DNC Votes to Reject Donations From Fossil Fuel Industry PACs
The Democratic National Committee (D.N.C.) has agreed to reject campaign donations from corporate Political Action Committees (P.A.C.s) tied to the fossil fuel industry. This resolution came via a unanimous vote reached over the weekend, the Huffington Post reported. The idea to ban accepting campaign donations from fossil fuel companies was pushed by D.N.C. member, Christine Pelosi, who also happens to be the daughter of Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader.
In her proposal for the ban, Pelosi noted that burning fossil fuels leads to climate change; a phenomenon scientists say is a direct threat to human existence on Earth. According to Pelosi, Democrats in their 2016 Platform all consented to combat climate change and preserve America’s natural resources for present and future generations.
The Fossil Fuel Industry and Politics
In the resolution to refuse campaign donations from fossil fuel entities, the D.N.C. referenced President Obama’s ban on all forms of corporate P.A.C. funding and his Farewell Address. In the address, the former president had specifically spoken about the need to “reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics.” Obama equally emphasized promoting the “principles of transparency and ethics in public service.”
According to Greenpeace, fossil fuel companies donated a record-setting $100 million to the last presidential campaign, the majority of which went to Republican candidates. According to data from Open Secrets, during the 2016 election, Republicans received $53.7 million and Democrats $7.6 million from the oil and gas industry. Texas Senator Ted Cruz also got 57 percent of Super P.A.C. donations from fossil fuels; while others such as Chris Christie, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio all obtained considerable fossil fuel donations.
Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, also obtained seven percent of her Super P.A.C. funding from oil and gas companies.
DNC to Consider Banning Donations of Over $200 From Fossil Fuel Employees
According to D.N.C. rules, Democrats must comply at all times with the regulated beliefs and convictions of the party. As a result of the vote, Democrats must, therefore, begin to “reject corporate P.A.C. contributions from the fossil fuel industry that conflict with our D.N.C. Platform”. Furthermore, if another referendum passes in August, employees working within the oil and gas industry will no longer be able to donate more than $200 to D.N.C. campaign funds.
Bill McKibben, a founder of the environmental activist group 350.org, applauded the D.N.C. for their latest resolution, tweeting that “the social license of big oil is being steadily revoked.”
Other environmental groups around the country cheered on the Democrats’ move.
Wow. This is a big step AND it's serious proof that our pressure is working. Now, the DNC must step up further and refuse all donations over $200 from fossil fuel execs to prove they value young people's futures over oil and gas profits #NoFossilFuelMoneyhttps://t.co/n5Qs8fxCT7 pic.twitter.com/IPNcbabPSL
— Sunrise Movement ? (@sunrisemvmt) June 12, 2018
Smart move and the right move by the @DNC https://t.co/pB5lkkHGOK
— Michael Brune (@bruneski) June 12, 2018
Not everyone celebrated the Democrats new policy:
https://twitter.com/RobertLauf/status/1007099338865152000
Ignore the fact that the U.S. is leading the WORLD in carbon emission reductions due to American #natgas & our domestic energy has been a geopolitical gamechanger. @DNC panders to fellow elites & continues to wonder how they lost the presidency. https://t.co/MrGVWzVZyX
— Amber Benzon (@AmberBenzon) June 13, 2018
