The case against Dodd-Frank was engaged by 11 state AGs in 2013. They contended the “orderly liquidation authority” granted the Treasury secretary could threaten the investments of state pension funds and strip them of valuable property rights. But they were denied “standing” to join existing plaintiffs against Dodd-Frank. That ruling is under appeal. Despite their success, the AGs were largely ignored by the media and liberals before the Obamacare case. Then in May 2014, an article in the Atlantic was headlined “Big Money Comes to State Attorney-General Races.” You can guess who the funds mostly went to. (It wasn’t Democrats.) </font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In October, the New York Times ran a lengthy piece on lobbyists’ efforts to influence state AGs and another in December critical of Pruitt’s contacts with energy firms. Last month, the liberal website Talking Points Memo pointed to the effectiveness of the Republicans’ suing as a team. “Republican attorneys general have mastered the process,” TPM reporter Dylan Scott wrote. Indeed, they’ve recognized the phenomenon of strength in numbers. Judges are more likely “to take an argument more seriously” if a dozen or two state AGs are making it, says Georgetown University law professor Randy Barnett. Obama’s policies, especially those of the Environmental Protection Agency, have all but asked for legal pushback from states. They trample on states’ rights, federalism, and the rule of law. And Republican AGs insist they’re obligated to defend all three. Now their focus is broadening beyond the Obama administration. Pruitt has started a project to examine state and local laws and regulations—in Oklahoma, in his case—for overreach and other violations. Other AGs are doing the same. “That’s a second shoe to drop,” says Leonard Leo, the executive vice president of the Federalist Society. </font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">There’s a third: old independent federal agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission and newcomers such as the<b> Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Financial Stability Oversight Council.</b> They are ripe for being frisked by Republican attorneys general. Georgia AG Sam Olens says a wave of regulations is sure to pour out of Washington during Obama’s waning presidency. Olens keeps track of regulations, not yet finalized, that are coming down the federal pipeline. “The administration is going to try to do as much as it can using regulatory authority rather than Congress,” he says. “There’s a lot of work to come in the next two years.” There will be many bright attorneys to do it. The offices of state AGs used to be backwaters. Now young conservative lawyers, including many fresh from clerking for conservative Supreme Court justices, are flocking to work for state attorneys general. Champions of Obama’s policies beware. Fred Barnes is an executive editor at The Weekly Standard</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" /><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font 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New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The following is a transcript of a session hosted by the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) during the organization’s July 2016 summit, held in Colorado Springs, CO. The session, titled “Climate Change Debate: How Speech is Being Stifled” was moderated by Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange, alongside Myron Ebell, Director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President Chet Thompson.</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Audio of the session was obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy. For more details see here.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
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</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Attorney General Luther Strange </b>00:32</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Good morning everyone. If you’ll come take your seats, we’ll get started here. Talk about the great climate change debate. Okay good morning everyone, I know you’re getting coffee. We’ve got a great panel and I want to keep us on time. I ask everyone to come in, take your seats, so we can get started with this first panel. I think you’re going to find it to be a very interesting subject and we have two great panelists who can share their real world experiences in dealing with this issue. And then we’re going to allow plenty of time to allow, for those of you who are here, to ask questions, weigh in on your perspective on this issue. Because I expect you’ll have for Attorney General of Alabama, glad to see so many friends here and colleagues, I think this is highly, best attended event that we’ve had. And I really appreciate everyone taking the time to be here.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Attorney General Luther Strange 01:39</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Well as you all know by now, this past February, we, Republican AGs historic victory in the Supreme Court with our decision stopping Obama’s Clean Power Plan . You might say in response to that, maybe they just decided to do it on their own, a group of Democratic attorneys general calling themselves AGs United for Clean Power, I’ve heard them called the “Green 20,” I don’t know exactly what they would call themselves and their allies are taking steps at I believe threatens the First Amendment and we’ve written a lot about that the idea of criminalizing public policy differences very publicly. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Attorney General Luther Strange 02:33</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Just this morning, Congressman Ted Lieu and Sheldon, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, announced plans to introduce a resolution accusing fossil fuel companies of using a sophisticated campaign to deceive the public of climate change.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> However you feel about climate change, I think we can all agree there should be a vigorous debate on the issue, what to do about it, and without criminalizing people who may have a different opinion. So we have two good panelists. I’m going to do a quick introduction, I’m going to turn it over to our first panelist and we’ll go from there.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Attorney General Luther Strange 03:09 </span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell is director of the Competitive Enterprise Institute Center for Energy and Environment.</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> This is one of the most effective advocates for free market environmentalism. He also chairs the Cooler Heads Coalition, the ad-hoc coalition of 28 non-profit groups that question global warming alarmism and oppose energy rationing policies. He’s got a very strong background in government and he worked for several people including someone I really admire</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, Senator Malcolm Wallop of Wyoming. A native born and grew up in California. Graduated from Colorado College, school of economics. So we’re going to hear from Myron first.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Attorney General Luther Strange 03:45</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">We’ll also hear Chet Thompson, the President of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association. Chet has nothing but so I’m not going to belabor him but Chet has a very diverse, very impressive background in advising policy makers and industry on energy issues. His association is one of the leading in that regard so he’ll come second. I want to ask Myron to start off our discussion today, give us his perspective and I will fill and then we’ll allow plenty of time to hear from you in the audience to give us your perspective. Myron come on up .</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Myron Ebell</b>, CEI 04:40</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Thank you Attorney General Strange. And thank you all for having me. It’s a, I’m very pleased that you invited me and it’s a great honor to be here. Of course as he mentioned, I was an undergraduate for four years here in Colorado Springs, Colorado College. It’s always great to get out of Washington. But of course, one of the reasons it’s so great to get out of Washington is to get away from all the lawyers. But I just want to say you’re the right kind of lawyers. And one thing you may not know about the Competitive Enterprise Institute, even if you’ve heard of us before, is that we do a lot of litigation and we have been co-litigants in a lot of cases. For example, Dodd-Frank litigation and currently the costly Clean Power Plan litigation.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 05:38</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Let me just say first about CEI, we’re a<b> small free market policy institute. </b>The reason a lot of people haven’t heard of us is because we’re small and secondly because– and underfunded I might point out–the other reason, of course,</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> is that we don’t do taxes and spending. We do regulations, which is a much harder and a less rewarding thing to be in than fighting higher taxes.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 06:03</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">So let me just say, I want to point out that these subpoenas issued by Attorney General Schneiderman in New York, by the Attorney General in the Virgin Islands Claude Walker and by the Attorney General of Massachusetts Maura Healey and I think by Kamala Harris in California.