Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI)
Background
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) was founded in 1984 and describes itself as โa non-profit public policy organization dedicated to advancing the principles of limited government, free enterprise, and individual liberty.โ1โAbout,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/IpJWA
CEI pursues what it calls a โfull-service approach to advancing public policy.โ That includes media advocacy campaigns intended to โreach policy makers, influential opinion leaders, and grassroots activists.โ Part of their approach is to โbuild coalitions, joining with allies to advance specific issues at the state, national, and international levels.โ
Oil giant ExxonMobil has beenย one of CEI‘sย top funders, contributing atย leastย $2.1ย million since 19972ExxonSecrets Factsheet: Competitive Enterprise Institute,ย CEI. Data retrieved August, 2016.ย Most recent data on file atย DeSmog. before reportedly3“ExxonMobil cuts off funding to (some) climate deniers,” The Christian Science Monitor, May 29, 2008. Archived July 8, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yVKMW cutting off funding in 2006. Donors Trust (DT)ย has donatedย overย $4 millionย to CEI as of 2013. DT has been described as the โdark money ATM of the conservative movementโ4Andy Kroll. โExposed: The Dark-Moneyย ATMย of the Conservative Movement,โย Mother Jones, February 5, 2003. Archived July 24,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dP34U for its ability to take in funds from anonymous donors and distribute them to recipient organizations.5Richard Littlemore. “Exxon Acknowledges Climate Change, cuts CEI’s funding,” DeSmog, January 11, 2007.
CEI Center for Energy andย Environment
Myron Ebell, chairman of the Cooler Heads Coalition and an outspoken man-made climate change denier,ย serves as Director of the CEI‘s Center for Energy and Environment.6โMyron Ebell: Director, Center for Energy and Environment,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived December 29,ย 2011.ย Archive URL: https://archive.ph/mxjzoย In March 2010, the Financial Times called Ebell โone of America’s most prominent climate-change skeptics.โ7โMyron Ebell: Director, Center for Energy and Environment,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived September 29, 2012. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wpXxG
According to the CEI‘s website, โCEI‘s largest program takes on all the hard energy and climate issues. CEI questions global warming alarmism, makes the case for access to affordable energy, and opposes energy-rationing policies, including the Kyoto Protocol, cap-and-trade legislation, and EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. CEI also opposes all government mandates and subsidies for conventional and alternative energy technologies.โ8โEnergy and Environment,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived June 23, 2016. https://archive.ph/f5Dm8
GlobalWarming.org (Cooler Headsย Coalition)
The Cooler Heads Coalition, also known as GlobalWarming.org, isย formerly a sub-group of the National Consumer Coalition, but now run as an โinformal and ad-hoc group focused on dispelling the myths of global warming by exposing flawed economic, scientific, and risk analysis.โ
GlobalWarming.org states, โThis website is paid for and maintained by the Competitive Enterprise Institute.โ9โAbout,โ GlobalWarming.org. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/nLWnM
For many years, the home page of CEIโs website (along with all other pages) provided a link to the Cooler Heads Coalition via the text โGlobalWarming.orgโ in the footer which sent users directly to the Cooler Heads Coalition home page.
For example, in 2018, see an example of the CEI’s homepage via the Internet Archive.10Homepage, Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qdrnO A link in the footer goes to GlobalWarming.org.11Homepage, Global Warming.org. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/O44nJ
This link was still active on the CEI homepage in May 2019. 12Homepage, Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived May 28, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DrxZn It continued to be active as late as May 2020.13Homepage, Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived May 31, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oF2yW
SafeChemicalPolicy.org
SafeChemicalPolicy.org is a website that lobbies against regulations ofย the chemical industry, and promotes โthe life-enhancing value of chemicals.โ
According to their website, โwe don’t need to fear modern chemical technologies. In fact, we should fear the campaigns to ban, regulate, or otherwise deprive customers of the benefits associated with [chemical technologies].โ14โAbout,โย SAFEChemicalPolicy.org. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Lsqzn
Stance on Climateย Change
2025
The CEI website’s Energy and Environment page, as of February 2025, read as follows:15“Energy and Environment,” CEI. Archived February 4, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/SzReH
“The Competitive Enterprise Institute advocates for free market reforms that ensure abundant and affordable energy and better protect our environment. CEI has been instrumental in fighting decades of climate alarmism and anti-energy policies that constrict energy supplies, raise prices, and stoke unjustified pessimism about human adaptive capabilities.
“Conclusions of CEIโs research and analysis include: Abundant, affordable energy is a blessing underpinning the unprecedented improvements of the past two centuries in life expectancy, health, standards of living, food and nutrition, and industrial production. The climate catastrophe narrative is based on global climate models that inflate greenhouse gas emission scenarios and have been falsified by the past four decades of temperature data. The real costs of proposed solutions to the alleged crisis hugely exceed their hypothetical benefits.
“Coalitions led by CEI were instrumental in defeating ratification of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, defeating enactment of the 2009 Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill, and convincing President Trump to withdraw from the 2015 Paris climate treaty.”
2016
โCEI questions global warming alarmism, makes the case for access to affordable energy, and opposes energy-rationing policies, including the Kyoto Protocol, cap-and-trade legislation, and EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. CEI also opposes all government mandates and subsidies for conventional and alternative energy technologies.โ16โEnergy and Environment,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived June 23, 2016. https://archive.ph/f5Dm8
2008
โAlthough global warming has been described as the greatest threat facing mankind, the policies designed to address global warming actually pose a greater threat. The Kyoto Protocol and similar domestic schemes to ration carbon-based energy use would do little to slow carbon dioxide emissions, but would have enormous costs.โ17โGlobal Warming,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived February 11, 2008. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/F1GQQ
2006
โThe fuels that produce CO2 have freed us from a world of backbreaking labor, lighting up our lives, allowing us to create and move the things we need; the people we love. [Ominous Music] Now, some politicians want to label carbon dioxide a pollutant. ย Imagine if they succeed. What would our lives be like then? Carbon dioxide: they call it pollution. We call it life.โ18โGlobal Warming – ‘Energy’,โ (YouTube video), Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18,ย 2006. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
Funding
Fossil Fuel Fundingย &ย CEI
Murray Energyย Funding
Murray Energy bankruptcy filings in 2019 revealed the Competitive Enterprise Institute received $200,000 from the energy company owned by climate change denier Robert Murray. The filings revealed a wide range of creditors with deep ties to climate change denial including the Heartland Institute,ย International Climate Science Coalition, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and Government Accountability & Oversight. Robert Murray was known for being a major Trump donor, and giving officials a wish list of proposed actions to help the coal industry.ย See related reportingย fromย The Intercept,19Lee Fang. โCOALย GIANTย PROVIDEDย SECRETย FINANCINGย TOย GROUPย CHALLENGINGย CLIMATEย LAWSUITS,โThe Intercept, December 17, 2019. Archive.phย URL:ย https://archive.ph/hUjRtย E&E News,20Scott Waldman. โMurray Energy a major funder of climate denial groups,โย E&Eย News, December 17, 2019.ย Archived December 20, 2019. Archive.phย URL:ย https://archive.ph/wip/WrDuT andย The New York Times.21Lisa Friedman. โA Coal Baron Funded Climate Denial as His Company Spiraled Into Bankruptcy,โย The New York Times, December 17, 2019.ย Archived December 20, 2019.ย Archive.phย URL:ย https://archive.ph/ujTS6
Other groups funded by Murray Energy include FreedomWorks, the Cato Institute, the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, and Judicial Watch. Asย The New York Timesย noted, Murray continued to fund climate change denial even as his company was goingย bankrupt.
2019ย Gala
The New York Timesย obtained22Tik Root, Lisa Friedman, and Hiroko Tabuchi. โFollowing the Money That Undermines Climate Science,โย The New York Times, July 10, 2019.ย Archived July 10, 2019. Archive.foย URL:https://archive.fo/8G1po aย program for a recent gala organized by the Competitive Enterprise Institute that included a list ofย corporate donors and sponsors and offered โoffered a rare glimpse into the money that makes the work of these think tanks [questioning established climate science] possible.โ23โCEIย 35th Anniversary Dinner and Receiptionโ (PDF),ย CEI, July 8, 2019 (document creation date). Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
โAmong the sponsors for the Game of Thrones-themed gala were groups that have long been aligned with fossil fuel interests, including the Charles Koch Institute and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. The fuel and petrochemical group, which lobbies for gasoline producers, pushed to weaken car fuel economy standards, one of the Obama administrationโs landmark climate policies,โย The New York Timesย reported.24Tik Root, Lisa Friedman, and Hiroko Tabuchi. โFollowing the Money That Undermines Climate Science,โย The New York Times, July 10, 2019.ย Archived July 10, 2019. Archive.foย URL:https://archive.fo/8G1po
The program included support from major corporations like Google and Amazon that, despite having made commitments to address climate change in their official public relations strategies, still support CEI. A Google representative said their support of the gala did not necessarily mean it supports climate denial. โWeโve been extremely clear that Googleโs sponsorship doesnโt mean that we endorse that organizationโs entire agenda,โ said a spokesman. A spokeswoman for Amazon, said the company โmay not agree with all of the positions of each organization,โ but believed that its $15,000 contribution to the event โwill help advance policy objectives aligned with our interests.โ Sponsors listed below:25โCEIย 35th Anniversary Dinner and Receiptionโ (PDF),ย CEI, July 8, 2019 (document creation date). Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
Receptionย Sponsors
- Anonymous
- Honorable C. Boydenย Gray
- J.P. Humphreysย Foundation
- Marathonย Petroleum
- Stephenย Modzelewski
Platinumย Sponsors
- American Fuel & Petrochemicalย Manufacturers
- Credit Union Nationalย Association
- DCIย Group
- The Heritageย Foundation
- PHRMA
- Ike Calvinย Sugg
- T-Mobile
Goldย Sponsors
- Amazon
- American Beverageย Association
- Atlas Strategyย Group
- Consumer Technologyย Association
- Distilled Spiritsย Council
- Jean-Claudeย Gruffat
- Juul
- NCTA – The Internet & Televisionย Association
- The Policyย Circle
- Syngenta
- Verizon
- Dick and Mary Bethย Weiss
Silverย Sponsors
- Altria
- Bakerย Hostetler
- Beachย Foundation
- Bracewell LLP
- Charles Kochย Institute
- Motion Picture Association ofย America
- Philip Morrisย International
- Uber
- White House Writersย Group
Bronzeย Sponsors
- Airports Councilย International
- FISGA
- David and Karenย Parker
- Porterfield, Fettig &ย Sears
- Wiley Rein LLP
Copperย Sponsors
- Americans for Prosperityย Foundation
- Association of Americanย Railroads
- Atlasย Society
- AT&T
- BNSFย Railway
- CSXย Corporation
- DonorsTrust
- FICO
- National Automobile Dealersย Association
- Norfolkย Southern
- O’Melveny & Myers (Spelled O’Melveney inย program)
- Union Pacificย Corporation
โSpecial Thankย Youโ
- Chrisย Crandall
- Danaย Crandall
- Vinnie Manocha of S&Rย Liquors
- David Ozgo and Distilled Spiritsย Council
2013 Annualย Dinner
While the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) doesn’t reveal the sources behind its $7 million annual budget, theย Washington Postย was able to glimpse a snapshot ofย CEI‘s fundingย in a list of donors toย CEI‘s annual dinner, which included energy companiesย Marathon Petroleum, Koch Industries, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, and American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM).26Juliet Eilperin. โAnatomy of a Washington dinner: Who funds the Competitive Enterprise Institute?โย The Washington Post, June 20, 2013. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/CZoH2
The following is fromย anย interchange between Myron Ebell and the Environmental Defense Fund’s Jeremy Symons, discussingย CEI‘s funding from the coal company Murray Energyย (see video below):27โCompetitive Enterprise Institute’s Myron Ebell: ‘I’d Like To See A Lot More Funding’ย From Big Coal,โย Media Matters, August 5, 2015.ย Archived November 10, 2016. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/NrMh4
SYMONS:ย Isnโt Murray Energy your biggest funder of your dinner? Theyโre the biggest coal company in the United States forย undergroundย mining.
EBELL:ย Iโd like to see a lot more funding from all of those companies, but unfortunately many of the coal companies are nowย goingย bankrupt.
SYMONS:ย Wait, You said you donโt represent the companies but you want more money fromย theย companies?
EBELL:ย I would like to have more funding so that I can combat the nonsense put out by theย environmentalย movement.
Fundingย Breakdown
The following is sources from data from the Conservative Transparency project and publicly available 990 tax forms.28โCompetitive Enterprise Institute,โ Conservative Transparency. Data retrieved June 2,ย 2017.
