American Energy Alliance (AEA)

Background

The American Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(4) not-for-profit organization founded in May, 2008. It is the advocacy arm of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Institute for Energy Research (IER). According to its website, the AEA “engages in grassroots public policy advocacy and debate concerning energy and environmental policies.”¹

While the stated aim of the AEA is to “educate and mobilize citizens in understanding, promoting and helping to solve America’s most pressing energy and environmental policy problems,” this education has taken the form of attack ads against political candidates and messages such as “stand with coal” and “vote no on Obama’s failing energy policy.” This has led to some questions on the validity of the AEA‘s nonprofit status, especially given the AEA‘s own statement that their group is “not political.”² ³

The American Energy Alliance once declared that it “has no ties to any political party, and it has no interest in supporting the agenda of any particular political party.”⁴ However, Brad Johnson at the Wonk Room noted that all of AEA‘s employees at the time were former House Republican staffers and AEA‘s website, EnergyTownHall.org, was also run by a former GOP house staffer.⁵

AEA has also spent millions of dollars on media advertising through Republican-orientated vendor Mentzer Media for its stated nonpartisan activities.⁶

Greenpeace reports that IER and AEA worked together on a $3.6 million anti-Obama gas price advertising campaign funded by Koch Industries. The American Energy Alliance has also received over $3.8 million from Freedom Partners, including $1.5 million in 2012, a 501(c)(6) group directed by many of the Koch brothers’ “inner circle” such as Richard Fink, Marc Short, Wayne Gable, and Kevin Gentry.⁷

Koch Connections

Both the American Energy Alliance and its parent organization, the Institute for Energy Research (IER), are run by Tom Pyle, a former lobbyist for Koch Industries. ⁸ Politico reports that Pyle regularly attends the mega-donor summits organized by the Koch brothers, including the 2012 winter summit in Indian Wells, Calif., where the Kochs raised more than $150 million to be directed to groups ahead of the general election.⁹

Nancy Pfotenhauer, another lobbyist for Koch Industries, is listed as a Director on AEA‘s 2014 990 tax return. Pfotenhauer, formerly Nancy Mitchell, was an advisor to Senator John McCain during his presidential election campaign, and a former director of Koch Industries’ Washington office. Pfotenhauer was Koch Industries’ chief in-house lobbyist from 1996 to 2001 with a focus on gas pipelines.¹⁰ In 2001, Nancy Pfotenhauer left Koch Industries to become the President of the Independent Women’s Forum (IWF) and later president of both Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and the IWF. She was also executive vice president for Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE) a group co-founded by David H. Koch.¹¹ ¹²

Many of Pfotenhauer’s organizations have received significant funding from Koch Industries. For example:

Stance on Climate Change

2015

“At a time when the Obama administration is pushing an aggressive climate agenda in Paris, public concerns about the economy and terrorism far outpace anxieties about climate change. Rather than forcing more costly climate policies on the public, world leaders should focus their attention on the economic and national security issues that matter most to people.”¹⁷

2014

“Even if the apocalyptic vision painted by Al Gore and others is perfectly true—which it’s not—measures limiting the emissions from individual cities are utterly absurd. They epitomize the prevalence of symbolism over science in our climate change policy debates.”¹⁸

“[A]ccording to official climate models, even if the U.S. enacted an immediate and total ban on all human emissions of greenhouse gases, the difference in global temperature by the year 2050 would be a mere five one-hundredths of a degree Celsius. And that’s the most that the U.S. government could possibly achieve, even if it relied on a ridiculously draconian ban on all future emissions.”¹⁹

Fossil Fuels

“The morally superior choice is for people to be free to use energy to make their lives better. Today, that means having access to the abundant energy resources of coal, oil, and natural gas. Those are the technologies that lifted the developed world out of poverty, and they continue to lift millions out of poverty while they power the high-energy lives of those of us fortunate enough to live in the developed world.”²⁰

CO2

“Carbon dioxide is not dirty, and is not poisonous to humans in concentrations we observe in the atmosphere. In fact, carbon dioxide is the natural product of combustion–whether that combustion occurs within our cells (which is why humans exhale carbon dioxide), or whether carbon dioxide results from the combustion of natural gas. Carbon dioxide is essential to life on Earth because vegetation requires carbon dioxide to survive and thrive.”

[…] The policies that environmental activists advocate for, such as shutting down our nation’s affordable and reliable coal power plants, will make energy more expensive. And as we have seen in countries that have made electricity a luxury good through ill-advised energy policy–like Germany–higher energy costs exacerbate poverty and the negative health impacts associated with it.”²¹

Nonpofit Status & Political Activities

The American Energy Alliance is registered as a 501(c)(4) not-for-profit organization, which means it is not required to disclose its funding sources and contributions are not tax-deductible. 501(c)(4) organizations, commonly referred to as “social welfare” groups, play an influential role in politics.²²

The IRS notes that “a section 501(c)(4) social welfare organization may engage in some political activities, so long as that is not its primary activity.” The IRS also notes that “The promotion of social welfare does not include direct or indirect participation or intervention in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.”²³

When the AEA filed for tax-exempt status in 2008, it told the IRS that it had no interest in supporting the agenda or any particular political party or political candidate,” reports The Center for Public Integrity. While AEA acknowledged “the possibility that some of AEA‘s publications and communications may be considered ‘political,’” the group asserted that it was a “nonpartisan policy-oriented organization,” not a ‘political’ organization.”²⁴