</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> These are not by any means the start of the story of trying to silence and defund the opponents of global warming alarmism in energy integration and policies. Nor should this be taken out of the context of what the left is doing to try and silence and defund all types of groups on all sorts of issues. Let me just give you one example of the background because it involves CEI. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>In 2006, ExxonMobil was first targeted. ExxonMobil posts all of their contributions to nonprofit groups on their website.</b> So in 2006 after Lee Raymond retired and was replaced by Rex Tillerson, the environmental left pounced, first the</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Royal Society in London, they don’t have legal authority but they have a huge amount of intellectual authority. At first, they demanded that ExxonMobil stop funding CEI. And when ExxonMobil announced they would agree to do that, they then said, well now they have to stop funding all the other groups they fund. The same thing happened later that year with Senators Olympia Snowe, a Republican, and a Senator Jay Rockefeller, a Democrat, said, well we’re glad you stopped funding CEI, if that is indeed true, but now you have to stop funding all the other groups. Now, Exxon’s annual total was about 2.5 million dollars. 2.5 million dollars to 20 some groups. CEI is the leader of the opposition, it was the largest recipient but there were many smaller groups and bigger groups that got funding. 2.5 million dollars was something that the left thought was worth fighting over.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 08:30</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As it turned out in 2009 and 10 when the Democrats controlled Congress and the White House, it was a very close sort of thing, whether the <b>Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill</b> would be passed or not. It is a very close sort of thing. And the fact that we had lost those resources made it much harder. And people say, well there was a lot of corporate resources. Yeah, but most of the corporate resources were in favor of Waxman-Markey. So we’ve been through this before. Now what’s, I’d just like to show you what 2.5 million dollars, should make you laugh.<b> If you look at just 10 environmental groups, their annual budget is just over 900 million dollars</b>. If you add up the next 20 environmental groups, you’ll get another 8 or 900 million dollars. If you add up the next 50 or 100 you’ll get another 8 or 900 million dollars. </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>So the free market environmental community in Washington, D.C. consists of fewer than 50 people. </b>And people say, “well you have corporate allies.” Well, in fighting cap-and-trade, the U.S. Climate Action Partnership was much, much better funded than the opponents of cap-and-trade. Carbon tax. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Who supports a carbon tax? ExxonMobil, Shell, BP. So this is a David versus Goliath battle. I pointed out, it’s nice to remember that David won.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 10:08</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>So, so why is the left so intent on trying to win the debate by silencing and de-funding their opponents?</b> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Well they have a little problem, we’ve got reality on our side. Let me just point out, here’s, here’s the famous John Christy graph that shows the model results versus the actual beta. The model results predict a lot of warming. The data doesn’t show much warming. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">And the, the circles and the squares on the bottom, those are two separate data sets. One is weather balloons and the other is satellite data. They’re in pretty close agreement. They’re not in agreement with the model projections. So what does the other side do? Well the first thing they try to do is try to change reality. They try to change the facts. So they reinterpret the data so the United States climate temperature data, as reinterpreted by the federal government, they make the 1930’s and 40’s much cooler and that makes it look like there’s been a significant warming but in fact there has not.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 11:25</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So the next thing they try to do is exaggerate the impacts. And I have about 50 slides I could show you on the impacts of climate change. This is just tropical cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes. Do you see a trend? The next thing they do is try to claim that replacing, turning world’s energy economy upside down, which is currently 80 percent fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) is really easy. And it’s really cheap. And it will create huge economic growth around the world. Well they make claim of this, going back to the 1970’s, these two have lines from the Wall Street Journal show. 1978 solar power 20 percent of needs by 2000 that is more subsidies, more solar. 2006, renewable fuels may provide 25 percent of U.S. energy by 2025. They make the same claims today. And that reality is just as far from being accomplished as it was in the 1970’s. So, so when you expose all of these arguments as phony and what is left but trying to win by silencing and defunding your opponents?</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 12:49</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Now in Exxon’s case, they have already silenced them. They have already stopped funding the opponents of energy rationing and what is left to shake down Exxon and the industry.</b> That’s why you continually hear this is just like big tobacco. Big oil is just like big tobacco. So this did not start last summer when Sheldon Whitehouse, the Senator from Rhode Island, published an op-ed in the Washington Post, in which he said, “it’s time to investigate big oil and their allies, just like we went after big tobacco.” This didn’t start then. It started in 2012 when there was a conference at the in La Jolla, California, according to , where I was privileged at one point to be a graduate student. Notice the subhead, “lessons from tobacco control.” You may not be able to read these but these are just little tidbits from the report that was published and I’m not going to spend much time on it because I’m already running out of time. </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">But notice some of the organizers: Naomi Oreskes, Peter Frumhoff, also notice the name Matt Pawa, and Sharon Eubanks, and Mary Christina Wood, she’s the one who’s got the <b>children’s lawsuit </b>against climate change.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 14:12</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So on the 29th of March, the AGs United for Clean Power had a big pow wow in New York City. They had a press conference that ended with Al Gore and six AGs. Any of these AGs expressed an interest in being part of the litigation against Exxon and the idea is Exxon is the first. We move from Exxon to oil and their allies and then we move to the other fossil fuels. </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So Peter Frumhoff was one of the private speakers at this conference. Before the press conference, Peter Frumhoff briefed them. Then Matt Pawa from the Pawa law firm. So this has been going on since 2012. Here are his helpers. And I won’t go through the list but I would just mention that Tom Steyer is also involved. He is a separate track from the Rockefellers, he’s working on his own. His lawyer Ted White in Denver is the key guy. </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tom Steyer is not as important in the AGs United for Clean Power, but he is the key guy in arranging the governor’s court, the governor’s court for a clean energy future, which is the parallel organization. He’s, they’ve got not 17, they’ve got 23 governors. Four republicans. Rick Snyder of Michigan, Brian Sandoval of Nevada, Terry Branstad of Iowa and Charles Baker of Massachusetts. And they tried to get more. They tried to get Hogan in Maryland, for example, McCrory in North Carolina and so on. So right now the climate inquisition is in retreat.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> It’s in retreat because of what ExxonMobil has done. What CEI has done. And what a number of the attorneys general here today have done, in supporting our rights to free speech and freedom of association. So I want to thank Attorney General Strange for writing and getting the signers on that letter, I’m not going to go through everyone who signed it but we are very grateful and I think it had a big impact and I will talk about that later on where we go from here. But this query is far from over. Okay. Claude Walker, the Virgin Islands AG has been pushed back. Maura Healey has been somewhat pushed back. Kamala Harris is running for governor and she has gone quiet at least for the moment. But Eric Schneiderman in New York has the Martin Act, which is much more powerful.