View attached spreadsheet for additional information on the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s funding by year (.xlsx). Note that not all individual funding values have been verified byย DeSmog.
| Donor | Total |
| DonorsTrust | $8,523,650 |
| Dunn’s Foundation for the Advancement of Right Thinking | $6,067,000 |
| Sarah Scaife Foundation | $5,440,000 |
| Searle Freedom Trust | $3,310,000 |
| The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation | $2,005,040 |
| Exxon Mobil | $1,775,000 |
| Donors Capital Fund | $1,332,279 |
| Claws Foundation | $565,000 |
| Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation | $364,820 |
| The Randolph Foundation | $359,885 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund | $353,500 |
| Scaife Family Foundation | $350,000 |
| Castle Rock Foundation | $345,000 |
| Barbara and Barre Seid Foundation | $343,190 |
| Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation | $326,419 |
| David H. Koch Charitable Foundation | $315,000 |
| Earhart Foundation | $300,000 |
| Chase Foundation of Virginia | $255,960 |
| John M. Olin Foundation | $230,300 |
| Robert W. Wilson Charitable Trust | $210,000 |
| David H. Koch (Direct) | $200,000 |
| Armstrong Foundation | $182,500 |
| National Philanthropic Trust | $180,000 |
| Diana Davis Spencer Foundation | $168,000 |
| Robert P. Rotella Foundation | $157,800 |
| Bradley Impact Fund | $154,000 |
| William H. Donner Foundation | $153,708 |
| American Future Fund | $150,000 |
| The Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation | $100,000 |
| The Rodney Fund | $100,000 |
| PhRMA | $85,000 |
| Kulakala Point Foundation | $83,500 |
| JM Foundation | $80,000 |
| Adolph Coors Foundation | $70,000 |
| The Roe Foundation | $70,000 |
| Holman Foundation | $65,062 |
| John William Pope Foundation | $65,000 |
| The Carthage Foundation | $60,000 |
| Philip M. McKenna Foundation | $50,000 |
| Jaquelin Hume Foundation | $50,000 |
| The Vernon K. Krieble Foundation | $49,500 |
| Aequus Institute | $47,624 |
| Ravenel and Elizabeth Curry Foundation | $45,000 |
| E L Craig Foundation | $40,000 |
| The Challenge Foundation | $40,000 |
| Charles Koch Institute | $37,020 |
| Woodhouse Family Foundation | $36,000 |
| Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation | $35,000 |
| The Whitcomb Charitable Foundation | $30,500 |
| Pierre F. and Enid Goodrich Foundation | $30,000 |
| Crossroads GPS | $25,000 |
| American Petroleum Institute | $25,000 |
| Same Line Foundation | $22,000 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | $20,400 |
| Lowndes Foundation | $15,000 |
| Koch Companies Public Sector | $15,000 |
| The Robertson-Finley Foundation | $15,000 |
| Smith Richardson Foundation | $15,000 |
| Wodecroft Foundation | $11,000 |
| John P & Kathryn G Evans Foundation | $10,000 |
| Deramus Foundation | $10,000 |
| Herrick Foundation | $10,000 |
| The Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation | $5,000 |
| True Foundation | $2,800 |
| The TWS Foundation | $2,500 |
| Eric Javits Family Foundation | $2,000 |
| Abstraction Fund | $2,000 |
| Lynn & Foster Friess Family Foundation | $1,250 |
| Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation | $1,000 |
| Ed Uihlein Family Foundation | $1,000 |
| Leadership Institute | $500 |
| Grand Total | $35,598,707 |
*ย In 2007 ExxonMobilย reportedย that they would noย longer be funding CEI.29Richard Littlemore. โExxon Acknowledges Climate Change, cutsย CEI’s funding,โย DeSmog, January 11,ย 2007. 30โSceptics forced to contain hot air on gases,โย The Australian, April 10, 2007.ย Archived September 2, 2013.
CEI Annual Dinnerย Sponsors
While CEI doesn’t disclose its donors, it has revealed the companies that sponsor its annual dinner in the past.ย In 2006, aย Washington Postย article noted that sponsors of CEI‘s most recent annual dinner included:31Joel Achenbach. โThe Tempest,โย The Washington Post, May 28, 2006.ย Archived February 20, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/9bwde
- The Alliance of Automobileย Manufacturers
- Exxonย Mobil
- Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PHRMA)
- Pfizer
- Generalย Motors
- American Petroleumย Institute
- The American Plasticsย Council
- The Chlorine Chemistryย Council
- Archย Coal
In 2013,ย The Washington Postย reported the list included $110,000 from donors in the energy industry, as well as significant donations by groups related to Charles and David Koch. Donors listed for that year included the following:32Juliet Eilperin. โAnatomy of a Washington dinner: Who funds the Competitive Enterprise Institute?โย The Washington Post, June 20, 2013.ย Archived February 20, 2019.ย Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/O2ssB
- Murray Energy Corporation โย $45,000
- Marathon Petroleum โย $25,000
- Devon Energy โย $15,000
- Phillips 66 โย $10,000
- American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity โย $5,000
- American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers โย $5,000
- Emerson Electric โย $5,000
- Association of American Railroads โย $5,000
- BNSF Railway โย $5,000
- Canadian National Railway โย $5,000
- CSX Corporation โย $5,000
- Norfolk Southern โย $5,000
- Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Inc. โย $15,000
- Ford Motor Company โย $5,000
- Volkswagen Group of America โย $5,000
- Altria Corporate Services โย $10,000
- American Beverage Association โย $5,000
- Distilled Spirits Council of the United States โย $5,000
- Pepsico, Inc. โย $5,000
- JP Humphreys Foundation โย $40,000
- Claws Foundation โย $25,000
- Koch Companies Public Sector โย $15,000
- Charles Koch Foundation โย $10,000
- Dunnโs Foundation โย $10,000
- Americans for Prosperity โย $5,000
- The Beach Foundation โย $5,000
- Comcast-NBC Universal โย $10,000
- National Cable & Telecommunications Association โย $10,000
- News Corporation โย $10,000
- Verizon Communications โย $7,500
- The American Conservative โย $5,000
- Motion Picture Association of America โย $5,000
- White House Writers Group โย $5,000
- Google โย $50,000
- Facebook โย $25,000
- Consumer Electronics Association โย $10,000
- GTECH โย $5,000
- Microsoft Corporation โย $5,000
- PhRMA โย $25,000
- Glaxo-SmithKline โย $15,000
- American Optometric Association โย $10,000
- Generic Pharmaceutical Association โย $10,000
- Biotechnology Industry Organization โย $10,000
- Monsanto โย $10,000
- Syngenta โย $10,000
- FMC Corporation โย $5,000
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce โย $5,000
- Miller & Long D.C., Inc.ย โย $5,000
- Old Boston Restorations โย $5,000
- MasterCard โย $25,000
- Cash America โย $10,000
- Credit Union National Association โย $25,000
- National Association of Credit Service Organizations โย $7,500
- American Bankers Association โย $5,000
- Bracewell & Giuliani โย $7,500
- Baker & Hostetler LLP โย $7,500
- DCI Group โย $5,000
- Dezenhall Resources โย $5,000
- Wiley Rein LLP โย $5,000
Individual donationsย included:
- Ambassador C. Boyden Gray โย $25,000
- Stanford Rothschild โย $25,000
- Stephen Modzelewski โย $25,000
- Fred Young โย $15,000
- Jean Claude Gruffat โย $10,000
- Robert Luddy โย $10,000
- Jack France โย $7,500
- Lester Weindling โย $5,000
- Arcadio Casillas โย $5,000
- James Curley โย $5,000
- Forrest G. Hoglund โย $5,000
- Angelo Puglisi โย $5,000
Exxonย Funding
According to the most recent available from Greenpeace’s ExxonSecrets project, the Competitive Enterprise Institute has received at least $2,100,000 from ExxonMobil since 1997.33ExxonSecrets Factsheet: Competitive Enterprise Institute,ย CEI. Data retrieved August, 2016.ย Most recent data on file atย DeSmog.
Kochย Funding
According to data from Greenpeace, the Competitive Enterprise Institute has received a grand total of at least $644,743 from Koch-related foundations between 1997 and 2015.34โCompetitive Enterprise Institute (CEI): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,โย Greenpeaceย USA.ย Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/3STLm
*Original tax forms prior to 1997 are no longerย available for verification. If you include these values, the grand total jumps toย $839,743 in Koch funding from 1986 to 2015.35โCompetitive Enterprise Institute (CEI): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,โย Greenpeaceย USA.ย Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/3STLm
| Year | Charles Koch Foundation | Charles Koch Institute | Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation | David H. Koch Charitable Foundation | Grand Total |
| *1986 | $10,000 | $10,000 | |||
| *1987 | $10,000 | $10,000 | |||
| *1988 | $5,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 | ||
| *1989 | $10,000 | $10,000 | |||
| *1991 | $10,000 | $10,000 | |||
| *1992 | $10,000 | $10,000 | |||
| *1993 | $35,000 | $35,000 | |||
| *1995 | $25,000 | $25,000 | |||
| *1996 | $20,000 | $50,000 | $70,000 | ||
| 1997 | $40,000 | $50,000 | $90,000 | ||
| 1998 | $95,000 | $95,000 | |||
| 1999 | $50,000 | $50,000 | |||
| 2000 | $25,000 | $100,000 | $125,000 | ||
| 2002 | $29,460 | $29,460 | |||
| 2003 | $27,320 | $27,320 | |||
| 2004 | $54,640 | $54,640 | |||
| 2009 | $24,079 | $10,000 | $34,079 | ||
| 2010 | $9,200 | $9,200 | |||
| 2011 | $9,200 | $9,200 | |||
| 2012 | $16,700 | $16,700 | |||
| 2013 | $10,000 | $10,000 | |||
| 2014 | $53,924 | $5,200 | $59,124 | ||
| 2015 | $29,200 | $5,820 | $35,020 | ||
| Grand Total | $148,903 | $11,020 | $364,820 | $315,000 | $839,743 |
Tobacco Industryย Funding
In a October, 2000 memo, Fred L. Smith thanked Ms. Maura Payne of RJ Reynolds Tobacco for โRJR‘s continued supportโ and adds โyour personal involvement has meant a lot to our battles over the last 16 years.โ The letter concludes, โI know you have contributed between $20,000 to $50,000 over the years.โ36โDear Maura,โย Competitive Enterprise Institute, October 16, 2000. Retrieved from Tobacco Industry Documents. Bates Number :ย 525291068-525291069.
In an October, 1994 memo, Smith thanked Philip Morris for a contribution of $150,000. โPhilip Morris’s contribution will enable CEI to expand our efforts in well-established areas as ourย Human Cost of Regulationย program and other regulatory reform projects,โ the memo read.37โDear Tom,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, October 11, 1994. Retrieved from Truth Tobacco Industry Documents. Bates No.ย 2046558061.
Otherย Funders
According to the Capital Research Center, other corporations who have funded CEI include Cigna, Chevron, Texaco, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler Corporation, and numerous others.38โCompetitive Enterprise Institute,โ Capital Research Center. Archived July 2,ย 2003. https://archive.ph/KDxLB
A CEI report sent to Philip Morrisย also lists a number of other companies and foundations who had given CEI $10,000 or more:39COMPETITIVEย ENTERPRISEย INST,SMITH,FLย JR.ย COMPETITIVEย ENTERPRISEย INSTITUTE. 1994 March. Philipย Morris. Retrieved from UCSF Industry Documents Library. Bates No. 2046558088-2046558099.
- Aequusย Institute
- Amoco Foundation,ย Inc.
- Coca-Colaย Company
- E.L. Craigย Foundation
- CSXย Corporation
- Fieldstead andย Co.
- FMCย Foundation
- Ford Motor Companyย Fund
- Curtis and Edith Munsonย Foundation
- Philip Morris Companies,ย Inc.
- Pfizerย Inc.
- Precision Valveย Corporation
- Princeย Foundation
- Sheldonย Rose
- Texaco,ย Inc.
- Texaco Foundation
- Alex C. Walkerย Foundation
990ย Forms
Keyย People
View key people by year below, or view the attached spreadsheet for a full list of the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s key People (.xlsx) including sources.
