Chasing Amy: Ridenour Continues Fall From Grace

authordefault
on

Among peopleย in the climate change denial business, Amy Ridenour,Amy Ridenour president and founder of the National Centre for Public Policy Researchย (NCPPR), has always been one of my favourites. She seemed like a sincere and well-meaningย idealogue, rather than someone who was on the take, and I was seduced by her folksy approach. I even liked theย way she workd her three six-year-olds into every third post, suggesting that, for her, โ€œfamily valuesโ€ is more about family than aboutย politics.

When my colleague Kevin Grandia rounded up Amy’s photo for a post yesterday, I was further impressed to see that she had been called to testify before a Senate committee – surely an honor that distinguishes her as an expert in something.

Well, apparently not. It turns out that Amy was called to testify before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee because she had been using the NCPPR to launder holidayย money for formerย Republican House leaderย Tom DeLay. Check out the Wiki post on Amyย and look especially at the old Washington Post coverage.

Clearly, this is old news for those inside the Beltway, but for us stragglers, it starts to explain the increasingly hysterical tenor of Amy’s recent ravingsย against The Post. It also casts a cold shadow of doubt over the rest of her material. It places her in the circle with convicted influence peddlars like Jack Abramoff and Enron apologists like Edwin A. Buckham.

It’s something to bear in mind the next time you see Amy arguing against increases in (other people’s) minimum wage or savaging anyone who grants well-educated climate scientists theirย due.

Is Amy an idealogue? I still think so. Sincere and well-meaning? That’s a closer call: check out the Wiki posts and decide forย yourself.

Related Posts

on

Illinois watchdog warns natural gas utilityโ€™s plan to prevent methane leaks might be a bait-and-switch for unneeded gas pipeline upgrades that will shoot up consumer costs.

Illinois watchdog warns natural gas utilityโ€™s plan to prevent methane leaks might be a bait-and-switch for unneeded gas pipeline upgrades that will shoot up consumer costs.
Analysis
on

Taxpayers are on the hook as the bitumen extraction industry continues to play by its own rules.

Taxpayers are on the hook as the bitumen extraction industry continues to play by its own rules.
on

The utility is laundering strategic messaging about the energy transition through a partnership with The Atlantic's marketing team.

The utility is laundering strategic messaging about the energy transition through a partnership with The Atlantic's marketing team.
on

The influential newspaper has repeatedly attacked the governmentโ€™s net zero chief Ed Miliband.

The influential newspaper has repeatedly attacked the governmentโ€™s net zero chief Ed Miliband.