Heartland Institute: Following the Money Trail
Global warming deniers spare no expense. The Heartland Institute's "2008 International Conference on Climate Change" is being held at the Marriott Grand Marquis Times Square. The seminars are spread over several floors and there are two sprawling suites reserved for media on the 44th floor. Here's a look at one media suite:
Where does all the money come from? While the Heartland Institute no longer discloses its funders, ExxonSecrets.org reports Heartland received $561,500 (unadjusted for inflation) from ExxonMobil between 1998 and 2005. Sourcewatch also reports Heartland receives major funding from the tobacco industry, receiving $240,000 from Philip Morris (a.k.a. Altria) from 1993-1998 alone.
DeSmogBlog reports the global warming denier-tobacco connections don't stop there. Click through their exhaustive research on the conference's speakers and you'll find plenty of tobacco ties.
Tobacco campaigns paid off doctors and scientists, successfully confusing the public for decades. Now the energy industry is trying to muddy the waters on global warming.
Don't let them get away with it again. Learn the facts on global warming and tell your member of Congress you want them to support strong climate action.
Exxonsecrets has a great map of the whole thing - and the groups funded by Exxon
http://www.exxonsecrets.org/index.php?mapid=1178
Posted by: shindig | March 03, 2008 at 10:30 PM
My name is Brian Costin, and I am Assistant Director of Government Relations here at the Heartland Institute. I would like to point out the following in regards to the above blog posting.
* The Heartland Institute has made it clear that no corporate funds at all were used to help pay for the conference. It was entirely financed by individuals and foundations with no financial interest in the subject of global warming.
* The Heartland Institute receives about 16% of its total income from corporations, the rest comes from individuals and foundations. No one corporation has EVER contributed more than 5% of Heartland’s annual budget. All energy companies COMBINED in 2007 gave less than 5% of the organization’s total budget. ExxonMobil hasn’t contributed since 2006. If funding determines a think tank’s perspective, then you might expect Heartland to be 95% in favor of global warming alarmism!
* Heartland’s alleged “links” to tobacco and oil companies are part of a smear campaign against it and other conservative and libertarian think tanks in the U.S., being waged by a few liberal front groups. The truth is that Heartland, like virtually all other think tanks and advocacy groups, accepts gifts from corporations, but it has policies in place that ensure the integrity of its research. Those policies are plainly posted on its Web site. Funding from oil and tobacco companies has never amounted to more than 5% of Heartland’s budget, and Heartland has never took positions on oil or tobacco issues at odds with its stated mission and perspective. No oil or tobacco executives have ever worked for The Heartland Institute, and none currently serve on its Board of Directors. This too is plainly posted on Heartland’s Web site.
* The Heartland Institute has been operating for 24 years, has 2,700 donors and supporters, and has been publishing books, policy studies, and holding conferences on global warming for 15 years. It is a credible and respected voice in the debate. The way some reporters attempt to portray Heartland because it dares to voice a “skeptical” perspective on climate change speaks volumes about media bias.
Posted by: Brian Costin | March 12, 2008 at 12:01 PM
Brian! Thanks for stopping by! Hey, I emailed the Heartland Institute a couple of weeks ago to ask if John Stossel got an appearance fee to address your closing lunch, and if so, how much, but I never heard back. Are you guys releasing that info?
Posted by: Miles | March 13, 2008 at 11:46 AM
To do two things at once is to do neither.
-- Publilius Syrus
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Posted by: Easemacausy | May 09, 2008 at 09:06 PM