Washington, D.C. – Today, 13 Science, Space, and Technology Committee Republicans sent letters to 17 state attorneys general and eight environmental activist organizations. The letters request documents related to the groups’ coordinated efforts to deprive companies, nonprofit organizations, scientists and scholars of their First Amendment rights and their ability to fund and conduct scientific research free from intimidation and threats of prosecution.
Americans are entitled to express their views on matters of science and public policy even if certain groups disagree.
“On March 29, 2016, you and other state attorneys general – the self-proclaimed ‘Green 20’ – announced that you were cooperating on an unprecedented effort against those who have questioned the causes, magnitude, or best ways to address climate change,” the letter states. “The Committee is concerned that these efforts to silence speech are based on political theater rather than legal or scientific arguments, and that they run counter to an attorney general’s duty to serve ‘as the guardian of the legal rights of the citizens’ and to ‘assert, protect, and defend the rights of the people.’”
Former Vice President Al Gore spoke at the March 29 press conference and addressed the need to prosecute fossil fuel energy companies for engaging in fraud. Gore and the Green 20’s efforts are part of a larger strategy to achieve the president’s sweeping, job-killing climate change agenda.
Reports show 14 green-tech firms that Gore invested in benefited from over $2.5 billion in loans, grants and tax breaks as part of the administration’s push to fund U.S. renewable energy industry with taxpayer funds.
In testimony before the Committee, scientists projected the cost of the administration’s carbon dioxide regulations at $39 billion to American consumers and businesses annually. However, senior administration officials themselves have admitted that these regulations will have a negligible effect on global temperatures.
Since the March 29 press conference, members of the Green 20 have rapidly expanded their legal actions against those who question the administration’s climate change agenda. These legal actions include subpoenas for documents, communications and research that would capture the work of more than 100 academic institutions, scientists and nonprofit organizations.
The Committee has a responsibility to protect the First Amendment prerogatives of academic institutions, scientists and nonprofit organizations and will continue to do so.
The letter(s) to the attorneys general can be found HERE.
The letter(s) to environmental organizations can be found HERE.
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How important is this? VERY!
An example:
About Island Press
The only nonprofit organization in the U.S. whose principal purpose is the publication of books on environmental issues and natural resource management.
Support from includes:
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Tides Foundation
Oak Foundation
MacArthur Foundation
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
http://unep.org/maweb/documents.document.766.aspx.pdf
Check the funding for the World Resources Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Also check the Energy Foundation and ClimateWorks Foundation and many others.
Correction: http://unep.org/maweb/documents/document.766.aspx.pdf
The GOP establishment will huff and puff and blow themselves off a cliff just as they’ve done on every other controversial battle with Obama.
The election might fix this issue but the current GOP and congressional Republicans will not. You can take that to the bank.
Interesting. Even a year ago, a conversation like this would not have considered that prosecution against these evil people would have even been possible. Now at least a few people see it as a real possibility. All it actually takes to bring them to book, is that enough people believe they can be prosecuted and then the “ruling elite” will bow to popular demand.
IT is great news to see a clique of lobbyist AG’s are not going to get away with attempting to erode First Amendment rights . The AG’s stood up to lobby for an industry and Gore took the opportunity to use the cloak of credibility of others . This is becoming a reoccurring pattern . Last time it was some scientists this time a group of AG’s . Why weren’t the green lobby groups they are working with onstage too ? Why do these AG’s even have jobs after promoting an industry while on the tax payers dime ? Do any of these AG’s own shares in the industry they are promoting ? How can those AG’s preserve tax payer interests while lobbying for an industry that sucks up $$ Billions in tax payer grants and loan guarantees ? How can this ethically be allowed ?
Well done to those on the Science ,Space and Technology Committee for standing up for rights so
many fought to attain .These AG’s need to take their talents to China where their skill set will be accepted .
Nothing but projection from the Greens and Alarmists. If they want to see fraud, all they need to do is look inward.
I am astonished that 20 state Attorneys General would join in the endeavor. It speaks poorly for America’s justice system that so many are willing to eviscerate freedom of speech.
