Big Oil's Influence on US Politicians

A new analysis from the NRDC Action Fund and the advocacy group Environment America reveals that money from oil interests appears to be influencing the voting records of US lawmakers. The analysis of the relationship between oil money and American politicians was published on September 12 in a report titled "Who Votes Dirty?" Along with examining the votes on House and Senate bills for or against air pollution regulations, the NRDC analysis also looked at campaign contributions from "dirty industries."

The NRDC Action Fund analysis found a strong link between campaign contributions from polluters, and votes against clean air legislation. Congresspersons who took more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from career polluters also voted against clean air laws nearly twice as many times as those who accepted less than $100,000 from dirty industries. In the Senate, those who took more than $500,000 in campaign contributions from career polluters, voted against clean air laws three times as often as those taking less.