Breaking news... from Forecast the Facts, it was just announced that the pressure worked. Google has decided to drop ALEC.
From the press release:
Statement from Campaign Director Brant Olson on Google Dropping ALEC
“Forecast the Facts was pleased to hear Google Chairman Eric Schmidt announce today on The Diane Rehm Show that Google will pull its support from The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) due to the organization’s support of climate change denial–a move requested by more than 100,000 members of Forecast the Facts since starting its #DontFundEvil campaign last year.
‘As Schmidt said, ‘The facts of climate change are not in question anymore, everyone understands that 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, and we should not be aligned with such people. They are just literally lying.’ We couldn’t agree more, and we hope Google will also take this opportunity review its over $699,000 in contributions since 2008 to another group that is “just literally lying” — climate change deniers in Congress.”
Update 1) Forecast the Facts has a petition up to thank Google if you are so inclined. :)
Thank Google
Update 2) Additional background on the campaign from a recent diary by JayRiestenberg:
55 Organizations Urge Google To Leave ALEC
Update 3) Think Progress has further reporting on this:
Google Chairman: ALEC Is ‘Lying’ About Climate Change And Funding Them Was A ‘Mistake’
Interestingly they note:
Schmidt did not say that Google had officially cut ties with the group, but did say that the “consensus within the company was that [the investment] was some sort of mistake and so we’re trying to not do that in the future.”
Google’s press office has not yet returned ThinkProgress’ request for comment on the matter.
Update 4) From ThinkProgress:
Google has reportedly confirmed to Bloomberg News that it will end its membership with ALEC at the end of the year. Also in a statement to Bloomberg, ALEC’s public affairs direction said Google’s decision was “a result of public pressure from left-leaning individuals and organizations who intentionally confuse free market policy perspectives for climate change denial.”