December, 06 2013, 10:40am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Blair FitzGibbon, 202-503-6141
225,000 Tell Google To Quit ALEC
Tech Giant Under Fire For Supporting Beleaguered Right-Wing Group
WASHINGTON
Today, over 225,000 members and supporters of Forecast the Facts, the Sierra Club, RootsAction, SumOfUs, and the Center for Media and Democracy urged Google to end its alliance with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). This week represents the first time ALEC's annual States and Nation Policy Summit in Washington, D.C. has Google as a corporate member. The tech giant is bucking the trend by joining the right-wing think tank as other companies like GE, Kraft, and McDonald's are cutting ties and pulling support from ALEC due to the group's reckless policies.
While having a stated commitment to move toward 100% renewable energy to combat climate pollution, Google recently joined ALEC as the group continued its climate denial and attacks on efforts to make renewable energy more affordable and accessible to millions of Americans. Along with Google, ALEC also receives backing from dirty energy giants like Koch Industries, BP, Peabody Energy, and ExxonMobil. The "Don't Fund Evil" campaign, launched by the climate accountability group Forecast the Facts in July, has called out Google for the company's support of climate deniers including Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Competitive Enterprise Institute, and now ALEC.
"Google's support for ALEC is part of a disturbing embrace of the climate denial machine by a company that professes to fight global warming," said Brad Johnson, Campaign Manager of Forecast the Facts. "It may be time to pronounce Google's famous 'Don't Be Evil' motto dead."
Google's continued support of ALEC comes as the group plans to attack the first-ever protections from carbon pollution emitted from new power plants. In addition, new reports indicate ALEC is plotting to push legislation that would financially penalize homeowners who install their own solar panels.
"Funding right-wing extremists at ALEC is a guaranteed way for Google to undermine its own admirable clean energy goals. It's like building a new house only to set it on fire after defunding the fire department," said Michael Brune, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. "For a company celebrated for its leadership in imagination and innovation, Google is showing a remarkable lack of foresight. Tens of thousands of Americans are taking note, and its time Google did the right thing by leaving ALEC behind and getting back to embracing a clean energy future."
Today, Forecast the Facts, The Sierra Club's SierraRise community, RootsAction, SumOfUs, and the Center for Media and Democracy delivered to Google representatives more than 225,000 petition signatures collected from Americans across the country urging Google to abide by its informal motto of "Don't Be Evil" by standing by its clean energy commitments and stand up to ALEC's polluter-backed attacks on climate action.
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