Rountree is at it again

David Rountree, Chief of Staff to Public Service Commissioner Terry Dunn is rallying the wacko environmentalists — yet again.

As most longtime readers will recall, Rountree has been at the center of a months long debate raging at the Alabama Public Service Commission, which radical environmental groups have made ground zero for their war on Alabama’s energy producers.

To get you up to speed, here’s what we wrote about Rountree in a January post titled, “Who’s Who Among Behind-the-Scenes Liberals in Alabama.”

“Rountree has been the environmentalists’ “inside man” at the Alabama Public Service Commission for years, first as Chief of Staff to liberal Democrat Susan Parker and now as Chief of Staff of Republican Terry Dunn. He was recently on hand for the Alabama Environmental Council’s coal hate fest at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, but his environmentalist roots extend much deeper into the past. He’s a long-time John Kerry supporter and donor. And yes, that’s the same John Kerry who told the U.S. Senate that climate change is “of as significant a level of importance” as Syria or Iran’s nuclear ambition…seriously. For the radical enviros, having one of their ideological brethren up at the PSC, and inside a Republican office, has been quite a coup.”

Rountree has of course denied his involvement with the enviros, but thanks to a tip from a Yellowhammer reader, we’ve uncovered even more evidence that he’s working closely with them.

Here’s a little background info before diving into what Rountree is up to…

Paul Reynolds, well-known conservative activist and Republican National Committeeman, recently launched an organization called the Alabama Free Market Alliance. The organization’s three stated “pillars” are: 1. Fighting over-reaching government regulation and cutting red tape, 2. Promoting pro-growth tax reform, and 3. Advocating for a true all-of-the-above energy policy.

In an effort to promote the third pillar, Reynolds sent out an email blast titled “Environmentalists Take Aim at Alabama.” Yellowhammer didn’t receive the email directly, but that’s ok, you know why? Because Public Service Commissioner Terry Dunn did, and he deployed his Chief of Staff, David Rountree, to post it publicly in an effort to continue rallying liberal groups to their cause.

Reynolds’ Free Market Alliance group has a “Watch List” of liberal organizations they are keeping an eye on. David Rountree took to the Facebook page of one of those groups — Alabama Arise — to post Reynolds’ email.

The letter can be read below, but here’s a screen shot of the comment section featuring David Rountree and his merry band of liberal activists (oh, and me, because I couldn’t help myself).

Here’s the roll call on the above comment thread:

• David Rountree: Terry Dunn’s Chief of Staff
• Michael Churchman: Executive Director of well-known liberal environmentalist outfit, the Alabama Environmental Council.
• Kimble Forrester: state coordinator for liberal activist group Alabama Arise.
• Me trolling.

Evidence continues to mount that David Rountree is working closely with the environmentalists at every turn. Why Commissioner Dunn continues to take his advice is anyone’s guess.

Paul Reynolds’ email, which Rountree posted to the Alabama Arise Facebook page, can be read below.

From: Paul Reynolds
To: Terry Dunn
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2013 3:09 PM
Subject: Environmentalists Take Aim at Alabama

Free Market Alert

The United States sits on a wealth of untapped natural resources including oil, natural gas and coal. But access to these resources is being blocked by radical leftwing environmentalists who are bent on spreading their global warming agenda across the nation — no matter how many Americans’ have their lives destroyed in the process. They’re willing to block the tens of thousands of jobs that would be provided by the Keystone XL pipeline. They’re willing to shut down 15 entire coal plants in Georgia even if it makes electricity rates skyrocket. And now they have launched a coordinated attack right here in Alabama.
Their game plan is simple. Here’s how the radical environmentalists are seeking to destroy Alabama’s access to low cost energy:

The Playbook

The environmentalists’ team consists of environmental policy manipulators, utility consultants, global warming groups, and members of the media. The process works like this:

1. The environmental policy manipulators draft “position papers” and “studies” full of biased research and trumped up environmental concerns aimed at taking down the fossil fuels industry.

2. The global warming groups take this research and begin working the political angles. They hold press conferences, write op-eds and work with members of the media to disseminate their propaganda.

3. The mainstream media works to stir up the unsuspecting public and compel them to put pressure on their elected officials. During this part of the plan, citizens have no idea they’re being taken advantage of by members of the press who are secretly pushing their personal agenda.

4. “Utility consultants” are hired to shepherd the environmentalists’ agenda through the public policy process. They know what buttons to push in the government to begin turning their environmentalist pipe dream into a public policy nightmare.
The Players

In an attempt to execute their playbook, environmental groups in Alabama are relying on the people below — most of whom have come in from out-of-state.

John Coffman
Coffman is a Missouri-based political hired gun who works as a “utility consultant.” He has been a lobbyists for leftwing groups like the ACLU and the liberal voter fraud group ACORN. He was an integral part of the environmentalists’ take down of the Georgia Coal Industry.

David Schlissel
Schlissel is a Massachusetts-based attorney who has written many reports for environmental groups including “Don’t Get Burned: The Risks of Investing in New Coal-Fired Power Plants,” which was featured on leftist publications including the “Mother Nature Network.” He recently wrote a report for Alabama Arise which is currently being used to take down the Alabama Public Service Commission.

Anna Sommer
Sommer is an Arizona-based environmental advocate. She recently helped block the construction of a state-of-the-art power plant in North Carolina. She co-authored the Alabama Arise report with David Schlissel.

Ben Raines
Raines is the environment reporter for the Alabama Media Group (AL.com). He has become the go-to mouthpiece for the environmentalist movement in Alabama. Raines gives the people above and the groups below a voice in the media under the guise of being a reporter.

The Groups

Southern Environmental Law Center
The SELC’s website says that “For over 25 years, the Southern Environmental Law Center has leveraged the power of the law to protect the environment of the Southeast.” As that suggests, lawsuits are this radical environmental group’s weapon of choice. They spend millions of dollars trying to implement their economy-crushing environmental agenda.

Alabama Arise
Alabama Arise advocates for “structural changes” in Alabama including the implementation of “social, economic and environmental justice.” Their publications and lobbying efforts attempt to push Alabama toward a far-left agenda that will halt progress in our state.
Alabama Environmental Council

The Alabama Environmental Council works to promote “sustainable living” in hopes of reducing Alabama’s impact on global warming. These of course are the familiar buzz words that rally the radical environmentalists and give cover to the job-killing policies they are pushing for. Our state’s future depends on the ability to capitalize on our abundant natural resources. The AEC is working to block Alabama’s ability to do that.

Read more about the leftwing organizations operating in Alabama on our “Watch List.”