Scott Walter, President of the Capital Research Center, delivered testimony to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights. The hearing, chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, focused on “Enter the Dragon—China and the Left’s Lawfare Against American Energy Dominance.”
Walter expressed concerns about China’s influence over environmental activism in the United States. He stated that “radical climate activists advocate policy after policy that objectively strengthens China and weakens America.” He cited a report by State Armor claiming that the Chinese Communist Party has incentives to support climate activism in America.
Walter highlighted connections between China and various activist groups such as the Rocky Mountain Institute and Energy Foundation China. He noted that these organizations receive funding from influential figures with ties to China.
He also addressed foreign billionaires’ involvement in U.S. energy politics. Walter mentioned Andrew Forrest from Australia and Sir Christopher Hohn from Britain as contributors to efforts against American energy companies through legal actions bypassing democratic processes.
Hansjörg Wyss was identified as a significant foreign financier of left-wing causes in America. According to Walter, Wyss has donated substantial sums to entities like Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund and ClimateWorks.
The testimony further criticized domestic philanthropies like Hewlett and Rockefeller for supporting climate lawfare initiatives with considerable financial resources.
Walter raised ethical concerns regarding contingency fees for law firms involved in climate litigation funded by external sources. He questioned whether government clients were informed about this funding and if they disclosed it publicly.
Additionally, he pointed out potential biases introduced by educational programs for judges run by groups like the Climate Judiciary Project. These programs allegedly aim to influence judicial perspectives on climate-related cases.
Walter concluded his testimony urging greater transparency about climate lawfare’s costs and foreign influences: “If the public knew climate lawfare’s cost and its ties to foreign influence, they’d be outraged.”
