GOP Pushes 80 Anti-Environment Riders, Dark Money in Spending Bill

"Republicans have slipped in riders that attempt to block new ozone standards, open the spigots for dark money in elections and weaken methane rules for oil and gas. "

"Congressional Republicans are planning a two-fisted assault on climate and other environmental policies as they push a must-pass spending package for the current fiscal year, which is already half over.

In a perennial ritual on Capitol Hill, they have laden the legislation with anti-environment riders. At the same time, they are pushing provisions this year that could turn on the spigots for a new flow of dark money into elections, according to a coalition of public interest groups and Democratic lawmakers.

The campaign finance measures are just as troubling to advocates of climate policies as are the special-interest riders. Both tools are favored by the fossil fuel industry and its allies. Opponents of action on global warming, like the billionaire petrochemical magnate Koch brothers, have funneled money and influence into the political process through an ever-changing network of advocacy groups, such as Freedom Partners and Americans for Prosperity."

Marianne Lavelle reports for InsideClimate News March 2, 2018.