Fourteen men representing the Alliance for Energy and Economic Growth (AEEG) are meeting with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Kerry (D-MA), and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) to negotiate the terms of comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation. Brad Johnson has the background of this remarkably non-diverse group.
Per Matt Yglesias’s note that the “male-dominated nature of Wall Street is a source of dysfunction,” meet the AEEG:
Left to right, top to bottom: David N. Parker, Ed Hamberger Jr., Evan R. Gaddis, Rich Nolan, Jay Timmons, Marv Fertel, Erik Heilman, John S. Shaw, R. Bruce Josten, Thomas R. Kuhn, Mark Maslyn, Jack Gerard, James C. May, Dave McCurdy.
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The AEEG is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce-managed working group of the trade associations representing America’s carbon-pollution industries, founded in 2001. Five of these AEEG representatives sit on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Association Committee of 100, helping shape the organization’s policy.
Five of the groups are suing to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s scientific finding that greenhouse gases are harmful pollutants — the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Petroleum Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Portland Cement Association, and the American Farm Bureau Federation. The American Petroleum Institute ran an astroturf campaign against the House climate legislation last year, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce called for a “Scopes monkey trial” on the science of climate change.
The least conservative of the industry lobbyists are Dave McCurdy of the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers, a former New Democrat congressman from Oklahoma (and Wonk Room guest blogger), and former general Evan Gaddis of the National Electric Manufacturers Association. Seven of the lobbyists were George W. Bush contributors, and two others — Erik Heilman and Rich Nolan — were Republican staffers. The overall political contributions of these fourteen men is whoppingly Republican, either as a direct contribution or funneled through conservative industry political action committees. They’ve donated $326,497 to Republican candidates compared to $100,346 to Democrats, more than a three-to-one ratio:
The Alliance for Energy and Economic Growth representatives meeting with Sen. Kerry, Graham, and Lieberman:
| Industry Representatives at Climate Negotiations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representative | Title | Organization | Pct D | |
| Marv Fertel | director and CEO | Nuclear Energy Institute | 13 | |
| Evan Gaddis | president and CEO | National Electrical Manufacturers Association | 47 | |
| Jack Gerard | president and CEO | American Petroleum Institute | 20 | |
| Ed Hamberger | president and CEO | American Association of Railroads | 5 | |
| Erik Heilman | senior director of government affairs | American Forest & Paper Association | N/A | |
| Bruce Josten | executive vice president for government affairs | U.S. Chamber of Commerce | 14 | |
| Tom Kuhn | president | Edison Electric Institute | 28 | |
| Mark Maslyn | executive director of public policy | American Farm Bureau | N/A | |
| James C. May | president and CEO | Air Transport Association | 33 | |
| Dave McCurdy | president and CEO | Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers | 76 | |
| Rich Nolan | vice president of government affairs | National Mining Association | 0 | |
| David N. Parker | president and CEO | American Gas Association | 27 | |
| John S. Shaw | senior vice president of government affairs | Portland Cement Association | 0 | |
| Jay Timmons | executive vice president | National Association of Manufacturers | 2 | |
| Pct D: Percentage of political contributions to Democrats. | ||||
This is a Wonkroom repost.