Tax documents show that AEA spent over $5 million on “media and advertising” with vendor Mentzer Media, a media buying firm that works primarily with Republicans, receiving $3.9 million of that amount. In 2012, AEA had produced television ads in swing states Virginia and Ohio encouraging voters to “stand with coal” and “vote no on Obama’s failing energy policy,” while claiming they were not designed to assist Mitt Romney in unseating Barack Obama.²⁵

Marcus Owens, an attorney who previously headed the IRS’ tax-exempt division, said the American Energy Alliance’s 2013 tax filing “certainly raises a red flag.”²⁶

“It’s a politically active organization,” he told Huffington Post. According to Owens, AEA‘s pre-election advertisement blitz “sounds like a lobbying message on its face.”²⁷

Funding

The following data is compiled from the Conservative Transparency project. Note that as a 501(c)(4) organization, the American Energy Alliance is not required to disclose its donors, so available data is limited.²⁸

View the attached spreadsheet for additional details on American Energy Alliance funding by year (.xlsx).

As Recipient

Donor	2008	2010	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	Grand Total
Freedom Partners			$1,460,000	$40,000	$2,367,500	$2,935,000	$1,000,000		$7,802,500
Center to Protect Patient Rights		$250,000	$864,960						$1,114,960
American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers*						$340,000	$250,000	$350,000	$940,000
Wellspring Committee	$509,000	$95,000							$604,000
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers								$50,000	$50,000
Americans for Prosperity			$15,000						$15,000
Grand Total	$509,000	$345,000	$2,339,960	$40,000	$2,367,500	$3,275,000	$1,250,000	$400,000	$10,526,460

As Donor

Recipient	2009	2011	2015	Grand Total
Institute for Energy Research		$300,000	$500,000	$800,000
Americans for Prosperity		$100,000		$100,000
United for Jobs	$15,000			$15,000
American Committment			$10,000	$10,000
Americans for Limited Government			$20,000	$20,000
Doctors for Disaster Preparedness			$10,000	$10,000
Energy Policy Network			$200,000	$200,000
Hispanic Leadership Fund			$7,500	$7,500
National Black Chamber of Commerce			$15,000	$15,000
Taxpayers Protection Alliance			$7,500	$7,500
The 60 Plus Association			$37,500	$37,500
The Buckeye Institute			$5,000	$5,000
Grand Total	$15,000	$400,000	$812,500	$1,227,500

Koch Funding

According to Greenpeace, AEA and the Institute for Energy Research have received a combined total of at least $684,742 from Koch foundations between 1997 and 2017.

Greenpeace reports that IER and AEA have received funding from Koch for a $3.6 million anti-Obama gas price advertising campaign.²⁹

According to Greenpeace, AEA received $1.5 million in 2012 funnelled through Freedom Partners, a 501(c)(6) business leaguue directed by many of the Koch brothers’ closest connections such as Richard Fink, Marc Short, Wayne Gable, and Kevin Gentry.³⁰

990 Forms

Key People

Board of Directors

The following is compiled from publicly available 990 tax forms.

Name	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	Position
Brian Kennedy	Y	Y						Director
Dan Kish		Y		Y	Y	Y	Y	Senior Vice President, Policy
Dan Simmons				Y	Y	Y	Y	Vice President, Policy
James Clarkson		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Director
John Peterson			Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Director
Lisa Wallace	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Secretary/Treasurer
Nancy Pfotenhauer							Y	Director
Robert Bradley					Y	Y	Y	IER Executive Officer
Scott Alex Beaulier		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Director
Thomas Pyle	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	President
Wayne Gable	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Chairman

Staff

Name	2010³¹	2011³²	2012³³	2013³⁴	2014³⁵	2015³⁶	2016³⁷	2017³⁸	Position
Benjamin Cole			Y	Y	Y				Director, Communications
Chris Warren					Y	Y	Y	Y	Vice President,Communications
Dan Kish							Y		Senior Vice President, Policy
Daniel R. Simmons	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y		Vice President, Policy
Doug Macgillivray							Y	Y	Director of Federal Affairs
Dustin DeBerry		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Director, Donor Relations
Genevieve Thornton				Y	Y				Director, Marketing
Hubbel Relat							Y		Vice President for State Policy and General Counsel
Jeffrey Hubbard		Y	Y						Director, New Media
John Mavretich		Y							Director, Communications
Kevin Kennedy	Y								Director, Federal Affairs
Kris Daniel							Y		Director, Development
Laura Henderson	Y								Spokesperson
Lisa Wallace		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Secretary/Treasurer
Mike Morrison					Y	Y	Y		Director, Digital Media
Robin Millican				Y					Director, Federal Affairs
Thomas J. Pyle	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	President
Travis Fisher							Y		Economist

Actions

November 26, 2024

The American Energy Alliance issued Tom Pyle’s statement on President-elect Donald Trump’s energy team nominations.³⁹

Pyle had these comments about Trump’s pick of Chris Wright:⁴⁰

“With his expertise and leadership, Chris Wright is the right person for the job. Over the past decade, Wright has led the way making the moral case for energy development, recognizing the link between economic growth and environmental progress. He is a champion for reliable, affordable energy and the role it plays in ensuring American prosperity and improving people’s lives in the developing world. His approach challenges conventional thinking while remaining firmly rooted in real-world solutions,” Wright said in his statement.

Pyle commented on Lee Zeldin:⁴¹

“One of the largest hurdles to affordable, reliable energy is our burdensome regulatory framework. Lee Zeldin understands the challenges that come with trying to innovate in a space that discourages practical solutions. His leadership at the EPA will bring the fresh perspective that is so desperately needed.”

