Polluter Front Group Lies About Big Oil Funding

Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, was a guest on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow show last night. AFP has spent years fighting against clean energy and climate action, working to allow Big Oil to exploit more of America’s natural resources. During the interview, Maddow caught Phillips in a lie about the organization’s funding sources:

MADDOW: Are you guys funded in part by Exxon, or have you been?

PHILLIPS: No. Absolutely not.

But wait. AFP was formerly known as Citizens for A Sound Economy. According to ExxonSecrets.org, Citizens for A Sound Economy and Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation received $380,250 from Exxon Mobil between the years 1998-2001.

So Maddow followed up:

MADDOW: Exxon does list the Americans for Prosperity Foundation as a recipient of, in some years, tens of thousands of dollars, in other years, hundreds of thousands of dollars, even for things just like general operations. But you’re saying Americans for Prosperity, no Exxon money?

PHILLIPS: This year, we haven’t had any Exxon money.

Unbelievable. Considering other pro-polluter lobbyists just got caught sending phony letters last week, you’d think people like Phillips would be more careful about telling the truth.

You can watch the clip here (skip ahead to 6:45 to see the Exxon Mobil questions):

ThinkProgress.org has much more on AFP and Phillips.