Koch Industries and Exxon Mobil have been involved in writing state energy legislation through a Washington-based policy institute funded by both corporations, according to documents obtained by Bloomberg News.
The two oil giants were able to join the American Legislative Exchange Council at the drafting table for state laws related to issues such as energy, taxes, and agriculture, by paying a fee between $3,000 and $10,000, the documents say.
Koch, a large oil and gas conglomerate, is known for its critical views on climate change and any efforts to cap or regulate carbon emissions. Both Koch and Exxon have also been historically been tied to the Heartland Institute, which questions both the scientific consensus on climate change and the health risks associated with tobacco.
In addition to producing model bills targeting President Obama’s health care overhaul, the American Legislative Exchange Council has also targeted the Environmental Protection Agency, which has been a focus for a number of House Republicans in the last year. The group hosts nearly 1,000 model bills on its website.
As a tax-exempt organization, ALEC is not required to disclose its corporate donors nor does it reveal its corporate and legislative members. ALEC spokeswoman Raegan Weber told Bloomberg that the group’s primary concern is to promote “good conservative policy.”
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