He also commented on Doug Burgum:⁴²

“Doug Burgum hails from one of the largest energy-producing states in the country and knows what it takes to get the job done. As Governor of North Dakota, he has overseen one of America’s great energy growth stories and his perspective will be valuable as we work to grow American energy production.”

He offered these comments on Russ Vought:⁴³

“It’s encouraging to see President-elect Trump nominate Russ Vought to resume his leadership at the Office of Management and Budget. Under his direction during the first Trump administration, he focused on cutting through red tape to make government more efficient. His vision and focus are exactly what is needed in the push to strengthen America’s infrastructure and champion American energy.”

Pyle also issued a statement on news that Senator Mike Lee would chair the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee:⁴⁴

“Sen. Mike Lee has consistently been a champion of American energy and natural resource development during his tenure in the Senate. He understands that free markets are the best way to deliver for the world’s growing energy demands. His perspective is rooted in a deep respect for the Constitution and the rule of law, a perspective that is sorely needed on energy and natural resource issues. We congratulate him on his chairmanship and look forward to working with him in the new Congress, for the good of the American people.”

Pyle concluded:⁴⁵

“By assembling a team of energy experts and proven leaders, the incoming administration is positioning America to bolster its role as a global energy powerhouse. President-elect Trump is clear in his vision for affordable, reliable energy for all Americans; before he has even taken the oath of office, he is already positioning our country back on the right track and making American Energy Great Again.”

October 22, 2024

The American Energy Alliance launched a new initiative titled the Pipeline Protection Project. Tom Pyle included the following statement in AEA’s press release announcing the project:⁴⁶

“Our nation’s energy infrastructure is critical to ensuring reliable and affordable energy for all Americans. For too long, many radical activist groups have gotten away with destructive and sometimes illegal actions that jeopardize the safety of workers, communities, and the environment they claim to protect. The effort to stop the important and necessary work of building out our energy infrastructure, especially pipelines, impacts all of us.

Affordable and reliable energy heats our homes, powers our businesses, and fuels our economy. We stand firm in our commitment to promoting energy security for all Americans and to exposing these groups for the misinformation, destruction of property, violence, and other misdeeds they perform in their pursuit of stopping new energy projects. Enough is enough. These groups must be held accountable for their efforts to compromise our energy security.”

E&E News reported that Tom Pyle’s American Energy Alliance had launched the initiative “aimed at highlighting the tactics environmental groups use to protest against pipelines.”⁴⁷

“The campaign — known as the Pipeline Protection Project — intends to ‘hold green activist groups accountable for their efforts to stop the building of new pipelines,’ the conservative American Energy Alliance said in a news release,” E&E News reported.⁴⁸

Tom Pyle said in an interview said initial steps for the project included “talking about the importance of energy security” and pipelines.⁴⁹

The Pipeline Protection Project’s homepage included the following declaration:⁵⁰

“Our nation’s critical energy infrastructure is under threat

“Green activists understand the value of energy infrastructure in unlocking North America’s energy potential. They are using a wide variety of tactics, from misinformation, destruction, and even violence to pursue their aim of stopping new energy projects.

“Pipeline Protection Project is committed to exposing the truth about green activist groups such as Greenpeace USA, who excuse violence and vandalism under the guise of ‘free speech.’ We believe these groups should be held accountable for their efforts to compromise our energy security.”

October 22, 2024

The American Energy Alliance launched a new initiative titled the Pipeline Protection Project. Tom Pyle included the following statement in AEA’s press release announcing the project:⁵¹

“Our nation’s energy infrastructure is critical to ensuring reliable and affordable energy for all Americans. For too long, many radical activist groups have gotten away with destructive and sometimes illegal actions that jeopardize the safety of workers, communities, and the environment they claim to protect. The effort to stop the important and necessary work of building out our energy infrastructure, especially pipelines, impacts all of us.

Affordable and reliable energy heats our homes, powers our businesses, and fuels our economy. We stand firm in our commitment to promoting energy security for all Americans and to exposing these groups for the misinformation, destruction of property, violence, and other misdeeds they perform in their pursuit of stopping new energy projects. Enough is enough. These groups must be held accountable for their efforts to compromise our energy security.”

E&E News reported that Tom Pyle’s American Energy Alliance had launched the initiative “aimed at highlighting the tactics environmental groups use to protest against pipelines.”⁵²

Tom Pyle said in an interview said initial steps for the project included “talking about the importance of energy security” and pipelines.⁵⁴

The Pipeline Protection Project’s homepage included the following declaration:⁵⁵

“Our nation’s critical energy infrastructure is under threat

“Green activists understand the value of energy infrastructure in unlocking North America’s energy potential. They are using a wide variety of tactics, from misinformation, destruction, and even violence to pursue their aim of stopping new energy projects.

“Pipeline Protection Project is committed to exposing the truth about green activist groups such as Greenpeace USA, who excuse violence and vandalism under the guise of ‘free speech.’ We believe these groups should be held accountable for their efforts to compromise our energy security.”

