Shining Light on Dark Money is Good for Democracy
I have concluded, based on considerable observation and evaluation, that a band of right-wing billionaires has its hooks deep into our government. It uses these hooks to thwart climate action, putting American and global safety at risk. The good news? We can fix the climate threats if we can get their hooks out. When I […]
Climate Systemic Risks Are Mounting
WASHINGTON, DC – This June was the hottest on record, and it was followed by the hottest-ever week in early July, which then turned out to be the hottest month on record. Canada’s unprecedented wildfires blanketed huge swaths of North America in smoke; storms in Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania triggered deadly floods; the Midwest has been experiencing its worst drought in over a decade; Europe is baking; China hit record-high temperatures; […]
This Obscure Judicial Agency Could Tighten Ethics for Justices
The US Supreme Court is likely to make history this month on issues like affirmative action and voting rights, but this term may ultimately be defined by ethics scandals and questions surrounding the justices. As the justices drag their feet on making changes, a little-known agency within the judicial branch of government could have an outsize role […]
Strong Implementation of Bipartisan Law Key to Cleaning Up U.S. Financial System
A little sunlight truly is the best disinfectant. There may be nowhere that statement is more true than in the realm of illicit finance. By the Treasury Department’s estimate, dirty money flowing through the American economy is equivalent to 2 percent of our GDP each year. Whether it takes the form of Russian oligarchs hiding sanctioned assets […]
The U.S. Chamber still blocks climate progress
Much has changed in Congress over the past decade – but the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is still the number one political obstruction in the path of climate progress. There’s now fresh evidence that the Chamber’s actions reflect a persistent pattern of opposing good climate policies, and that the most powerful trade association in the […]
Republican efforts to limit ESG investing are anti-capitalist
There is a cohort of elected officials in the United States presently engaged in an anti-capitalist crusade against free-market principles. No, they are not socialists. They are congressional Republicans, and they are attempting to prevent financial institutions from allocating capital in accordance with investor preferences and risk management principles. This attempted crackdown is purely ideological […]
Our Bill Might Be the One Thing That Can Stop Putin
During the closing weeks of September’s legislative session, the House passed a bipartisan bill to sanction nearly 200 close cronies of Putin. The bill comes on top of President Biden’s aggressive actions to freeze the assets of hundreds of top Russian oligarchs and officials connected to Putin and his war in Ukraine. We strongly support these steps. […]
The Case for Mandating Climate-Risk Disclosure
Climate change is usually thought of as an environmental problem. But it also poses serious threats to businesses, investors, and the financial system. In the United States, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is currently considering a proposal that would require certain publicly traded companies to disclose information relating to the risks they face from […]
We’ve Made Big Steps in Fighting Climate Change. Here’s What’s Next
This summer, a political miracle occurred. Against powerful opposition and long odds, despite being written off by pundits, and by the narrowest of margins, we passed the biggest American climate action ever. The Inflation Reduction Act is predicted to push us from 25 percent to 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the […]
How Dark Money Fueled The Jan. 6 Insurrection — And Why We Can’t Find It
In September 2020, a dark-money group called the Rule of Law Defense Fund convened a meeting in Atlanta of staffers from the fund’s corporate sibling, the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA). Their purpose was to run “war games,” to be ready in the event Donald Trump lost reelection in November. A little over three months […]
