campaign contributions

July 25, 2014 - The deal joining North Carolina-based tobacco giants Reynolds American and Lorillard also unites two of the state's biggest corporate political contributors. Besides donating directly to candidates and committees, the companies have also been funneling money into outside spending groups active in the state's politics.

July 23, 2014 - Environmentalists and others have condemned the Obama administration's decision to open up the Atlantic to seismic testing for oil and gas reserves, blaming political pressure from deep-pocketed oil and gas interests. Just how much is the industry spending to influence federal policy?

July 11, 2014 - Clean-energy advocates are battling Duke Energy's plan to cut payments to homeowners with grid-tied solar panels for the excess power they sell back to the company. Meanwhile, a major investment bank says the falling price of solar panels and battery storage could encourage large numbers of U.S. homeowners and businesses to abandon utilities altogether and go off-grid.

May 15, 2014 - Fast-food workers around the world are taking part in a one-day strike today to demand higher pay and the right to unionize.

April 24, 2014 - Institute for Southern Studies Executive Director Chris Kromm appeared on MSNBC's "All in With Chris Hayes" to discuss the money and politics behind the anti-science stances of the Republicans hoping to face off against Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan this November.

April 22, 2014 - A national campaign finance watchdog group analyzed Duke Energy's political contributions to the nation's governors -- and found that North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) received three times more than five other sitting governors combined.

April 8, 2014 - After a flood protection authority in Southeast Louisiana filed a lawsuit against almost 100 oil and gas companies seeking to recoup billions of dollars for damages they've caused to the coast, the industry's friends in state government have scrambled to make the lawsuit retroactively illegal.