Leaked: US power companies secretly spending millions to protect profits and fight clean energy
One industry consulting firm has influenced politics across Florida, Alabama and at least six other states
Leaked: US power companies secretly spending millions to protect profits and fight clean energy
The CEO of the biggest power company in the US had a problem. A Democratic state senator was proposing a law that could cut into Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) profits. Landlords would be able to sell cheap rooftopsolar power directly to their tenants – bypassing FPL and its monopoly on electricity.
“I want you to make his life a living hell … seriously,” FPL’s CEO Eric Silagy wrote in a 2019 email to two of his vice-presidents about state Senator José Javier Rodríguez, who proposed the legislation.
Jose Javier Rodriguez
State senator
Rodriguez introduces a pro-solar bill in 2019.
Eric Silagy
CEO of Florida Power & Light
Shortly thereafter, Silagy – CEO of Florida’s largest utility – tells his team to make Rodriguez’s life “a living hell”.
Matrix LLC, Consulting firm
That directive is sent to their consultant, Matrix LLC. Matrix operative April Odom’s brother created Grow United, a dark money nonprofit.
Grow United pays for mailers supporting a candidate to unseat Jose Javier Rodriguez.
Frank Artiles
Republican operative
Frank Artiles, a former state senator, brags about planting a candidate to unseat Rodriguez. State prosecutors allege he paid a person $45,000 to run for state senate.
Alex Rodriguez
State senate candidate
The candidate is Alex Rodriguez – who has the same last name as Jose Javier Rodriguez. He isn’t a serious candidate, but the mailers bill him as an independent progressive and he siphons off 6,000 votes that likely would have gone to Jose Javier Rodriguez.
Jose Javier Rodriguez
State senator
One year after introducing the pro-solar bill, Rodriguez loses reelection by less than 40 votes in 2020.
