rick perry

January 6, 2022 - A text sent to the Trump White House the day after the 2020 election outlining a strategy to have the Supreme Court decide the outcome of the presidential race reportedly came from the phone of former Energy Secretary and Texas Gov. Rick Perry. Championing the election's overthrow didn't dim Perry's job prospects, though: He resigned his Trump administration post that December and the following month became a director for the general partner of Energy Transfer, the Dallas-based pipeline company led by billionaire Trump backer and longtime Perry associate Kelcy Warren, whose interests Perry profitably championed in Washington.

March 28, 2019 - In 2001, the U.S. nuclear industry began hyping plans for new commercial reactor construction, which had skidded to a halt after the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear disaster. But utilities' ambitious and expensive plans have fallen apart, leaving ratepayers in some Southern states forking over millions of dollars for nothing.

June 2, 2017 - Science watchdogs are warning of serious flaws in the plan for storing spent nuclear fuel in pools at individual power plants — flaws that could ultimately lead to the long-term relocation of millions of people. North Carolina and Alabama are among the states with the largest amount of spent fuel stored in pools.  

April 21, 2017 - After helping fuel the nation's rightward shift in last year's elections, Southern conservatives find themselves in key positions of influence in both the executive and legislative branches in Washington.

January 10, 2017 - Last week the Obama administration denied all pending permits to conduct seismic testing for oil and gas reserves in the Atlantic Ocean, but pro-drilling politicians who don't represent directly affected coastal communities say they'll work to reverse the decision under Trump.

September 7, 2016 - Kelcy Warren chairs Energy Transfer Equity, the Dallas company behind the petro pipeline being fought by Indian tribes who say it's desecrating sacred land in North Dakota and putting water supplies at risk. Warren is a major contributor to Republican political causes, but will his influence help his project succeed?

September 21, 2015 - So far this year 67 individuals and companies have given $1 million or more to super PACs supporting presidential candidates. Southern donors, including many Texas oil billionaires, account for over 50 percent of the contributions and have given exclusively to GOP candidates.