Consumer Watchdog · Investigation
A Field Guide to Fossil Fuel Front Groups
Coordinating a Supreme Court Campaign to Shield Big Oil
Thirty-eight organizations urged the U.S. Supreme Court to shield Exxon and Suncor from climate deception lawsuits. Consumer Watchdog found that two-thirds are financially connected to fossil fuel companies, fossil fuel billionaires, or the climate denial networks that spent decades helping create the deception at the heart of these lawsuits. And sixteen amici supporting defendants ExxonMobil and Suncor received funding tied to the defendants—either directly from ExxonMobil or from entities linked to Paul Singer, whose Elliott Investment Management is a major Suncor investor.
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THE NETWORK
Not 38 independent voices.
Thirty-eight organizations filed briefs supporting Exxon and Suncor. Consumer Watchdog found 25 of them — 66% — received funding from fossil fuel companies, fossil fuel billionaires, or foundations and dark-money networks that financed climate denial and opposition to climate accountability for decades.
EXXON KNEW
The defendant helped fund its own defenders.
Exxon isn’t just a defendant accused of deceiving the public about climate change. It also has documented funding, governance, or leadership ties to 11 organizations that filed Supreme Court briefs supporting its legal position.
PAUL SINGER, FOSSIL FUEL BILLIONAIRE
Suncor’s largest investor financed another network.
Singer’s hedge fund, Elliott Management, holds about $2.3 billion in Suncor stock, making it one of Suncor’s largest investors. Singer’s foundation contributed nearly $478 million to a donor-advised fund administered by National Philanthropic Trust (NPT). During the same period, NPT awarded more than $12 million to nine Suncor amici.
THE FOSSIL FUEL FUNDED KOCH NETWORK
The fossil fuel industry’s political infrastructure.
For decades, Charles Koch’s network has financed organizations opposing climate regulation and clean energy. Through Stand Together Trust, DonorsTrust, Donors Capital Fund, the Charles Koch Foundation, and related entities, the Koch network funded more Suncor amici than any other fossil fuel funding network identified in this report at 16 groups.
FOSSIL FUEL FUNDED FORTUNES
The fortunes behind decades of climate denial.
The Sarah Scaife Foundation (10 groups) — built from the Mellon family’s oil, coal, banking and industrial wealth — and other fossil fuel billionaires including coal executive Joe Craft and oil CEO Harold Hamm helped finance two additional organizations supporting Exxon and Suncor. These funders have spent years backing campaigns opposing climate science, environmental regulation, and corporate accountability.
THE LEGAL MACHINE
From climate denial to climate immunity.
The Leonard Leo network helped build the legal infrastructure behind many of these briefs. Nine organizations funded through the 85 Fund, Concord Fund, and related nonprofits are now asking the Supreme Court to make it harder for states and communities to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for misleading the public about the climate dangers of their products.
OLD MONEY
From funding climate denial to fighting climate lawsuits.
For decades, the Bradley (16 groups) and Searle (8 groups) foundations financed organizations that questioned climate science, opposed environmental regulation, and helped build the intellectual case against climate action. Today, many of those same organizations are asking the Supreme Court to shield fossil fuel companies from lawsuits alleging they deceived the public about climate change.
ONE NETWORK
The same money. The same message.
These organizations present themselves as independent voices before the Supreme Court. Consumer Watchdog’s investigation found many are financed by the same fossil fuel companies, billionaire investors, and climate denial networks that spent decades disputing or downplaying the fossil fuel industry’s role in climate change. Now, they are asking the Court to make it harder to hold those same companies accountable for deceiving the public about those risks.
Read the full report →The case files↓
The case files
The Field Guide
The organizations behind the briefs, and the money behind them — sorted into three kinds of backer: the fossil fuel defendants and their investors (Exxon, Paul Singer, National Philanthropic Trust), the broader fossil fuel industry money (Koch, Scaife, Craft, Hamm), and the climate denial foundations and dark-money networks (Leo, Bradley, Searle). Filter by backer to drill down, or open any file for its dossier.