President
The Competitive Enterprise Instituteโs current president and CEO40“A Thorn With a Smile” (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, April 25, 2016. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. is Kent Lassman.41“Kent Lassman,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived January 30, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/s1D1Z Lassman joined CEI from the lobbying firm DCI where he had been a vice president.42“Kent Lassman,” DCI Group. Archived November 3, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yODK4 A 2016 interview with Lassman stated that during his eight year tenure at DCI, Lassman helped business owners avoid legal challenges.43Connor D. Wolf. “CEIโs Kent Lassman: Meeting Policy With People,” InsideSources. August 9, 2017. Archived January 30, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/kH7px
Prior to DCI, Lassman worked for FreedomWorks, Citizens for a Sound Economy,44“A Thorn With a Smile” (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, April 25, 2016. the Progress & Freedom Foundation, the State Policy Network, and the American Legislative Exchange Council.45“Kent Lassman,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived January 30, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/s1D1Z 46“Gibbons spurns lobbying to seek medical research investments,” Politico, March 22, 2016. Archived January 30, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MtXeC
Actions
March 6, 2025
The Competitive Enterprise Institute announced its โBlueprint for Congressโ47Kent Lassman. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congress,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 6, 2025. document for โModernizing the EPA.โ48Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
Marlo Lewis and Daren Bakst edited the 329-page document, and contributors included Tony Francois, partner at Briscoe Ivester & Bazel LLP, CEI senior fellow Ben Lieberman, and CEI research fellow Paige Lambermont.49Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
โEPA regulates as if drastic improvements have not been made, regularly ignores the will of Congress, asserts questionable statutory authority, and overreaches in ways that would have been unimaginable as recent as a decade ago, such as efforts to kill off gas-powered cars,โ Kent Lassman wrote in the introduction.50Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
โA modern and effective EPA requires action from Congress. We point toward potential amendments to the underlying environmental statutes that the agency administers and implements, from the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, to the Toxic Substances Control Act,โ Lassman added.51Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
โAfter publication of the book, the next phase of the โEPA Projectโ will be working with whoever wants to join us in our effort to modernize the EPA,โ Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis wrote in their summary of the project.52Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
They summarized some of the key points made in the book including examples such as limiting particulate matter research:53Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
โProhibit the EPA from funding particulate matter (PM) research or using such research to determine air quality standards or other critical metrics, unless all research materials are sufficiently transparent to facilitate independent validationโ and to โLimit EPA funding of PM research to the construction of datasets.โ54Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
Discussing Social Cost of Carbon (SCC), CEI suggested to โProhibit the EPA and other agencies from using SCC analysis to either inform regulatory development or quantify regulatory benefits.โ55Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
In the second chapter, as summarized by CEI, they suggested to โExpressly prohibit the regulation of greenhouse gasesโ and added, โDo not inadvertently authorize regulation of greenhouse gases or confuse greenhouse gases with โair pollutantsโ as properly understood.โ56Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
Under the โkey issueโ to โReform the NAAQS process,โ they suggested to โClarify the role of science in regulatory decisions.โ57Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
The document also outlined ways to โRestrict EPA regulation of non-navigable waters and transitory water features under the CWA [Clean Water Act].โ58Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
They suggested to โRequire the EPA to abandon the precautionary principleโ regarding chemical regulations and โother critical regulatory issues.โ59Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
Among many other recommendations, CEI summarized some other โkey issuesโ as including to โEliminate the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund,โ โEliminate environmental education programs,โ โEliminate EPAโs green purchasing programs,โ โEliminate the Office of Climate Adaptation and Sustainability,โ โEliminate EPA programs to electrify vehicles and equipment,โ and to โReform environmental justice programsโ specifically to โEliminate the Environmental and Climate Justice Program and any related programs,โ to โClarify the concept of environmental justice,โ and to โEliminate the use of โequityโ throughout the agencyโs environmental justice work and across the agency.โ60Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
In a section titled โOverview of EPA climate science problems,โ the authors claimed that โMainstream climate research has a scientific integrity problem due to its reliance on a triply biased methodology.โ61Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
โThe usual practice is to run overheated models with inflated emission scenarios and ignore or belittle humanityโs remarkable capacity for adaptation. That approach is wired to exaggerate the physical impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and the harmfulness of such impactsโ they claimed.62Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
โSupporters often spin โthe scienceโ for media and political impact, insisting that climate change is a โcrisisโ and โexistential threatโ even though IPCC reports do not use those terms,โ they added.63Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
The report cited graphs from John Christy ย in a section on โOverheated models.โ64Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
On March 12, 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced sweeping changes to the EPA, described as โthe greatest and most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history, to advance President Trumpโs Day One executive orders and Power the Great American Comeback.โ65(Press Release). โEPA Launches Biggest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History,โ EPA, March 12, 2025. Archived June 4, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ziAPm
Among the thirty-one actions announced included โReconsideration of the 2009 Endangerment Finding and regulations and actions that rely on that Finding (Endangerment Finding)โ and โReconsideration of Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards that shut down opportunities for American manufacturing and small businesses (PM 2.5 NAAQS) โ as well as โOverhauling Biden-Harris Administrationโs โSocial Cost of Carbonโ.โ66(Press Release). โEPA Launches Biggest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History,โ EPA, March 12, 2025. Archived June 4, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ziAPm
February 24, 2023
CEI was listed as a member of a group introduced by the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), described as a “new coalition of energy, national security and public policy groups” called the Net Zero Reality Coalition.67(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg
CFACT’s Paul Driessen was listed as the group’s coordinator while members included CFACT, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Heartland Institute, E&E Legal, and the International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC) and “and other public policy organizations that have long sought responsible, science-focused, reality-based laws and policies.”68(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg
โAmerica cannot afford to abandon its reliable, affordable, multifaceted energy system, and try to replace it with a wind, solar and battery system that exists only in government proclamations and legislative mandates,โ Driessen said in CFACT’s press release.69(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg
December 17, 2021
CEI filed an Amicus Curiae brief in West Virginia v. EPA, a U.S. Supreme Court case that reduced the EPAโs ability to regulate power plants under the Obama administrationโs Clean Power Plan. In June 2022, the court ruled 6-3 against the EPA.70“BRIEF OF AMICUS CURIAE THE COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONERS in STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, ET AL., Petitioners, v. U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND MICHAEL REGAN, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, Respondents,” Supreme Court of the United States docket nos. 20-1530, 20-1531, 20-1778, 20-1780
October 31โNovember 12, 2021
CEI attended the twenty-sixth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, according to the official provisional list of registered participants (PLOP).71“Provisional list of registered participants” (PDF), UNFCCC, November 1, 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
Listed CEI representatives included:
- Elena Morano โ Representative, Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow
- James Taylor โ President, Heartland Institute
- Jessica Morano โ Representative, Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow
- Kent Lassman โ President
- Kevin Williamson
- Myron Ebell โ Director, Center for Energy and Environment
July 23, 2021
In an article at CEI’s blog, CEI research associate Jack Elbaum argued the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps (CCC) would be unable to address a climate emergency. Elbaum pointed to a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer supporting a CCC program, and wrote his CEI blog post “will focus on the first: the increasingly dire effects of climate change.”72Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
“As a result, they argue, it should be of paramount importance to combat these devastating effects of climate change through a new CCC. Butโeven though climate change is real and has mostly negative effectsโthis justification is weak on further examination,” Elbaum wrote.73Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
Citing Bjorn Lomborg, Elbaum wrote “the truth is that economic damage [due to climate change] would have gotten worse whether or not more severe natural disasters were taking place because of a phenomenon known as the ‘expanding bullโs-eye effect.'”74Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
Elbaum went on to cite Roger Pielke, Jr. to claim hurricanes have not gotten worse and that “since 1990, economic damage from natural disasters has actually declined” if measured is a percentage of GDP.75Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
In another Lomborg citation, he suggests forest fires haven’t been getting worse. “[T]he levels of burning we are seeing today are not unprecedented or even close to the worst we have experienced since 1900.”76Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
May 2021
The Competitive Enterprise Institute hired Kevin Williamson, a columnist and correspondent at theย National Review,ย to lead a project to examine “the modern environmental movement, its culture, and advocacy,” E&E News reported. 77Timothy Cama. “Group hires conservative writer to examine green movement,” E&E News, May 12, 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
Aprilย 6,ย 2020
CEI, represented byย Myron Ebell,ย was signatory to anย American Energy Alliance letterย to President Donald Trump supporting theย Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule which would scrap federal fuel economy mandates underย the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program.78CAFE-Coaliton-to-Trump-April-2020-9 (PDF),ย American Energy Alliance.
Describingย CAFE, the letter contends: โThose families and individuals who prefer or need trucks,ย 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.โ79CAFE-Coaliton-to-Trump-April-2020-9 (PDF),ย American Energy Alliance.
March 23,ย 2020
As reported at DeSmog,80Dana Drugmand. โUnder Cover of Pandemic, Fossil Fuel Interests Unleash Lobbying Frenzy,โย DeSmog, April 2,ย 2020. Life:Powered sent a letter to Congress critical of the COVID-19 stimulus package for including โtax incentives and spending for unreliable ‘green’ย energy programs.โ81Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
The letter, to which CEI is a signatory,ย concludes:82Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
โThis is no time for political games. Climate change is not an immediate threat to humanity. Climate-related deaths have declined 98.9% in the last century, and humanity is growing more and more resilient thanks to the availability of affordable, reliable energy. On behalf of all Americans, we urge you to oppose any stimulus proposals that carve out special treatment for or bail out any energy companies and focus instead on stoppingย COVID-19.โ
The full list of signatories isย below:
| Name | Title | Organization |
| Jason Isaac | Senior Manager & Distinguished Fellow | Life:Powered/Texas Public Policy Foundation |
| Myron Ebell | Director, Center for Energy and Environment | Competitive Enterprise Institute |
| Bette Grande | CEO | Roughrider Policy Center |
| Ellen Weaver | President & CEO | Palmetto Promise Institute |
| Isaac Orr | Policy Fellow | Center of the American Experiment |
| Bethany Marcum | Executive Director | Alaska Policy Forum |
| David T. Stevenson | Director, Center for Energy and Environment | Caesar Rodney Institute |
| Donald van der Vaart | Senior Fellow | John Locke Foundation |
| Jason Hayes | Director of Environmental Policy | Mackinac Center for Public Policy |
| John Droz, Jr. | Founder | Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions |
| George K. Rasley, Jr. | Managing Editor | ConservativeHQ.com |
| Becky Norton Dunlop | Former Secretary of Natural Resources | Commonwealth of Virginia |
| James L. Martin | Founder/Chairman | 60 Plus Association |
| Saulius โSaulโ Anuzis | President | 60 Plus Association |
| Ken Blackwell | Senior Fellow | Family Research Council |
| Eunie Smith | President | Eagle Forum |
| Jenny Beth Martin | Honorary Chairman | Tea Party Patriots Action |
| Jon Caldara | President | Independence Institute |
| L. Brent Bozell, III | Founder and President | Media Research Center |
| Jason Pye | Vice President of Legislative Affairs | FreedomWorks |
| Jameson Taylor | Vice President for Policy | Mississippi Center for Public Policy |
| Carol Platt Liebau | President | Yankee Institute |
| Mike Stenhouse | CEO | Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity |
| Daniel Erspamer | CEO | Pelican Institute for Public Policy |
| Christian N. Braunlich | President | Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy |
| Todd Myers | Environmental Director | Washington Policy Center |
July 9,ย 2019
CEI sent a formal request to NASA demanding a correction to the administrationโs statement that 97% of scientists endorse the reality of anthropogenic climate change.83(Press Release). โCEIย Files Formal Complaint Regardingย NASA’s Claim of 97% Climate Scientist Agreement on Global Warming,โย CEI.org, July 10, 2019. Archived July 24, 2019. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/1N4GT. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
In the letter sent to NASAโs Chief Information Officer, CEI attorneys claimed the administrationโs position has been โwidely criticizedโ and cited critiques of the statement and its underlying research by Richard Tol, David Legates, Willie Soon, and Christopher Monckton. Also cited were publications by Roy Spencer, David Henderson, Alex Epstein, and Michael Bastasch disputing the consensus viewpoint on climate change.84(Press Release). โCEIย Files Formal Complaint Regardingย NASA’s Claim of 97% Climate Scientist Agreement on Global Warming,โย CEI.org, July 10, 2019. Archived July 24, 2019. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/1N4GT. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
The letter concluded by suggesting that NASA’s statement could be in violation of federalย guidelines:
“Presenting such an inaccurate, unreliable, and biased statement is a violation of the Information Quality Act. NASA should stop distributing that statement by removing it from the NASA website. A correction, informing the public that this prior statement did not have a proper basis in fact and should not be relied upon, would also help relieve the problems caused by its prior distribution.”
July 30,ย 2019
CEI released a report authored by Kent Lassman and Power the Futureโs Daniel Turner that presented a speculative economic assessment of the proposed Green New Deal, posing the question:85Kent Lassman, Daniel Turner. โWhat the Green New Deal Could Cost a Typical Household,โย Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 30, 2019. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/Sg62w. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
“What would it actually mean to implement significant portions of proposal?โ (sic)
According to Lassman and Turner, their report โrequires a considerable number of assumptionsโ and relied in part on data compiled by the American Enterprise Institute. The reportโs introduction predicted a โsteep economic depressionโ based on calculations of average household cost increases from the implementation of the GND.
In concluding, Lassman and Turner admitted that their analysis contained a wide variance in data but suggested that it was a โmark of humility.โ Their final word on the matter was that:
โthe Green New Deal is an unserious proposal that is at best negligent in its anticipation of transition costs and at worst is a politically motivated policy whose creativity is outweighed by its enormous potential for economic destruction.โ
The authors did not comment on the science of climate change or the consensus perspective of its present and future impacts.
Juneย 2019
The New York Times, reporting on newly released government emails resulting from a freedom of information request by the Sierra Club, described how Myron Ebell and the Competitive Enterprise Instituteย โweighed in at a critical juncture in the policymaking processโ to push President Trump to roll back emissions standards and freeze fuel economy standards for vehicles.86Hiroko Tabuchi. โClimate Change Denialists Dubbed Auto Makers the โOppositionโ in Fight Over Trumpโs Emissions Rollback,โย The New York Times, July 2, 2019.ย Archived July 3, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/Dr5mP
โThe automakers are not going to help and may be part of the opposition,โ wroteย Ebell in a May 2018 email to supporters and an official at the Environmental Protection Agency.87Hiroko Tabuchi. โClimate Change Denialists Dubbed Auto Makers the โOppositionโ in Fight Over Trumpโs Emissions Rollback,โย The New York Times, July 2, 2019.ย Archived July 3, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/Dr5mP
In a May 10, 2018 letter to Trump, Ebell along with two other people that had assisted with the transition wrote:88Hiroko Tabuchi. โClimate Change Denialists Dubbed Auto Makers the โOppositionโ in Fight Over Trumpโs Emissions Rollback,โย The New York Times, July 2, 2019.ย Archived July 3, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/Dr5mP
“We understand that some in the automaker community have expressed concerns about your current plans to reform the program. Their main concern is the expected legal battle with California,โ they wrote. โIn fact, what many liberal California politicians really want to do is ban gasoline-powered carsย altogether.”
“You should dismiss this concern. We agree that in an ideal world, California would negotiate with you in good faith, but we all know that is not a reality in this current politicalย climate.”
