Duke Energy and Large Corporations Fund the DNC2012
Published on Sep 4, 2012 by democracynow
DemocracyNow.org - Duke Energy, the nation's largest utility, has played a major role in bringing the Democratic National Convention to Charlotte, North Carolina. Duke has a lot riding on future policies governing coal, nuclear energy and climate change, regardless of who wins November's election. The company has partly been successful in fighting off federal regulations thanks to its ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, reportedly sponsoring ALEC's meetings and bankrolled its attacks on clean energy legislation. We discuss Duke Energy's growing political influence with Monica Embrey, the North Carolina organizer for Greenpeace USA; and Beth Henry, a local activist in Charlotte raising awareness about Duke Energy and its ties to the Democratic National Convention
Democracy Now discusses how the ALEC member, Nuclear Duke Energy Supports the DNC
How much did companies give toward cost of Democratic National Convention?
Sept. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Companies including Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. have contributed $20 million toward the cost of the Democratic National Convention, helping fund an event that Democrats initially said wouldn’t accept corporate money, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Organizers of this year’s convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, turned to corporations after the city’s host committee struggled to reach its $36.7 million fundraising goal, according to the people, who requested anonymity.
Energy Policy
Last year, the Charlotte host committee set up a separate entity called New American City Inc., to take corporate cash and to which Bank of America and Wells Fargo contributed, according to the people. The two banks were on a list of corporate donors released Sept. 1 by the host committee that also named AT&T Inc., US Airways Group Inc., Duke Energy Corp. and the law-and- lobbying firm McGuireWoods LLP.
After saying in February 2011 they wouldn’t take corporate money, Democratic Party leaders and convention organizers have grappled with how to cover the estimated $52 million cost of the event, which will culminate Sept. 6 in President Barack Obama’s renomination acceptance speech.
Duke Energy Chief Executive Officer Jim Rogers, co-chairman of the host committee, “has said that he secured $10 million to $11 million from local corporations from Charlotte,” said Tom Williams, a spokesman for Duke. “He has been working hard to build on those numbers to bring in money” for the convention, Williams said
This DNC 2012 was ALWAYS DESTINED TO FAIL but their enthusiasm and attendance continues to be a problem for the failed Democrat candidate Barack Obama.
‘Rain or Shine’
The Obama campaign has insisted that possible severe weather won’t force them to move Obama’s acceptance indoors from the larger outdoor location of Bank of America Stadium, home of the National Football League’s Carolina Panthers.
“It will be there rain or shine,” Ben LaBolt, Obama’s campaign spokesman, told reporters yesterday in Charlotte.
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, co-chairman of the host committee with Duke’s Rogers, said while the group has had difficulties in raising money, the event will be fine. How much did companies give toward cost of Democratic National Convention?
And ONE DAY LATER
Democrats set to move Obama's big speech from 74,000-seater outdoor stadium to 20,000-seater indoor arena
Democrats are poised to avoid the danger of President Barack Obama accepting his party’s nomination before a partially-empty stadium by shifting his speech to an indoor arena and citing ‘severe weather’.
The Obama campaign have been working desperately to ensure that the 74,000-seater Bank of America stadium in Charlotte would be filled.
The 20 percent chance of rain is cited by the campaign for the move.
Other items to consider as reasons for prominent Democrats to skip the convention.
Where is Al Gore and mention of the Global Warming?
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