Guest guest Posted July 11, 2004 Report Share Posted July 11, 2004 > GMW:_CEI_tears_into_senators > " GM_WATCH " <info > Sun, 11 Jul 2004 19:18:08 +0100 > > GM WATCH daily > http://www.gmwatch.org > ------- > The Competitive Enterprise Institute takes money > from Monsanto. It has a staffer (Greg Conko) as Vice > President of Prakash's AgBioWorld, which it claims > is part of its wider campaign against " Death by > regulation " . > > The CEI has also received nearly $1.5 million in > donations from ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil > company, and lobbies accordingly. > > Among many other statements denying the seriousness > of global warming, CEI has argued that climate > change would create a " milder, greener, more > prosperous world " . > http://www.exxonsecrets.org > > For more on CEI: > http://www.lobbywatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=30 > ------ > Lobbyist e-mail tears into senators > By JOAN LOWY > July 7, 2004 > http://www.sanangelostandardtimes.com/sast/news_national/article/0,1897,SAST_495\ 7_3019004,00.html > > A lobbying strategy memo that describes targeted > senators in unusually disparaging terms was > inadvertently sent to news reporters Wednesday by an > industry supported think tank opposed to legislation > to combat global warming. > > The memo describes Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., as > " our leading internationalist (who) wants to send > even more manufacturing jobs in Indiana overseas so > that important diplomats at UN receptions will be > nice to him. " > > Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., " hates Bush " and " is > increasingly frail, " the memo said. Tim Johnson, > D-S.D., another targeted senator, probably will not > change his vote, the memo says, " but it's fun to see > him squirm back home. " Other senators are described > in similarly negative fashion. > > Myron Ebell, head of the climate section at the > Competitive Enterprise Institute and a prominent > figure in public policy debates over global warming, > acknowledged that he inadvertently sent " three or > four reporters " a memo outlining the lobbying > strategy of opponents to the bipartisan > global-warming bill. > > " I was sort of careless, " Ebell said in response to > a call from Scripps Howard News Service. " I'm always > blunt. Anything I produce I'm not ashamed of having > publicized. " > > The bill outlines a lobbying strategy, including a > list of targeted senators and talking points for > defeating a bill sponsored by Sens. John McCain, > R-Ariz., and Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn. The bill is > aimed at curbing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse > gas emissions. > > The bill was defeated in the Senate last fall, but > garnered more votes than generally expected. McCain > has said he hopes to get another vote on the bill, > possibly this week. > > " It is not clear at all that he (McCain) will get > more votes than the 43 Senators who voted in favor > last October 30th. But we need to work to make > sure, " Ebell wrote in the memo. > > " On the other side, the environmentalists are > working this vote very hard and spending lots of > money that our side doesn't have. They are trying to > flood offices with phone calls. " > > Targeted senators identified in the memo include: > > - Evan Bayh, D-Ind., who " voted yes because Lugar > voted yes . . . As Governor, Bayh helped a once > economically buoyant State become a laggard, so why > wouldn't he want Indiana to keep declining. " > > - Peter Fitzgerald, R-Ill., " who voted no last time. > Fitzgerald leans Green and is retiring, which always > encourages irresponsibility. So he needs shoring > up. " > > - Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who " likes to surprise us, > although seldom in the right way. " > > The Competitive Enterprise Institute has received > nearly $1.5 million in donations since 1998 from > ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil company, > according to a recent report by the environmental > group Greenpeace. > > Ebell confirmed in an interview that ExxonMobil > contributes about $200,000 to $400,000 a year to the > climate section he heads up. > > " Geez, these guys are pretty ruthless, " said Mark > Helmke, a spokesman for Lugar and a former lobbyist. > " When you say disparaging things about members you > sure don't ingratiate yourself. " > > Casey Aden-Wansbury, a spokesman for Lieberman, said > the memo is an indication " our opponents think our > bill could pass - and they're right. " > > On the Net: www.cei.org > > www.exonsecrets.org > > (Contact Joan Lowy at LowyJ(at)SHNS.com. Distributed > by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com) > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.