Misleader Home A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion
Photo: Collage of President Bush and White House
Navigation: Who We Are Navigation: Special Reports Navigation: Ask the Experts Navigation: Feedback Navigation: Donate Navigation: Tell a Friend Navigation: Contact Us




A Daily Chronicle of Bush Administration Distortion July 22, 2004

     

Bush Follows Demands of Donors on Global Warming



In 2000, President Bush promised that, if elected, he would work to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming.1 Yet, upon taking office, he withdrew American support from the Kyoto Treaty to regulate carbon dioxide,2 and he dismissed a report from his own Environmental Protection Agency pointing out carbon dioxide's critical role in global warming.3 Now, with the White House having done nothing to address the growing problem, elected attorneys from New York City and eight states filed a lawsuit this week to force five utilities to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.4

Why has President Bush reversed his position on carbon dioxide/global warming, and why has he refused to confront these energy companies himself? Because they are among the top donors to Republicans and the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Among the defendants in the case are:

Southern Company, a company that has given almost a half million dollars to Republicans congressional candidates5 since 2000; has given more than $1.1 million in soft money to the Republican Party;6 and whose executives7 and political action committee8 have given more than $79,000 directly to the Bush-Cheney campaign.

American Electric Power Company, a company that has given more than $550,000 to Republican congressional candidates9 since 2000 and whose executives10 and political action committee11 have given $24,000 to the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Cinergy Corporation, a company that has given almost $200,000 to Republican congressional candidates12 since 2000; has given more than $360,000 in soft money to the Republican Party;13 and whose executives14 and political action committee15 have given more than $27,000 to the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Sources:
  1. "Representative Tom Allen Criticizes Bush Broken Promise on CO2 Emissions from Power Plants," Representative Tom Allen, 03/14/01.
  2. "USA withdraws from Kyoto protocol ," Directorate of Environmental Affairs, 3/29/01.
  3. "Bush Disses Global Warming Report ," CBSnews.com, 06/04/02.
  4. "Suit targets carbon dioxide emissions by utilities ," Indystar.com, 07/22/04.
  5. "Southern Co 2004 PAC Summary Data," Opensecrets.org.
  6. "Soft money donors found for Southern Co.," Opensecrets.org.
  7. Opensecrets.org.
  8. "Southern Co 2004 PAC Summary Data," Opensecrets.org.
  9. "American Electric Power 2004 PAC Summary Data ," Opensecrets.org.
  10. Opensecrets.org.
  11. "American Electric Power 2004 PAC Summary Data," Opensecrets.org.
  12. "Cinergy Corp 2004 PAC Summary Data," Opensecrets.org.
  13. "Soft money donors found for Cinergy," Opensecrets.org.
  14. Opensecrets.org.
  15. "Cinergy Corp 2004 PAC Summary Data," Opensecrets.org.



Misleader Archive