IRS Audited Greenpeace At Request of ExxonMobil-Funded Group

The Wall Street Journal revealed this week a little-known watchdog group was responsible for getting the IRS to audit the environmental organization Greenpeace. Two years ago, Public Interest Watch challenged Greenpeace's tax-exempt status and accused the group of money laundering and other crimes. According to the Journal, tax records show more than 95 percent of the funding of Public Interest Watch was provided by the oil giant ExxonMobil.

On its website, Public Interest Watch says it was founded "in response to the growing misuse of charitable funds by nonprofit organizations and the lack of effort by government agencies to deal with the problem." The group describes its mission as: "Keeping an Eye on the Self-Appointed Guardians of the Public Interest."

Greenpeace, meanwhile, has been one of ExxonMobil's fiercest critics. The group has protested ExxonMobil's meetings and company gatherings as well as its oil tankers and filling stations. Greenpeace has labeled ExxonMobil the "No. 1 Climate Criminal" over its environmental practices.

* Steve Stecklow, senior special writer at the Wall Street Journal, he wrote the article about Exxon's funding of Public Interest Watch. He speaks to us from Boston.
- Read article by Steve Stecklow
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0322-10.htm
* John Passacantando, Executive Director of Greenpeace USA.
* Representatives from ExxonMobil declined to appear on Democracy Now. A spokesperson said the company had nothing further to say on the topic. Public Interest Watch did not respond to our interview request.

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http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/24/150203