The case files
- Advancing American Freedom FoundationMike Pence’s advocacy group — a Leonard-Leo-funded booster of fossil-fuel “energy dominance.”Financial ties: Leonard Leo, Searle Freedom Trust, National Philanthropic Trust, Koch Network
- American Tort Reform AssociationA 40-year corporate campaign to restrict liability — now aimed squarely at climate suits.Financial ties: ExxonMobil, Bradley Foundation, Leonard Leo
- Atlantic Legal Foundation“Big business’ answer to Ralph Nader” — and never far from ExxonMobil in court.Financial ties: Koch Network, ExxonMobil, Bradley Foundation, Scaife Family
- The Breakthrough InstituteAn “environmental” institute that accepts the science — then argues Big Oil shouldn’t pay for it.Financial ties: Koch Network, National Philanthropic Trust
- Buckeye InstituteOhio’s SPN think tank — Searle- and Koch-funded, with a gas executive on its board.Financial ties: Koch Network, Bradley Foundation, Leonard Leo, Searle Freedom Trust, Scaife Family, National Philanthropic Trust
- Center for Environmental AccountabilityA one-mailbox “accountability” group that files oil-industry lawyers’ work under its own name.Financial ties: Koch Network, ExxonMobil, Bradley Foundation
- Center for Individual FreedomA dark-money advocacy group funded through Leonard Leo’s Freedom & Opportunity Fund.Financial ties: Leonard Leo
- Center for Individual RightsA conservative legal shop bankrolled by Olin, Bradley, Scaife and Leo — surfacing whenever Big Oil is in court.Financial ties: Koch Network, Bradley Foundation, Scaife Family, Leonard Leo, National Philanthropic Trust
- Consumers’ ResearchAnti-“ESG” campaign vehicle — Bradley, Searle.Financial ties: Bradley Foundation, Searle Freedom Trust, National Philanthropic Trust
- Frontier InstituteState Policy Network affiliate — Koch-funded.Financial ties: Koch Network
- Government Accountability & OversightFOIA-litigation shop funded by coal billionaire Joe Craft.Financial ties: Joe Craft
- Independence InstituteColorado think tank tied to Exxon, Koch, Leo, Bradley and Scaife.Financial ties: Koch Network, ExxonMobil, Bradley Foundation, Leonard Leo, Scaife Family, National Philanthropic Trust
- Landmark Legal FoundationConservative legal foundation tied to Exxon, Koch, Scaife, Bradley and Searle money; joined the Advancing American Freedom-led coalition brief for Exxon and Suncor.Financial ties: ExxonMobil, Koch Network, Scaife Family, Bradley Foundation, Searle Freedom Trust
- Manhattan InstituteThe most cross-funded group in the network — seven backers.Financial ties: Koch Network, ExxonMobil, Bradley Foundation, Leonard Leo, Paul Singer, Searle Freedom Trust, Scaife Family, National Philanthropic Trust
- National Association of ManufacturersManufacturing trade lobby; ExxonMobil is a member.Financial ties: ExxonMobil, Harold Hamm
- NFIB Small Business Legal CenterThe litigation arm of the NFIB, funded via Koch donor funds (DonorsTrust, Donors Capital) and the Bradley Foundation.Financial ties: Koch Network, Bradley Foundation
- Pacific Legal FoundationLibertarian litigation shop — Koch, Exxon, Bradley, Searle, Scaife.Financial ties: Koch Network, ExxonMobil, Bradley Foundation, Searle Freedom Trust, Scaife Family
- Pelican InstituteLouisiana SPN think tank — Koch, Bradley, Searle, Scaife.Financial ties: Koch Network, Bradley Foundation, Searle Freedom Trust, Scaife Family
- Save Our StatesFederalism / elections group — Bradley, Searle, Scaife.Financial ties: Bradley Foundation, Searle Freedom Trust, Scaife Family, Leonard Leo
- Taxpayers Protection AllianceA self-styled “taxpayer watchdog” funded through the Koch network (Americans for Job Security, American Future Fund) and Leo’s Freedom & Opportunity Fund; a prominent opponent of renewable energy.Financial ties: Koch Network, Leonard Leo
- Washington Legal FoundationCorporate-defense law firm — Koch, Exxon, Bradley, Scaife.Financial ties: Koch Network, ExxonMobil, Bradley Foundation, Scaife Family, National Philanthropic Trust
- Yankee InstituteConnecticut SPN think tank; took $3.7M-plus from the Koch donor funds DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund and opposes clean-energy mandates.Financial ties: Koch Network, Bradley Foundation
The backers
- Bradley FoundationThe Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation has been one of the most significant [institutional funders](https://ips-dc.org/release-fossil-fuel-philanthropy/) of organizations opposing climate regulation for decades. Public tax records show the foundation has financed think tanks, legal organizations, and advocacy groups that worked to roll back EPA protections, challenge climate science, weaken environmental regulations, and influence federal courts. Bradley funding reached 16 organizations that filed amicus briefs supporting the fossil fuel industry in Suncor, making it the most financially connected source within this report.Funds 15 organizations in this guide
- ExxonMobilExxonMobil, the world's largest investor-owned oil and gas company, is a defendant in the Suncor case and one of the central targets of the decades-long "Exxon Knew" investigations. Internal company documents and subsequent reporting revealed that Exxon scientists warned company executives about the risks of climate change decades before the company publicly cast doubt on the science. Those allegations of deception form a central basis for climate deception lawsuits like Suncor. Our analysis found ExxonMobil has financial or governance ties to eleven organizations that filed amicus briefs.Funds 9 organizations in this guide
- Harold HammBillionaire Harold G. Hamm, the founder and chair of oil producer Continental Resources, sits on the board of National Association of Manufacturers.Funds 1 organization in this guide
