Link only. Kudos to the Guardian for acting like local journalism in the US

[applegrove]

Leaked: US Power Companies Secretly Spending Millions to Protect Profits and Fight Clean Energy


https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/27/leaked-us-leaked-power-companies-spending-profits-stop-clean-energy?fbclid=IwAR1s4J7EF5g5P_-QfrJ-9NhnHgxpPtFdEXT_0tehORzMcPsiizNDxZ5CEs4

I cannot cut and paste.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. excerpt

One industry consulting firm has influenced politics across Florida, Alabama and at least six other states

The CEO of the biggest power company in the US had a problem. A Democratic state senator was proposing a law that could cut into Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) profits. Landlords would be able to sell cheap rooftop solar power directly to their tenants – bypassing FPL and its monopoly on electricity.

“I want you to make his life a living hell … seriously,” FPL’s CEO Eric Silagy wrote in a 2019 email to two of his vice-presidents about state Senator José Javier Rodríguez, who proposed the legislation.


Within minutes, one of them forwarded the directive to the CEO of Matrix, LLC, a powerful but little-known political consulting firm that has operated behind the scenes in at least eight states.

Rodríguez was ousted from office in the next election. Matrix employees spent heavily on political advertisements for a candidate with the same last name as Rodríguez, who split the vote. That candidate later admitted he was bribed to run.

[Delphinus]

2. Wow.

I shouldn't be surprised, but I kind of am.

[Haggard Celine]

3. The fossil fuels industry/power.companies

are at least as bad as the Mafia. They will ruin people's lives at the drop of a hat. Or worse. They will have to be dealt with sooner or later, and I hope the public will back the people who finally stand up to them.

[malaise]

4. The Guardian is the best newspaper on the planet and by a distance

Check out its ownership structure

[applegrove]

5. Thanks. I will keep my eyes open for The Guardian Newspaper stories. Great ownership model.

I hope other journalism groups do the same. Here in Canada I hope the cbc (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - government owned and run given a mandate) does something. The right wing has been campaigning to shut it down for years because it is partially government funded and makes people smart. We needed it to have a distinct voice for such a big country. Some of its shows make it on to NPR. Without it we would just be a GOP clone country. I've had cab drivers say it gives them an education. I hope some billionaire steps up and buys it and turns it into a trust too.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

6. k&r