There's long been a thorn in the side of climate-conscious lawmakers and citizens.
At seemingly every turn, the Republican Attorneys General Association, a nationwide group of 28 officials, vigorously fights on behalf of fossil fuel companies against environmental regulation and compensation for damages.
In a disturbing revelation that explains the trend, the Guardian reported that RAGA is bankrolled to the tune of millions in dark money tied to Federalist Society co-chair Leonard Leo, as well as donations from the oil and gas industry.
What's happening?
The Guardian uncovered that the dirty energy industry sent $5.8 million to RAGA over the last four years. Meanwhile, the "Leo-linked Concord Fund" pushed a staggering $18.8 million to RAGA since 2014.
RAGA uses that money to elect and reelect attorneys general who align with their policies. Once in power, these officials dutifully back their donors' causes, per the Guardian. When it comes to energy, that means shielding the fossil fuel industry from lawsuits and regulations.
Sheldon Whitehouse, a senator from Rhode Island, told the Guardian that it's a "corrupt scheme," where RAGA is "rushing in to provide taxpayer-funded legal services for their polluter funders."
Why is RAGA's blocking of climate laws important?
As inconvenient as it might be for the bottom line of fossil fuel companies, climate change is real and poses a major threat. While the planet warms, catastrophic events like wildfires, floods, and severe storms are on the rise.
RAGA efforts block attempts to confront the problem head-on. For one example, the attorneys are fighting an approved EPA rule to reduce the carbon pollution of coal-fired power plants and new natural gas plants by 90% by 2032, per the Guardian.
They're also attempting to protect oil and gas companies from accountability for deceiving the public about the risks of their products. This means filing legal action to interfere with attorneys general in states from California to Connecticut, as the news report detailed.
The clear intent is to preserve the status quo, no matter the long-term consequences.
What's being done about dark money and RAGA?
Unfortunately, not a lot can be done about dark money, politicians taking money from fossil fuel interests, nor RAGA's brazen actions.
Watchdog groups and journalists are doing their part by exposing and spreading more awareness.
In our own lives, we can make our voices heard by making sure we are supporting and voting for politicians who aren't in the pocket of the industry or dark money interests.
Ultimately, elected officials should be above looking the other way as these companies and their cronies do irreversible damage to our planet.
As Jim Jones, former Republican Idaho Attorney General, told the Guardian last year, RAGA has "become political operatives instead of the people in their states to safeguard the rule of law."
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