Chris,

The WSJ article directly addresses what the Guardian reported.

"Here are the facts as we've been able to collect them. AEI doesn't lobby, didn't offer money to scientists to question global warming, and the money it did pay for climate research didn't come from Exxon.

What AEI did was send a letter to several leading climate scientists asking them to participate in a symposium that would present a "range of policy prescriptions that should be considered for climate change of uncertain dimension." Some of the scholars asked to participate, including Steve Schroeder of Texas A& M, are climatologists who believe that global warming is a major problem.

AEI President Chris DeMuth says, "What the Guardian essentially characterizes as a bribe is the conventional practice of AEI -- and Brookings, Harvard and the University of Manchester -- to pay individuals" for commissioned work. He says that Exxon has contributed less than 1% of AEI's budget over the last decade."
--emphasis mine

In addition, while the Guardian only implied bribery, the British Independant went one step further and actually accused AEI of bribery and they have retracted.
http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/article2269436.ece

Here's AEI's page devoted to the events. Including the original letters sent to scientists, the Guardian story, the letter from the Senators and the response.
http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.25586,filter.all/pub_detail.asp

>Sounds like the Guardian article got it right. From the Guardian article:
>
>Scientists and economists have been offered $10,000 each by a lobby group funded by one of the world's largest oil companies to undermine a major climate change report due to be published today.
>
>Travel expenses and additional payments were also offered.
>
>From the AEI memos soliciting works:
>
>If you .... are agreeable to being authors, AEI will offer an honoraria of $10,000. The essay should be in the range of $7,500 to 10,000 words.. We intend to hold a series of small conferences and seminars in Washington and elsewhere to coincide with the release of both the FAR... for which we can provide travel expenses and additional honoraria if you are able to participate.
>
>AEI is willing to offer honoraria of up to $10,000 for participating authors, for essays... and we are keen to work with you to refine an appropriate topic.
>
>
>>>http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/02/04/scientists-offered-cash-to-dispute-climate-change/
>>
>>Looks like the original premise of this thread is bogus.
>>
>>http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB117099332237703363-lMyQjAxMDE3NzAwOTkwOTkzWj.html
>>
>>Now that's funny!