May 2020

AEA hosted a watch party for Michael Moore’s documentary Planet of the Humans and, as reported by Heated, spent thousands of dollars to promote it to millions of people.⁵⁶

“It turns out the green energy movement is not so ‘green’ after all,” one of the AEA Facebook advertisements reads. “Join our ‘Planet of the Humans’ Watch Party to learn more.”⁵⁷

According to Heated, after reviewing the Facebook Ad Library, AEA spent somewhere between ten and thirteen thousand dollars over four days to promote six ads about the party.⁵⁸

Planet of the Humans was eventually removed from YouTube over copyright claims. Climate experts had previously called the film “dangerous, misleading and destructive” and asked it be taken down.⁵⁹ ⁶⁰

Planet of the Humans has been described as a “gift to Big Oil” that is “riddled with errors about clean energy and climate activism”⁶¹ while numerous sources have described its facts as “misleading” and “way out of date.”⁶²

April 6, 2020

AEA sent an open letter to President Donald Trump supporting the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles
Rule which would scrap federal fuel economy mandates under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program.⁶³

Describing CAFE, the letter contends: “Those families and individuals who prefer or need trucks, SUVs, and crossovers pay more to subsidize those who buy smaller vehicles or electric vehicles under the existing mandate. This significant, needless, and unjust cost is a very real regressive tax on American families that has made our country worse off.”⁶⁴

Signatories were listed as follows:

Name	Organization
Thomas J. Pyle	American Energy Alliance
Bethany Marcum	Alaska Policy Forum
Lisa B. Nelson	American Legislative Exchange Council
Michael Bowman	ALEC Action
Phil Kerpen	American Commitment
Rick Manning	Americans for Limited Government
Brent Wm. Gardner	Americans for Prosperity
Grover Norquist	Americans for Tax Reform
Jim Waters	Bluegrass Institute
David T. Stevenson	Caesar Rodney Institute
Norman Singleton	Campaign for Liberty
Matthew Kandrach	Consumer Action for a Strong Economy
Ryan Ellis	Center for a Free Economy
Andrew F. Quinlan	Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Jeffrey Mazzella	Center for Individual Freedom
Isaac Orr	Center of the American Experiment
Leo Knepper	Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania
Chip Ford	Citizens for Limited Taxation
Mark Mathis	Clear Energy Alliance
Craig Rucker	Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow
Myron Ebell	Competitive Enterprise Institute
Craig Richardson	E&E Legal Institute
Robert Roper	Ethan Allen Institute
Timothy Head	Faith & Freedom Coalition
Annette Meeks	Freedom Foundation of Minnesota
Adam Brandon	FreedomWorks
George Landrith	Frontiers of Freedom
James Taylor	Heartland Institute
Jessica Anderson	Heritage Action for America
Mario H. Lopez	Hispanic Leadership Fund
Fred Birnbaum	Idaho Freedom Foundation
Andrew Langer	Institute for Liberty
Vinnie Vernuccio	Institute for the American Worker
Donald van der Vaart	John Locke Foundation
Hector Barreto	The Latino Coalition
Seton Motley	Less Government
Jason Isaac	Life:Powered
Brett Healy	MacIver Institute for Public Policy
Jason Hayes	Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Christopher B. Summers	Maryland Public Policy Institute
Laurie Belsito	Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance
Harry Alford	National Black Chamber of Commerce
Jonathan Small	Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Joshua H. Crawford	Pegasus Institute
Daniel Erspamer	Pelican Institute
Horace Cooper	Project 21
Derrick Hollie	Reaching America
Mike Stenhouse	Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity
Paul J. Gessing	Rio Grande Foundation
David Williams	Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Kevin Roberts	Texas Public Policy Foundation
Todd Myers	Washington Policy Center

March 5, 2020

AEA announced a new campaign to fight against the electric vehicle (EV) tax credit. The series of digital ads urged senators to “block proposed amendments to the American Energy Innovation Act that would expand the unnecessary, inefficient, costly and unfair electric vehicle (EV) tax credit.”⁶⁵

AEA President Thomas Pyle issued a statement:⁶⁶

“Some Senate Democrats are once again focused on expanding the EV tax credit despite its gross inequities. They are using the American Energy Innovation Act as a tool to enrich two auto companies, GM and Tesla, along with wealthy coastal elites, mainly from California and New York. It’s now time for all Senators, especially Republicans, to stand up for their constituents and stop this obvious handout. No amendments, no deals, and no extensions of the tax credit.”

December 17, 2019

AEA released a statement from Tom Pyle praising President Trump⁶⁷ after he pressured lawmakers to eliminate electric vehicle and solar tax credits from a must-pass spending package:⁶⁸

“After a marathon political showdown,” Pyle wrote, “President Trump’s opposition to green subsidies has won the day. Credit is something you earn, not give away. Refusing to expand the costly, unnecessary, and unfair electric vehicle tax credit, the solar investment tax credit, and other green giveaways, is a major win for middle class American taxpayers. […] President Trump stuck to his guns against a Congress hell-bent on saddling the cost of the Green New Deal on middle class American taxpayers.”⁶⁹ ⁷⁰

Pyle also expressed frustration that the federal wind production tax credit would be extended:⁷¹

“Big Wind succeeded in securing themselves another taxpayer-funded, billion-dollar windfall, proving once again they are afraid to compete on a level playing field. You can bet they are already gearing up to take another run at picking our pockets again next year, but they won’t do so without a fight from AEA. You can take that to the bank.”⁷²

November 20, 2019

The AEA purchased a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal calling on the Republican-led Senate to “protect consumers and taxpayers by eliminating the electric vehicle tax credit once and for all.” ⁷³

The ad described the EV tax credit as a subsidy for “wealthy coastal elites,” 50% of whom reside in California.⁷⁴

AEA President Thomas Pyle justified the ad with a statement on AEA’s website:⁷⁵

“House Democrats have made expanding the electric vehicle subsidy a top priority before Congress wraps up for the year. This move would essentially enrich two auto companies, GM and Tesla, along with wealthy coastal elites, mainly from California and New York. It’s now up to the Republicans in the U.S. Senate to stop the madness. No deals, no extensions. Majority Leader McConnell and his Senate GOP colleagues must protect consumers and taxpayers by eliminating the electric vehicle tax credit once and for all. At the very least, they must block the proposed expansion of this welfare program for the wealthy.”⁷⁶

October 15, 2019

AEA promoted a recent poll, claiming it revealed a strong voter rejection of electric vehicle purchase incentives.⁷⁷

The poll, conducted by AEA in Maine, Michigan, and South Dakota, asked likely voters “how much they would be willing to pay each year to support the purchase of electric vehicles by other consumers.”⁷⁸

Some of the statements respondents were asked to agree or disagree with included:

“I usually trust the federal government to make the right decisions.”

