When you name vocal climate change deniers, Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.) is one of the first names that should enter your mind.
Of course, you may also think of Rep. Michele Bachmann (News - Alert) (R-Minn.), who claims that no scientific study has ever found carbon dioxide to be harmful. However, the Minnesota congresswoman has declined to sleep with a bag over her head to test out her theory.
In a 2012 address to Voice of Christian Youth America (VCY), Senator Inhofe argued that God would never allow mankind to have the kind of power that would be required to change the climate.
"God’s still up there," said Inhofe. "The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is to me outrageous."
In addition to asserting his direct line to the Almighty, Inhofe also argues that global warming, if God decides that it should happen, could improve worldwide crop yields. He denies that climate change could cause natural disasters, such as the flooding of lowlands caused by melting ice caps, or health problems, like the spread of tropical diseases and death from heat-related conditions.
Google (News - Alert), which bills itself as one of America's most climate-conscious companies, hosted a fundraiser for Inhofe in Washington, D.C. last Thursday. Guests paid between $250 and $2,500 per plate to attend the Inhofe fundraiser.
Google's support of Inhofe may be motivated by its recent $700 million investment in wind-powered data centers in Oklahoma.
"We regularly host fundraisers for candidates, on both sides of the aisle, but that doesn’t mean we endorse all of their positions," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "And while we disagree on climate change policy, we share an interest with Senator Inhofe in the employees and data center we have in Oklahoma."
In addition to supporting Inhofe, Google is the largest donor to an organization called the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a think tank that pushes back against assertions that human activities are affecting the Earth's climate.
"They get put into this liberal corporation box but really they're as mercenary as anyone and they want to have as much power to accomplish what they want as possible," said Jesse Coleman, a research analyst for Greenpeace.
"They don't want to be seen on the Hill as solely a liberal organization. That's the reason they're willing to put their neck out for James Inhofe."
Edited by Alisen Downey