Former Congressman Tim Ryan is facing backlash after new receipts show his backing of harmful pollutants. According to reports by Heated, gas companies pay Ryan an exorbitant amount to promote the use of dirty energy.
The former congressman from Ohio is a spokesperson for Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future, a climate group that has questionable ties. Heated described the organization as a "fossil fuel lobbying group that brands itself as a climate group."
The entire organization is funded and run solely by dirty energy companies, such as Williams, TC Energy, Kinder Morgan, National Fuel Gas, Southern Company Gas, and Cheniere Energy.
🗣️ Do you think misinformation is a major problem in America today?
🔘 Definitely 💯
🔘 Only for some people 😒
🔘 Only with certain issues 🤔
🔘 Not really 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
However, recently, it's come out that these gas companies pay Ryan a significant amount of money for his public support of dirty energy. Natural Allies paid Wuzzy Enterprises LLC $246,943 for what was listed as "public relations services" in 2023, according to Natural Allies' IRS 990 tax documents. Although the owner of Wuzzy Enterprises is unlisted, Heated reported that the LLC's listed address from a 2023 Department of Labor filing is the same as Ryan's home address from a 2020 election filing.
Since the 2024 election, Ryan has been speaking out across major media coverage channels, claiming the Democratic Party lost the election because they didn't support dirty energy enough.
"Speaking on The Weekend, which averages around 900,000 viewers per episode, Ryan said that Democrats lost 'middle-of-the-road people' because they were not supportive enough of methane gas—a fossil fuel that poses risks to human health and the climate," wrote Emily Atkin and Arielle Samuelson from Heated.
When companies, especially media outlets, accept money from big oil and gas corporations, it creates a conflict of interest. Since these major companies release extreme levels of pollution, they have a financial incentive to influence how the climate crisis is portrayed in the media. To protect their profits and shield their role in the climate crisis, big oil and gas companies often push narratives and solutions that don't reveal the full extent of their part in extreme weather events.
Research manager at the Energy and Policy Institute Charlie Spatz has followed Natural Allies since its formation. Spatz underscored the hypocrisy underlying Ryan's public appearances.
"We've got to be more discerning of what voices are trustworthy," Spatz told Heated. "Because there's a lot of Ryans out there trying to insert their narrative to the benefit of clients."
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.