May 9,ย 2019
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, represented by Myron Ebell, signed on to anย open letterย organized by the American Energy Alliance designed to fightย against an electric vehicle tax credit.89โDear Senator Grassley, Senator Wyden, Representative Neal and Representative Brady:โ May 9, 2019. Retrieved fromย The Daily Caller. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/NXbZE
“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,โ Thomas Pyle wrote in a statement, quoted at The Daily Caller. โThere is no question that the electric vehicle tax credit distorts the auto market to no gain.”90Christ White. โCONSERVATIVESย WARNย LAWMAKERS:ย TESLAโSย TAXย CREDITSย โOVERWHELMINGLYย BENEFITย THEย RICHโ,โThe Daily Caller, May 9, 2019. Archived May 9, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/qzvF3
According to Pyle and others who signed the letter,ย electric vehicle tax credits โoverwhelmingly benefit the rich.โย DeSmog’sย Koch vs. Cleanย projectย has systematically debunked this, among other well-rehearsed talking points and misinformation put forward by industry about electric vehicles.91Christ White. โCONSERVATIVESย WARNย LAWMAKERS:ย TESLAโSย TAXย CREDITSย โOVERWHELMINGLYย BENEFITย THEย RICHโ,โThe Daily Caller, May 9, 2019. Archived May 9, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/qzvF3
The letter cites research by the Pacific Research Institute (PRI), a group that has received over $600,000 from ExxonMobil and millions from โdark moneyโ groups DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund.
March 20,ย 2019
Theย Inletkeeperย reported CEI, among other front groups funded by the Koch brothers,ย was working to exert influence in the state of Alaska. For example, CEI wrote a letter to criticizeย theย Bristol Bay Assessmentย conducted by the EPA.
The EPA‘s assessment had found that proposals for aย Pebble Mine in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska posed significant risks to people, water, and fish in the region.92Bob Shavelson. โTHEย PEBBLEย MINEย &ย THEย KOCHTOPUS,โย Inletkeeper, March 28, 2019.ย Archived April 1, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/MKHGP
CEI wrote aย letter to the EPAย requesting correction or withdrawal of theย Bristol Bay Watershed Assessment.93โRe: Request for Correction Number 19001 Pertaining to the Bristol Bay Watershed Assessmentโ (PDF),ย Competitive Enterprise Institute,ย March 20, 2019. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
โWe believe the best course of action for the agency would be to withdraw this highly flawed assessment and rescind the use of it to veto the Pebble project,โย CEI’s letterย reads.
A follow-up letter by Steptoeย &ย Johnsonย LLP, representingย Pebble Limited Partnership (โPLPโ), was supportive ofย theย CEI’s stance.94โRe: Pebble Limited Partnership Submission in Support of Information Quality Act Request for Correction by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (RFCย 19001)โ (PDF), Steptoeย &ย Johnsonย LLP. Retrieved fromย EPA.gov.
Januaryย 2019
The Competitive Enterprise Institute ran an ad campaign95โMeet the Press used to be the gold-standard for political debate.ย NOTย ANYMORE.,โย NBCClimatedebate.cei.org. Archived January 25, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/Ahd9d attacking the NBC for excluding climate change deniers from a โMeet the Pressโ episode dedicated toย climate change.96Amy Russo. โChuck Todd Refuses To Give Air Time To Climate Deniers: ‘The Science Is Settled’,โย HuffPost, December 31,ย 2018.
โWeโre not going to give time to climate deniers,โ Chuck Todd said on theย NBCย program. โThe science is settled even if political opinion isย not.โย
โWeโre not going to debate climate change, the existence of it. The Earth is getting hotter and human activity is a major cause.ย Period.โ
CEIย purchased ads in theย Washington Postย andย Wall Street Journalย criticizing Chuck Todd and theย NBC, and also launched a YouTube video claiming the program was โsilencing dissent.โ97โCEIย Ad: Chuck Toddย &ย NBC’s Meet the Press: Stop Denying the Real Climate Debate,โ YouTube video uploaded by user โCompetitive Enterprise Institute,โ January 18, 2019. Archived .mp4 on file atย DeSmog.
December 11,ย 2018
The Competitive Enterprise Instituteย sued the Department of Energy for being unresponsive to its requests for information relating to carbon capture and sequestration tax credits. The tax credits, designated as 45Q, entered into effect in 2008 and provideย rebates per ton of carbon reused or sequestered permanently.98Tim Pearce. โEnergy Department Hit withย FOIAย Lawsuit Over Green Tax Credit Lobbying Campaign,โย The Daily Caller, December 11, 2018. Archived December 12, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/6HueE
CEI claimed that large banks and investment firms have lobbied DOE to increase the rebate amount and make them permanent to boost profit margins.99Tim Pearce. โEnergy Department Hit withย FOIAย Lawsuit Over Green Tax Credit Lobbying Campaign,โย The Daily Caller, December 11, 2018. Archived December 12, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/6HueE
FOIA requests filed by CEI in May 2017 sought to reveal lobbying efforts aimed at preserving and expanding the 45Q rebates.Tim Pearce. โEnergy Department Hit withย FOIAย Lawsuit Over Green Tax Credit Lobbying Campaign,โย The Daily Caller, December 11, 2018. Ar100chived December 12, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/6HueE
CEIโs lawsuitย stated:
โAs the lobbying campaign intensified to expand 45Q into a limitless and permanent source of revenue for certain parties,ย DOEโs posture in responding to this request changed dramatically.โ101Tim Pearce. โEnergy Department Hit withย FOIAย Lawsuit Over Green Tax Credit Lobbying Campaign,โย The Daily Caller, December 11, 2018. Archived December 12, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/6HueE
August 2018
In 2018 CEI published a report critical of the collaboration between state officials and environmental organizations and donors in advancing climate change-related initiatives authored by former CEI senior fellow, Christopher Horner.102Christopher C. Horner. “Law Enforcement for Rent: How Special Interests Fund Climate Policy through State Attorneys General” (PDF), CEI, July 27, 2018 (document creation date). Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
Titled, โLaw Enforcement for Rent: How Special Interests Fund Climate Policy through State Attorneys General,” the report alleged improper utilization of off-the-books staff members paid for by climate-conscious donors, Horner calls for state investigations of Governors Brown (CA), Cuomo (NY), and Inslee (WA) for accepting assistance from outside organizations.103Christopher C. Horner. “Law Enforcement for Rent: How Special Interests Fund Climate Policy through State Attorneys General” (PDF), CEI, July 27, 2018 (document creation date). Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
In 2018, the year CEI published Hornerโs report, five of CEIโs eleven board members had links to groups funded by present or historic players in the fossil fuel industry:104“CEI Board of Directors,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2XsYu
Kristina Crane โ Operations manager for the Atlas Network,105“CEI Board of Directors,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2XsYu which according to ExxonSecrets has received $1,082,500 from ExxonMobil since 1998.106“FACTSHEET: Atlas Economic Research Foundation, Atlas; AERF,” ExxonSecrets.org. Archived June 28, 2017. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/4Iisq Crane began her career at Cato Institute.107“CEI Board of Directors,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2XsYu See additional reporting from DeSmog on the Cato Institute’s connections.108Mitchell Anderson. “The Cato Institute and Patrick Michaels โ It’s a Small World After All,” DeSmog, May 26, 2009.
Michael W. Gleba โ President and trustee of the Sarah Scaife Foundation and treasurer and trustee of the Carthage Foundation.109“CEI Board of Directors,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2XsYu Scaife Family Foundations have been funded by the Mellon familyโs industrial, oil and banking fortune.
Michael S. Greve โ Professor at George Mason University and visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.110“CEI Board of Directors,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2XsYu George Mason University has been a significant recipient of funding from foundations controlled by the Koch family. Charles Koch and his late brother David Koch amassed their fortunes through Koch Industries and a wide range of related companies that hold significant interests in the fossil fuel industry.
Kent Lassman โ In addition to his role as president and CEO of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Lassman served on the State Policy Network‘s President’s Advisory Council from 2003 to 2008.111“CEI Board of Directors,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2XsYu
Fred L. Smith โ Founder of CEI.112“CEI Board of Directors,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/2XsYu
In 2018, CEIโs website provided a direct hyperlink to the Cooler Heads Coalition and profiled the Cooler Heads Coalition chair Myron Ebell: โMyron Ebell is director of the Center for Energy and the Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Ebell also chairs the Cooler Heads Coalition.โ113“Myron Ebell,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived January 23, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/P6GKR
CEI’s Energy and Environment web page read as follows in January 2018:114“Energy and Environment,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived January 29, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/gKUHO
“CEI’s largest program takes on all the hard energy and climate issues. CEI questions global warming alarmism, makes the case for access to affordable energy, and opposes energy-rationing policies, including the Paris Climate Treaty, Kyoto Protocol, cap-and-trade legislation, and EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. CEI also opposes all government mandates and subsidies for conventional and alternative energy technologies.”
July 18,ย 2018
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, represented by Kent Lassman, was among signatories of a letter supporting an anti-carbon tax resolution fromย House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.)115โ41 Conservative Groups Support Scalise/McKinley Anti-Carbon Tax Resolution,โย Americans for Tax Reform, July 18, 2018. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
โWe oppose any carbon tax. We oppose a carbon tax because it would lead to less income and fewer jobs for American families,โ the letter read. โWe support the House Concurrent Resolution in opposition to a job-killing carbon tax and urge members to co-sponsor and support this effort.โ116โ41 Conservative Groups Support Scalise/McKinley Anti-Carbon Tax Resolution,โย Americans for Tax Reform, July 18, 2018. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
The resolution would call a carbon tax โdetrimental to the United States economy.โE&E Newsย reported it was similar to a measure that passed the House in 2016.ย Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida, co-chairman of the Climate Solutions Caucus, said he would not vote for the resolution.117Nick Sobczyk. โHouse voting on anti-carbon-tax measure: ‘Pass the popcorn’,โย E&Eย News, July 16, 2018. Archived Aug 2, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.fo/aTP8h
โProtecting our environment and economic growth are not mutually exclusive,โ he said in a statement. โThe resolution presents a false choice.โ118Nick Sobczyk. โHouse voting on anti-carbon-tax measure: ‘Pass the popcorn’,โย E&Eย News, July 16, 2018. Archived Aug 2, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.fo/aTP8h
The Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) issued a point-by-point rebuttal of the measure when it was first introduced.119โTeaching opportunities from House Concurrent Resolution 119 (H.Con.Res.119)โ (PDF), Citizens’ Climate Lobby, April 30,ย 2018.
May 10,ย 2018
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, represented by Myron Ebell,ย was one of three signatories of an open letter to Donald Trump requesting that he follow through on a major rollback ofย Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for the auto industry.120โDear Mr. Presidentโ (PDF), Institute for Energy Research, May 10, 2018. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
The open letter was sent amid concerns from the the auto industryย that the rollback could result in aย โregulatory nightmare,โ with potentially years of litigation from California and a lack of regulatory certainty.ย Bill Ford, chairman of Ford Motor Co., said at the company’s annual meeting, โWe are not asking the administration for a rollback.โย
He said, โWe want California at the table, and we want one national standard.โ121Ben Jervey. โOn Rollbacks, Automakers Tell Trump ‘Not So Fast,’ Kochs Say ‘Burn More Gas’,โDeSmog, May 14,ย 2018.
Despite this, presidential transition team members Pyle, Myron Ebell, and Shirley Ybarra pleaded with Trump, saying โYou should dismiss this concern.โ The letter continues: โWe agree that in an ideal world, California would negotiate with you in good faith, but we all know that is not a reality in this current political climate.โ Signatories also the existing mandate would mean โthose consumers who prefer trucks, SUVs, or crossovers pay more to subsidize those who buy smaller vehicles.โ
โThese significant increases in the average price of a car or truck are a very real regressive tax on American families that make consumers poorer and the economy weaker,โ Pyle, Ebell, and Ybarra wrote.
December 12,ย 2017
CEI President Kent Lassman wrote at CEI that he had had several meetings at the White House, includingย invitations from Scott Pruitt.122Kent Lassma. โPresident’s Fall Policy Update,โย Competitive Enterprise Institute, December 12, 2017. Archived December 28, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/eohIy
โAdministrator Scott Pruitt invited me along with three colleagues for a signing ceremony where he officially put in place new conflict of interest requirements for the 22 scientific advisory boards at the EPA,โ Lassman wrote, concluding:
โAs a representative of the dozens of analysts, fellows, and lawyers who toil away at CEI, in the last two months Iโve found myself in multiple meetings at Office of Mangement [sic] and Budget, the EPA, and the White House. I can make an unqualified assertion: It is nice when the government wants our advice on how to shape a policy proposal.โ
2017
Following up from aย Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed in September 2017, CEI filed suit agains theย State Department to obtain records โabout outside influence in developing the controversial Paris climate treaty during the Obama administration.โ123โCEIย Sues State Department for Paris Climate Treaty Docs,โย Competitive Enterprise Institute, October 3, 2017. Archived October 6, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/8QAwz
The request targets Todd Stern, former Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Sue Biniaz, a formerย legal adviser, and includes emails from both government and private email accounts.
โIn the absence of the Trump administration taking the initiative to review the internal record of the disgraceful process of circumventing the Senate and theย U.S.ย Constitution to enter the Paris climate treaty, we will continue seeking to make public all of that record we are able,โ saidย CEIย Fellowย Chris Horner.
View theย fullย CEIย complaint, filed October 3,ย 2017.
May 18,ย 2017
CEI published a video pushing President Donald Trump to keep his promise, and withdraw from the Paris Climate treaty. The ad’s call to action read as follows:124โParis Climate Treatyย TVย Ad: Mr. President, Keep your Promise,โ YouTube video uploaded by user Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18, 2017. Archived .mp4 on file atย DeSmog.
