Art Pope

May 29, 2012 - With the Supreme Court preparing to hear a sequel to its landmark decision on money in politics, states and grassroots activists are building pressure to reconsider the role of corporations in our democracy.

May 11, 2012 - John Droz of the American Tradition Institute, a fossil fuel-funded advocacy group that works to discredit climate science, was the mastermind of an effort that called for setting up "dummy businesses" to buy anti-wind power billboards and creating a "counter-intelligence branch" to track the industry.

May 11, 2012 - A by-the-numbers look at the groups and individuals who played key roles in financing the fight over North Carolina's Amendment One.

May 9, 2012 - Why did blue-trending North Carolina buck the trend towards states accepting marriage equality? A look at the numbers and fight around Amendment One.

May 4, 2012 - In a critical election year, North Carolina state Sen. Don Vaughan is seeking the top leadership post in the state Democratic Party. He's also a member of the controversial right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council.

April 12, 2012 - At least five major companies and one charitable foundation have pulled support for the American Legislative Exchange Council, a corporate-backed advocacy group in state legislatures, after a growing campaign links the group to voter ID and "Stand Your Ground" gun laws.

April 11, 2012 - Americans for Prosperity NC's silly "Real Solutions" tour defending the conservative General Assembly's extreme policy positions amounts to less than zero.

April 4, 2012 - A new report on county health outcomes gets to the heart of the ideological debate.

April 3, 2012 - Right-wing donors like the Koch brothers and Art Pope rail against the use of public money to level the campaign finance playing field. But their use of nonprofit charities -- which benefit from government subsidies -- for political activities is coming under growing scrutiny.

March 28, 2012 - The same week that internal memos reveal how anti-gay marriage advocates attempted to sow discord among allies, the debate over Amendment One in North Carolina shows growing rifts in the conservative movement.