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 16:55</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So his big deal is to, he gave a speech in which he lashed out at First Amendment opportunists. Speaking out on behalf, against global warming alarmism and against energy rationing policies. His First Amendment opportunists. He’s clearly rattled by, especially the letter from AGs. He’s clearly rattled by that. So we need to keep pushing that. We need to keep saying this is a matter of constitutional rights. And the second thing is don’t believe that the other side is going to give up. This is not about winning a court case. This is a shake down of one of the biggest industries in the world. Tobacco, the tobacco settlement, it’s 10 billion dollars a year in protection money going to 46 states that litigated. 10 billion dollars a year. Think how much bigger the oil industry is, and the tobacco industry, and you get an idea of what their goals is. They see trillions of dollars in protection money and they are not going to give up. So, so they play a long game. Let me just conclude. Loretta Lynch, the attorney general, has said that the Justice Department is looking at it. And the Democratic platform advocates, it hasn’t been finally , the current Democratic party platform for this year says that they should be investigated for misleading shareholders and the public about the risks of climate change. So I’ll leave it right there and thank you very much.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chet Thompson, AFPM 18:50</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Thank you General Strange I appreciate it. Myron, I’m honored to be on the panel with you. Also, I’d like thank General Coffman, what a great location, what a great state, thanks for having us. And also General Schuette. Thank you for all the work that you’ve done. So this morning is a couple of firsts for me. First time I’ve ever lost a panelist before the session started. General Pruitt, if you guys didn’t know, was supposed to moderate it but wasn’t feeling great. And this is the first time that I’m speaking to this group. So this is a real honor for me and I appreciate it. And because I’m new I thought I’d give you a little background on AFPM. The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. I’m the president of that organization. I’ve been there for only about a year. But it’s one of the oldest associations in the country. It’s been around since 1902. And we represent in the energy , what we call the downstream sector. So that’s the U.S., you know the refining, and the petrochemical side of the shop. So basically we take crude oil and natural gas and turn it into the products that we as Americans, and really the world as a whole, use everyday for our modern way of life. We take crude oil, which is rather worthless in itself and we turn it into gasoline and jet fuel, heating oil, all the things again that we take for granted. And our petchem guys take natural gas and turn it into plastics and synthetics. And again, everything that I tell folks more and more, typically when we’re having a climate discussion, is imagine what the world would be like without our products. We think we have to bring context to this discussion. So in any event this is where our members, as you can imagine, are in the thick of this climate change battle and we really appreciate the support of folks in this room. So as you can imagine, even though we’re all refiners, it’s still a pretty diverse group, and we don’t always agree on everything. But I will tell you what our members do agree on. And that is the biggest threats that we have as an industry. The biggest threats that we have and we continue to provide our products to the country and the world, comes not from competition here or abroad. The biggest threats come from our own government and if you think about that for a minute. I was pretty astonished to hear this, again this is universal that Washington, D.C. is the place that most folks fear. Although with this green 20, maybe things are starting to spread out a little bit. But so in terms of the threat of Washington and the government, I thought I’d touch on two things today.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chet Thompson, AFPM</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">21:33 One, general over regulation. I know this is a bit off topic but again I’d be remiss not to touch on this topic given the audience today. Folks have to appreciate how difficult it’s become, both in the oil and gas industry but also manufacturing generally, to be competitive against the avalanche of regulations that continue to come out of Washington. In particular, this current administration. It’s really difficult and we see things are only going to get worse. It threatens the viability of our industry, jobs and the economy. And there are no bigger offenders right now than EPA. And again, you guys know this very well, but I say this a lot of the time so I better fact check some this to be sure. What I’m saying is just more than rhetoric. But you should be surprised, maybe not surprised, to learn during this current administration, the Obama Administration, the EPA has issued nine rules that in and of themselves have compliance policy that would exceed 1 billion dollars. So this is in addition to the rest of the federal regulatory mess. 9 rules. A billion dollars in annual compliance cost and that doesn’t include what the Clean Power Plan, if our lawsuit isn’t successful, and it takes effect, and the ozone standards could layer on top of that another 100 of annual compliance costs. So as you can imagine very, very difficult to compete in this world. The other thing is, again no secret to folks in this room. The authority that has been asserted by EPA to get these rules done clearly exceeds their authority. And I say this as a person who spent three years at EPA as deputy general counsel. I remember. And Jeff Holmstead is out there somewhere, Jeff you don’t know me, I used to run the air office in the Bush Administration. I remember, we got criticized for some of the things we tried to do to regulate mercury. Folks thought we were exceeding our regulatory authority. That’s nothing compared to what this administration is doing. So we appreciate all the help of the AGs here to keep Washington honest and to keep these lawsuits. I’ll tell you the biggest thing we see as industry and that we appreciate, is the states leading the charge to fight back on these regulations.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chet Thompson, AFPM</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">23:50 Alright so back and more to the point. The second threat to our industry right now is what I’d call the, you know the politics of climate change. You know, we’re facing a coordinated campaign to demonize, weaken and try to destroy the industry. The oil and gas industry, in particular, using the coercive powers of the federal government. As Myron said, folks are trying to make us the next Tobacco case. So I’d like to use what little time I have left to talk about a couple of things. A few more thoughts on the green 20 initiative. I agree with everything Myron has said, but I also want to bring your attention to a couple of other things that are happening that we hope you start to pay attention to, if you’re not already. And that is SEC disclosure initiative that’s underway right now. Its comment period is ongoing. It closes in a couple weeks. And then there’s this fossil-fuel divestment campaign underway. All of these are designed to attack the industry and silence speech. As far as this AGs United for Clean Power, green 20, again as others have said and frankly the name itself implies this effort is clearly an abuse of power, wholly inappropriate. It’s designed to silence critics, the trying to, it’s viewpoint discrimination. You know, pure and simple. So again as Myron mentioned some of your democratic colleagues are pushing back on our objections to the campaign in saying this is a form of First Amendment opportunism. You know, whatever that means, what in speech Schneiderman is trying to say is the First Amendment doesn’t protect fraud. Well that’s a red we’re not asserting that it does. What the First Amendment does protect is fishing expeditions like we’ve seen through these subpoenas. Targeting people based solely on the positions they hold. And threatening similar investigation of others if they don’t change their views and conform. Now I wish I wouldn’t have to say this because it’s unfortunate and I probably shouldn’t say this publicly but one of the worse parts of this campaign is it’s actually having a chilling effect. As the president of an association of an industry under attack right now, I see firsthand the uneasiness of some of our members to speak out on this issue. And whatever you feel about climate change, you should be able to speak up about bad policies. So even if you accept the premise that climate change is real and man is contributing to it, doesn’t mean you have to accept bad public policy. But what I’m seeing firsthand is a lot of our members are afraid to engage in this discussion at least robustly, out of fear of being the next Exxon. Out of fear being CEI. And it’s real and so we really need the support of folks in this room to continue to speak out because this is tough times when leadership is most appreciated.