โMr. President: Donโt Listen to the Swamp. Keep Your Promise. Withdraw from the Paris Climate Treaty.โ
Trumpย announced his official decision to withdraw from the Paris Accordย on June 1, 2017.125Sharon Kelly. โTrump Abandons Paris Climate Deal At Bidding of Fossil Fuel Interests,โย DeSmog, June 1,ย 2017.ย CNNย reportedย that Myron Ebellย โlikely had as much influence shaping Trumpโs decision as any single individual,โ withย CEIย potentially playing a key role in the decision.126โThe man behind the decision to pull out of the Paris agreement,โย CNN, June 3, 2017.ย Archived June 5, 2017.ย Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/G82Jt
May 8,ย 2017
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, represented byย Myron Ebell, was listed onย anย open letterย to President Donald J. Trumpย urging him โto withdraw fully from the Paris Climate Treaty and to stop all taxpayer funding ofย UNย global warming programs.โ127โDear Mr. Presidentโ (PDF), retrieved from Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
DeSmogย reported that the 40 groups represented in the letter,ย including theย Competitive Enterprise Instituteย (CEI),ย The Heartland Institute, and theย Heritage Foundation,ย have received a combined total of millions of dollars from the Koch Brothers, ExxonMobil, and other industry groups.128Graham Readfearn. โConservative Groups Pushing Trump To Exit Paris Climate Deal Have Taken Millions From Koch Brothers, Exxon,โย DeSmog, May 10,ย 2017.
Analysis also showed that the groups accepted about $80 million throughย Donors Capital Fundย andย Donors Trust, two groups that haveย been confirmedย is a key financial source for key U.S-based climate change denial groups.129Susanne Goldberg. โConservative groups spend up to $1bn a year to fight action on climate change,โย The Guardian, December 20, 2013.ย Archived May 12, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/TB2yy
Februaryย 2017
CEI’s general counsel Sam Kazman filedย aย petition on behalf ofย CEIย with theย Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)ย requesting that theย EPAย review the endangerment finding onย CO2ย Emissions. Individual petitioners included members ofย SEPP’s Board of Directors:ย Donna Bethell,ย Kenneth A. Haapala, Thomas Sheahen, andย S. Fred Singer.130โPetition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Science and Environmental Policy Project for Rulemaking on the Subject of Greenhouse Gases and Their Impact on Public Health and Welfare, in Connection withย EPAโs 2009 Endangerment Finding, 74ย FRย 66,496 (Dec. 15, 2009)โ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, February 17,ย 2017.
The petition makes a number of statements contrary to the mainstream consensus regarding climate change. First, it claims that โThere Has Been No Statistically Significant Atmospheric Warming Despite a Continued Increase in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Levelsโ โ Citing a post on the personal websiteย ofย climate change denierย Roy Spencerย as evidence for the lack of warming.131โPetition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Science and Environmental Policy Project for Rulemaking on the Subject of Greenhouse Gases and Their Impact on Public Health and Welfare, in Connection withย EPAโs 2009 Endangerment Finding, 74ย FRย 66,496 (Dec. 15, 2009)โ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, February 17,ย 2017.
The petition’s second claim is that โChanges in Global Temperatures in Recent Decades Are Far From Unusual.โ For this, the citation points to a dead link to theย Heartland Institute‘s โIndependent Summary for Policymakers,โ a document created by theย Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Changeย andย Science and Environmental Policy Project.132โPetition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Science and Environmental Policy Project for Rulemaking on the Subject of Greenhouse Gases and Their Impact on Public Health and Welfare, in Connection withย EPAโs 2009 Endangerment Finding, 74ย FRย 66,496 (Dec. 15, 2009)โ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, February 17,ย 2017.
Kazman spoke withย Michael Bastaschย ofย The Daily Callerย regarding the petition, suggesting President Donald Trump may be too distracted to deal with the endangerment finding:133Michael Bastasch. โEXCLUSIVE:ย EPAย Asked To Invalidate A Pillar Of Obamaโs Climate Agenda,โย The Daily Caller, April 10, 2010. Archived November 13, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/mDuqB
โโI think theyโre going to have a lot of trouble on the other things they want to get done without addressing the endangerment finding,โ Kazman said.134Michael Bastasch. โEXCLUSIVE:ย EPAย Asked To Invalidate A Pillar Of Obamaโs Climate Agenda,โย The Daily Caller, April 10, 2010. Archived November 13, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/mDuqB
A similar petition was sent by theย Concerned Household Electricity Consumers Council (CHECC).ย Breitbartย Newsย also gave coverage to theย CHECCย andย CEIย petitions.135โEnvironmental Groups Askย EPAย to Rescind Obamaโs โEndangerment Findingโ,โย Breitbart, April 11, 2017. Archived November 13, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/JSLKd
July 12,ย 2016
The Competitive Enterprise Institute, represented by Kent Lassman,ย was among 22 groups represented in aย โCoalitionโ open letterย pushing back against what theย Heartland Institute describesย as an โaffront to free speech.โ The groups are responding to the recentย Web of Denial Resolution brought up in the Senate, calling out fossil fuel industry-funded groups denying climate change.136Jim Lakely. โ#WebOfDenial Push by Senate Dems Exposes Their Hatred of Free Speech,โย Somewhat Reasonableย (Heartland Institute Blog), July 12, 2016. Archived July 14,ย 2016.
According to the Climate Investigations Center, all but one of the open letter’s signatory organizationsย have taken money (totalling atย leastย $92ย millionย since 1997) from the โclimate denial webโ includingย Koch Brothers’ various foundations,ย ExxonMobil, andย two โDark Moneyโ organizations,ย Donors Trustย andย Donors Capital Fund.137Cindy Baxter. โFront Groups Attacking #WebofDenial Senate Action Took Over $92M in Dark, Dirty Money,โ DeSmog, July 14, 2016.ย Originally posted at Climate Investigations Center.
Championed by Senators Whitehouse, Markey, Schatz, Boxer, Merkley, Warren, Sanders, and Franken, the resolution condemns what they are calling theย #WebOfDenialย โ โinterconnected groups โ funded by the Koch brothers, major fossil fuel companies like ExxonMobil and Peabody Coal, identity-scrubbing groups like Donors Trust and Donors Capital, and their allies โ developed and executed a massive campaign to deceive the public about climate change to halt climate action and protect their bottom lines.โ138Brendan Demelle. โSenators Launch Resolution, Speech Blitz Calling Out #WebOfDenial Blocking Climate Action,โย DeSmog, July 11,ย 2016.
The open letter addresses the senators, calling themย โtyrantsโ:ย
โWe hear you. Your threat is clear: There is a heavy and inconvenient cost to disagreeing with you. Calls for debate will be met with political retribution. Thatโs called tyranny. And, we reject it.โ139“Coalition Letter to Senate Web of Denial Resolution” (PDF). Retrieved from the Heartland Institute. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
The full list of signatories and their respective organizations is asย follows:
- Grover Norquistย โย Americans for Taxย Reform
- Lisa B. Nelson โย American Legislative Exchangeย Council
- John A. Charles, Jr.ย โย Cascade Policyย Institute
- David Rothbardย โย Committee for a Constructiveย Tomorrow
- Kent Lassman โย Competitive Enterpriseย Institute
- Nicole Neily โย Franklin Center for Government and Policyย Integrity
- Benita Dodd โ Georgia Public Policyย Foundation
- Bridgett Wagnerย โย The Heritageย Foundation
- Fred Birnbaum โย Idaho Freedomย Foundation
- Joseph Bastย โย The Heartlandย Institute
- J. Robert McClureย IIIย โย James Madisonย Institute
- Brett Healy โย The John K. MacIver Institute for Publicย Policy
- Kory Swanson โย John Lockeย Foundation
- Dave Trabert โย Kansas Policyย Institute
- Jason Hayes โย Mackinac Center for Publicย Policy
- Brent Mead โย Montana Policyย Institute
- Sharon J. Rossie โย Nevada Policy Researchย Institute
- Sally Pipesย โย Pacific Researchย Institute
- Kevin Kane โย Pelican Institute for Publicย Policy
- Paul J. Gessing โย Rio Grandeย Foundation
- Lynn Taylor โย Virginia Institute for Publicย Policy
- Carol Platt Liebau โย Yankee Institute for Publicย Policy
June 6,ย 2016
Followingย CEI’s subpoena from Claude Walker, Attorney General for theย U.S.ย Virgin Islands, theย Competitive Enterprise Institute received aย letter of supportย signed by thirty-one organizations described as a โbroad coalition of free market groups.โ140Brett Healy. โMacIver Stands With Competitive Enterprise Institute In Battle Over Free Speech,โ MacIver Institute, June 6, 2016. Archived June 23, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Lqjyq
โThis subpoena was an all-out assault on free speech. Forcing theย CEIย to hand over private information to government officials is an affront to the First Amendment rights of all Americans,โ the letterย states.
Theย full letter (seeย PDF)ย asserts that the subpoena, while it was eventually withdrawn, was a โdangerous precedent.โ141โDear Kentโ (PDF), June, 2016. Retrieved fromย http://www.maciverinstitute.com. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
โFree market and taxpayer groups have been under assault by government officials including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This is just another example of how the government is engaging in selective targeting based on a political agenda that is meant to intimidate others from participating and engaging in any debate that may run contrast to the position of the current administration.โ
Signatories listed included the following:142โDear Kentโ (PDF), June, 2016. Retrieved fromย http://www.maciverinstitute.com. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
- David Williamsย โ President,ย Taxpayers Protectionย Alliance
- Dan Greenbergย โ President,ย Advanceย Arkansasย Institute
- Dan Schneiderย โ Executive Director,ย American Conservativeย Union
- Lisa B. Nelsonย โย CEO,ย American Legislative Exchangeย Council
- Brent Wm. Gardnerย โ Vice President of Government Affairs,ย Americans forย Prosperity
- Grover Norquistย โ President,ย Americans for Taxย Reform
- Justin Owenย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย Beacon Center ofย Tennessee
- Mark Bucherย โย CEO, California Policyย Center
- John Hinderakerย โ President,ย Center of the Americanย Experiment
- Norm Singletonย โ President, Campaign forย Liberty
- Andrew F. Quinlanย โ President, Center for Freedom andย Prosperity
- Jeffrey Mazzellaย โ President,ย Center for Individualย Freedom
- Tom Schatzย โ President,ย Citizens Against Governmentย Waste
- Col Francis X. De Lucaย USMCRย (Ret)ย โ President,ย Civitasย Institute
- Robert Roperย โ President,ย Ethan Allenย Institute
- Tarren Bragdonย โย CEO,ย Foundation for Governmentย Accountability
- Tom McCabeย โย CEO, Freedomย Foundation
- George Landrithย โ President,ย Frontiers ofย Freedom
- Kelly McCutchenย โ President andย CEO,ย Georgia Public Policyย Foundation
- Andresen Blomย โ Executive Director,ย Grassroot Hawaiiย Action,ย Inc.
- Joseph Bastย โ President,ย Heartlandย Instituteย
- Sabrina Schaefferย โ Executive Director,ย Independent Women’sย Forumย
- Heather Higginsย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย Independent Women’sย Voice
- Andrew Langerย โ President,ย Institute forย Liberty
- Bob McClureย โ President andย CEO,ย The James Madisonย Institute
- Brett Healyย โ President,ย The John K. MacIver Institute for Publicย Policy
- Seton Motleyย โ President, Lessย Government
- Brandon Arnoldย โ Vice President,ย National Taxpayersย Union
- Kevin P. Kaneย โ President,ย Pelican Institute for Publicย Policy
- Mike Stenhouseย โย CEO,ย Rhode Island Center for Freedom andย Prosperity
- Paul J. Gessingย โ President,ย Rio Grandeย Foundation
May 18,ย 2016
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI)ย placed a full page color advertisementย inย The New York Times143โCEIย Runs โAbuse of Powerโ Ad In New York Times,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18, 2016. Archived May 31,ย 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DF7gWย titledย โAbuse of Powerโ (PDF). ย The ad served as an open letter from 43 signatories including organizations and individuals in response to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman,ย U.S.ย Virgin Islands Attorney General Claude Walker, and theย coalition of Attorneys General investigating groups denying man-made climate change.144 โAbuse of Power: All Americans have the right to support causes they believe inโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
โAttempts to intimidateย CEIย and our allies and silence our policy research are unconstitutional,โ saidย CEIย president Kent Lassman.ย โThe First Amendment protects us and everyone has a duty to respect it โ even state attorneys general. ย CEIย will continue to fight for all Americans to support the causes in which they believe.โ145โCEIย Runs โAbuse of Powerโ Ad In New York Times,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18, 2016. Archived May 31,ย 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DF7gW
The Competitive Enterprise Institute received a subpoena fromย AGย Walker on April 7, 2016. On April 20,ย CEIย filed an objection to the subpoena calling it โoffensive,โ โun-American,โ and โunlawful,โ and are contending thatย AGย Walker is โviolatingย CEIโs First Amendment rights.โ146โCEIย Runs โAbuse of Powerโ Ad In New York Times,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18, 2016. Archived May 31,ย 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DF7gW
The โfreedom of speechโ argument wasย echoed by ExxonMobil’s legal team, as well as numerous other conservative groups including theย Pacific Legal Foundation, Heritage Foundationย and the recently-formedย Free Speech in Science Project, a group created by the same lawyers who defended the Competitive Enterprise Institute in the past.147Steve Horn. โExxon’s Lawyer in Climate Science Probe Has History Helping Big Tobacco andย NFLย Defend Against Health Claims,โ DeSmog, May 10,ย 2016.
