The latest news is coming to you from an analysis by Map Light journalist Frank Bass:

Unleashed by a 2010 Supreme Court decision allowing corporations to make unlimited political contributions, about three dozen of the nation’s largest energy and utility companies pumped almost $60 million into campaign committees, ballot measures, trade associations, and nonprofits during 2017, according to a MapLight analysis.

The analysis of data compiled by the Center for Political Accountability found the corporations gave at least $31.4 million, or more than half of their 2017 contributions, to politically powerful trade organizations that included the American Petroleum Institute, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Edison Electric Institute.

The millions in corporate donations highlight the obstacles faced by environmental activists who are battling to win approval for legislative initiatives such as the Green New Deal, a resolution designed to mitigate the worst effects of climate change by reshaping the $20.7 trillion U.S. economy.

See the full story here.