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chet Thompson, AFPM 26:55</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The other thing I want to make sure everyone gets out of this initiative is that this is not just about Exxon. This is not just about CEI. It’s not even just about oil and gas. Right, it’s about the products we make, they’re trying to shut us down, they’re trying to do away with fossil fuels. And what the other side really wants is control, right? They’ve used this tactic before, as we mentioned they’ve used it against cigarettes, they have been using it rather successfully, dare I say, against the coal industry and now they’re turning their sights on to us. And if it continues to work they’re going to continue to do it again and again. So for anyone out there in the audience who says well I don’t really care about oil and gas, I don’t have any in my state. You should care because there are certainly products out there that are on the green guys’ bad list, and if it works against us it’s going to be turned to you down the road. So again we also appreciate General Strange, all the great work you’ve done, your letter is really instrumental. Also General Pruitt, all the others, the 12 others that signed on to the letter, we really appreciate it. Now is the time to speak up.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chet Thompson, AFPM 28:05</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So let me turn quickly to a couple other things. I want to make sure you leave here at least interested in or knowledgeable a little bit about. And that is the first one is the SEC disclosure I mentioned. A few months ago in April, the SEC released what they call a concept paper. I don’t know how many of you have seen this but the purpose of the concept papers is to modernize the financial disclosures under the SEC’s regulation and buried in the 300 pages of the proposal, is a proposal, at least a solicitation of comments, on whether there should be, whether they should mandate the disclosure of non-material environmental and social policy information, including climate change. Right, so all the political social issues that are being debated now and where and how companies are impacted. The SEC is seeking comment on whether they should make that mandatory.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chet Thompson, AFPM 29:00</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">If this is approved, the concept release would overturn more than 80 years of federal law, regulations and court decisions governing corporate disclosure. Materiality used to be the bedrock of what has to be disclosed. So right now, if climate change is a material to your company, you have to make that disclosure now. But what the SEC really wants to do is go beyond that and make all companies discuss the potential impacts decades from now of climate change. Again this is, in my opinion, this is another form of stifling speech just at the other end of the spectrum. This one is trying to force folks to amplify the message of climate change proponents. So again this is a form of speech, limit speech and again viewpoint discrimination. And if you don’t believe me on what the SEC is up to. You should look at the comments of Senator has been making publicly about this. You know she recently asked the SEC in a letter to stop trade associations quote, saying whatever they want without Washington policy debates. She’s also said publicly that she was gonna block any future SEC commissioners to not pledge to support tighter disclosure rules. Again, I can’t make this stuff up. It’s happening now and you probably have seen in the last few days that the DNC party platform has adopted simpler measures. Where they adopted, they’ve encouraged the investigations of oil companies to continue and for companies quote, to be held accountable for failing to disclose climate risks. And again I assume by what they mean by being held accountable is that they’re going be treated like Exxon and like Peabody Energy. So this is really important stuff. Public announcement comment period runs until July 1. Take a look at it and submit comments. Again, it’s unlawful.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chet Thompson, AFPM 30:55</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Finally, I’ll give you before we open it up before discussion, this divestment campaign that we’re seeing now. And so there’s a campaign underway to convince state and local pension funds, public and private institutions, education institutions, to divest from fossil fuel companies with the goal like all the other initiatives we’re talking about to weaken and eventually destroy our industry. Also it’s pretty clear, it’s an effort to capture young voters. It’s really been sweeping across college campuses and so we’ve been involved in that trying to get the facts on the table, the facts of what divestiture would mean. The good news is it’s pretty clear most institutions see this that by divesting from the fossil fuel industry would be a big hit to pension funds. Some studies show that over the next 20 years, divesting from oil and gas would cost the pension endowments 12 percent of their worth. Unfortunately I was going through the list and I saw a lot of Georgetown grads in the audience. Well I’m here to tell you that Georgetown has announced they’re going to be divesting in fossil fuels, so is Syracuse. So is nation’s capital. The good news is, most of the other institutions, those that don’t typically align with us, like Harvard and MIT, Michigan and NYU, have all come out recently publicly saying they’re not going be part of that campaign because it’s not good for the institution, it’s not good for taxpayers and it’s not good for students. But the important part of this is it shows it’s part of a broader campaign against our industry. And we have to, you know, keep up the fight. So I’m gonna stop here, certainly can take any questions, but again we appreciate the leadership, general, we appreciate the support of RAGA.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange 32:45</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Thank you very much Chet and Myron. I’m gonna give you, just in a couple of minutes, my perspective as a state attorney general on this issue, then let us open it up for questions, because I think we’re dealing with something pretty extraordinary here. You know our role with AGs, certainly Republican AGs, is to uphold the laws of our states and United States in the constitution. That means all the institutions of our government, ideas come and go and we can’t rely on principles , not to be too corny about it. They were into serious trouble. And this seems to me, a developing states or whatever right term it may be. But it’s something pretty extraordinary in my experience. That’s why an extraordinary letter from 15 of my colleagues of the AGs in this country say you need to step back and look at what you’re doing here.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange 33:40</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">So let’s start, I made a few notes of AG perspectives here, I’m not gonna repeat what’s been said. One of the allegations, really what I guess they’re trying to hang their head on here is there’s some sort of fraud going on. Let’s be clear about that, this is not fraud. Simple definitions of fraud are knowingly making a false statement with the intent of getting a victim to rely on that statement to their detriment. That’s a simplified version and so I thought just for fun. Let’s take a look at something that might be closer to the traditional elements of fraud for a real life example. Remember when President Obama told us that under Obamacare, we like our health insurance, we could keep it along with our doctors. So now we know, definitively, that promise was a false representation and that President Obama actually knew it was false at the time that he made it. That promise was made to induce the American people and Congress to support the President’s agenda. And those same people were injured as a result of relying on this false representation. Now I’ll just leave it to you as to whether or not the President committed fraud under those circumstances. Should we investigate that? So it’s not about fraud, that’s not what’s going on here.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange 35:00</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Let’s look at what the AGs, the green 20, call themselves. They’re not the AGs united against fraud. Or the AGs united for clean energy. Or truth in the, truth in the climate debate, something along those lines. They said they’re the AGs United for Clean Power and the very title of their group, they’ve aligned themselves with the competitors of their investigative targets. Think about that. 2200 billion dollar green power energy industry. One of the AGs even explained that she hoped to advocate for a comprehensive portfolio renew energy sources. Now if you were, and you think about this, you know, we’re talking about . If you were launching a fraud investigation of Target for example. And I don’t mean to pick on Target but I’ll just use that you would probably call yourselves “AGs United for More Walmarts.” You wouldn’t have a Walmart representative at your press conference. And you certainly wouldn’t say that you hope to increase Walmart’s market share through your investigation. But isn’t that exactly what’s going on here?