Democrats seem to be poised to launch a multi-pronged attack against various conservative organizations that refused to support Democratic legislative efforts to combat climate change. This “web of denial” is in the crosshairs of 19 Senate Democrats led by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). According to Lachlan Markay of the Washington Free Beacon, emails they’ve obtained show a coordinated effort, with senators assigned to attack a specific group in a speech on the Senate floor (via Free Beacon):
Internal emails about the effort obtained by the Free Beacon reveal a highly coordinated plan between members of Congress and environmental activist groups to fuel a public relations and legal offensive against fossil fuel companies and groups they support.[…]
Monday
Sen. Reid – ~4:10 (Leader Time) – Americans for Prosperity, Nevada Policy Research Institute
Sen. Cardin – 4:45 – Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Policy
Sen. Coons – (tent.) 5pm – Group TBD
Sen. Udall – 5:15pm – Western Fuels Association
Sen. Kaine – 5:30pm – Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy
Sen. Schumer – 6pm – Mercatus Center (tent.)
Sen. Merkley – 6:15pm – Cascade Policy Institute, Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine
Sen. Blumenthal – Time TBD (or Tuesday) – Americans for Prosperity, American Legislative Exchange Council
Sen. Whitehouse – Time TBD – The Advancement of Sound ScienceCenter, Chamber of Commerce, Committee for Constructive Tomorrow, Franklin Center for Government and Policy Integrity, James Madison Institute, John Locke Foundation, Locke Institute
Tuesday
Sen. Boxer – Time TBD – Hoover Institution, Reason Foundation, Pacific Research Institute
Sen. Coons – Time TBD (or Monday) – Group TBD
Sen. Schatz – 5pm – Center for Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, Heartland Institute
Sen. Franken – 5:15pm – Heritage Foundation
Sen. Warren – 5:30pm – Science and Public Policy Institute
Sen. Heinrich – 5:45pm – American Legislative Exchange Council
Sen. Shaheen –6pm – Competitive Enterprise Institute, Energy and Environmental Legal Institute
Sen. Reed – around 6pm – SEC climate change disclosures and the dangers of climate change denial from a national security perspective
Sen. Markey – 6pm to 6:30pm –Acton Institute, George C. Marshall Institute, Lexington Institute, Global Climate Coalition
Sen. Peters – 6:30pm – Cato Institute
Sen. Blumenthal – Time TBD – Americans for Prosperity, American Legislative Exchange Council
Sen. Whitehouse – Time TBD – The Advancement of Sound Science Center, Chamber of Commerce, Committee for Constructive Tomorrow, Franklin Center for Government and Policy Integrity, James Madison Institute, John Locke Foundation, Locke Institute
Congress goes into recess on July 16–and they don't come back until September 5. So, this is pretty much a Hill clown show, while the nation grips with another string of police-involved shootings that sett off a wave of protests across the country. Oh, and we're sending more troops to Iraq, but let's talk about some organizations that–shocker–don't agree with us.