Theย CEIย letter lists the followingย signatories:
- Kent Lassmanย โ Presidentย &ย CEO, Competitive Enterpriseย Institute
- C. Boyden Grayย โ Former White Houseย Counsel
- Andrew C. McCarthyย โ Former Chief Assistant United States Attorney, Southern District of Newย York
- Michael B. Mukaseyย โย U.S.ย Attorney General, 2007-2009;ย U.S.ย District Judge,ย 1988-2006
- Ross McKitrickย โ Professor of Economics, University ofย Guelph
- Ronald D. Rotundaย โ Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence, Chapmanย University
- Richard S. Lindzenย โ Professor Emeritus of Atmospheric Sciences,ย MIT
- William Happerย โ Emeritus Professor of Physics, Princetonย University
- Jim DeMintย โ President,ย The Heritageย Foundation
- James H. Amos, Jr.ย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย National Center for Policyย Analysis
- John A. Badenย โ Chairman,ย Foundation for Research on Economicsย &ย theย Environment
- Lisa B. Nelsonย โย CEO,ย American Legislative Exchangeย Council
- Paul Driessenย โ Authorย &ย Energy Policyย Analyst
- Thomas J. Pyleย โ President,ย Institute for Energyย Research
- Steven J. Allenย โ Vice Presidentย &ย Chief Investigative Officer,ย Capital Researchย Center
- David Ridenourย โ President,ย National Center for Public Policyย Research
- Steven J. Milloyย โ Publisher,ย JunkScience.com
- Brooke Rollinsย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย Texas Public Policyย Foundation
- Paul Gessingย โ President,ย Rio Grandeย Foundation
- Ron Arnoldย โ Researcherย &ย Author
- William Perry Pendleyย โ President,ย Mountain States Legalย Foundation
- Adam Brandonย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย FreedomWorks
- Hank Campbellย โ President,ย American Council on Science andย Health
- Craig Ruckerย โ Executive Director, Committee for a Constructiveย Tomorrow
- Tom McCabeย โย CEO, Freedomย Foundation
- Richard B. Belzerย โย Economist
- Heather R. Higginsย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย Independent Women’sย Voice
- Joseph G. Lehmanย โ President,ย Mackinac Center for Publicย Policy
- Sabrina Schaefferย โ Executive Director,ย Independent Women’sย Forum
- Joseph Bastย โ President,ย The Heartlandย Institute
- John C. Eastmanย โ Founding Director, The Claremont Instituteโs Center for Constitutionalย Jurisprudence
- Robert Altย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย The Buckeyeย Institute
- Michael Packย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย The Claremontย Institute
- Josh Blackmanย โ Assistant Professor, South Texas College ofย Law
- Lynn Taylorย โ President, Tertiumย Quids
- David Rothbardย โ President,ย Committee for a Constructiveย Tomorrow
- Tracie Sharpย โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย State Policyย Network
- Kenneth Haapalaย โ President,ย Science and Environmental Policyย Project
- Tim Phillipsย โ President,ย Americans forย Prosperity
- Myron Ebellย โ Director of the Center for Energyย &ย Environment,ย Competitive Enterpriseย Institute
- George Landrithย โ President,ย Frontiers ofย Freedom
- John Tillmanย โย CEO,ย Illinois Policyย Institute
- Craig D. Idsoย โ Chairman,ย Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Globalย Change
The ad complained that the undersigned groups were being attacked in the course of several state investigations into Exxonโs campaign of climate denial. According to the Climate Investigations Center, the signatories had receivedย $10.1 million dollarsย from Exxon, ExxonMobil and the ExxonMobil Foundation from 1997 through 2014.148Kert Davies. “Competitive Enterprise Institute NYT Ad Signatories Got $10 Million from Exxon,” Climate Investigations Center, May 19, 2016. Archived January 29, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/XVty8
February 2016
Richard Lindzen, a prominent denier of man-made climate change, appeared on the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Real Clear Radio Hour where he spoke to host Bill Frezza.
Lindzen’s comments were transcribed at Marc Morano’sย Climate Depotย (reproduced below):149Marc Morano. โMITย Climate Scientist Dr. Richard Lindzen Mocks 97% Consensus: ‘It is propaganda’,โย Climate Depot, February 15, 2016. Archived March 15,2 016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/tRFbd
Question: How much warming do you expect for a doubling of carbon dioxide?
Lindzen: โDoubling is chosen for a very good reason. The dependence of the greenhouse gas effects what is called logarithmic. Which means if you doubleย CO2ย from 280 to 560ppm, you would get the same thing you as you would get from doubling from 560 to 10120. Itโs a diminishing return thing.โโThere is no obvious trend for at least 18 years in temperature.โ
Lindzen on 97% consensus:
Lindzen:ย โIt was the narrative from the beginning. In 1998, [NASAโs James] Hansen made some vague remarks. Newsweek ran a cover that says all scientists agree. Now they never really tell you what they agree on. It is propaganda.โ
โSo all scientists agree itโs probably warmer now than it was at the end of the Little Ice Age. Almost all Scientists agree that if you addย CO2ย you will have some warming. Maybe very little warming. But it is propaganda to translate that into it is dangerous and we must reduceย CO2ย etc.
ย If you can make an ambiguous remark and you have people who will amplify it โthey said it not meโ and he response of the political system is to increase your funding, whatโs not to like?ย If I look through my department, at least half of them keep mum. Just keep on doing your work, trying to figure out how it works.MITย โhas just announced that they see this bringing in $300 million bucks. It will support all sorts of things.’โ
Inverseย magazine offers a brief fact check of Lindzen’s most recent claims. They also quote climate scientist Ray Perrehumbert’s 2012 lecture to the American Geophysical Union:150Sarah Sloat. โClimate Change-Denyingย MITย Prof. Richard Lindzen Is Suddenly Popular, Still Wrong,โย Inverse, February 17, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qwpq3
โIt’sย OKย to be wrong, and [Richard Lindzen] is a smart person, but most people donโt really understand that one way of using your intelligence is to spin ever more clever ways of deceiving yourself. โฆ He has made a career of being wrong in interesting ways about climateย science.โ
August 5,ย 2015
The Competitive Enterprise Institute’sย Myron Ebellย was interviewed alongside of the Environmental Defense Fundโs Jeremy Symons on theย August 5 edition ofย CSPAN’s Washington Journal.ย During the interview,ย EDFโs Symons โconfrontedโ Ebell about his sources of funding, asking, โIsn’t Murray Energy your biggest funder of your dinner? They’re the biggest coal company in the United States for underground mining.โ151โCompetitive Enterprise Institute’s Myron Ebell: โIโd Like To See A Lot More Fundingโ From Big Coal,โ Media Matters, August 5, 2015. Archived August 11,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/skjit
Ebellย responded:โI’d like to see a lot more funding from all of those companies, but unfortunately many of the coal companies are now going bankrupt โฆ I would like to have more funding so that I can combat the nonsense put out by the environmental movement.โ
Watch Myron Ebellโs interview onย CSPAN here.
July 7โ8,ย 2015
The Competitive Enterprise Institute was aย co-sponsor to the Heartland Institute’s Tenth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC10)ย in Washington,ย DC.152โSponsors,โย ICCC10. Archived July 15,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Uyj2K
Julyย 2015
Lawson Bader, representing the Competitive Enterprise Institute,ย was a speaker at FreedomFest 2015 where he offered a July 10 presentation titledย โGavel Out! Legal Opportunities to Push Back Regulatory Overreach.โ153โLawson Bader ‘Gavel Out! Legal Opportunities to Push Back Regulatory Overreach’,โ Freedom Fest, July 10, 2015. Archived June 22, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/p8d0q
Bader also appeared on a July 11 panel discussion titled โThink Tanks Make a Difference.โ Speakers included representatives from a number of prominent Conservative think tanks:154โPANELย Think Tanks Make a Difference!โ FreedomFest, July 11, 2015. Archived June 22, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/raS07
- Elizabeth Ames โ Founder, Free Market Central.com and Thinkย Tankย Central.com
- Lawson Bader โ President,ย Competitiveย Enterpriseย Institute
- Peter Goettler โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย Catoย Institute
- Chris Long โ Presidentย &ย CEO,ย Intercollegiateย Studiesย Institute
- David Nott โ President,ย Reasonย Foundation
February,ย 2015
Mother Jonesย magazine reported the Competitive Enterprise Institute was the driving force behindย two lawsuits opposing Obamacare includingย King v. Burwell.155โWhy Is Big Pharma Financing a Conservative Group Trying to Destroy Obamacare?โMother Jones, February 18, 2015.ย Archived June 21, 2016. WebCiteURL:ย http://www.webcitation.org/6iSjGF31Q
According toย Mother Jones, โIf theย CEI-backed case prevails, more than 8 million people could lose their health coverage, premiums could skyrocket 35 percent or more, and the fledgling health care reform effort could collapse.ย CEIย also helped launch Halbig v. Burwell, a similar case that is on hold pending the Supreme Court’s decision in King.โ
The magazine noted that while โEven afterย CEIย filed its anti-Obamacare lawsuits, Big Pharma continued to fund the think tankโ even whileย the health care law was projected to boost the industry’s profits by up by $25 billion overย the following decade. Whileย PHRMA declined whether to say if they would continue to fundย CEI, while a GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman said thatย โGSKย supports efforts to increase access, improve quality and reduce cost growth in theย USย health system and we remain committed to working with the administration and other stakeholders as theย ACAย is fully implemented.
โIf that’s the case, though, it begs the question of why Glaxo and other pharmaceutical industry outfits that pledged their support to Obamacare have simultaneously backed a group that for years has been plotting the law’s destruction,โ writesย Mother Jones.
October 29,ย 2014
The Competitive Enterprise Institute filed a lawsuit suing the White House โover a video that claimed global warming might be tied to last year’s extreme cold spell, commonly referred to as the ‘polar vortex,’โ according to aย report from ThinkProgress.ย The White House stated that the video did not โrepresent the official agency position,โ and instead represented the โpersonal opinionsโ of the White House’s Office of Science and Technology director, John Holdren, andย OSTPย Senior Communications Advisor, Becky Fried.156โLibertarians Sue White House Over Climate Change Video,โย ThinkProgress, October 30, 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Uiss6
CEIย then filed a Freedom of Information Act request โfor all White House documents and e-mails discussing whether the validity of the science really does constitute Holdren and Friedโs personal opinions, and all documents related to the cost of producing Holdrenโs video.โ The White House came forth with some material following theย FOIAย request, but withheld 47 additional pieces of information that it claimed contained โprivileged material.โ
Septemberย 26,ย 2014
CEI’s Marlo Lewis attended the โAt the Crossroads; Energyย &ย Climate Policy Summitโ in Houston, Texas, hosted by theย Texas Public Policy Foundationย andย The Heritage Foundation. Lewis presents in โPanelย II: Taking Stock of Current Climate Regulation.โ157Marlo Lewis. โSpeakers,โ At the Crossroads; Energyย &ย Climate Policy Summit, Texas Public Policy Foundation, The Heritage Foundation, Septemberย 25,ย 2014. Archived October 3,ย 2014. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/GUScV
July 7โ9,ย 2014
The Competitive Enterprise Institute was aย co-sponsor to the Heartland Institute’s Ninth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC9)ย in Las Vegas, Nevada.158โICCC9ย CoSponsors,โ International Conferences on Climate Change (The Heartland Institute). Archived July 27,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/gclHF
Juneย 2014
The Competitive Enterprise Institute filed a lawsuit against theย NSA.ย CEIย Presidentย Lawson Bader wrote their reasoning is to gain access to information they have failed to retrieve from the EPAย including โcell phone and text message records that we believe will show the degree to which left-leaning environmental pressure groups have had unfettered, back-channel access toย EPAย leadership.โ159Lawson Bader. โCEIย Sues theย NSA,โ Human Events, June 16, 2014. Archived June 22, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ri1gT
Bader writes thatย โtheย NSAย might have the information that theย EPAย claims is non-existent. So we are asking the federal government to snitch on itself. And that is actually kind ofย funny.โ
May 21โ23, 2012
The Competitive Enterprise Institute wasย listed as a โGold Sponsorโย of the Heartland Institute’s Seventh International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC7).160โCosponsors,โ 7th International Conference on Climate Change. Archived May 10,ย 2012. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/VAY3r
June 30โJuly 1,ย 2011
The Competitive Enterprise Institute was aย co-sponsor (PDF)ย to the Heartland Institute’s Sixth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC6).161“Sixth International Conference on Climate Change Conference Program” (PDF), The Heartland Institute. Archived July 25,ย 2015.
July 16, 2010
CEI hosted outspoken climate denier Geoffrey Pohanka at an event at which he delivered an address on the “Global Warming Debate.”162“Geoffrey Pohanka on the Global Warming Debate,” Vimeo video uploaded by user “CEI Video”, July 16, 2010 (according to metadata). Archived August 24, 2010. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/5NrLK
While the video no longer appears available online, see a screenshot of the archived page on Vimeo below. According to metadata, the post was made July 16, 2010.163“Geoffrey Pohanka on the Global Warming Debate,” Vimeo video uploaded by user “CEI Video”, July 16, 2010 (according to metadata). Archived August 24, 2010. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/5NrLK
May 2010
The Competitive Enterprise Institute was aย co-sponsor (PDF)ย to the Heartland Institute’s Fourth International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC4).164“4th International Conference on Climate Change Conference Program” (PDF), The Heartlandย Institute.ย
June 2,ย 2009
The Competitive Enterprise Instituteย cosponsored the Heartland Institute’s Third International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC3).165โCo-Sponsors,โ Third International Conference on Climate Change. Archived July 14,ย 2010.ย Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7M3LQ
The conference’s theme was โClimate Change: Scientific Debate and Economic Analysis,โ to reflect Heartland’s belief that that โscientific debate is notย over.โ
March 8โ10,ย 2009
The Competitive Enterprise Instituteย cosponsored the Heartland Institute’s Second International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC2).166โCo-Sponsors,โ The 2009 International Conference on Climate Change. Archived April 28,ย 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8pEf7
Marchย 2008
CEIย releasedย a national ad campaignย โon the Impact of Al Goreโs Global Warming Policies.โ The campaign focused on โthe threat to affordable energy posed by Al Goreโs global warming agenda.โ167Kevin Grandia. โCEIย Struggles to Remain Relevant, Bashes Gore,โย DeSmog, March 12,ย 2008.
