Google hosts fundraiser for climate change denying senator

The "don't be evil" company helps out James Inhofe of Oklahoma who has called climate change a "hoax"

Published July 11, 2013 1:28PM (EDT)

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla.              (AP/Susan Walsh)
Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla. (AP/Susan Walsh)

Shortly after contributing to the right-wing Competitive Enterprise Institute, a Koch brothers-funded group that opposes environmental and other types of regulation, Google hosted a fundraiser for Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe, arguably the most strident climate change denier in Congress, the Guardian reports:

The lunch, at the company's Washington office, will benefit the Oklahoma Republican Jim Inhofe, who has made a career of dismissing climate change as a "hoax" on the Senate floor.

Proceeds of the 11 July lunch, priced at $250 to $2,500, will also go to the national Republican Senatorial Committee.

What's the link between the company that aggressively pushes to maintain a "green" image and the senator?

A company spokesperson noted that Google maintained data centres in Oklahoma. The spokesperson then sent an email saying: "We regularly host fundraisers for candidates, on both sides of the aisle, but that doesn't mean we endorse all of their positions. And while we disagree on climate change policy, we share an interest with Senator Inhofe in the employees and data center we have in Oklahoma."


By Alex Halperin

Alex Halperin is news editor at Salon. You can follow him on Twitter @alexhalperin.

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