Clinton Climate Plan Winners Include Supporters’ Clients, Employers

Hillary Clinton’s plan to dramatically boost U.S. solar power production and installation could benefit a number of companies that have paid or donated to various arms of the former secretary of state’s expansive political network. Leading solar panel manufactures and installers have donated to the Democratic presidential candidate’s family foundation, employed members of her inner circle, bankrolled a group providing policy advice to her campaign, and enlisted the services of lobbying and public relations firms run by her top supporters.  The solar industry will see a major boost if Clinton is elected and enacts her newly unveiled climate and energy policy plan. Released on Monday, the plan calls for a seven-fold increase in solar power capacity by 2020.  Internal discussions behind the Clinton campaign’s bullet-pointed policy outline are not known, but two senior officials at the left-wing Center for American Progress have been advising the campaign on its climate and energy platform. John Podesta, the center’s founder, is a long-time Clinton ally who is currently chairing her presidential campaign. William Yeatman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, sees his hand in the campaign’s climate plan. “He’s a trusted advisor, and climate change/green energy is a major issue for him. So I think we’re seeing his influence here,” Yeatman said in an email. “And, given that it’s a loser issue and she’s normally very disciplined about following political winds, I think it perhaps demonstrates that Podesta’s influence is significant.” Clinton’s climate strategy would likely benefit solar companies such as First Solar, whose donations to the Center for American Progress came under scrutiny after the policy group actively promoted the company’s positions on key legislative issues...more