</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange 36:10</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Now I want to be clear here, because I represented energy companies in the private sector throughout my career and I was very fortunate to do so. But I really don’t care anything about Exxon. No offense to them. To my knowledge, I never received a penny from Exxon in any campaign I’ve ever run. Never represented them or anything else that . It wouldn’t make a difference if I had. And I’ve actually joined with a number of AGs states representative in this room and hold BP accountable for the largest oil disaster in our nation’s history. So I’m not carrying water for anyone here. If any energy company violates the law, I think they should be held accountable. This is not about climate change and it’s not about fraud and it’s been made very clear. It’s about whether elected officials should be able to turn against their political opponents. In contradiction of the First Amendment and our basic speech rights in this country. That’s not to say that we should never be involved in controversial issues. We are involved in controversial issues, we deal with them every day. And we should have a robust discussion without any fear that the government’s gonna use its sword against us for exercising those fundamental rights. That’s what this country is founded on, that’s what’s most important here. So let me conclude by saying that we appreciate your presence here and your participation in this debate. We are winning now. I think the, our fellow AGs that are on the other side here have pulled back to say this is going to be a long, standing effort that we need to be engaged in and be diligent about it. So that’s a real brief overview of an AGs perspective about this debate and with that I think we’re gonna have time, Samantha, for a questions, and so let’s open it up. Jason’s got the microphone. If you have a thought about this issue or the public or private sector role in. We would love to talk about it. While we’re waiting to get the microphone over here, I want to apologize for Scott Pruitt’s not being here. He went for a five mile jog right before the panel and I told him jogging is very bad for you. And I’m at higher altitude than he is. That’s why I don’t jog. But he, he’s fine, we’re gonna get by without him.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Michael Whatley, HBW Resources 38:49</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Michael Whatley with HBW Resources. I think what you guys were talking about here is obviously very, very crucial but I would like your thoughts on how this goes beyond Exxon. I think you’re exactly right. That, you know, with all the major companies that do it. It’s actually the people they’re serving and it’s the drivers, and it’s the folks that use products for all the other parts of their lives. And what do you think is the best way for us to mobilize the normal people who have to have access to affordable, reliable energy to bring to this debate, an alternative version and try and push back on the poll numbers that are driving what the Democratic AGs are doing.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Chet Thompson, AFPM 39:30</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Well, let me just start off by saying a couple of things. Part of it is education on our part. You know, we need to speak much more to the public about all the benefits that our products bring to this country and the world. And we haven’t been doing our job in that regard, frankly. The polling that we see, you know, certainly there are folks that believe that something has to be done about climate change. But that also shows that they’re not as all in as the other side thinks they are. Right? We did some polling that found the general public supports alternative energy but then we asked how much they’re willing to contribute to alternative energy in a year? The response, the mean response was $10 a year. So right, folks want reliable, affordable energy and we have to do a better job educating the public of what’s really at stake.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 40:32</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Well, Michael, that’s a great question. One of the problems is the oil and gas industry’s been so successful that we have rock bottom prices for natural gas at cent gas stations, so people don’t understand what the threat is to affordable, abundant energy. We need to look, we need to compare the heartland states that still have coal and natural gas with the states that have, that are several years ahead of the abundance energy rationing commitment. California, now the average rate is 17 cents per kilowatt hour, that’s twice the national average and they have killed manufacturing in California. California used to have a lot of manufacturing–they have zero now. So that’s one side of it. I would just say, we also, there, you know, there is a lot of skepticism about this whole agenda. I saw Paul got a lot of publicity. Eight percent of corn farmers believe that global warming is a problem. Well and the authors of the poll that tried to explain in a way that there’s I guess they don’t have any experience of weather or they’re too dumb or they haven’t been reading the New York Times or they’re not in their offices in Manhattan. But so I think we need to connect that. And finally I would just say this is about free speech and we need to keep driving that point because free speech, the constitutional protection of free speech is not to protect the rights of the majority, it’s to protect the people who are, do not occupy the positions of authority. It’s the little people, the people who aren’t heard. The New York Times always has a huge megaphone but it’s the people like CEI for example, the refining industry, who don’t have a big megaphone that need to protected.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson 42:20</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron, This is Doug Peterson from Nebraska. I want to ask you, I appreciate the history that you gave with regards to Exxon’s engagement bashing in the mid-2000’s with the Royal Society. Is there a lesson there with the corporations trying to work with someone like a Royal Society who agreed to primary target. It’s kind of like if you agree to dance with the extortionist watch out because she’ll kill you at the end of the night.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Myron Ebell, CEI 42:50</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I better not touch that question except to say at the time it happened the only message we had for our friends at ExxonMobil was, this is not, you know, if you give it once, you’ll have to give it again so. They’re, this kind of appeasement with. People misunderstand the environmental movement. It isn’t like other left-wing phenomenon. The environmental movement, when they negotiate with industry, you own the loaf, they get half of it in the first negotiation. What’s they’re, what’s the next step, well now they’ll start negotiating over the half you’ve retained. So industry has been very slow to understand that the environmental movement isn’t like dealing with the labor unions. You understand that we can’t actually kill the company and still have a job. The environmental movement wants to kill the industry.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange 44:00</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Unfortunately we’re out of time but this is such an interesting topic, our panelists will be around to talk after this. I want to thank again all my colleagues and their support on this issue and I want to thank you all in the audience for supporting our organization. I’m gonna be pleased to take over the chairmanship in November but I can promise you that when it comes to fundamental principles, rule of law, we will continue to be diligent because it’s extremely important to our country. Again thank you very much.</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/conservative-groups-pour-money-into-races-for-state-attorneys-general/2016/09/23/</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px auto 18px; max-width: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Conservative organizations are pouring money into the coffers of the Republican Attorneys General Association, which is far outpacing its Democratic rival in fundraising to elect candidates who will stand up to what they see as an activist Democratic agenda.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px auto 18px; max-width: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) had raised $15.7 million by early May, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign finance watchdog, well ahead of the $5.7 million collected by the Democratic Attorneys General Association.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px auto 18px; max-width: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Founded in 1999, RAGA has recently ramped up its fundraising efforts; in 2014, it brought in $16 million, up from $470,000 in 2002, and it claims credit for helping to increase the number of Republican attorneys general elected by half a dozen or more. Recently GOP attorneys general have cast themselves as the last bulwark against federal government encroachment and have thrown themselves against President Obama’s policies on immigration, health-care reform, climate change and Labor Department overtime rules.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px auto 18px; max-width: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RAGA has tapped into the fossil-fuel industry, health insurers and ideological donors from the right wing of the political spectrum for large infusions of cash.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px auto 18px; max-width: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The top contributions, as of early May, included $1,445,000 from the Judicial Crisis Network, devoted to blocking the appointment of liberal judges; $1,180,000 from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform; $500,000 from Republican casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson; and $451,100 from Blue Cross Blue Shield, a large health insurance company that has been struggling to provide plans under the Affordable Care Act.