“The citizens of the State of Michigan should not help pay for those who buy electric vehicles in California.”

“Consumers should pay for their own cars and not rely on tax credits paid for by other consumers.”⁷⁹

There were no questions relating to climate change, energy policy, or whether respondents would be interested in purchasing an electric vehicle themselves.⁸⁰

The report’s authors concluded:

“Voters’ sentiments about paying for other’s electric vehicles are especially sharp when they learn they that those who purchase electric vehicles are, for the most, wealthy and/or from California.”⁸¹

May 9, 2019

The American Energy Alliance organized open letter fighting against an electric vehicle tax credit.⁸²

“The American Energy Alliance has organized a coalition to proclaim in one unified voice that there should be no expansion of the misguided electric vehicle tax credit,” Pyle wrote in a statement, quoted at The Daily Caller. “There is no question that the electric vehicle tax credit distorts the auto market to no gain.”⁸³

According to Pyle and others who signed the letter, Electric vehicle tax credits “overwhelmingly benefit the rich.” DeSmog’s Koch vs. Clean project has systematically debunked this, among other well-rehearsed talking points and misinformation put forward by industry about electric vehicles.⁸⁴

The letter cites research by the Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a group that has received over $600,000 from ExxonMobil and millions from “dark money” groups DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund.

July 18, 2018

The American Energy Alliance, represented by Tom Pyle, was among signatories of a letter supporting an anti-carbon tax resolution from House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.⁸⁵

“We oppose any carbon tax. We oppose a carbon tax because it would lead to less income and fewer jobs for American families,” the letter read. “We support the House Concurrent Resolution in opposition to a job-killing carbon tax and urge members to co-sponsor and support this effort.” ⁸⁶

The resolution would call a carbon tax “detrimental to the United States economy.”E&E News reported it was similar to a measure that passed the House in 2016. Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida, co-chairman of the Climate Solutions Caucus, said he would not vote for the resolution.⁸⁷

“Protecting our environment and economic growth are not mutually exclusive,” he said in a statement. “The resolution presents a false choice.”

June 2018

The American Energy Alliance released the results of a poll asking voter’s opinions on electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel efficiency standards.⁸⁸ DeSmog, after reviewing the actual poll questions,⁸⁹ reported the poll⁹⁰ was an example of a “push poll,” defined by the American Association for Public Opinion Research as “a form of negative campaigning that is disguised as a political poll.”⁹¹

“Voters want to make their own decisions about what kind of cars and trucks to buy. And they definitely don’t want to pay for the toys of the rich,” the American Energy Alliance said was the takeaway from the results.⁹²

The poll was conducted by MWR Strategies, a lobbying firm whose clients have included Koch Industries and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers. The questions implant the idea that consumers are being pushed to buy certain vehicles and that taxpayers are being forced to pay for the federal programs that support EV sales.⁹³

For example, one question states that every purchaser of an electric vehicle is paid “75 hundred dollars” by the “taxpayer,” which misrepresents the mechanics of the non-refundable electric vehicle tax credit. The tax credit simply lowers the buyer’s tax rate in the year of purchase — functionally the same way that a home mortgage interest deduction or child tax credit works.⁹⁴

Another question claims that the average income of an electric car buyer is $150,000, and then asks whether the respondent thinks it’s “fair” that the buyer should “be paid 75 hundred dollars.” As of 2016, 54 percent of EV purchasers have a household income above $100,000, not $150,000. Also not noted, nearly 80 percent of EVs are leased rather than purchased, and only 38 percent of leases have a household income above $100,000.⁹⁵

Below is a sample of one split sample question, where the interviewer uses to different wordings to ask the same question:⁹⁶

The first question, set up to make respondents feel a direct personal sacrifice, 29 percent answered that this was “way too much” and 25 percent said it was “about right.” The second question, framed without the direct emotional connection, the percentage of respondents that said it was “about right” rose slightly to 27 percent, and those who said it was “way too much” dropped to 19 percent. Both wordings were misleading, considering a tax credit is not a payment from the government and not all buyers of EVs get the full value of the tax credit.⁹⁷

April 23, 2018

The AEA, represented by Thomas Pyle, was among 22 groups signed on to an open letter asking President Trump to ignore recent criticism of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.⁹⁸

In a speech to the U.S. Senate, a group of Democratic senators identified the organizations as front groups for the Koch Brothers and other wealthy donors, nicknamed the “Web of Deceit.” The senators outlined how, in addition to funding from the Koch network, many of the groups use untraceable “dark money” funneled through groups like Donors Capital Fund and Donors Trust to influence legislation, particularly with regards to climate and pollution.

