Competitive Enterprise Institute 'Scholar' Named Clean Air 'Villain' of the Month; Tom DeLay to Bash Federal Rules Tonight

5/20/2003

From: Frank O'Donnell of the Clean Air Trust, 202-785-9625, 202-262-6026 (cell)

WASHINGTON, May 20 -- The nonprofit Clean Air Trust today named Competitive Enterprise Institute "adjunct scholar" Joel Schwartz the "clean air villain of the month" for May 2003.

The award comes as the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) prepares this evening to host House Majority Leader Tom DeLay at CEI's annual dinner. DeLay, like CEI, has opposed crucial clean-air safeguards. And, like CEI, DeLay receives huge sums of money from big polluters. He is expected to assail federal regulations during his keynote address this evening.

CEI "Scholar" Schwartz earned the dubious "villain" distinction for a most deplorable attack on our friends at the American Lung Association. When the Lung Association released its annual "state of the air" report this month -- a report which points out that smog remains a pervasive public health problem -- Schwartz asserted that the report was designed to "raise money" for the Lung Association. (Note 1)

Since Schwartz has raised the issues of motive and money, we thought we should examine some of the Competitive Enterprise Institute's own sources of money. Indeed, we think a brief journey into the world of money could offer a window into just how Washington works -- and what binds an organization such as CEI to such a regulatory basher as Tom DeLay (who is also a beneficiary of ExxonMobil's largesse.)

Not all of this funding information is made public, mind you, but we have been able to ascertain that CEI receives huge sums of money from such big polluters as ExxonMobil, other big oil companies, the "Big Three" car companies and right-wing foundations such as the Scaife Foundation and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. (Note 2, Note 3)

Let's take one example -- contributions to CEI from ExxonMobil. The giant oil company notes on its web site that it gave CEI $405,000 during 2002 alone. And ExxonMobil makes it very clear why it dished out the dough: "ExxonMobil supports organizations that research significant domestic and foreign policy issues and promote informed discussion on issues of direct relevance to business and the company's ongoing operations." In other words, ExxonMobil hands out contributions to organizations that will grind out propaganda to further the company's goals of refining and selling fuel without those pesky government restrictions. (Note 4)

"Scholar" Schwartz and Tom DeLay presumably would be the latest examples of promoting "informed discussion." (Note 5)

Some others? In recent years, ExxonMobil has opposed: tougher clean air health standards for smog and soot, EPA's new source review requirements, requirements for low-sulfur fuels, and tougher fuel economy standards and other efforts to restrain greenhouse gas emissions.

In recent years, the Competitive Enterprise Institute has opposed: tougher clean air health standards for smog and soot, EPA's new source review requirements, requirements for low-sulfur fuels, and tougher fuel economy standards and other efforts to restrain greenhouse gas emissions.

Are we surprised?

So perhaps one question to consider is, that when it comes to the health effects of air pollution, which is more credible -- the American Lung Association, or a propaganda mill underwritten by big polluters such as ExxonMobil?

------ Note 1: There is also a noted air pollution researcher named Joel Schwartz, but this is a different person. Note 2: Specific sources of money for CEI that we have been able to trace include Exxon Mobil Corporation, ExxonMobil Foundation, Shell Oil Company Foundation, Koch Charitable Foundation, General Motors Foundation, Ford Motor Company Fund, DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, Scaife Foundation, Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Casey Foundation, Davis Foundation, Earhart Foundation, JM Foundation and USAA Foundation. Note 3: The Bradley Foundation generally doles out money to conservative, anti-government causes. Interestingly, they are also a source of money for the Third Way Foundation, which is affiliated with the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), which characterizes itself as "centrist" Democrats. Even more interesting is that PPI has adopted the anti-federal chant on such issues as new source review. Note 4: ExxonMobil's list of propaganda beneficiaries is too long to list here, but they include, among many others, the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council, the AEI-Brookings Joint Center for Regulatory Studies, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Annapolis Center. No group received more than CEI in 2002. Please contact the Clean Air Trust if you would like the entire list, which is also available at http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/files/corporate/public_ policy1.pdf. Needless to say, ExxonMobil also contributes to Tom DeLay. In fact, the oil and gas industry was his biggest contributor during the last election cycle. Note 5: Schwartz also doubles as a "senior fellow" at the California-based Reason Public Policy Institute. ExxonMobil gives them money, too!