Virginia

Coalition Sends Letter to Duke Energy CEO: Drop ALEC
2012-08-29
Today, the Checks & Balances Project joined a coalition of democracy advocates calling on Jim Rogers, Chairman, President and CEO of Duke Energy Corporation, to drop his company’s affiliation with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC serves as a conduit to feed big business-sponsored legislation to members of state legislatures across the country. ALEC’s… Read more »
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The story behind The Road to Nowhere
2012-08-23
Jeff Hartley, a lobbyist for oil shale company Red Leaf Resources, interviewed with Utah-based NPR affiliate KCPW in early August. Mr. Hartley used the interview to try to spin the facts and deny that the Seep Ridge Road project is a taxpayer-funded subsidy for Red Leaf. The project, dubbed the “Road to Nowhere” in the… Read more »
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Oil and gas welfare queen parking only
2012-08-2
Remember back when Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said he would have EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson in front of Congress so often she’d need her own parking space? Maybe he should have made the same offer to oil and gas welfare queen Kathleen Sgamma. Today’s Energy and Power Subcommittee hearing marks the… Read more »
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An Open Letter to Gov. Cuomo: Drink This?
2012-07-16
Dear Governor Cuomo: As you move closer to deciding whether to allow fracking to contaminate your residents’ water, we thought it was only fair to let you know what your residents are in for. Here is water from Westmoreland County, PA, that was contaminated by fracking chemicals. The sample was collected there in November 2011… Read more »
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It’s DÉJÀ vu all over again – Oil-backed politicians hold conference call to push new handouts to oil companies
2012-06-14
The House Majority leadership has declared it will bring a package of  “oil-above-all” bills to a vote next week. They’re calling the bills the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act (DEJA). We’re calling it the DÉJÀ VU bills, because it’s simply more of the same: Oil-sponsored politicians are trying to create new government handouts to their… Read more »
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Could be a sequel to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
2012-06-8
Alan Prendergast at Westword tells the story of Rep. Jared Polis’ successful effort to stop a new $25 million giveaway for the failed energy source oil shale. And he starts it with the best headline we’ve ever seen: Jared Polis, zombie killer, dispatches undead oil shale subsidies (Also, thanks for the shout out Alan) Excerpt:… Read more »
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Issa continues to lead oil crusade against renewable energy
2012-05-31
Champions oil above everything else for campaign donors Matt Garrington, Denver-based co-director of The Checks and Balances Project, offered the following statement and facts regarding today’s hearing on Thursday’s Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on an all of the above energy policy: “Chairman Darrell Issa’s (R-Cal.) own words show that his idea of an… Read more »
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Colorado congressmen continue putting donors before families
2012-05-16
Matt Garrington, Denver-based co-director of The Checks and Balances Project, offered the following statement and facts regarding today’s markup of three bills sponsored by Colorado House Republicans that would create more giveaways to the oil and gas industry: H.R. 4381, H.R. 4382 and H.R. 4383. “Reps. Doug Lamborn, Scott Tipton, and Mike Coffman should have… Read more »
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After a century’s worth of lessons, government needs to stop picking the same loser
2012-05-10
Matt Garrington, Denver-based co-director of The Checks and Balances Project, offered the following statement and facts regarding today’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment hearing discussing the failed energy source, oil shale. “Chairman Hall and others have argued against clean energy, saying the government shouldn’t pick winners and losers. Yet today they’re holding a hearing on… Read more »
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