Google CEO: They’re lying

Jay OwenSRI/ESG News

Update from Public Citizen

“We should not be aligned with such people. They are just literally lying.”

That’s what Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said about the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an infamous corporate lobbying group that pushes an agenda that denies the realities of climate change.

Bravo to Schmidt for withdrawing Google’s membership over ALEC’s climate denialist agenda.

To be consistent, Google also should stop supporting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Tell Google: Quit the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

In a recent interview with NPR’s Diane Rehm, Schmidt said, “The company has a very strong view that we should make decisions in politics based on facts.”

The facts show that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has acted as a powerful retrograde force in the politics of climate change. The Chamber advocates for policies that benefit some of the dirtiest energy companies in the world, and is fiercely opposing efforts to limit carbon pollution from dirty power plants.

In 2009, the Chamber even called for putting “the science of climate change on trial.”

And the Chamber doesn’t just lobby — it also acts as a conduit for corporate dark money, spending millions of dollars distorting our elections with misleading campaign ads, much of it to elect politicians who block action on climate change and push for an expanded role for Big Oil and other polluting industries.

A number of prominent companies, including Apple, have already left the Chamber over its climate change positions.

Schmidt told Diane Rehm: “Everyone understands climate change is occurring, and the people who oppose it are really hurting our children and our grandchildren and making the world a much worse place.”

Schmidt was right to call Google’s membership in ALEC a mistake.

Let’s urge Schmidt to fix another mistake.

Add your name to Public Citizen’s petition calling on Google to stop supporting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Thanks for all you do.

Onward,

Rick Claypool
Public Citizen’s Online Action Team
[email protected]