Michael Morgan

Credentials

• Michael Morgan’s qualifications and education were not listed on public profiles reviewed.

Background

Michael (Mike) Morgan is a Kansas-based lobbyist for Koch Industries. Morgan also sits on the Private Enterprise Advisory Council of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a “free market” organization designed to link state legislators with corporations and create template bills.

ALEC has worked closely with the fossil fuel and tobacco industries, including ExxonMobil, Koch Industries, Peabody Energy, and Reynolds Tobacco.¹Jamie Corey. “Revealed: Names of ALEC Lobbyist and Legislator Members,” Documented, March 8, 2018. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/ttpaL ²“Michael Morgan,” American Legislative Exchange Council. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/zqEaz ³“ALEC Corporations,” SourceWatch. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/1UBUs Morgan represents Koch Industries on the board, for whom he was previously director of government affairs.⁴Ken Vandruff. “Morgan leaving Koch Industries,” Wichita Business Journal, November 9, 2006. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/JfN8N

In 2015, Morgan appeared alongside Dennis Hekde and Robert Olson, Republican members in the Kansas House of Representatives, at an event announcing a Kansas plan to end a renewable energy mandate in the state. Also there was Jeff Glendening, state director for the Kansas Chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-funded libertarian advocacy group.⁵Matt Kasper. “Charles Koch Distorts the Facts: Here Are The Ways His Money & Political Network Prevent Clean Energy Businesses From Succeeding,” Energy and Policy Institute, August 28, 2015. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/8AptN ⁶“Jeff Glendening,” Americans for Prosperity. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/uuiIm

The group were giving a news conference to announce a deal to water down the state’s renewable energy targets, following lobbying efforts to repeal the state’s “20 by 2020” mandate requiring electric utilities to produce at least 20% of their power from renewable resources by 2020. Americans for Prosperity had flown notorious climate science denier Willie Soon to Kansas in 2013 to testify in front of state legislators that global warming wasn’t a serious problem.⁷Peter Hancock. “Renewable energy bill more about ideology than environment,” Lawrence Journal-World, May 12, 2015. Archived August 13, 2016. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/dWckT

Morgan is a Director and Executive Committee Member of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, which “partners with other pro-business organizations and local chambers to promote business-friendly legislation,” as well as “encouraging pro-business candidates to run for office and supporting their campaigns,” according to its website. It also runs the “Chamber PAC,” which it describes as giving the “Kansas business community a channel to finance pro-business candidates.”⁸“Chamber Board of Directors,” Kansas Chamber. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YRXP6 ⁹“About,” Kansas Chamber. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YoZu1

In 2006, Morgan also created a consulting practic.

Stance on Climate Change

Michael Morgan does not appear to have made any public statements about climate change.

Key Quotes

Michael Morgan does not appear to have been quoted recently in any major outlets.

Key Deeds

September 26, 2018

The American Legislative Exchange Council held its 45th Gala at the Trump International Hotel. Michael Morgan featured on the Gala Chairs and Committee list.¹⁰David Armiak, Arn Pearson. ““Nonpartisan” ALEC Will Celebrate 45th Gala With GOP Stars and Lobbyists at Trump Hotel,” Truthout, August 21, 2018. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/T36bw

December 3, 2015

Morgan created a controversy when he took away a Greenpeace researcher’s phone to try to delete footage of their encounter at an ALEC meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona.¹¹Connor Gibson. “A Koch Industries Lobbyist Took My Phone! (VIDEO),” December 6, 2017. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/GWHUu

Affiliations

• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) — Private Enterprise Advisory Council member, Corporate Board of Directors, State Chairman for Kansas. A report by Common Cause/Union for Concerned Scientists lists Michael Morgan on ALEC’s “Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Roster.”¹²“Michael Morgan,” American Legislative Exchange Council. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/zqEaz ¹³“How the ALEC Agenda becomes the Law of the Land,” Daily Kos, March 25, 2012. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/G5bH7 ¹⁴“Climate Deception Dossier #6: American Legislative Exchange Council Documents | From The Climate Deception Dossiers:” (PDF), retrieved from ucsusa.org. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• Koch Companies Public Sector — Consultant (exact role unspecified).¹⁵Jamie Corey. “Revealed: Names of ALEC Lobbyist and Legislator Members,” Documented, March 8, 2018. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/ttpaL
• Kansas Chamber of Commerce — Director and Executive Committee Member.¹⁶“Chamber Board of Directors,” Kansas Chamber. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YRXP6
• Americans for Prosperity — Worked with Jeff Glendening to water down Kansas renewable energy targets.¹⁷Peter Hancock. “Renewable energy bill more about ideology than environment,” Lawrence Journal-World, May 12, 2015. Archived August 13, 2016. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/dWckT

Social Media

Morgan does not appear to be active on social media.

Publications

Morgan’s writings do not appear to have been published in any major outlets.

Other Resources

• Michael Morgan,” SourceWatch.
• Lobbyist Directory file at the Kansas Secretary of State website.

Resources

• 1
  Jamie Corey. “Revealed: Names of ALEC Lobbyist and Legislator Members,” Documented, March 8, 2018. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/ttpaL
• 2
  “Michael Morgan,” American Legislative Exchange Council. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/zqEaz
• 3
  “ALEC Corporations,” SourceWatch. Archive.is URL: https://archive.is/1UBUs
• 4
  Ken Vandruff. “Morgan leaving Koch Industries,” Wichita Business Journal, November 9, 2006. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/JfN8N
• 5
  Matt Kasper. “Charles Koch Distorts the Facts: Here Are The Ways His Money & Political Network Prevent Clean Energy Businesses From Succeeding,” Energy and Policy Institute, August 28, 2015. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/8AptN
• 6
  “Jeff Glendening,” Americans for Prosperity. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/uuiIm
• 7
  Peter Hancock. “Renewable energy bill more about ideology than environment,” Lawrence Journal-World, May 12, 2015. Archived August 13, 2016. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/dWckT
• 8
  “Chamber Board of Directors,” Kansas Chamber. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YRXP6
• 9
  “About,” Kansas Chamber. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YoZu1
• 10
  David Armiak, Arn Pearson. ““Nonpartisan” ALEC Will Celebrate 45th Gala With GOP Stars and Lobbyists at Trump Hotel,” Truthout, August 21, 2018. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/T36bw
• 11
  Connor Gibson. “A Koch Industries Lobbyist Took My Phone! (VIDEO),” December 6, 2017. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/GWHUu
• 12
  “Michael Morgan,” American Legislative Exchange Council. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/zqEaz
• 13
  “How the ALEC Agenda becomes the Law of the Land,” Daily Kos, March 25, 2012. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/G5bH7
• 14
  “Climate Deception Dossier #6: American Legislative Exchange Council Documents | From The Climate Deception Dossiers:” (PDF), retrieved from ucsusa.org. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 15
  Jamie Corey. “Revealed: Names of ALEC Lobbyist and Legislator Members,” Documented, March 8, 2018. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/ttpaL
• 16
  “Chamber Board of Directors,” Kansas Chamber. Archived May 24, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YRXP6
• 17
  Peter Hancock. “Renewable energy bill more about ideology than environment,” Lawrence Journal-World, May 12, 2015. Archived August 13, 2016. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/dWckT