campaign contributions

August 29, 2013 - The conservative mega-donor, now the state budget director, played important but behind-the-scenes roles in the passage of one of the nation's most restrictive voting laws, from ginning up fear of voter fraud to backing politicians who fought for voting restrictions.

August 8, 2013 - The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority was formed after Hurricane Katrina to ensure qualified experts -- not politicians' friends -- were in charge of flood control. But now the authority is under pressure from Gov. Bobby Jindal and other Louisiana politicians for filing a lawsuit to force oil and gas companies to pay for the damage they've done to the state's coastal wetlands.

July 25, 2013 - A new report from environmental groups documents widespread disregard for the Clean Water Act by electric utilities -- and an effort by the White House Office of Management and Budget to dilute proposed EPA rules trying to curb the industry's water pollution problem.

July 24, 2013 - "If you know this history," said Rev. William Barber of the N.C. NAACP, "you understand why every North Carolinian ought to be sick to their stomach."

July 17, 2013 - Democracy North Carolina criticizes the $99,000 fine that's part of the proposed settlement between the utility giant and state regulators over water contamination from its coal-fired power plants as "piddling" while raising concerns about the company's political influence and close ties to Gov. Pat McCrory.

July 15, 2013 - A new poll finds that the majority of North Carolina residents oppose fracking, but their elected state representatives are aggressively pushing to fast-track the controversial gas drilling technique in the state. Could a backlash be brewing?

July 11, 2013 - More legislators in North Carolina than in any other state have signed Americans for Prosperity's pledge that discourages action on climate change. Credit for the pledge's political success goes to the billionaire brothers of Koch Industries who founded AFP -- but also to North Carolina's own Art Pope, a conservative mega-donor and longtime AFP leader.

June 19, 2013 - The Civitas Institute is publicizing the names, residence, political registration, employers, and other details of those arrested at the ongoing NAACP-organized protests at the legislature. The project calls to mind how Southern civil rights opponents once published the names of NAACP supporters in newspapers to encourage retaliation against them.

June 18, 2013 - A utility watchdog and its hired expert scoured Duke Energy rate-hike filings and uncovered numerous instances where the company inappropriately charged customers for things like political contributions and a sports team sponsorship. They're calling on state regulators to fine Duke at least $5 million for the violations.

June 14, 2013 - With special-interest spending on judicial races soaring, a new study finds that a state supreme court justice who gets half of his or her contributions from business groups votes in favor of business interests two-thirds of the time.