- Joe CraftCoal billionaire Joe Craft, through The Craft Foundation, gave funds to the nonprofit Government Accountability and Oversight (GAO) which filed a brief.Funds 1 organization in this guide
- Koch NetworkCharles Koch oversees one of the world's largest privately held fossil fuel, refining, pipeline, chemical, and commodities companies through Koch Industries. For decades, the Koch network has been one of the nation's [most influential financiers](https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/fighting-climate-chaos/climate-deniers/koch-industries/) of climate denial, anti-environmental advocacy, and campaigns opposing climate regulation, funding hundreds of organizations through entities including the Charles G. Koch Foundation, Charles Koch Institute, Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, Stand Together Trust, DonorsTrust, and Donors Capital Fund. Koch Industries and affiliated entities have also been named as defendants in climate accountability litigation outside the Suncor case. Sixteen organizations filing Suncor amicus briefs received direct or indirect support from the Koch network.Funds 16 organizations in this guide
- Leonard LeoThe conservative legal activist, who has had a hand in shaping the pro-corporate tilt of the U.S. Supreme Court, has built one of the nation's most influential judicial advocacy networks through organizations including The Concord Fund and the 85 Fund. Leo's network has become an increasingly [important force](https://www.propublica.org/article/climate-change-alec-leonard-leo-lawsuits-fossil-fuel-oil-gas-immunity) behind climate denial and opposition to climate regulation, funding organizations that challenge EPA authority, pressuring corporations to [abandon](https://www.desmog.com/2026/07/14/leonard-leos-anti-climate-network-makes-a-european-debut/) environmental investing, and supporting litigation designed to block climate accountability. Nine organizations filing Suncor amicus briefs received funding through Leo's network.Funds 9 organizations in this guide
- National Philanthropic TrustThe Paul E. Singer Foundation contributed approximately $477.5 million between 2018 and 2024 to the J.P. Morgan Charitable Giving Fund, a donor-advised dark-money fund administered by National Philanthropic Trust (NPT). During the same period, NPT awarded $12.4 million to nine organizations that later filed amicus briefs supporting Exxon and Suncor. Whether Singer's specific donations financed those grants is hidden by the donor-advised fund structure. What is not hidden is that the charitable vehicle receiving nearly half a billion dollars from one of Suncor's largest investors also emerged as a major funder of the industry's legal allies.Funds 8 organizations in this guide
- Paul SingerBillionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer, founder of Elliott Investment Management, is linked directly to one Suncor amicus filer. Singer is chairman emeritus of the Manhattan Institute, an amicus filer, and Paul E. Singer Foundation has donated to the group. Meanwhile, Elliott holds shares worth approximately $2.3 billion in Suncor Energy, giving Singer's company a direct financial interest in Suncor's performance. Singer's Foundation has also donated to the Manhattan Institute, which has filed an amicus brief urging the Court to reject the climate accountability lawsuit against Suncor. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito previously flew on Singer’s private jet. Alito has gained almost $3 million in oil and gas assets since joining the high court over 20 years ago, [according to a report from The Guardian.](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/11/samuel-alito-oil-gas-assets-supreme-court-analysis) Alito did not disclose the trip, nor did he recuse himself from several subsequent cases involving Singer’s Elliott Management. Singer-connected companies also stand to compensate the Alitos. The justice’s wife holds a mineral interest regarding an Oklahoma property after she agreed to lease the plot of land to the private oil and gas company Citizen Energy. That company has since been acquired for more than $2 billion by Validus Energy, in which Elliott Investment Management holds a majority stake, The Guardian reported. Alito has not recused himself from the Suncor case.Funds 1 organization in this guide
- Scaife FamilyHeir to the Mellon family's banking, oil, coal, and aluminum fortune, Richard Mellon Scaife transformed the Sarah Scaife Foundation into one of the nation's most influential financiers of climate denial and anti-environmental advocacy. For decades, the foundation has funded organizations that challenged climate science, opposed environmental regulation, and worked to roll back federal climate protections. The Institute for Policy Studies [identified](https://ips-dc.org/release-fossil-fuel-philanthropy/) the Scaife family foundations as the largest private foundation supporters of climate disinformation organizations between 2020 and 2022. Ten Suncor amicus filers received Scaife funding.Funds 10 organizations in this guide
- Searle Freedom TrustThe Searle Freedom Trust has [long provided](https://www.eenews.net/articles/meet-the-dead-industrialists-funding-climate-denialism/) foundational support for organizations [promoting climate denial](https://ips-dc.org/release-fossil-fuel-philanthropy/), climate misinformation, and opposition to environmental regulation. Investigations have found the Trust financed groups that worked with the Trump administration to roll back climate protections, attack mainstream climate science, and oppose federal action on greenhouse gas emissions. It also supported media organizations that promoted misleading information about climate science. Eight organizations filing Suncor amicus briefs received funding from the Searle Freedom Trust.Funds 8 organizations in this guide