Look Who’s Cutting Checks to Republicans Who Fight Climate Change

A donor has given a little bit of money to a lot of Republicans and a lot of money to support one person—Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire—to draw the whole party’s attention to her approach.

U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) (C) speaks as she participates in a news conference with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) (L) and veteran groups December 17, 2013 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) held a news conference to discuss their opposition on the Ryan-Murray Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 due to a provision that reduces cost of living benefits for many military retirees under age of 62

Photographer: Alex Wong/Getty Images
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A prominent Charlotte entrepreneur has contributed $800,000 so far this year to Republican candidates who say a more competitive energy industry would make consumers happier, the U.S. more secure, and the climate less polluted.

Jay Faison owned a custom audio-video installer before founding SnapAV, a manufacturing and distribution giant. He sold it in 2013, and used $165 million of his wealth to seed a nonprofit organization, the Clear Path Foundation. The group offers business-minded Republicans scientific, policy, and economic research about climate change. He is starting a political advocacy group with an additional $10 million.