FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2016
Contact: Lindsay Meiman, 350 Action, (347) 460-9082
Clinton Must Reject Money from Fossil Fuel Interests, Starting with Exxon Lobbyists
New York, NY — In response to an activist asking Hillary Clinton if she would keep her word to act on climate by pledging to reject fossil fuel money, the Democratic presidential candidate asserted that she is “so sick of the Sanders campaign lying” about her.
350 Action is calling on all candidates to pledge to reject all money from fossil fuel interests to their campaigns, starting with Exxon.
Reports confirm that Clinton’s biggest campaign bundlers have come from fossil fuel lobbyists. According to a recent report from VICE News, fossil fuel interests have pumped $3.25 million into the largest super PAC supporting Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election cycle. The Clinton campaign has received donations from industry lobbyists including ExxonMobil’s Theresa Fariello.
“Clinton must immediately pledge to reject all money fossil fuel from interests to prove that she would keep fossil fuels in the ground, and she needs to start with Exxon’s own Theresa Fariello,” said Yong Jung Cho, a spokesperson for 350 Action. “Voters who care about the health of our climate, our communities and our democracy have repeatedly asked Clinton to refuse fossil fuel money — after the way she responded yesterday, she needs to finally take the pledge and refuse donations from those who profit from destruction.”
Young people across the country have been asking about Clinton’s ties to the fossil fuel industry since July. Days after the conclusion of the Paris climate talks, Clinton vowed to look into fossil fuel donations to her campaign. Clinton has previously justified contributions made from fossil lobbyists by stating that “they’re giving money that I’m going to use against them.”
At the same event yesterday, the former Senator of New York claimed to support the statewide fracking ban, though Exxon is the world’s biggest fracker.
Last November, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman launched an investigation into Exxon’s climate lies. Since then, the Attorneys General of California, Massachusetts and the U.S. Virgin Islands have begun similar investigations, and 20 Attorneys General have launched an unprecedented coalition to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for their decades of deep deception. The criminal branch of the FBI is also probing into Exxon’s crimes at the recommendation of the Department of Justice.
“Clinton openly supports a Department of Justice investigation into Exxon’s climate crimes, meanwhile she’s still accepting millions of bundled campaign donations from their lobbyists — there’s a disturbing disconnect there,” said Cho.
The climate movement has pushed Clinton to oppose the Keystone XL pipeline, oppose toxic trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and suggest a moratorium for all fossil fuel extraction on public lands.
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350 Action has not endorsed any presidential candidate and is working in primary states to urge candidates for president to take bold action on climate change by pledging to keep fossil fuels in the ground and support a just transition to a 100% renewable energy economy that works for all.