Senator Whitehouse outlined it as “a web of deceit conceived and bankrolled by the Koch brothers and other self-interested billionaires to advocate for very selfish and unpatriotic policies.” Whitehouse added: “This web of deceit has infiltrated and populated the Trump administration, and it is swamping the interests of everyday Americans.⁹⁹

The full list of pro-Pruitt signatories and their respective organizations is as follows:

Saulius “Saul” Anuzius – 60 Plus Association
Fred Birnbaum – Idaho Freedom Foundation
L. Brent Bozell III – Media Research Center
Amy Oliver Cooke – Independence Institute
Wesley Denton – Conservative Partnership Institute
Viv Forbes – The Carbon Sense Coalition
Frank J Gaffney – Center for Security Policy
Steve Goreham – Climate Science Coalition of America
Phil Kerpen – American Commitment
Andrew Langer – Institute for Liberty
Lisa B. Nelson – American Legislative Exchange Council
Rick Manning – Americans for Limited Government
Jenny Beth Martin – Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund
William Perry Pendley – Mountain States Legal Foundation
Thomas Pyle – American Energy Alliance
George Rasley – ConservativeHQ.com
Sandy Rios – American Family Association
Craig Richardson – Energy & Environment Legal Institute
Craig Rucker – Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT)
Dr Jameson Taylor – Missisippi Center for Public Policy
Kyle Wingfield – Georgia Public Policy Foundation

May 8, 2017

The American Energy Alliance, represented by Thomas J. Pyle is listed on an open letter to President Donald J. Trump urging him “to withdraw fully from the Paris Climate Treaty and to stop all taxpayer funding of UN global warming programs.”¹⁰⁰

DeSmog reported that the 40 groups represented in the letter, including the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), The Heartland Institute, and the Heritage Foundation, have received a combined total of millions of dollars from the Koch Brothers, ExxonMobil, and other industry groups.¹⁰¹

Analysis also showed that the groups accepted about $80 million through Donors Capital Fund and Donors Trust, two groups that have been confirmed is a key financial source for key U.S-based climate change denial groups.¹⁰²

January 12, 2017

The AEA‘s Thomas Pyle was a signatory to a January 12, 2017 official letter of support (PDF) for Scott Pruitt, in which numerous groups, including The Heartland Institute, and others, declared that the Senate should “swiftly approve his nomination” for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Other signatories of the letter included:¹⁰³

Michael Needham, Heritage Action for America
Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform
Kent Lassman, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Adam Brandon, FreedomWorks
David McIntosh, Club for Growth
Phil Kerpen, American Commitment
Craig Richardson, Energy and Environment Action Team
David Williams, Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Harry Alford, National Black Chamber of Commerce
Jim Martin , 60 Plus
Andrew Langer, Institute for Liberty
Heather Higgins, Independent Women’s Voice
Independence Institute
Richard Martin, Americans for Limited Government
Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST)
Brett Healy, MacIver Institute
Joseph Bast, Heartland Institute
George Landrith, Frontiers of Freedom
Randy Eminger, Energy Policy Network
Paul Gessing, Rio Grande Foundation
Mike Nasi, Balanced Energy for Texas
Brent Mead, Montana Policy Institute
Forest Thigpen, Mississippi Center for Public Policy

December 2016

Thomas Pyle was chosen to head Donald Trump’s energy transition team after Mike McKenna stepped down from the position.¹⁰⁴

Shortly before his appointment, Pyle had sent a a memo (see full .pdf)—obtained and published by the Center for Media and Democracy—to a private email list outlining “The Trump Administration’s Energy Plan.” Pyle’s memo, featuring a banner with both the American Energy Alliance (AEA) and Institute for Energy Research (IER) logos included 14 policy proposals such as:¹⁰⁵ ¹⁰⁶ ¹⁰⁷

Withdrawing from the 2015 Paris Climate agreement;
Increasing federal oil and natural gas leasing;
Lifting the coal lease moratorium;
Eliminating the Clean Power Plan;
Expediting approvals of LNG export terminals;
Moving forward with pipeline projects including the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipeline;
Rolling back federal fuel economy standards;
Ending the use of the social cost of carbon in agency rulemaking; and
Reconsidering the “endangerment finding” that found greenhouse gases to be a threat to public health and welfare.

June 13, 2016

The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD/PRWatch) reports the American Energy Alliance (AEA) was named as a creditor in Peabody Energy’s recent bankruptcy filings.¹⁰⁸

While the available bankruptcy documents do not list the scale or dates of funding, they outline Peabody Energy’s financial ties to a large network of groups promoting climate change denial.¹⁰⁹

Prominent individuals appearing in the documents include climate deniers Willie Soon, Richard Lindzen, Roy Spencer and Richard Berman. The long list of organizations also includes groups such as Americans for Prosperity, American Legislative Exchange Council, CFACT, Institute for Energy Research, State Policy Network, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and dozens more.¹¹⁰

The Guardian also analysed and reported on the Peabody bankruptcy findings¹¹¹

“These groups collectively are the heart and soul of climate denial,” said Kert Davies, founder of the Climate Investigation Center, who has spent 20 years tracking funding for climate denial. “It’s the broadest list I have seen of one company funding so many nodes in the denial machine.”

The company’s filings reveal funding for a range of organisations which have fought Barack Obama’s plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and denied the very existence of climate change. […]

Among Peabody’s beneficiaries, the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change has insisted – wrongly – that carbon emissions are not a threat but “the elixir of life” while the American Legislative Exchange Council is trying to overturn Environmental Protection Agency rules cutting emissions from power plants. Meanwhile, Americans for Prosperity campaigns against carbon pricing. The Oklahoma chapter was on the list. […]

“The breadth of the groups with financial ties to Peabody is extraordinary. Thinktanks, litigation groups, climate scientists, political organisations, dozens of organisations blocking action on climate all receiving funding from the coal industry,” said Nick Surgey, director of research for the Center for Media and Democracy.

