Now the Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris has tried to walk back her past anti-energy rhetoric to win over voters in energy-producing states like Pennsylvania. [emphasis, links added]
Recently, Harris' campaign reversed her hostile stance on fracking — a position she herself publicly expressed several times as a candidate — saying: she does no Supports a nationwide ban on well stimulation technology that has been proven time and time again over the years to be actually safe.
Notably, Harris plans to campaign with her new running mate (whoever that may be) in Philadelphia starting next Tuesday.
Electrical & Electronics News noted that in anticipation of her visit, Harris may take a page from Pennsylvania Governor and potential vice presidential pick Josh Shapiro, who has worked with the industry by working with it instead of demonizing it. The energy industry and its workers form an alliance:
“As governor, Shapiro embraced the state's role as an energy powerhouse. He formed a high-profile alliance with a major driller and steered the state out of a regional cap-and-trade program. That pleases unions and other allies in the fossil fuel industry. (emphasis added)
this wall street journal pointed out a similar phenomenon and believed that Harris's shift likely reflects a divergence of views between far-left activists in California and swing voters in the “must-win” state:
Kamala Harris made her first major political reversal of the presidential campaign over the weekend, reversing her support for a ban on oil and gas fracking. Her electoral turn was political damage control, but will she continue the Biden administration's regulatory siege on fossil fuels?“(emphasize)
Now Harris has backed down on big issues like fracking Vice president opens door to revisiting other anti-energy promises that have divided Democrats – like if she Still supports ban on any new oil and gas infrastructure if she wants Still in favor of abolishing filibuster to pass Green New Dealshe was the original co-sponsor of the event.
Harris also needs to clarify whether she will work to extend the Biden administration's moratorium on natural gas exports backed by wealthy anti-energy donors that was recently overturned by a U.S. District Court judge, a move that was met with disapproval by both Pennsylvania Democratic senators criticism. Gov. Josh Shapiro also said the pause “needs to be brief.”
What does Harris think about the LNG moratorium, climate litigation, and the Green New Deal?
Climate litigation is another polarizing issue, and Harris' position has changed over the years, or at least confounded most reasonable people who care about the issue.
She stumbled on this topic during her presidential campaign back in 2019, when she claimed she “sued ExxonMobil” while serving as California's attorney general. This categorically false claim was slammed by activists and fact-checkers who supported the lawsuit.
However, Harris did launch an investigation into the energy company in January 2016 after her staff met with private environmental lawyer Matt Pawa to discuss an activity, according to a “source familiar with the situation.” .
By March 2016, Harris was forming a coalition with other Democratic attorneys general called the Green 20 to investigate energy companies, but the effort failed within the first few months.
However, before Harris formally expressed interest in climate litigation, One of her longtime staffers was involved in a Rockefeller-backed plot to “bring down” American energy producers.
Janill Richards, California's deputy attorney general and coordinator of the Global Warming Initiative, was a speaker at the La Jolla meeting, where activists, lawyers, funders and academics launched a campaign against U.S. oil The company's efforts to bring legal action.
Now, the lawsuit has spread to Pennsylvania, where it's proving to be a divisive issue among Democrats.
While Bucks County has filed a lawsuit and Allegheny County is considering its own, Many labor and manufacturing associations have spoken out against prosecuting companies for a global phenomenon they clearly did not cause.
Interestingly, Governor Shapiro has yet to weigh in on the merits of the lawsuit.
During the 2020 campaign, The Biden-Harris campaign said it “strategically supports” climate litigation. But beyond siding with the plaintiffs on technical and procedural issues last year, that support has yet to materialize.
It's time for Harris to clarify where she really stands on these issues. As a presidential candidate, will she continue to support climate lawsuits against American industry (and its workforce)? If so, how far will she go?
Activists Not Buying Harris Flip-Flops
at the same time, Activists supporting the lawsuit are wasting no time in hoping that Harris will take a more hostile stance against energy producers than the Biden administration.even though as vice president she did not publicly oppose any of the president’s energy positions — such as approving Project Willow.
For example, 350.org co-founder and anti-LNG activist Bill McKibben Posted on X That Harris “may have an opportunity to lead us toward progress on climate and a dozen other challenges.”
Kamala Harris — a black woman married to a white man — was probably a criminal in much of this country when I was born.
Now, she may have the chance to lead our progress on climate and a dozen other challenges.
America is a great country, despite Trump's efforts to push us backwards— Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) July 21, 2024
In addition, Jamie Henn, co-founder of 350.org and director of Fossil Free Media, wrote on the Common Dreams blog: Harris 'fully capable of suing big oil companies':
“From her new position in the Oval Office, Harris can devote the full force of the White House to prosecuting Big Oil for its climate lies [sic.]. That could include everything from further empowering the Federal Trade Commission to pursue price gouging in the industry to appointing a new attorney general (who may already be suing Big Oil) to pursue new lawsuits on behalf of the Justice Department. (emphasis added)
Many other anti-fossil fuel advocates Including Oil Change International, Sierra Club and Climate Challenge Backing Harris for president and hoping she will take a more “radical” stance on fossil fuel companiesa radical group is counting on them to Effectively forcing Harris to adopt their anti-energy agenda if they win the election. Politico Report:
Aru Shiney-Ajay, executive director of the Sunrise Movement, said the shift underscored that Harris “has softened,” But climate activists have a responsibility to show politicians that movements and voters will support them if they support more ambitious solutions”. (emphasis added)
Bottom line: Vice President Harris faces an uphill battle to establish credibility on key energy issues, and it's time for her to clarify where she really stands.
Only time will tell whether she ends up siding with wealthy California campaign donors or blue-collar energy workers in Pennsylvania and other swing states.
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