The ‘ Green 20’ actually seems to consist of only 17 people, which fits with the accuracy of all things climate related. It is possible, though, that another 3 desperados are hiding out in Al Gores mansion.
I am astonished that 17 state Attorneys General would join in… etc.
Rabbit, isn’t it wonderful what a few $$ and promises won’t accomplish isn’t it? Because it sure stinks to high heaven what these 20 are trying (or were trying) to do.
Where is the Committee letter to Al Gore ? Why the free pass ? Clearly he was there ,he made allegations of fraud and he didn’t just accidentally parachute into a group of AG’s . Where is the correspondence request
of AG’s to Al Gore and vice versa ? Who invited Al Gore to join the group press conference ?
“AGs for Clean Power ” . Is that referring to AL Gore ? What role or relationship does any activist group or individual have with this group of AG’s ?
Gore did get a letter. See the letter to The Climate Reality Project in the environmental organizations link.
And the letter to Al Gore ?
What goes round, comes round.
FD
What Coulter says is only the tip of the Clinton iceberg.
Contra Cocaine, murder, preying on young women in Arkansas and using the state police to do it.
50 people connected to the Clintons have died in very mysterious circumstances.
Obama also has a significant dead pool
Like the guys who claimed he was gay, all dead.
As a friend who lives in Arkansas explained to me – when Bill was running for president everyone in the state was pushing “Vote for Bill – get the Clintons out of Arkansas”
Asterix; Ils sont fou ces Romains
Oui , et ils ne recueillent pas de crânes!
Oui , et ils ne recueillent pas de crânes!
Probablement leurs navires sont déjà chargés et depuis plus d’espace est disponible pour le crâne !
As a brit (with US family) looking in:-
First off, I wish you well with your endeavours. We have been on the receiving end of the Green propaganda machine and state sponsored Stasi in the UK and Europe for the last 20 years.
Secondly, If the political elite and the 1% believe what they say and continue to persecute the Power companies, then it would not seem unreasonable that the odd Power company sympathetic to the wishes of these Politicians/1% cease supplying fossil fuelled power to their buildings. I note the Washington DC, PEPCO fuel mix is quoted as: Coal 39.4%, Gas 21.0%, Nuclear 34.9%, Other fossil Fuels 0.3% and the sum of all Renewables at 4.4%. This would be a good place to start.
Let see A) how effective the alternative arrangements they make are and B) how long they stay in power when the actions they advocate for all, hit home. Let the sword of Damocles hang over their heads.
It all seems so very “Atlas Shrugged”, doesn’t it. The desperation to self destruct.
As the coal-fired units go down so does the electric supply. When the repairs are too expensive on a generating unit, they are just shut down.
Conversion to natural gas not even considered.
The Greens need to get popcorn banned pronto. Too many conservatives are users at the moment.
LOL. Good one. 🙂
bevore 2 months General Attorney of NY didn’t know how to read a prepaid iphone.
On Virgin Island anything goes.
“Gore and the Green 20’s efforts are part of a larger strategy to achieve the president’s sweeping, job-killing climate change agenda.”
Wouldn’t it be interesting if this conspiracy ended up including the President?
“Gore and the Green 20’s efforts are part of a larger strategy to achieve the president’s sweeping, job-killing climate change agenda.”
Wouldn’t it be interesting if this conspiracy went all the way up to the president?
Charlie
Thanks . I missed that . Lets get this straight, some AG’s, without legislated authority or demonstrated State approval define themselves as a group that includes hooking up with a global warming promoter. They threaten to ferret out people in companies that don’t say what they want to hear . They make unsubstantiated allegations of fraud but have no proof so wish to use their government positions to go on a fishing expedition while lobbying for grant seeking companies .
These people are very well aware of laws to protect freedom of speech and what constitutes a conflict of interest . Why would they do any of this instead of protecting tax payers interests who have subsidized and lost hundreds of millions to companies in the very industry this group is advocating for ?