Duke Energy gives $3 million to Republican Governors Association
Published April 13, 2015
by Bob Hall, Democracy North Carolina, April 13, 2015.
A new analysis of government records reveals that Duke Energy – the world’s largest private electric utility – began writing unusually large checks to the national Republican Governors Association while Gov. Pat McCrory and Republican lawmakers debated how to respond to the company’s giant spill of coal ash sludge into the Dan River.
In four payments from June to December 2014, Duke sent the Republican Governors Association a total of $3,050,000 – more than 10 times its previous record donation to the RGA. Duke’s contributions made it the top corporate donor to the RGA in 2014 and the second largest donor, behind the $3.5 million given by billionaire Sheldon Adelson, owner of the Las Vegas Sands.
In 2012, the RGA spent $5 million to boost the election of Pat McCrory as governor, and it is expected to be a major financial backer of his 2016 bid for reelection. Records show McCrory has attended numerous RGA events and helped the association raise funds.
“Duke Energy’s large donations raise questions about the governor’s ability to serve the public interest more than his own political interest,” said Bob Hall, executive director of the nonpartisan watchdog group Democracy North Carolina. “Critics say the coal ash regulation law passed in 2014 was too soft on Duke. Is this money the reason why?”
RGA’s website says its “primary mission is to help elect Republican governorships throughout the nation.” As a “527 political organization,” it can receive and spend unlimited donations from corporate and other donors to elect candidates, without directly coordinating with the candidate.
The organization files relatively obscure reports with the Internal Revenue Service. Democracy North Carolina’s analysis shows that Duke Energy and Progress Energy gave RGA a total of only $40,000 in the five years from Jan. 1, 2003 to Dec. 31, 2007, an average of $8,000 a year.
In January 2008, Pat McCrory, a long-time Duke Energy executive and former Charlotte mayor, announced his campaign for governor. Within weeks, Duke and Progress Energy began sending checks of $10,000 or more to the RGA, according to the IRS disclosure reports.
In October 2008, candidate McCrory hosted a fundraiser for the RGA in Charlotte. As the invites circulated, Duke Energy stepped up with a gift of $100,000 – its first six-figure RGA donation. (See the event invitation at:http://www.scribd.com/doc/240852146/101308-Event-Invite).
Duke and Progress Energy gave a total of $155,000 during 2008 – or 10 times their previous record of $15,000 in 2007. The two companies, now merged, increased their giving after 2008, reaching a high of $275,000 in 2013 before the new high of $3,050,000 in 2014.
The companies also increased their donations to other 527 partisan committees. Duke Energy gave $200,000 to the Democratic Governors Association in 2012 and another $200,000 in 2014. Progress Energy donated $200,000 to the DGA in 2013.
Duke also donated a total of $235,000 during 2012-2014 to the Republican State Leadership Committee, which its website says promotes “the election of state Republican candidates.”
Hall pointed out that Duke may be donating significant amounts of money to other electioneering committees that do not file disclosure reports – including Renew North Carolina, a nonprofit set up by Pat McCrory’s supporters to help his political career, and NC House Legislative Partners, which supports Republican General Assembly candidates.
“The public has a right to know who is donating to our lawmakers and their reelection efforts, directly and through shadow committees,” Hall said. “Duke Energy should lead the way by voluntarily disclosing its contributions to these committees.”
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Here are the donations from Duke and Progress Energy and to the Republican Governors Association disclosed (form 8872) at: http://forms.irs.gov/app/pod/basicSearch/search?execution=e1s2
DONATIONS TO REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION
Duke Energy 12/12/2014 $ 275,000
Duke Energy 10/21/2014 $ 2,000,000
Duke Energy 09/30/2014 $ 500,000
Duke Energy 06/17/2014 $ 275,000 2014 Total $3,050,000
Progress Energy 09/17/2013 $ 175,000
Progress Energy 04/24/2013 $ 100,000 2013 Total $ 275,000
Duke Energy 11/09/2012 $ 900
Duke Energy 11/02/2012 $ 450
Duke Energy 06/22/2012 $ 175,000
Progress Energy 05/22/2012 $ 25,000 2012 Total $ 201,350
Duke Energy 12/28/2011 $ 25,000
Duke Energy 11/16/2011 $ 450
Progress Energy 11/16/2011 $ 25,000
Progress Energy 10/25/2011 ($ 15,000)
Progress Energy 09/26/2011 $ 15,000
Progress Energy 09/08/2011 $ 15,000
Duke Energy 06/13/2011 $ 75,000
Duke Energy 06/13/2011 $ 25,000
Progress Energy 02/15/2011 $ 10,000 2011 Total $ 175,450
Duke Energy 09/29/2010 $ 50,000
Duke Energy 09/16/2010 $ 50,000
Duke Energy 04/12/2010 $ 25,000
Duke Energy 02/25/2010 $ 25,000 2010 Total $ 150,000
Duke Energy 12/14/2009 $ 25,000
Duke Energy 05/05/2009 $ 15,000
Duke Energy 03/16/2009 $ 50,000
Progress Energy 01/27/2009 $ 10,000 2009 Total $ 100,000
Duke Energy 09/09/2008 $ 100,000
Progress Energy 08/27/2008 $ 20,000
Duke Energy 03/06/2008 $ 25,000
Progress Energy 01/29/2008 $ 10,000 2008 Total $ 155,000
Duke Energy 06/19/2007 $ 5,000
Progress Energy 01/30/2007 $ 10,000 2007 Total $ 15,000
Progress Energy 03/16/2006 $ 10,000 2006 Total $ 10,000
April 13, 2015 at 9:44 am
Frank Burns says:
We should regard reports from Democracy NC like we do with a grain of salt. Democracy NC fraudulently terms itself as a non partisan organization. There is nothing non partisan with that group, they are highly partisan towards the left. Odd that they had nothing to say when Duke Energy gave all those funds to the Democratic Convention in Charlotte.
April 13, 2015 at 11:20 am
Richard L Bunce says:
No news here... people support with their votes and their contributions of money and time the candidates and organizations that represent their interests best. It is not hard to see why Duke officials who have a fiduciary responsible to do what is in the best interest of Duke would support Republican governors and not Democratic governors who demonize them at every opportunity.