Videoย transcript:
โHere’s the electricity we use at home. Al Gore uses twenty times as much. Mister gore’s friends use lots of energy too. But Al Gore wants to cut our energy use, putting our jobs and our future in jeopardy. Mr Gore’s future, on the other hand, couldn’t be brighter. We depend on reliable, affordable energy for our food, our transportation, our homes. It’s the best protection we have against the hazards of life and it’s even more important to people elsewhere who are struggling to survive; to break out of the prison of poverty. For them, affordable energy is something to hope for and something to celebrate. But what will happen to that hope if we restrict energy use? Some people may have a bright future. But don’t kid yourself: Without affordable energy, hundreds of millions of people won’t have any future atย all.โ
CEI’s Sam Kazman, the ad co-creator,ย saidย that โGlobal warming activists warn usย about the alleged threats from global warming, but are usually silent about theย much more immediate threats from global warming policies.โ168โCEIย Launches National Ad Campaign on the Impact of Al Goreโs Global Warming Policies,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 11, 2008. Archived July 30,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hGdAl
March 2โ4,ย 2008
The Competitive Enterprise Institute was aย cosponsor of the Heartland Institute’s First International Conference on Climate Change (ICCC1). The conference was titled โGlobal Warming: Truth or Swindle.โ169โSponsorships,โ The 2008 International Conference on climate Change. Archived June 10,ย 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bxDic
January 2007
CEIย offered up their in-house staff asย global warming โexpertsโย available to comment on the upcoming release by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
CEIย describedย theย IPCC’s Summary for Policymakers as a โpropaganda document that will promote global warming alarmism.โ170โGood News for the Planet = Bad News for Climate Alarmists,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, January 30, 2007. Archived July 30,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dcQtd
October 24, 2006
CEIย contributed an Amicus (PDF) in a Supreme Court Co2 case. The argument states that โContrary to the Climate Scientistsโ Amicus Brief, There Is Insufficient Evidence That Carbon Dioxide Emissions Will Endanger Public Health or Welfare.โ
The amicus curiae provided byย CEIย include skeptical scientistsย Sallie Baliunas,ย John Christy,ย Christopher de Freitas,ย David Legates,ย Anthony R. Lupo,ย Patrick Michaels,ย Joel Schwartz, andย Roy Spencer.171โAMICIย CURIAEย BRIEFย OFย CLIMATOLOGISTSย ANDย SCIENTISTSย SALLIEย BALIUNAS,ย JOHNย R.CHRISTY,ย CHRISย DEย FREITAS,ย DAVIDย LEGATES,ย ANTHONYย LUPO,ย PATRICKย MICHAELS,ย JOELย SCHWARTZ,ย ANDย ROYย W.ย SPENCERย INย SUPPORTย OFย RESPONDENTSโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived July 30,ย 2015.
May 2006
CEIย launched aย national global warming ad campaignย featuring two 60-second television ads with the tagline โCO2: They Call It Pollution; We Call It Life.โ
Transcript:172โGlobal Warming – ‘Energy’,โ (YouTube video), Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18,ย 2006. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
โThere’s something in these pictures you can’t see. It’s essential to life. We breathe it out; plants breathe it in. It comes from animal life, the oceans, the earth, and the fuels we find in it. It’s called carbon dioxide,ย CO2. The fuels that produceย CO2ย have freed us from a world of backbreaking labor, lighting up our lives, allowing us to create and move the things we need; the people we love. [Ominous Music] Now, some politicians want to label carbon dioxide a pollutant. ย Imagine if they succeed. What would our lives be like then? Carbon dioxide: they call it pollution. We call itย life.โ
One of the ads โfocuses on the extent to which the public has received only one side of the glacial melting issue.โ173โCEIย To Launch National Global Warming Ad Campaign,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 15, 2006. Archived July 30,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/H3tV2
July 20,ย 2005
CEIย published a โdefinitive article on climate change.โ174Jim Hoggan. โLast Word from the Competitive Enterprise Institute,โย DeSmog, December 8,ย 2005.
Theย article (PDF)ย begins with the admission that โGlobal warming is happening and man is responsible for at least some of itโ butย CEIย proceeds to argue that โThere is no ‘scientific consensus’ that global warming will cause damaging climate change.โ175Ian Murray.ย โWhat Every European Should Know About Global Warmingโ (PDF),ย CEIย On Point, July 20, 2005. Archived July 30,ย 2015.
February 10, 2005
CEIย held an event titled โThe Kyoto Protocol and Beyond: A Roundtable Discussion on the Future of International andย U. S.ย Climate Policyโ that examined what Kyoto would mean for future climate policy in theย U.S.
Panelists included:176โThe Kyoto Protocol and Beyond: A Roundtable Discussion on the Future of International andย U. S.ย Climate Policy,โย CEIย Events and Appearances. Archived April 26,ย 2006. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wfPMu
- Senator James M. Inhofeย (R-Okla.) โ Chairman, Senate Environment and Public Worksย Committee.
- Harlan L. Watsonย โ Senior Climate Negotiator and Special Representative at theย U.S.ย Department ofย State.
- William O’Keefeย โย CEOย of the George C. Marshallย Institute.
- Myron Ebellย โ Director, Global Warming Policy at the Competitive Enterpriseย Institute.
- Christopher C. Hornerย โ Counsel to the Cooler Headsย Coalition.
- Jeff Kueterย (Moderator) โ President of the George C. Marshallย Institute.
August 2003
CEIย filed a lawsuit against theย U.S.ย government, citing the Data Quality Act. The institute demanded that the National Assessment, a report on climate change, not be disseminated by the government.
The Bush administration settled the lawsuit by adding a disclaimer to the web site where the report is available, stating that it has not been reviewed under the Data Quality Act.177โEarth Last,โย The American Prospect, May 4, 2004. Archived June 7,ย 2004. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/uV5E0
August 2, 2002
CEIย was one of a group of of think-tanks thatย sent a letterย discouraged President Bush from attending the August 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development.178(Press Release) โCorporate-funded Lobbyists Aimed to Sabotage Johannesburg Summit,โย Africa News, August 19, 2002. Archived July 30,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/1R29d
October 3, 2000
CEIย filed a lawsuitย over the National Assessment withย Senator James Inhofeย as a co-plaintiff.
The suit alleged various procedural deficiencies in the report’s preparation and demanded the court block the report’s production or utilization.
Co-plaintiff Jo Ann Emerson, a Republican representative from Missouri, charged, โThe administration is rushing to release a junk science report in violation of current law to try to lend support to its flawed Kyoto Protocol negotiations.โ179โEarth Last,โย The American Prospect, May 4, 2004. Archived June 7,ย 2004. Archive URL:ย https://archive.ph/uV5E0
July 1998
Marlo Lewis testified on behalf of the Competitive Enterprise Institute on the issue of โWhy Kyoto Is Not an Insurance Policy.โ
Lewis concludes that there are โseveral reasons why we shouldn’t worry about global warming,โ including how man-kind would supposedly benefit from warming because โplant life grow faster, stronger, and more profuselyโ with increased carbonย dioxide.
Lewis does not cite any scientific studies to support these claims.180โWhy Kyoto Is Not an Insurance Policy,โ Junk Science, July 29, 1998. Archived March 3,ย 2000. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hOHnY
CEIย Contactย &ย Address
As of May, 2016 the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s (CEI) contact address and phone number was listed as follows:181โAbout,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/IpJWA
1899 L Stย NW, 12th Floor
Washington,ย DCย 20036Phone: 202-331-1010
Fax:ย 202-331-0640
Relatedย Organizations
- Cooler Heads Coalitionย โ Paid for and maintained byย CEI.182โAbout,โ GlobalWarming.org. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/nLWnM
- SafeChemicalPolicy.orgย โ ย Project ofย CEIย and its Coalition Members.183โAbout,โย SAFEChemicalPolicy.org. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Lsqzn
Otherย Resources
- โCompetitive Enterprise Institute,โ SourceWatchย Profile.
- โCompetitive Enterprise Institute,โ Wikipediaย page.
- โCompetitive Enterprise Institute and Global Warming,โ SourceWatchย page.
- Greenpeace Investigations research documents onย CEI.
Resources
- 1โAbout,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/IpJWA
- 2ExxonSecrets Factsheet: Competitive Enterprise Institute,ย CEI. Data retrieved August, 2016.ย Most recent data on file atย DeSmog.
- 3“ExxonMobil cuts off funding to (some) climate deniers,” The Christian Science Monitor, May 29, 2008. Archived July 8, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yVKMW
- 4Andy Kroll. โExposed: The Dark-Moneyย ATMย of the Conservative Movement,โย Mother Jones, February 5, 2003. Archived July 24,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dP34U
- 5Richard Littlemore. “Exxon Acknowledges Climate Change, cuts CEI’s funding,” DeSmog, January 11, 2007.
- 6โMyron Ebell: Director, Center for Energy and Environment,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived December 29,ย 2011.ย Archive URL: https://archive.ph/mxjzoย
- 7โMyron Ebell: Director, Center for Energy and Environment,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived September 29, 2012. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/wpXxG
- 8โEnergy and Environment,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived June 23, 2016. https://archive.ph/f5Dm8
- 9โAbout,โ GlobalWarming.org. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/nLWnM
- 10Homepage, Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/qdrnO
- 11Homepage, Global Warming.org. Archived March 13, 2018. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/O44nJ
- 12Homepage, Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived May 28, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DrxZn
- 13Homepage, Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived May 31, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/oF2yW
- 14โAbout,โย SAFEChemicalPolicy.org. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Lsqzn
- 15“Energy and Environment,” CEI. Archived February 4, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/SzReH
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- 19Lee Fang. โCOALย GIANTย PROVIDEDย SECRETย FINANCINGย TOย GROUPย CHALLENGINGย CLIMATEย LAWSUITS,โThe Intercept, December 17, 2019. Archive.phย URL:ย https://archive.ph/hUjRt
- 20Scott Waldman. โMurray Energy a major funder of climate denial groups,โย E&Eย News, December 17, 2019.ย Archived December 20, 2019. Archive.phย URL:ย https://archive.ph/wip/WrDuT
- 21Lisa Friedman. โA Coal Baron Funded Climate Denial as His Company Spiraled Into Bankruptcy,โย The New York Times, December 17, 2019.ย Archived December 20, 2019.ย Archive.phย URL:ย https://archive.ph/ujTS6
- 22Tik Root, Lisa Friedman, and Hiroko Tabuchi. โFollowing the Money That Undermines Climate Science,โย The New York Times, July 10, 2019.ย Archived July 10, 2019. Archive.foย URL:https://archive.fo/8G1po
- 23โCEIย 35th Anniversary Dinner and Receiptionโ (PDF),ย CEI, July 8, 2019 (document creation date). Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
- 24Tik Root, Lisa Friedman, and Hiroko Tabuchi. โFollowing the Money That Undermines Climate Science,โย The New York Times, July 10, 2019.ย Archived July 10, 2019. Archive.foย URL:https://archive.fo/8G1po
- 25โCEIย 35th Anniversary Dinner and Receiptionโ (PDF),ย CEI, July 8, 2019 (document creation date). Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
- 26Juliet Eilperin. โAnatomy of a Washington dinner: Who funds the Competitive Enterprise Institute?โย The Washington Post, June 20, 2013. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/CZoH2
- 27โCompetitive Enterprise Institute’s Myron Ebell: ‘I’d Like To See A Lot More Funding’ย From Big Coal,โย Media Matters, August 5, 2015.ย Archived November 10, 2016. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/NrMh4
- 28โCompetitive Enterprise Institute,โ Conservative Transparency. Data retrieved June 2,ย 2017.
- 29Richard Littlemore. โExxon Acknowledges Climate Change, cutsย CEI’s funding,โย DeSmog, January 11,ย 2007.
- 30โSceptics forced to contain hot air on gases,โย The Australian, April 10, 2007.ย Archived September 2, 2013.
- 31Joel Achenbach. โThe Tempest,โย The Washington Post, May 28, 2006.ย Archived February 20, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/9bwde
- 32Juliet Eilperin. โAnatomy of a Washington dinner: Who funds the Competitive Enterprise Institute?โย The Washington Post, June 20, 2013.ย Archived February 20, 2019.ย Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/O2ssB
- 33ExxonSecrets Factsheet: Competitive Enterprise Institute,ย CEI. Data retrieved August, 2016.ย Most recent data on file atย DeSmog.
- 34โCompetitive Enterprise Institute (CEI): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,โย Greenpeaceย USA.ย Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/3STLm
- 35โCompetitive Enterprise Institute (CEI): Koch Industries Climate Denial Front Group,โย Greenpeaceย USA.ย Archived March 14, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/3STLm
- 36โDear Maura,โย Competitive Enterprise Institute, October 16, 2000. Retrieved from Tobacco Industry Documents. Bates Number :ย 525291068-525291069.
- 37โDear Tom,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, October 11, 1994. Retrieved from Truth Tobacco Industry Documents. Bates No.ย 2046558061.
