SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: Who's behind the attack on state climate policy?
HOSTILE CLIMATE The Center for Climate Strategies wants to help states cut global warming pollution. A North Carolina think tank funded by energy interests wants to stop them. By Sue Sturgisread more
View ArticleFollow-up: Exposing the Locke Foundation's war on climate policy
Our report yesterday on the North Carolina-based John Locke Foundation and its efforts to derail state climate policy is generating a lot of attention -- and ruffling a few feathers.read more
View ArticleJohn Locke Foundation comments on Institute investigation
The story I wrote about the fossil-fueled attack against the Center for Climate Strategies by the North Carolina-based John Locke Foundation has apparently touched a nerve with Locke's Executive...
View ArticleThe real issues behind Locke's crusade against climate policy
The Institute's special report released this week -- exposing the NC-based John Locke Foundation's crusade against state climate policy, and the corporate interests backing them -- continues to rage...
View ArticleWill carbon cap-and-trade hurt the poor?
We recently brought you the story of how the John Locke Foundation of North Carolina has been leading the attack on states' efforts to regulate greenhouse gases while failing to disclose that it's...
View ArticleClimate craziness descends on Kentucky
We recently reported on the effort led by the fossil-fuel-funded John Locke Foundation and Heartland Institute to scuttle North Carolina's efforts to regulate greenhouse gas pollution.read more
View Article"The Bush Administration has engaged in a systematic effort to manipulate...
...and mislead policymakers and the public about the dangers of global warming."read more
View ArticleIgnored debate invitation miffs global warming naysayers
The global warming skeptics are miffed because those of us whose work on climate matters is informed by science rather than the interests of fossil fuel paymasters aren't interested in putting on a...
View ArticleThe N.Y. Times' early Valentine to Duke Energy CEO
Last Sunday, the New York Times Magazine ran a gushing profile of Jim Rogers, the CEO of Duke Energy in Charlotte, N.C.read more
View ArticleWall Street's strategy for opposing financial reform (video)
Facing South's report last week on a protest last week by the conservative group Americans for Prosperity -- which targeted the Center for Responsible lending, a champion of financial reform, as a...
View ArticleOne year after Citizens United
NOTE: Welcome to those of you who ran across this story through Atlantic Wire, National Journal and read more
View ArticleNorth Carolina for Sale? New Yorker profile thrusts Art Pope into national...
A new profile of North Carolina power broker Art Pope by Jane Mayer of the New Yorker brings national attention to the conservative benefactor's growing advocacy and electoral empire.read more
View ArticleSPECIAL INVESTIGATION: Who's behind the 'information attacks' on climate...
Dirty-energy interests, wealthy conservatives and the think tanks they fund have joined forces to target global-warming researchers using the Freedom of Information Act -- and this week they're set for...
View ArticleSpecial Investigation: Who's behind the 'information attacks' on climate...
FALL 2011 | A conservative think tank has filed a controversial Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the University of Virginia seeking emails and other documents related to former professor...
View ArticleClimate-science deniers join forces against NC renewable-energy program
The American Legislative Exchange Council, American Tradition Institute and the John Locke Foundation are preaching against wind energy and renewable mandates in presentations that play fast and loose...
View ArticleTop 5 of 2011 - #1: How to Expose a Big Money Power Broker
In our final look at Facing South's top stories of 2011, a look at how we helped push North Carolina's secretive but influential conservative benefactor Art Pope into the national spotlight -- offering...
View ArticleArt Pope turns up in climate disinformation exposé
Internal documents obtained from the Heartland Institute, a leading player in the climate disinformation campaign, show that the group is counting on continuing support from the North Carolina...
View ArticleLeading blogger for conservative NC think tank resigns over offensive Obama...
A leading writer for the John Locke Foundation, a conservative NC think tank backed by Art Pope, resigns after posting an image of President Obama showing him in chains next to a bucket of Kentucky...
View ArticleNC anti-wind power crusader behind plot to subvert renewable energy industry
John Droz of the American Tradition Institute, a fossil fuel-funded advocacy group that works to discredit climate science, was the mastermind of an effort that called for setting up "dummy businesses"...
View ArticleSpecial Report: Mapping influence in North Carolina
Who are the biggest groups vying for influence in North Carolina? How are conservative and progressive groups different? An Institute report offers a glimpse into some of the biggest groups and...
View ArticleArt Pope's path to power
Wealthy Republican donor Art Pope has been building influence and clout for years in North Carolina. Appointed this week to direct the state's budget, he now finds himself with his hands on the levers...
View ArticleBulk of Pope Foundation money channeled into conservative advocacy
Every December, the family foundation run by GOP mega-donor Art Pope publicizes the money it gives to the arts and community services. But it rarely mentions its grants to conservative groups and...
View ArticleArt Pope still funding climate disinformation
Conservative mega-donor Art Pope has helped finance a movement to discredit mainstream climate science. Now North Carolina's budget director, he will help make important fiscal decisions for a state...