</font></p><div helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" light="Light" arial="Arial" lucida="Lucida" grande="Grande" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px auto 18px; max-width: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Judicial Crisis Network is backed by multimillion-dollar contributions from the Wellspring Committee; both are 501(c)(4) organizations, which do not have to divulge their donors.</font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px auto 18px; max-width: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“The amount of money is staggering,” said James Tierney, a former Maine attorney general and an adjunct professor at Harvard Law School who blames the <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Citizens United </i>ruling, which lifted limits on corporate political contributions. “But that’s because it’s legal, and it’s legal because the Supreme Court said it was legal.”</font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.8em; margin: 0px auto 18px; max-width: 100%;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Democrats have belatedly tried to duplicate the Republican model. Founded in 2002, the Democratic Attorneys General Association has recently added offices in San Francisco and Washington, and in May hired its first full-time executive director, veteran political strategist Sean Rankin. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, its top donor this year is Pfizer, with $125,000; eight others gave $100,000 each, including CVS Pharmacy, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Home Depot and Walmart, which also gave to RAGA. In 2014, the Democratic group’s largest contribution, $380,000, came from the Teamsters union...</font></p></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">http://www.alternet.org/environment/fossil-fuel-industry-paid-meeting-gop-attorneys-general-plan-attack-clean-power-plan</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>Fossil fuel giants Murray Energy and Southern Company paid for meetings with Republican attorneys general to discuss their opposition to the Clean Power Plan less than two weeks before the same GOP officials petitioned federal courts to block the Obama administration’s signature climate proposal, according to private emails</b> (see below) from state attorneys general obtained by the Center for Media and Democracy. The meetings took place at an <b>August 2015 summit hosted by the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) </b>in West Virginia, where attendees were offered the opportunity to meet with GOP attorneys general in exchange for financial donations to help reelect the Republican state prosecutors.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Confidential documents also reveal that some of the GOP attorneys general again discussed “the future of the fight to stop the Clean Power Plan” at a meeting of the Republican Attorneys General Association’s 501(c)(4) organization, the Rule of Law Defense Fund, this past April.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The previously unknown meetings and financial donations – revealed in copies of conference materials, most stamped “confidential,” that were emailed to state attorneys general who attended the summit and obtained by CMD through public records requests – offer the first look at the behind-the-scenes coordination between GOP attorneys general and the fossil fuel industry to undermine the implementation of the Clean Power Plan.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">“State attorneys general are supposed to enforce the law and serve the public interest, but instead these Republican officials have hung a ‘For Sale’ sale on their door, and the fossil fuel industry proved to be the highest bidder,” said Nick Surgey, Research Director at the Center for Media and Democracy, a national watchdog group. “It’s no coincidence that GOP attorneys general have mounted an aggressive fight alongside the fossil fuel industry to block the Clean Power Plan – that appears to be exactly what the industry paid for. Together, these documents reveal a sustained pattern of collusion between the fossil fuel industry and the Republican attorneys general on climate change obstructionism.”</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">In addition to the private briefings, the RAGA conference also included a panel presentation entitled “The Dangerous Consequences of the Clean Power Plan & Other EPA Rules,” featuring Mike Duncan, President of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) and Geoffrey Barnes, Counsel at Murray Energy, as well as three attorneys general: Scott Pruitt (R-OK), Patrick Morrisey (R-WV), and Ken Paxton (R-TX). All parties are currently engaged in legal challenges to the CPP.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Opening arguments are scheduled to begin in federal appeals court in September over legal challenges filed by the fossil fuel industry and GOP attorneys general seeking to halt implementation of the CPP.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>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.</b> 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 kayaking,<b> a five-hour golf game, and a National Rifle Association-sponsored shooting tournament.</b></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><b>An attendee list for the 2015 summer conference</b> also included representatives from Koch Industries, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), American Chemistry Council, America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA), Devon Energy, Edison Electric Institute, Georgia Power, National Mining Association, NextEra Energy, Nuclear Energy Institute, Troutman Sanders, U.S. Chamber for Legal Reform, the State Policy Network and Peabody Energy.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">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.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><em><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This <a href="http://www.exposedbycmd.org/RAGA-Clean-Power-Plan" style="text-decoration-line: none;">article</a> was originally published by CMD. To download RAGA documents obtained by CMD, click <a href="http://www.exposedbycmd.org/RAGA-Clean-Power-Plan" style="text-decoration-line: none;">here</a>.</font></em></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 32px;"><i><a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3098831-RAGA-2015-Summer-Meeting-Attendees.html">https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3098831-RAGA-2015-Summer-Meeting-Attendees.html</a></i></span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 32px;">List includes many energy companies, their lobbyists, and front groups, including Murray Energy, Southern Company, Koch, AFPM, ACCCE, American Chemistry Council, ANGA, Devon Energy, EEI, Georgia Power, National Mining Association, NextEra Energy, Nuclear Energy Institute, Troutman Sanders, US Chamber for Legal Reform, State Policy Network and Peabody Energy.</span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 32px;">--</span></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>2015 SUMMER NATIONAL MEETING FUNDRAISERS</b> </font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Saturday, August 1 Attorney General Mike De Wine (OH) Attorney General Ken Paxton (TX) Attorney General Sean Reyes (UT) Sunday, August 2 Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (WV) Monday, August 3 Attorney General Candidate Whitney Westerfield (KY) Attorney General Tim Fox (MT) Attorney General Sam Olens (GA) Attorney General Bill Schuette (MI) Attorney General Buddy Caldwell (LA) Attorney General Marty Jackley (SD) Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt (NV)</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">sr staff retreat apr 2016</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3098845/April-2016-RLDF-Senior-Staff-Retreat-Agenda.pdf</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">rivkin dravis, hugh hewitt, nathan morris coco, marclevin crim just reform, tim head faith and freedon; pruitt, reyes, </font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">; const chall to state law, agy rulemaking urah judge mchugh, kimball, wadroups</font></p><div wibbitz="embed-main-player" style="line-height: 25px;"><div class="bio-new body_environment" style="width: 630px; line-height: 22px; height: auto; border-top: 3px solid rgb(223, 223, 218); clear: both;"><div class="author-bio"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Nick Surgey is the Director of Research at the Center for Media and Democracy. His work has been featured in The Guardian, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post.