House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer is examining the relationship between New York University School of Law’s State Energy & Environmental Impact Center and several state attorneys general offices. In letters addressed to Patricia Harris, CEO of Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Bethany Davis Noll, Executive Director of The State Energy & Environmental Impact Center, Comer expressed concerns about the funding provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies for fellows at the State Impact Center. These fellows reportedly use their roles in state attorneys general offices to initiate activist lawsuits and advocate for regulations.
“In 2016, Bloomberg Philanthropies provided a grant to establish the State Impact Center at NYU. Many of the projects that the State Impact Center’s fellows lead fit squarely within Bloomberg Philanthropies’ ‘Beyond Carbon’ and ‘Beyond Petrochemicals’ campaigns,” stated Chairman Comer. He added that Michael Bloomberg’s donations are a means to influence actions by state attorneys general under the guise of philanthropy.
The State Impact Center claims to be nonpartisan, supporting state attorneys general with energy and environmental policy. However, its database suggests support primarily for Democratic state attorneys general and policies similar to those of the Biden Administration. No examples were found of fellows working with Republican state attorneys general or their policies.
“The role of an attorney general is vital to America’s legal system. The Bloomberg-NYU program, however, undermines faith in that system,” concluded Chairman Comer. He warned that this agenda could negatively impact working-class Americans through increased costs from subsidies, regulations, fewer energy options, taxes for federal agencies’ legal defenses, and higher utility bills.