View ArticleMeet the ALEC-connected lawmakers behind bill to kill NC renewable energy law
Of the four primary sponsors behind new legislation to repeal North Carolina's groundbreaking renewable energy law, three have documented ties to the fossil fuel-funded conservative policy group that's...
View ArticleThe nationwide war on state renewable energy standards comes to North Carolina
A hearing is set for tomorrow on legislation to repeal North Carolina's renewable energy standard -- part of a nationwide attack on such laws being mounted by groups with fossil-fuel industry ties.read...
View ArticleArt Pope-backed lawmaker leads push for new voting restrictions in NC
Over the last week, GOP lawmakers have unleashed a flurry of bills that would make sweeping changes to North Carolina elections. They share a common message -- and a common sponsor, backed by one of...
View ArticleHow renewable energy won in North Carolina
A bill that would have ended North Carolina's renewable energy program appears dead in the water. How did the program's defenders prevail in the state's current archconservative environment?Listen to...
View ArticleINSTITUTE INDEX: Buying the courts in North Carolina?
North Carolina's innovative public financing program for judicial races has dramatically reduced the amount of special-interest money flowing into judges' campaigns and served as a model for other...
View ArticleNorth Carolina: A banana republic for dirty energy interests?
Clean energy opponents turned to dirty tactics to advance a bill repealing North Carolina's renewables program -- and that's not the only example of the state's energy policy being hijacked by powerful...
View ArticleArt Pope back in glare of national spotlight
For years, North Carolina mega-donor Art Pope kept a low profile, quietly building one of the most influential state-based political networks in the country. Now, from his perch as the governor's...
View ArticleHow Art Pope killed clean elections for judges in North Carolina
For more than a decade, North Carolina's Republican mega-donor fought tirelessly to stop the state's pioneering program to free judges from special interest influence. This week, Pope's crusade came to...
View ArticleIn media spotlight, Pope issues non-denial over role in ending NC clean...
Facing South's report on Art Pope's role in killing a pioneering election reform in North Carolina garners national attention -- and a statement from Pope that doesn't dispute any facts of the original...
View ArticleSPECIAL INVESTIGATION: How Art Pope helped turn back the clock on voting...
The conservative mega-donor, now the state budget director, played important but behind-the-scenes roles in the passage of one of the nation's most restrictive voting laws, from ginning up fear of...
View ArticleAre conservative think tanks breaking lobbying laws?
The State Policy Network -- a national alliance of right-wing think tanks funded by businessmen including the Kochs of Koch Industries, the Waltons of Wal-Mart, and Art Pope of Variety Stores -- is...
View Article'The public has a right to know about Art Pope'
This week, the North Carolina NAACP and other groups launched an informational picket at stores owned by North Carolina mega-donor and state budget director Art Pope -- highlighting the disconnect...
View ArticleAfter a political setback in NC, ALEC retools assault on renewable energy
Corporate interest advocacy groups including the controversial American Legislative Exchange Council made repealing North Carolina's renewable energy law a top priority last year. Their effort failed,...
View ArticleArt Pope's network misleads, back-pedals in wake of Moyers documentary
Art Pope and his well-funded political machine take credit for pushing North Carolina to the right when it serves their purposes -- and deny responsibility when thrust into the media spotlight.Image...
View ArticlePope jumps into spending arms race for NC judges
Art Pope helped rewrite the rules about Big Money's influence in North Carolina's court elections. Now he's taking advantage of the money-drenched system he helped create.Image Caption: Thanks to...
View ArticleINSTITUTE INDEX: The fight over solar power's future in North Carolina
Clean-energy advocates are battling Duke Energy's plan to cut payments to homeowners with grid-tied solar panels for the excess power they sell back to the company. Meanwhile, a major investment bank...
View ArticleAfter tumultuous reign, Art Pope steps down as NC budget chief
This week Gov. Pat McCrory announced that his budget director, conservative mega-donor and businessman Art Pope, will resign. The move frees Pope to resume leadership in the political influence machine...
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Charter school power broker turns public education into private profits
Baker Mitchell is a politically connected North Carolina businessman who celebrates the power of the free market. Every year, millions of public education dollars flow through Mitchell's chain of four...
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Meet the Southern tycoons helping fund the Koch brothers' political war chest
Charles and David Koch, who run the Koch Industries conglomerate and support a national network of conservative political groups, plan to spend close to $900 million on the 2016 elections -- and...
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VOICES: Beware solar deception by Duke, Kochs and their allies
North Carolina deserves an honest debate over solar power and our economic-environmental path forward — not misleading propaganda promoting fossil fuel interests.Image: via Flickr.)" itemprop="image"...
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Art Pope's money helped create North Carolina's 'bathroom bill'
Where does North Carolina's leading conservative donor stand on the state's so-called "bathroom bill"? Art Pope hasn't publicly stated his position on HB2, but he has a long history of funding groups...
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Art Pope denies funding backers of N.C. 'bathroom bill' despite clear record
In a recent National Public Radio interview, the businessman and conservative mega-donor denied funding anti-LGBT rights groups that support North Carolina's "bathroom bill." But the record clearly...
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