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{{#badges: Front groups}}The '''American Energy Alliance''' (AEA) describes itself as "the independent grassroots affiliate of the [[Institute for Energy Research]] (IER). AEA’s mission is to enlist and empower energy consumers to encourage policymakers to support free market policies. These policies lead to abundant, affordable, and reliable energy for all Americans."<ref>American Energy Alliance, "[http://americanenergyalliance.org/about/mission-statement/ Mission Statement]," organization website, accessed May 15, 2014.</ref> It was founded in 2008 by [[Thomas Pyle]], who previously lobbied on behalf of the [[National Petrochemical and Refiners Association]] and [[Koch Industries]] and who previously worked for Congressman [[Tom Delay]] (R-TX), when Delay served as Whip and before Delay, as House Majority Leader, stepped down from the U.S. House of Representatives under an ethical cloud.

{{Template:KochConnection}} ==Political Activity=====2014 Election==={{#evp:youtube|f96ihvmI-Qc|AEA states that its aim is to aired this ad against Senator Mark Udall in May 2014|right|210}}AEA spent over $400,000 in May 2014 on television ads attacking Senator [[Mark Udall]], accusing him of opposing construction of the [[Keystone XL Pipeline]].<ref>Laura Barron-Lopez, "create a climate that encourages the advancement of free market [http://thehill.com/policy/energy policies-environment/206074-udall-targeted-as-anti-keystone-in-400k-ad-buy Ad targets Sen. Udall as anti-Keystone pipeline]," and in particular ensure drilling The Hill, May 14, 2014.</ref> ===Denial of Political Activity===As reported by The Center for oil is allowed Public Integrity, in its 2012 Form 990 filing with the Artic National Wildlife refuge IRS, AEA claimed it did not "engage in direct or indirect political campaign activities on behalf of or in opposition to candidates for public office" and in US coastal watersthat it was a "nonpartisan policy-oriented organization," not a "‘political’ organization."<ref>Michael Beckel, "[http://www.americanenergyalliancepublicintegrity.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=35 2013/11/18/13785/anti-obama-nonprofit-tells-irs-its-not-political Anti-Obama nonprofit tells IRS it's not 'political'],"Mission Statement"]Center for Public Integrity, American Energy Alliance websiteNovember 18, accessed October 20082013.</ref>Marcus Owens, an attorney who previously headed the IRS’ tax-exempt division, said the American Energy Alliance’s new filing "certainly raises a red flag."

Since 2008, AEA has been established as a [[501c4]] non profit group, whose focus is lobbying, but it does not disclose who its funders are.<ref>[http://www.americanenergyalliance.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=36 "Funding"], American Energy Alliance website, accessed October 2008.</ref> In its 2012 IRS 990 filing, AEA's reported contributions and grants of $7,324,959 and expenses of $7,014,968, along with assets of $1,780,199.<ref>GuideStar, "[http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2012/262/731/2012-262731617-09c910b4-9O.pdf 2012 IRS form 990 filings for the year 2008 are not available for review on Guidestar]," organization website, accessed May 15, 2014. </ref>

AEA's allied organization, the [[Institute for Energy Research]], is also led by [[Thomas Pyle]].<ref>Will Evans, [http://www.npr.org/blogs/secretmoney/outside_groups/americans_for_prosperity/ "New Group Tied To Oil Industry Runs Ads Promoting Drilling, Attacking Democrat"], NPR, September 22, 2008.</ref> IER received $95,000 from [[ExxonMobil]] in 2007 and $65,000 the year before, but the organization has said that [[ExxonMobil]] is no longer a funder.<ref>Id.</ref> IER has also received donations from the [[Brown Foundation]], which was started by the founders of the construction and energy company [[Brown & Root]]; the [[Searle]] Freedom Trust, funded by the late conservative philanthropist [[Daniel Searle]]; and the Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundation, which is run by executives of [[Koch Industries]], a major company in the petroleum refining industry and one of the main funders of [[Americans for Prosperity]].<ref>Id.</ref> According to NPR, [[Wayne Gable]], who lobbied for [[Koch Industries]] along with Pyle, is on the board of both IER and AEA.<ref>Id.</ref> IER has been active in questioning [[global warming]], suggesting that [[Al Gore]] and others are "climate alarmists," and acting as a [[climate skeptic]] while defending [[climate deniers]].<ref>E.g., Robert L. Bradley, Jr., "Global Warming Policy Perils," Washington Times, Jan. 16, 2007, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/jan/16/20070116-085702-9753r/.</ref>

== References Leadership=====Board of Directors===*[[Wayne Gable]]: Chairman. Managing Director of Federal Affairs at [[Koch Industries]]*[[James Clarkson]]: Director*[[Scott Beaulier]]: Director*[[John Peterson]]: Director ===Staff<references ref>America Energy Alliance, "[http://americanenergyalliance.org/about/staff/ Staff]," organization website, accessed May 15, 2014.</ref>===*[[Thomas Pyle]]: President*[[Lisa Wallace]]: Senior Vice President of Operations and Development. Former staffer for Congressman [[George Radanovich]] (R-CA)*[[Daniel Simmons]]: Director of Regulatory and State Affairs. Former Director of the Natural Resources Task Force at the [[American Legislative Exchange Council]] (ALEC) and Research Fellow at the [[Mercatus Center]] at [[George Mason University]]*[[Dustin DeBerry]]: Director of Donor Relations*[[Benjamin Cole]]: Director of Communications. Former policy adviser and investigative analyst for the Republican staff of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform under Chairman [[Darrell Issa]] (R-CA)*[[Genevieve Thornton]]: Director of Marketing*[[Mike Morrison]]: Director of Digital Media. Former Organizational Director for [[American Majority Action]] in Wisconsin*[[Chris Warren]]: Press Secretary