Uncategorized

American Tradition Institute and Senior Fellow John Droz: Honesty Problem?
2012-05-31
Three weeks ago, Checks & Balances Project (C&BP) revealed American Tradition Institute (ATI) Senior Fellow John Droz’s effort to coordinate supposedly independent, local NIMBY (“Not in My Back Yard”), anti-wind energy groups in a national disinformation campaign. C&BP uncovered these documents, which include a national propaganda plan to hurt the wind industry and materials for… Read more »
Read more
Confidential, ‘subversive’ campaign documents show fossil fuel-funded advocacy groups coordinating with local anti-wind groups
2012-05-10
On Tuesday, The Guardian newspaper used documents obtained by the Checks & Balances Project to expose coordination between local anti-wind groups and fossil fuel-funded advocacy groups’ attacking clean energy. On February 1st and 2nd, at least 2 prominent advocacy groups connected to fossil fuel interests (American Tradition Institute (ATI) and Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow… Read more »
Read more
Oil Shale: A Century of Failure
2012-04-30
Wednesday, May 02, 2012, marks 30 years since Black Sunday hit the Western Slope of Colorado, putting thousands of people out of work and devastating the region’s economy. Just two days prior, the Checks and Balances Project released a report, which examines 100 years of failed investment in oil shale.   Executive summary Since 1917, when… Read more »
Read more
Checks and Balances Project Calls for Removal of Chairman Stearns from Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
2012-03-9
The Checks and Balances Project sent a letter to Representative Fred Upton (R-Mich.) calling on him to remove Representative Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) from his chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. Allegations that Rep. Stearns tried to use a job offer and/or campaign contributions to convince a primary opponent to… Read more »
Read more
Checks and Balances Project launches accountability campaign for supporters of Rep. Lamborn’s oil shale boondoggle
2012-02-22
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 22, 2012 Denver – Today, the Checks and Balances Project launched a regional ad campaign to hold members of Congress accountable for their support of Rep. Doug Lamborn’s oil shale legislation, H.R. 3408. The ads link to online videos about Rep. Mike Coffman’s (R-Colo.) and Rep. Scott Tipton’s (R-Colo.) support of… Read more »
Read more
House passes new handouts to oil, leaves the rest of transportation bill on the side of the road
2012-02-17
The Public Lands Team at ThinkProgress Green points out that the only pieces of Speaker Boehner’s highway bill the GOP-led House has passed are the special handouts to oil companies. Interestingly, the Center for Responsive Politics reported the oil and gas industry has given congressional Republicans $8,151,215 so far this cycle. That’s compared to $1,156,820… Read more »
Read more
Statement on President Obama’s State of the Union Address
2012-01-24
The following statement is by Matt Garrington, Denver-based co-director of the Checks and Balances Project, in response to President Obama’s State of the Union Address. He can be reached at (720) 206-4348. “We applaud the President for calling for an end to taxpayer handouts to Big Oil. It’s time we invest in American innovation and… Read more »
Read more
From ‘Astroturf’ to Drilling in the West: Tim Wigley heads to WEA
2012-01-5
Yesterday, the Western Energy Alliance (WEA) announced that it had selected former lobbyist Tim Wigley as its new president. Wigley comes from the oil-and-gas lobbying firm, PAC/West where he managed its DC operations.  The experience will come in handy when managing WEA’s $70,000 to $85,000 yearly spending habit of lobbying the federal government. According to… Read more »
Read more
Vote 4 Energy: Activists Launch Parody of API’s Deceptive 2012 Ad Campaign
2012-01-4
Today, Greenpeace USA launched a new campaign that mocks the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) “Vote 4 Energy” advertising initiative. API’s multi-million dollar campaign, which launched this week, is advocating for more drilling and hydraulic fracturing in United States. Watch the ad below: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-NadlTFIA&feature=player_embedded] In a parody of API’s ad, “oil executives” say they vote for:… Read more »
Read more