Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
202-285-0244
www.freedomandprosperity.org
New CF&P Paper Investigates Russian Efforts to Influence U.S. Energy Policy Through Environmentalist Groups
(Washington, D.C., Wednesday, June 28, 2017) The Center for Freedom and Prosperity Foundation released today a new report titled, “Russia’s Ties to U.S. Environmentalist Groups.” Authored by Eugene Slaven, the report shines a light on covert Russian efforts to influence U.S. energy policy.
Link to the paper: http://freedomandprosperity.org/2017/publications/russias-ties-to-u-s-environmentalist-groups
Executive Summary:
Revelations that Russia may have interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections have dominated headlines in recent months. While we may never know the full extent of Russia’s influence on the election or its outcome, there is, in fact, overwhelming evidence of Russia’s meddling in one critical sphere of U.S. politics: energy policy. Evidence shows that a complex network of offshore firms has intimate ties to the Kremlin and connections to U.S.-based anti-fracking and anti-oil lobbies.
The investigative report documents how executives with ties to Vladimir Putin funneled millions to anti-fracking groups in the U.S. in order to benefit Russia’s oil export-driven economy. It concludes by noting the need for investigations into Russian election meddling to also consider their activities to influence other policy areas.
CF&P President Andrew Quinlan commented, “It’s critically important to understand how foreign powers are seeking to undermine U.S. energy markets. We hope this investigative paper is just the first in a much broader inquiry.”
About the Author: Eugene Slaven is a freelance writer and former Associate Director at CF&P. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University and an M.A. In Political Management from The George Washington University.
For additional information:
Andrew Quinlan can be reached at 202-285-0244, andy@freedomandprosperity.org
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