DoomsdaysCW<p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FossilFuel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FossilFuel</span></a> firms spent millions on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/US" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>US</span></a> lawmakers who sponsored <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/antiprotest" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>antiprotest</span></a> bills</p><p>About 60% of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OilAndGasIndustry" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OilAndGasIndustry</span></a> operations protected from protest due to money spent on lobbying, says <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Greenpeace" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Greenpeace</span></a> USA report</p><p>Nina Lakhani<br>23 Oct 2023</p><p>"Fossil fuel companies have spent millions of dollars on lobbying and campaign donations to state lawmakers who sponsored anti-protest laws – which now shield about 60% of US gas and oil operations from protest and civil disobedience, according to a new report from Greenpeace USA.</p><p>"Eighteen states including <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Montana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Montana</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Ohio" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Ohio</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Georgia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Georgia</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Louisiana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Louisiana</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WestVirginia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>WestVirginia</span></a> and the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Dakotas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Dakotas</span></a> have enacted sweeping anti-protest laws which boost penalties for trespass near so-called critical infrastructure, that make it far riskier for communities to oppose pipelines and other fossil fuel projects that threaten their land, water and the global climate.</p><p>"Another four states have enacted narrower versions of the same law, but which could still be exploited to issue trumped-up charges against peaceful protesters. Many were based on a 'model bill' promoted by the industry-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec).</p><p>"According to the report, nine of the top 10 companies that lobbied most for anti-protest bills since 2017 are fossil fuel companies, including US companies <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ExxonMobil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ExxonMobil</span></a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/KochIndustries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>KochIndustries</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MarathonPetroleum" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MarathonPetroleum</span></a>, as well as Canadian companies <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Enbridge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Enbridge</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TCEnergy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TCEnergy</span></a> (<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/TransCanada" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>TransCanada</span></a>). </p><p>"In addition, 25 fossil fuel and energy companies have contributed more than $5m to state anti-protest bill sponsors in this timeframe, data from political finance trackers <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OpenSecrets" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>OpenSecrets</span></a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FollowTheMoney" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>FollowTheMoney</span></a> shows."</p><p>Read more:<br><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/25/fossil-fuel-company-donate-lawmakers-anti-protest-exxon-koch" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">theguardian.com/us-news/2023/o</span><span class="invisible">ct/25/fossil-fuel-company-donate-lawmakers-anti-protest-exxon-koch</span></a></p><p><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ClimateJustice" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ClimateJustice</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/AntiProtestLaws" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>AntiProtestLaws</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BigOil</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Corruption" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Corruption</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Lobbyists" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Lobbyists</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Fascism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Fascism</span></a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Oligarchy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Oligarchy</span></a></p>