FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dave Levinthal, 202-345-0111

Climate change legislation. Energy policy. The worst oil spill in American history.

This year, the fossil fuels industry has dominated political discourse in ways it never before has. And such debate comes at a time when the most interested of parties — environmentalists, alternative energy producers, the oil and gas industry itself — are pouring record amounts of money into national politics in an attempt to bend rules, regulations and politicians their way.

Therefore, the Center for Responsive Politics today launches “Fueling Washington,” a weeklong series of reports exploring the oil and gas industry’s evermore intimate relationship with the federal government and the people elected to make the nation’s laws.

Such connections come in multiple forms: through massive industry lobbying efforts, tens of millions of dollars in political campaign contributions, the personal investments of lawmakers and even the vehicles politicians choose to drive.

OpenSecrets.org’s journalists will navigate these avenues of influence and more in explaining how money has this year colored — and will continue to color — the great energy policy debates of our time.

OpenSecrets Blog and through the series’ homepage, Follow the “Fueling Washington” series each day this week on theand through the series’ homepage, found here

At noon Friday, the series’ authors will join Center for Responsive Politics’ Executive Director Sheila Krumholz for a live Web chat during which they will answer the public’s questions and provide rich analysis about how the oil and gas industry influences politics.



For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics.For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: [email protected]

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