Hillary Clinton furious about Greenpeace questioning her Big Oil money

This Greenpeace video from the USA says about itself:

Hillary Clinton Loses Patience with Greenpeace Activist Over Fossil Fuel Donations

31 March 2016

At a Hillary Clinton rally at SUNY Purchase campus today, the presidential candidate lost her patience with a Greenpeace activist who thanked her for her commitment to climate change, then asked her whether she’ll reject fossil fuel money moving forward. Pointing her finger at activist Eva Resnick-Day, Clinton claimed she only takes money from people who work for fossil fuel companies and called the accusations lies.

By Eva Resnick-Day:

I’m the Greenpeace Activist Who Asked Hillary Clinton to Pledge to Reject Fossil Fuel Contributions at the Purchase NY Campaign Rally

by Eva Resnick-Day

March 31, 2016

Well, this has been an interesting day to say the least.

Since the media, Twitter, and Facebook world have spread this of Secretary Clinton and me, I thought that it would be important to share my experience and why I was there today.

I care deeply about tackling climate change and I’m deeply concerned about the state of our democracy. I work for Greenpeace USA as a Democracy Organizer. I do not work for and am in no way affiliated with the Sanders campaign, as Clinton seemed to suggest in her response.

Greenpeace USA, along with 20 other organizations, launched the pledge to #FixDemocracy, asking all presidential candidates to reject future fossil fuel contributions, champion campaign finance reform, and defend the right to vote for all.

When we launched the campaign, Sanders signed the pledge immediately. Hillary’s campaign responded, but did not sign. Unsurprisingly, the Republican presidential candidates who won’t even admit that climate change is real — while real communities on the frontlines are already impacted — did not respond to our request.

While we appreciated Hillary’s response, the first step a candidate can take to stop fossil fuels is to stop taking fossil fuel money. That money matters when we hear great things about climate in Clinton’s speeches, but want to be sure she’ll truly listen to the people when she is in office. For instance, she supports a Department of Justice investigation of ExxonMobil and yet she takes money from an Exxon lobbyist.

That level of coziness makes voters like me who care about climate change uncomfortable.

To prove to people that she’s really serious about keeping fossil fuels in the ground, she needs to stop taking that money today.

Today, I said to Hillary, “Thank you for tackling climate change. Will you act on your words and reject future fossil fuel money in your campaign?” I was genuinely shocked by her response. But I want to make sure we are focused on the issue at hand: asking our candidates to take a stand to fix our democracy. Rejecting fossil fuel money sends a strong signal.

Greenpeace, 350 Action, and dozens of concerned activists have been attending events, rallies, debates, and fundraisers for many months asking Hillary Clinton to reject fossil fuel money in her campaign. This is by no means the first time that we asked her the question. In fact, last night, more than 40 activists gathered outside of a Clinton Fundraiser at the Dakota, asking Senator Clinton to come out and talk to the people she is fighting for.

She did not cross the street to talk to us.

To be clear, we are talking about more than just individual contributions from oil and gas employees. According to data compiled by Greenpeace’s research department, Secretary Clinton’s campaign and the Super PAC supporting her have received more than $4.5 million from the fossil fuel industry during the 2016 election cycle. Eleven registered oil and gas industry lobbyists have bundled over 1 million dollars to her campaign.

If she takes the pledge, she’ll be sending a strong signal to our country and fossil fuel companies that it’s time to keep it in the ground, not just for the future of our planet, but for people that are living on it.

On April 18 in Washington DC, thousands of activists from groups like Public Citizen, the NAACP and Communications Workers of America will take action as part of a Democracy Awakening, calling on our leaders to get the big money out of politics, restore voting rights, and start building a strong and healthy democracy.

I’ll be there and I hope you’ll be standing beside me so that candidates like Hillary Clinton can’t ignore us any longer.

I hope that this video starts an important dialogue on the national scale about fixing our democracy and taking a stand against corporate interests like the fossil fuel industry, so we can run a democracy that is beholden to the people, not campaign contributions.

This video from the USA says about itself:

ExxonMobil Investigation Reminiscent of Tobacco Wars of 1990s

31 March 2016

Coalition of investigating attorneys general can protect the public’s health and welfare in almost any way legally possible, says Dan Zegart, Senior Fellow at the Climate Investigations Center.

35 thoughts on “Hillary Clinton furious about Greenpeace questioning her Big Oil money”

LikeLike

Reply ↓

LikeLike

Reply ↓

LikeLike

Reply ↓

During a campaign stop and fundraiser in New York yesterday, Hillary Clinton was asked by a young woman if she’d stop taking money from the fossil fuel industry. It was a simple question, one she could have easily answered with a “yes,” or, perhaps because of the way she funds her campaign, responded with a “no.”

Instead, she said she was “sick of the Sanders campaign lying” about the donations she receives.

Now, here’s the truth — the hard numbers don’t lie. And it’s something everyone should know as this video spreads online and is covered in the news: The fossil fuel industry has given more than $4.5 million to Hillary Clinton’s campaign and her top super PAC, including 11 lobbyists who have bundled more than $1 million to her put her in the White House.

Earlier in this campaign, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley signed a pledge to refuse money from fossil fuel interests. No Republican added their name, which isn’t surprising given that they don’t believe climate change is real. But neither did Hillary Clinton. It’s time for her to distance herself from the Republicans on this issue and add her name.

Ask Hillary Clinton to sign the pledge launched by Greenpeace USA and 20 other organizations asking all presidential candidates to reject fossil fuel contributions, because you cannot be expected to take an industry on while you’re taking their money.

Add your name

https://go.berniesanders.com/page/s/fossil-fuel-industry

When we talk about our responsibilities as humans beings, there is nothing more important than leaving this country and our entire planet in a way that is habitable to our children and grandchildren. Donald Trump may believe that climate change is a hoax being perpetrated by the Chinese, but for almost everyone else, the debate is over. The scientific community is unanimous on this issue.

And what the scientists are saying is that we must boldly transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency. Unfortunately one of the biggest obstacles to realizing that goal is a corrupt system of campaign finance that enriches the CEOs of fossil fuel companies at the expense of average Americans and our planet.

The easiest way to reject their influence is to refuse their money. And it would send a powerful message if the leading presidential candidates in the Democratic Party both stand up and say ENOUGH is ENOUGH, we are tired of fossil fuel companies regulating Congress with their campaign contributions and not the other way around.

Bernie has taken that pledge. It’s time for Hillary Clinton to join him.

The United States must lead the world in fighting climate change. CEOs are making record profits, while climate change ravages our planet and our people. Refusing their money is the first step towards combatting their obscene influence.

In solidarity,

Jeff Weaver
Campaign Manager
Bernie 2016

LikeLike

Reply ↓