</font></p></div></div></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2014</font></div><div><table class="datadisplay" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; margin: 0.5em 0px 35px; padding: 0px; width: 630px; line-height: 24px; background: rgb(224, 230, 236);"><tbody><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">1</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">US Chamber of Commerce</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$2,718,015</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Las Vegas Sands</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$1,501,269</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">3</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Judicial Crisis Network</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$1,000,000</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">4</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">American Future Fund</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$680,000</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">5</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Pinnacle West Capital</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$425,000</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">6</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ariel Corp</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$300,000</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">7</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Blue Cross/Blue Shield</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$279,900</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">8</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Altria Group</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$215,542</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">9</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Republican State Leadership Cmte</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$185,000</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">10</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ETC Capital</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$180,633</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">11</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS Assn</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$175,000</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">12</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Rule of Law Defense Fund</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$155,414</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">13</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Reynolds American</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$152,850</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">14</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Trinity Industries</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$150,615</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">15</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Vivint Inc</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$131,490</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">16</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Koch Industries</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$130,315</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">17</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Devon Energy Production</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$125,000</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">18</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Progress Project</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$120,000</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">19</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Monsanto Co</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$110,000</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">20</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Citi Business Services</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$106,540</font></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtedetail.php?ein=464501717&cycle=2016">=</a></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 24px;"></span></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 24px;">neg ads </span></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><a href="https://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/12/03/18903/where-do-ads-shaping-state-politics-come-increasingly-these-outside-players">https://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/12/03/18903/where-do-ads-shaping-state-politics-come-increasingly-these-outside-players</a></span></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 24px;">
</span></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 24px;">2015</span></font></div><div><p helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" line-height="line-height" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 28px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Learn more about six other national groups playing in the 2015 races:</font></p><ul helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" line-height="line-height" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 28px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Republican Attorneys General Association</strong>,</span> a national organization looking to fill every attorney general seat with a Republican, spent $1.1 million on ads in Kentucky’s race. Its major donors over the past 13 years include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, businessman Sheldon Adelson and the conservative Judicial Crisis Network. Democratic corporate attorney Andy Beshear beat out Republican Whitney Westerfield, despite the group’s support.</font></li></ul><ul helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" line-height="line-height" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 28px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Republican State Leadership Committee</strong>, a tax-exempt group looking to fill state-level offices with Republicans, spent an estimated $988,000 on ads about the Pennsylvania Supreme Court race, losing all three races to Democrats. Its top donors include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the conservative legal group American Justice Partnership and tobacco company Reynolds American.</font></li></ul><ul helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" line-height="line-height" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 28px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Public Integrity Alliance</strong>, a nonprofit that can keep its donors hidden, entered the attorneys general races in Louisiana and Mississippi, spending an estimated $213,000 combined airing TV ads targeting Republican Buddy Caldwell and Democrat Jim Hood. Caldwell lost his race, while Hood won. This group based in Arizona played in the 2014 Arizona attorney general primary and expanded its efforts after unnamed activists asked for help, according to its president, Tyler Montague.</font></li></ul><ul helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" line-height="line-height" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 28px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Center for Individual Freedom</strong> spent more than $748,000 on ads attacking Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell during his fight to hold his position. Caldwell lost to former U.S. Rep. Jeff Landry in an all-Republican runoff. Tobacco executives formed the Virginia-based nonprofit more than 15 years ago to combat government smoking restrictions. The nonprofit, which does not need to disclose its donors, has generally backed conservative candidates across the country, airing ads in the 2014 contests for Arkansas attorney general and Michigan Supreme Court.</font></li></ul><ul helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" line-height="line-height" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 28px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Humane Society Legislative Fund</strong>, the lobbying arm of the animal rights protection group, supported Vitter in the Louisiana governor’s race by buying an estimated $116,000 worth of ads.</font></li></ul><ul helvetica="Helvetica" neue="Neue" arial="Arial" sans-serif="sans-serif" font-size="font-size" px="px" line-height="line-height" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 28px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Bluegrass Action Fund</strong> backed unsuccessful Republican Hal Heiner for the Kentucky governorship, spending an estimated $233,000 on campaign ads. About a third of its donations came from the nonprofit Citizens for a Sound Government based in Lakewood, Colorado, which does not disclose its donors. Its chairman is Alan Philp, the COO of Aegis Strategic, a group funded by David and Charles Koch.