“We expected to see some denial money, but it looks like Peabody is the treasury for a very substantial part of the climate denial movement.”

Notable organizations listed in the initial documents include:

Notable individuals named in the initial documents include the following:

May 2016

The American Energy Alliance is part of a coalition of 60 conservative organizations led by Americans for Prosperity claiming that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ozone rule will cost jobs and hurt the U.S. economy.¹¹²

“The only way EPA could justify the regulation was to use questionable cobenefits,” a letter addressed to House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman James Inhofe (R-Okla.) read. “In reducing ozone, there may also be benefits from reductions of other pollutants, in this case particulate matter (PM). However, the EPA already has another set of regulations dealing exclusively with PM. Either the EPA has woefully inadequate standards for PM or it is effectively ‘double counting’ the health benefits of PM reductions to justify the ozone regulation.”¹¹³

April 2016

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reports that the American Energy Alliance is one of several Koch-funded groups including the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the State Policy Network (SPN) working to “stymie the Clean Power Plan,” President Obama’s signature effort to cut carbon pollution from power plants.¹¹⁴

In April, 2016, the American Energy Alliance itself declared that it was behind the push in state legislatures in the US to bar funding for work on the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan.¹¹⁵

“The point of these riders is to restrict the agency from putting time and attention into this regulation,” said Hubbel Relat, vice president for state policy and general counsel for AEA. “These budget riders exist in the first place because the governors insist on moving forward on a regulation that is held up in litigation and the Supreme Court has questioned its legality.”¹¹⁶

September 1, 2015

American Energy Alliance President Thomas Pyle issued a statement criticizing Michigan’s Governor Richard Dale Snyder for his plan to implement EPA carbon regulations:¹¹⁷

“The Snyder administration’s decision to wave the white flag and implement EPA’s carbon regulation is bad news for Michigan families. The governor claims this approach ‘retains control’ for Michigan, yet the opposite is true. Implementing this regulation, when serious legal challenges persist, effectively hands over the keys to Michigan’s energy future to unelected bureaucrats in Washington. Once Gov. Snyder signs away Michigan’s control over its energy future to Obama’s EPA, there is no turning back.

“Obama and EPA want states to think their only choices are to submit a state plan or have a federal plan imposed on them. Gov. Snyder has apparently fallen for this false choice. The real choice is between shielding Michigan from this harmful carbon regulation or helping President Obama carry it across the finish line as the sun sets on his presidency.

“Obama’s carbon regulation is a national energy tax that will burden Michiganders, especially the poor, with higher energy prices and fewer jobs, yet will have no impact on climate change. Michigan voters made clear their stance on higher energy taxes when they overwhelmingly rejected Governor Snyder’s gas tax proposal earlier this year. The governor should listen to the citizens in his state and join the ranks of several of his fellow governors by rejecting the Obama administration’s carbon regulation.”¹¹⁸

August 6, 2015

AEA President Thomas Pyle published an article in Medium responding to a previous post by EPA Chief Gina McCarthy “with his own six reasons as to why states and the American people should be wary of entrusting EPA with their energy futures.”¹¹⁹

Pyle contends in his article that the EPA‘s power plan, which he entitles a “carbon agenda” will have “no impact on climate change,” will “[hurt] Americans’ health,” “relies on threats and bribes,” and “was written by the environmental lobby,” among other criticisms.¹²⁰

August 3, 2015

AEA President Thomas Pyle issued the following statement criticizing President Obama’s Clean Power Plan:¹²¹

“The final version of President Obama’s ‘Clean Power Plan’ is somehow more harmful than the proposed rule. It forces states to make even steeper cuts, it guts natural gas in favor of costly renewables, and it still has no effect on climate change. While the EPA touts these adjustments to the rule as a sign of ‘flexibility’, it’s really an admission that Obama needs states to do his dirty work. But state leaders shouldn’t give in to the administration’s bribery schemes. Regardless of these cosmetic changes to the rule, the fundamental flaws remain.

“It’s important to remember that President Obama’s carbon regulation, the crown jewel of his climate legacy, has no impact on climate change. EPA’s own models show that their carbon rule will limit global temperature rise by a mere 0.018 degrees Celsius by 2100. That’s a bad deal for the American people. State leaders should protect their citizens from Obama’s costly carbon rule by refusing to submit a plan.”

July 30, 2015

The American Energy Alliance launched a new initiative at SmartPowerPlan.org, which it describes as “a hub for the latest information on how states and the public are fighting back against the EPA’s so-called Clean Power Plan.” AEA calls it a “one-stop shop” for “the latest news, legal analysis, public comments, and state action against the EPA’s carbon rule.”¹²²

According to WHOIS archives, the American Energy Alliance registered the website smartpowerplan.org on May 12, 2015.¹²³

According to their website, the Smart Power Plan consists of three principles that “that should guide both elected officials and regulators when composing energy policy”:¹²⁴

“1. Make Americans’ Lives Better Not Harder: We support individuals picking the most reliable, abundant, and affordable energy sources free from government interference. Natural gas, oil, and coal, which account for two-thirds of our electricity, enrich our lives and allow families to spend more of their hard-earned income on health care, housing, education, and their pursuit of happiness. We embrace individual choice over government mandates.

“2. Base Policy Decisions on Science and Common Sense: Any public policy that creates new burdens on individuals and families should be subject to rigorous scrutiny that measures the full range of costs and benefits. Unfortunately, the EPA’s Carbon rule fails this basic test. The claimed benefits used to justify the rule are based on dubious science, while the huge costs will diminish Americans’ health, wealth, and environment.

