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related: _Lee Zeldin Master Profile Leonard Leo Koch Network donors: Leonard Leo, Koch Network - Charles Koch, Chevron
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The Fossil Fuel Op-Ed Pipeline and the Donor-to-Deregulation Map
Money
Lee Zeldin’s path from fossil fuel donor recipient to EPA Administrator runs through a paid op-ed pipeline that connects dark money organizations to deregulation policy. The money trail: $410K+ from oil and gas industry across his congressional career. $60K+ from Koch Industries. Then post-government: Leonard Leo’s CRC Advisors paid $3K+ for commentary (CRC represents Chevron among other clients). CGCN Group paid $58K for published op-eds in Newsweek, Washington Examiner, Washington Times, and Real Clear Policy, plus $40K for unpublished commentaries — $98K total for promoting fossil fuel industry talking points. He sat on the board of America First Policy Institute, co-founded by Tim Dunn ($2.2B fracking billionaire). Now as EPA Administrator, he implements the deregulation those op-eds advocated: eliminating vehicle emissions standards, rewriting power plant rules, targeting the Endangerment Finding for repeal.
The Op-Ed Payment Structure
| Payer | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| CGCN Group | $58,000 | Published op-eds (Newsweek, WashEx, WashTimes, Real Clear Policy) |
| CGCN Group | $40,000 | Unpublished commentaries |
| CRC Advisors (Leonard Leo) | $3,000+ | Commentary representing Chevron and other clients |
| Total op-ed income | ~$101,000 | Fossil fuel industry promotion |
The CGCN Group is a public affairs firm whose clients include major fossil fuel interests. CRC Advisors — chaired by Leonard Leo, the Federalist Society architect who selected all six conservative Supreme Court justices — represents Chevron among other corporate clients. The op-eds Zeldin wrote promoted fossil fuel industry positions: increased production, reduced regulation, opposition to climate policy.
Money
The op-ed pipeline is the donor-to-deregulation map made visible. The fossil fuel industry paid Zeldin $101K+ to write op-eds advocating for deregulation. Now as EPA Administrator, he implements the deregulation the op-eds advocated. The publications — Newsweek, Washington Examiner, Washington Times — created the public record of Zeldin’s “policy expertise” that supported his EPA nomination. The op-eds weren’t journalism; they were a paid audition for the job of dismantling the EPA.
The Career Donor Map
| Date | Event | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01-01 | Zeldin elected to House, serves on Foreign Affairs Committee overseeing oil/gas policy implications | — | House records |
| 2015-2022 | Oil/gas industry contributes to Zeldin’s campaigns via industry PACs and executives | $410,000+ | OpenSecrets |
| 2015-2022 | Koch Industries funds Zeldin’s anti-regulation positions on Foreign Affairs Committee | $60,000+ | OpenSecrets |
| 2020-11-01 | Zeldin exits Congress, begins post-government monetization of fossil fuel relationships | — | Financial disclosure |
| 2022-06-01 | Zeldin runs for NY governor with $400K+ from real estate and other major donors | $400,000+ | New York Focus/OpenSecrets |
| 2022-06-01 | Ronald Lauder personally contributes to super PACs supporting Zeldin’s gubernatorial campaign | $11,000,000 | FEC filings |
| 2022-11-01 | Zeldin loses NY governor race to Hochul by 6.4 points despite billionaire backing | — | Election results |
| 2023-01-01 | CGCN Group pays Zeldin for published fossil fuel op-eds in Newsweek, Washington Examiner, others | $58,000 | Financial disclosure |
| 2023-01-01 | CGCN Group pays Zeldin for unpublished commentaries promoting fossil fuel positions | $40,000 | Financial disclosure |
| 2023-01-01 | Leonard Leo’s CRC Advisors (representing Chevron) pays Zeldin for commentary | $3,000+ | Financial disclosure |
| 2023-01-01 | Zeldin Strategies consulting firm generates income from fossil fuel-related work | $775,000 salary + $1–5M dividends | Financial disclosure |
| 2024-11-01 | Trump nominates Zeldin as EPA Administrator weeks after he finishes op-ed pipeline contracts | — | Trump announcement |
| 2025-01-01 | Zeldin confirmed as EPA Administrator, implements 31+ deregulatory rollbacks benefiting fossil fuel donors | — | EPA records |
The Leonard Leo Connection
CRC Advisors — Leonard Leo’s consulting and public relations firm — paid Zeldin for commentary. CRC manages communications for conservative legal and policy causes, representing clients including Chevron. Leo, the architect of the conservative Supreme Court majority, has expanded from judicial selection into broader political infrastructure. His $1.6 billion Marble Freedom Trust (the largest single political donation in history) funds the network that includes CRC Advisors, the Federalist Society, and downstream organizations.
The Zeldin-Leo connection represents the convergence of the judicial capture strategy (Leo’s SCOTUS selections) and the executive capture strategy (installing fossil fuel allies at EPA, Interior, Energy). The same donor network that selected the Supreme Court justices who would weaken EPA authority also installed the EPA administrator who dismantles EPA from within.
The Tim Dunn / AFPI Connection
Tim Dunn — a $2.2 billion fracking billionaire from Texas — co-founded America First Policy Institute (AFPI), the Trump-aligned think tank. AFPI’s stated goals include increasing fossil fuel production and reducing fossil fuel regulations. Zeldin sat on AFPI’s board. The organization represents the institutional bridge between fossil fuel wealth and federal appointment: AFPI develops the policy positions, identifies the personnel, and provides the post-government platform. Zeldin’s AFPI board membership connected him to the fracking billionaire donor network that supported his EPA nomination.
Sources
- CREW: Energy interests supporting Zeldin campaign (Tier 2)
- DeSmog: Tim Dunn fracking billionaire backing Zeldin (Tier 2)
- E&E News: Zeldin raked in consulting and op-ed fees — and won big at casinos (Tier 2)
- OpenSecrets: Zeldin congressional donor data (Tier 1)