Heartland Institute: Following the Money Trail

Global warming deniers spare no expense. The Heartland Institute’s “2008 International Conference on Climate Change” is being held at the Marriott Grand Marquis Times Square. The seminars are spread over several floors and there are two sprawling suites reserved for media on the 44th floor. Here’s a look at one media suite:

Where does all the money come from? While the Heartland Institute no longer discloses its funders, ExxonSecrets.org reports Heartland received $561,500 (unadjusted for inflation) from ExxonMobil between 1998 and 2005. Sourcewatch also reports Heartland receives major funding from the tobacco industry, receiving $240,000 from Philip Morris (a.k.a. Altria) from 1993-1998 alone.

DeSmogBlog reports the global warming denier-tobacco connections don’t stop there. Click through their exhaustive research on the conference’s speakers and you’ll find plenty of tobacco ties.

Tobacco campaigns paid off doctors and scientists, successfully confusing the public for decades. Now the energy industry is trying to muddy the waters on global warming.

Don’t let them get away with it again. Learn the facts on global warming and tell your member of Congress you want them to support strong climate action.