- 38โCompetitive Enterprise Institute,โ Capital Research Center. Archived July 2,ย 2003. https://archive.ph/KDxLB
- 39COMPETITIVEย ENTERPRISEย INST,SMITH,FLย JR.ย COMPETITIVEย ENTERPRISEย INSTITUTE. 1994 March. Philipย Morris. Retrieved from UCSF Industry Documents Library. Bates No. 2046558
- 40“A Thorn With a Smile” (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, April 25, 2016. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 41“Kent Lassman,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived January 30, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/s1D1Z
- 42“Kent Lassman,” DCI Group. Archived November 3, 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/yODK4
- 43Connor D. Wolf. “CEIโs Kent Lassman: Meeting Policy With People,” InsideSources. August 9, 2017. Archived January 30, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/kH7px
- 44“A Thorn With a Smile” (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, April 25, 2016.
- 45“Kent Lassman,” Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived January 30, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/s1D1Z
- 46“Gibbons spurns lobbying to seek medical research investments,” Politico, March 22, 2016. Archived January 30, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/MtXeC
- 47Kent Lassman. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congress,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 6, 2025.
- 48Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 49Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 50Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 51Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 52Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 53Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 54Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 55Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 56Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 57Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 58Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 59Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 60Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 61Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 62Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 63Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 64Daren Bakst and Marlo Lewis. โModernizing the EPA: A Blueprint for Congressโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 3, 2025 (document creation date).
- 65(Press Release). โEPA Launches Biggest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History,โ EPA, March 12, 2025. Archived June 4, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ziAPm
- 66(Press Release). โEPA Launches Biggest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History,โ EPA, March 12, 2025. Archived June 4, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ziAPm
- 67(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg
- 68(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg
- 69(Press Release). “New coalition urges Congress to investigate risks of net-zero energy actions,” CFACT, February 24, 2023. Archived October 2, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/YJQEg
- 70“BRIEF OF AMICUS CURIAE THE COMPETITIVE ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONERS in STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA, ET AL., Petitioners, v. U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND MICHAEL REGAN, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, Respondents,” Supreme Court of the United States docket nos. 20-1530, 20-1531, 20-1778, 20-1780
- 71“Provisional list of registered participants” (PDF), UNFCCC, November 1, 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 72Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
- 73Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
- 74Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
- 75Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
- 76Jack Elbaum. “A Civilian Climate Corps Cannot Address a Climate Emergency,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 23, 2021. Archived August 23, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iDBzC
- 77Timothy Cama. “Group hires conservative writer to examine green movement,” E&E News, May 12, 2021. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 78CAFE-Coaliton-to-Trump-April-2020-9 (PDF),ย American Energy Alliance.
- 79CAFE-Coaliton-to-Trump-April-2020-9 (PDF),ย American Energy Alliance.
- 80Dana Drugmand. โUnder Cover of Pandemic, Fossil Fuel Interests Unleash Lobbying Frenzy,โย DeSmog, April 2,ย 2020.
- 81Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
- 82Coronavirus Stimulus Letter, Life:Powered, March 23, 2020. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
- 83(Press Release). โCEIย Files Formal Complaint Regardingย NASA’s Claim of 97% Climate Scientist Agreement on Global Warming,โย CEI.org, July 10, 2019. Archived July 24, 2019. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/1N4GT. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
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- 85Kent Lassman, Daniel Turner. โWhat the Green New Deal Could Cost a Typical Household,โย Competitive Enterprise Institute, July 30, 2019. Archived July 30, 2019. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/Sg62w. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
- 86Hiroko Tabuchi. โClimate Change Denialists Dubbed Auto Makers the โOppositionโ in Fight Over Trumpโs Emissions Rollback,โย The New York Times, July 2, 2019.ย Archived July 3, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/Dr5mP
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- 89โDear Senator Grassley, Senator Wyden, Representative Neal and Representative Brady:โ May 9, 2019. Retrieved fromย The Daily Caller. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/NXbZE
- 90Christ White. โCONSERVATIVESย WARNย LAWMAKERS:ย TESLAโSย TAXย CREDITSย โOVERWHELMINGLYย BENEFITย THEย RICHโ,โThe Daily Caller, May 9, 2019. Archived May 9, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/qzvF3
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- 93โRe: Request for Correction Number 19001 Pertaining to the Bristol Bay Watershed Assessmentโ (PDF),ย Competitive Enterprise Institute,ย March 20, 2019. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
- 94โRe: Pebble Limited Partnership Submission in Support of Information Quality Act Request for Correction by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (RFCย 19001)โ (PDF), Steptoeย &ย Johnsonย LLP. Retrieved fromย EPA.gov.
- 95โMeet the Press used to be the gold-standard for political debate.ย NOTย ANYMORE.,โย NBCClimatedebate.cei.org. Archived January 25, 2019. Archive.foย URL:ย https://archive.fo/Ahd9d
- 96Amy Russo. โChuck Todd Refuses To Give Air Time To Climate Deniers: ‘The Science Is Settled’,โย HuffPost, December 31,ย 2018.
- 97โCEIย Ad: Chuck Toddย &ย NBC’s Meet the Press: Stop Denying the Real Climate Debate,โ YouTube video uploaded by user โCompetitive Enterprise Institute,โ January 18, 2019. Archived .mp4 on file atย DeSmog.
- 98Tim Pearce. โEnergy Department Hit withย FOIAย Lawsuit Over Green Tax Credit Lobbying Campaign,โย The Daily Caller, December 11, 2018. Archived December 12, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/6HueE
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- 100chived December 12, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย http://archive.is/6HueE
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- 115โ41 Conservative Groups Support Scalise/McKinley Anti-Carbon Tax Resolution,โย Americans for Tax Reform, July 18, 2018. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
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- 117Nick Sobczyk. โHouse voting on anti-carbon-tax measure: ‘Pass the popcorn’,โย E&Eย News, July 16, 2018. Archived Aug 2, 2018. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.fo/aTP8h
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- 119โTeaching opportunities from House Concurrent Resolution 119 (H.Con.Res.119)โ (PDF), Citizens’ Climate Lobby, April 30,ย 2018.
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- 121Ben Jervey. โOn Rollbacks, Automakers Tell Trump ‘Not So Fast,’ Kochs Say ‘Burn More Gas’,โDeSmog, May 14,ย 2018.
- 122Kent Lassma. โPresident’s Fall Policy Update,โย Competitive Enterprise Institute, December 12, 2017. Archived December 28, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/eohIy
- 123โCEIย Sues State Department for Paris Climate Treaty Docs,โย Competitive Enterprise Institute, October 3, 2017. Archived October 6, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/8QAwz
- 124โParis Climate Treatyย TVย Ad: Mr. President, Keep your Promise,โ YouTube video uploaded by user Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18, 2017. Archived .mp4 on file atย DeSmog.
- 125Sharon Kelly. โTrump Abandons Paris Climate Deal At Bidding of Fossil Fuel Interests,โย DeSmog, June 1,ย 2017.
- 126โThe man behind the decision to pull out of the Paris agreement,โย CNN, June 3, 2017.ย Archived June 5, 2017.ย Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/G82Jt
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- 128Graham Readfearn. โConservative Groups Pushing Trump To Exit Paris Climate Deal Have Taken Millions From Koch Brothers, Exxon,โย DeSmog, May 10,ย 2017.
- 129Susanne Goldberg. โConservative groups spend up to $1bn a year to fight action on climate change,โย The Guardian, December 20, 2013.ย Archived May 12, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/TB2yy
- 130โPetition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Science and Environmental Policy Project for Rulemaking on the Subject of Greenhouse Gases and Their Impact on Public Health and Welfare, in Connection withย EPAโs 2009 Endangerment Finding, 74ย FRย 66,496 (Dec. 15, 2009)โ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, February 17,ย 2017.
- 131โPetition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Science and Environmental Policy Project for Rulemaking on the Subject of Greenhouse Gases and Their Impact on Public Health and Welfare, in Connection withย EPAโs 2009 Endangerment Finding, 74ย FRย 66,496 (Dec. 15, 2009)โ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, February 17,ย 2017.
- 132โPetition of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and the Science and Environmental Policy Project for Rulemaking on the Subject of Greenhouse Gases and Their Impact on Public Health and Welfare, in Connection withย EPAโs 2009 Endangerment Finding, 74ย FRย 66,496 (Dec. 15, 2009)โ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute, February 17,ย 2017.
- 133Michael Bastasch. โEXCLUSIVE:ย EPAย Asked To Invalidate A Pillar Of Obamaโs Climate Agenda,โย The Daily Caller, April 10, 2010. Archived November 13, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/mDuqB
- 134Michael Bastasch. โEXCLUSIVE:ย EPAย Asked To Invalidate A Pillar Of Obamaโs Climate Agenda,โย The Daily Caller, April 10, 2010. Archived November 13, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/mDuqB
- 135โEnvironmental Groups Askย EPAย to Rescind Obamaโs โEndangerment Findingโ,โย Breitbart, April 11, 2017. Archived November 13, 2017. Archive.isย URL:ย https://archive.is/JSLKd
- 136Jim Lakely. โ#WebOfDenial Push by Senate Dems Exposes Their Hatred of Free Speech,โย Somewhat Reasonableย (Heartland Institute Blog), July 12, 2016. Archived July 14,ย 2016.
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- 138Brendan Demelle. โSenators Launch Resolution, Speech Blitz Calling Out #WebOfDenial Blocking Climate Action,โย DeSmog, July 11,ย 2016.
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- 140Brett Healy. โMacIver Stands With Competitive Enterprise Institute In Battle Over Free Speech,โ MacIver Institute, June 6, 2016. Archived June 23, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Lqjyq
- 141โDear Kentโ (PDF), June, 2016. Retrieved fromย http://www.maciverinstitute.com. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
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- 143โCEIย Runs โAbuse of Powerโ Ad In New York Times,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18, 2016. Archived May 31,ย 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DF7gW
- 144โAbuse of Power: All Americans have the right to support causes they believe inโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived .pdf on file atย DeSmog.
- 145โCEIย Runs โAbuse of Powerโ Ad In New York Times,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18, 2016. Archived May 31,ย 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DF7gW
- 146โCEIย Runs โAbuse of Powerโ Ad In New York Times,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, May 18, 2016. Archived May 31,ย 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DF7gW
- 147Steve Horn. โExxon’s Lawyer in Climate Science Probe Has History Helping Big Tobacco andย NFLย Defend Against Health Claims,โ DeSmog, May 10,ย 2016.
- 148Kert Davies. “Competitive Enterprise Institute NYT Ad Signatories Got $10 Million from Exxon,” Climate Investigations Center, May 19, 2016. Archived January 29, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/XVty8
- 149Marc Morano. โMITย Climate Scientist Dr. Richard Lindzen Mocks 97% Consensus: ‘It is propaganda’,โย Climate Depot, February 15, 2016. Archived March 15,2 016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/tRFbd
- 150Sarah Sloat. โClimate Change-Denyingย MITย Prof. Richard Lindzen Is Suddenly Popular, Still Wrong,โย Inverse, February 17, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Qwpq3
- 151โCompetitive Enterprise Institute’s Myron Ebell: โIโd Like To See A Lot More Fundingโ From Big Coal,โ Media Matters, August 5, 2015. Archived August 11,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/skjit
- 152โSponsors,โย ICCC10. Archived July 15,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Uyj2K
- 153โLawson Bader ‘Gavel Out! Legal Opportunities to Push Back Regulatory Overreach’,โ Freedom Fest, July 10, 2015. Archived June 22, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/p8d0q
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- 155โWhy Is Big Pharma Financing a Conservative Group Trying to Destroy Obamacare?โMother Jones, February 18, 2015.ย Archived June 21, 2016. WebCiteURL:ย http://www.webcitation.org/6iSjGF31Q
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- 159Lawson Bader. โCEIย Sues theย NSA,โ Human Events, June 16, 2014. Archived June 22, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ri1gT
- 160โCosponsors,โ 7th International Conference on Climate Change. Archived May 10,ย 2012. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/VAY3r
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- 165โCo-Sponsors,โ Third International Conference on Climate Change. Archived July 14,ย 2010.ย Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7M3LQ
- 166โCo-Sponsors,โ The 2009 International Conference on Climate Change. Archived April 28,ย 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/8pEf7
- 167Kevin Grandia. โCEIย Struggles to Remain Relevant, Bashes Gore,โย DeSmog, March 12,ย 2008.
- 168โCEIย Launches National Ad Campaign on the Impact of Al Goreโs Global Warming Policies,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, March 11, 2008. Archived July 30,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hGdAl
- 169โSponsorships,โ The 2008 International Conference on climate Change. Archived June 10,ย 2011. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bxDic
- 170โGood News for the Planet = Bad News for Climate Alarmists,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute, January 30, 2007. Archived July 30,ย 2015. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dcQtd
- 171โAMICIย CURIAEย BRIEFย OFย CLIMATOLOGISTSย ANDย SCIENTISTSย SALLIEย BALIUNAS,ย JOHNย R.CHRISTY,ย CHRISย DEย FREITAS,ย DAVIDย LEGATES,ย ANTHONYย LUPO,ย PATRICKย MICHAELS,ย JOELย SCHWARTZ,ย ANDย ROYย W.ย SPENCERย INย SUPPORTย OFย RESPONDENTSโ (PDF), Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived July 30,ย 2015.
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- 181โAbout,โ Competitive Enterprise Institute. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/IpJWA
- 182โAbout,โ GlobalWarming.org. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/nLWnM
- 183โAbout,โย SAFEChemicalPolicy.org. Archived March 15, 2016. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Lsqzn