FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2020
Contact:
Collin Rees, collin [at] priceofoil.org
David Turnbull, david [at] priceofoil.org
Response: Biden Commits to Keep Fossil Fuel Reps Out of Transition Team
This week, the Biden-Harris campaign released its legally-mandated Transition Team Ethics Plan, outlining how it intends to staff its transition team. Notably, the plan includes a ban on lobbyists serving in the transition team, as well as the statement that “Biden aims to ensure that those who serve are aligned with his values and policy priorities, and have not, for example, been leaders at fossil fuel or private prison companies.”
This commitment to exclude leaders at fossil fuel companies follows significant pressure from the climate community to keep out advisors with fossil fuel ties.
In response, Collin Rees, Senior Campaigner at Oil Change U.S. issued the following statement:
“Committing to a fossil-free transition team is exactly what we need to see heading into a new administration with climate impacts mounting rapidly.
“We applaud the Biden-Harris campaign for this important step, and we look forward to this common-sense commitment being extended to cover an eventual Biden Cabinet and administration.
“Keeping fossil fuel representatives out of the federal government is a position that’s extremely popular with Democrats and the entire American public, and builds on the key improvements Biden has made to his climate plan since the primary. The Biden-Harris campaign is clearly listening to its potential allies, and this willingness to listen and adapt will be critical in the months ahead.”
###
Notes to Editors:
— Letter from 145 grassroots organizations: https://oilchangeus.org/biden-personnel-letter/
— Letter from Biden donors: https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/climate-donors-letter/caf012041052a8cc/full.pdf
— Polling from Data For Progress and Fossil Free Media demonstrating wide public support: https://filesforprogress.org/datasets/2020/9/dfp_ff_executives_polling.pdf