“3. Hold Our Elected Officials Accountable: Our foremost concern is that states, individuals, and markets drive U.S. energy policy. Increasingly, regulators at federal agencies like the EPA have co-opted the decision-making power and circumvented the legislative process. We need binding action from our elected officials to preserve the authority of states over any significant energy tax hikes and new mandates on their states’ residents.”

February 2015

The AEA began publishing articles linking back to an “initiative” titled “Divestment Truth” (#DivestmentTruth). AEA argues that a “morally bankrupt movement is trying to keep billions of people in poverty, deny people access to energy, and forbid access to the lifesaving products that come from coal, natural gas, and oil […]” and asks readers to “Help us fight against this misguided movement, and take back the reliable, affordable energy that drives America forward.”¹²⁵

Publications filed under Divestment Truth include a June, 2015 op-ed in Forbes by Institute for Energy Research Founder and CEO Robert Bradley Jr. titled “Fossil Fuel Divestment: Flight From Reality.” According to Bradley, “Divestment is a solution looking for a problem. It is destined to fail […].”¹²⁶

AEA also published a political cartoon depicting a “fossil fuel divestment protestor” with and without fossil fuels which was also shared on social media.¹²⁷

According to AEA, “The fossil fuel divestment movement […] has it backwards. The morally superior choice is for people to be free to use energy to make their lives better. Today, that means having access to the abundant energy resources of coal, oil, and natural gas. Those are the technologies that lifted the developed world out of poverty, and they continue to lift millions out of poverty while they power the high-energy lives of those of us fortunate enough to live in the developed world.”¹²⁸

November 4, 2015

AEA released “10 Reasons to Oppose a Carbon Tax” on its Energy Townhall publication. According to AEA, “A carbon tax would impose an indirect tax on [natural gas, oil, and coal] due to their carbon dioxide emissions.” They list the following “ten reasons” they believe a carbon tax should be opposed¹²⁹

“1). It is a tax on transportation fuels like gasoline and most forms of electricity
2). It will increase the cost of goods and services
3). It disproportionately hurts low income communities and seniors
4). It damages American economic competitiveness
5). It may increase air pollution
6). It does not impact climate change
7). It is not a market-driven solution
8). It is a tool for politicians to continue wasteful government spending
9). It is not ‘revenue-neutral’
10). The American public is opposed to it”

November 21, 2014

AEA President Thomas Pyle published an op-ed in the Las Vegas Review-Journal titled “It’s time for wind tax credit to get blown away.” Some excepts below:¹³⁰

“One of the central building blocks of the EPA’s power plant rule is increased use of wind and solar for electricity generation. But wind and solar are uncompetitive without massive taxpayer subsidies and mandated renewable portfolio standards. For wind, that takes the form of the production tax credit. […]

“Congress should reject any attempt by [Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid to revive the wind production tax credit in the lame-duck session. It’s clearly a bad deal for Nevadans, enriching out-of-state billionaires at the expense of working families.”

September 2014

The American Energy Alliance wrote a coalition letter, signed by 20 organizations, to congress claiming widespread support for “The PTC Elimination Act”, which would cut subsidies for wind energy production, Huffington Post reports.¹³¹

The Energy and Policy Institute examined the signatories list and found that 18 of the signatories had signed a similar letter for the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity in June of 201, and that 14 have ties to fossil fuel funders, and 18 have ties to the Koch Brothers’ political network.¹³²

May 2014

The American Energy Alliance spent over $400,000 on television ads attacking Senator Mark Udall and accusing him of opposing construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Video below.¹³³

“The simple truth: Americans needs jobs,” the narrator reads. “And the Keystone pipeline will create thousands of high-paying jobs.”

“Sen. Mark Udall is siding with Washington lobbyists and special interests to kill it,” the ad states.

March 2012

The American Energy Alliance launched a $3.6 million ad campaign criticizing President Barack Obama on gasoline prices, and criticizes his decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline, Politico reports.¹³⁴

Politico notes that both the American Energy Alliance and IER are partly funded by the Koch brothers and their donor network. Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse accused the Koch brothers of “funding yet another shadowy outside group to defend the interests of Big Oil and protect their own tax breaks and profits with Mitt Romney being the ultimate beneficiary.”

Video from the AEI ad campaign below:

August 2009

The American Energy Alliance set off on a nation-wide campaign “to smear President Barack Obama’s clean energy reform agenda,” reported Thinkprogress. AEA staff rode in the “America Energy Express” bus, claiming that the American Clean Energy and Security act will “cripple our sluggish economy.”¹³⁵

September, 2008

The American Energy Alliance funded pro-drilling radio ads in Colorado, including one criticizing Colorado Democratic Senate candidate Mark Udall, NPR reports.¹³⁶

American Energy Alliance Contact & Location

As of May, 2016, the American Energy Alliance listed the following contact information on their website:¹³⁷

American Energy Alliance
1155 15th Street NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005

Phone: 202.621.2940
Fax: 202.741.9170
Email: info@energydc.org

Media Contact: Christopher Warren | 202.621.2947 | cwarren@energydc.org

Institute for Energy Research (IER) — Parent Organization
Smart Power Plan — An “Initiative” of the AEA designed to fight the Clean Power Plan.¹³⁸

@AEA on Twitter.
“American Energy Alliance” on Facebook.
“American Energy Alliance” on LinkedIn.

Other Resources

Resources

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