</font></li></ul></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtedetail.php?ein=464501717&cycle=2016">https://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtedetail.php?ein=464501717&cycle=2016</a></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2016</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><table class="datadisplay" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; margin: 0.5em 0px 35px; padding: 0px; width: 630px; line-height: 24px; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"><tbody><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">1</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Judicial Crisis Network</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$1,445,000</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">2</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Las Vegas Sands</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$500,000</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">3</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Blue Cross/Blue Shield</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$451,100</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">4</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ariel Corp</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$400,000</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">5</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">US Chamber of Commerce</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$369,010</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">6</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Koch Industries</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$353,250</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">7</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Reynolds American</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$277,950</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">8</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$273,400</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">9</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Select Management Resources</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$253,240</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">10</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ETC Capital</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$251,197</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">11</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Murray Energy</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$250,000</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">12</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">RULE of LAW DEFENSE FUND-NOT A CONTRIB</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$242,698</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">13</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Purdue Pharma</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$240,000</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">14</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$190,736</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">15</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Rule of Law Defense Fund</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$175,855</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">16</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Altria Group</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$150,700</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">17</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Pfizer Inc</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$135,350</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">18</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">National Rifle Assn</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$128,860</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">19</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Vivint Inc</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$125,650</font></td></tr><tr><td class="center" style="padding: 5px; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">20</font></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">21st Century Fox</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$125,40o</font></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=2016</font></div><div><table id="vendors_table" class="datadisplay" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; margin: 0.5em 0px 35px; padding: 0px; width: 630px; line-height: 24px; background: rgb(224, 230, 236);"><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Mentzer Media Services</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$2,818,702</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Epay Business Solutions</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$1,953,808</font></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Stoneridge Group</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$415,376</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Phoenician</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$346,916</font></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">OnMessage Inc</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$341,130</font></td></tr></tbody></table><table id="expends_table" class="datadisplay" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; margin: 0.5em 0px 35px; padding: 0px; width: 630px; line-height: 24px; background: rgb(224, 230, 236);"><caption style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 2px 5px 5px 2px; margin: 0px; white-space: nowrap;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Expenditures by Category</font></caption><thead><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><th style="padding: 3px; text-align: center; background: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Sector</font></th><th style="padding: 3px; text-align: center; background: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Category</font></th><th style="padding: 3px; text-align: center; background: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Total</font></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="6" style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><em><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Administrative</font></strong></em></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Miscellaneous administrative</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$31,120</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Administrative event expenses & food</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$46,393</font></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Administrative travel & lodging</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$385,735</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Administrative consulting</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$38,319</font></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Accountants, compliance & legal services</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$223,383</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Rent, utilities & office expenses</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$183,843</font></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1" style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Campaign Expenses</font></strong></em></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Campaign mailings & materials</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$415,376</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td rowspan="3" style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: middle;"><em><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Fundraising</font></strong></em></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Fundraising data & technology</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$20,600</font></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Fundraising events</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$134,875</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Fundraising consulting</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$27,500</font></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4" style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Media</font></strong></em></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Unspecified media buys</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$3,124,633</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Broadcast ads</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$2,123</font></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Web ads</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$7,000</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Media production</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$101,014</font></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="1" style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><em><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Contributions</font></strong></em></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Contributions to state & local candidates</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$180,000</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td rowspan="1" style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Strategy & Research</font></strong></em></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Campaign data & technology</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$5,000</font></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3" style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><em><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Unclassifiable</font></strong></em></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Unclassifiable printing & shipping</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$3,082</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Unclassifiable event expenses</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$1,366,497</font></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Unclassifiable consulting</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$5,500</font></td></tr><tr style="background-color: rgb(240, 243, 246);"><td rowspan="1" style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: middle; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><em><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Salaries</font></strong></em></td><td style="padding: 5px; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Salaries, wages & benefits</font></td><td class="number" style="padding: 5px; text-align: right; vertical-align: top; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">$2,201,039</font></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">--</font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>