“Hey, senators, make it so. Climate denial has got to go!”
Hundreds of voices lifted up the chant on the frigid Boston Common yesterday. And that sentiment was echoed at actions across the country. Our demand: That senators reject Trump’s climate-denying Cabinet picks.
The action on the Boston Common was part of the Day Against Denial – climate denial, that is. Corporate Accountability International members joined thousands of people taking action in all 50 states. Rallies outside senate buildings and statehouses put pressure on senators to reject Trump’s Cabinet nominees. He’s selected a dangerous group of CEOs, corporate shills, billionaires, and climate deniers to run our government.
A Cabinet of corporate cronies
Some of the shills Trump has picked include:
- Exxon Mobil’s recently-retired CEO Rex Tillerson for secretary of state, who will receive a golden parachute of $180 million from the corporation. Exxon Mobil continued to fund climate-denying groups that block and undermine climate policy on Tillerson’s watch.
- Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head, who spent his time as AG filing lawsuits against the EPA. He even let an oil company write some of his official correspondence.
- Andrew Puzder to head the Department of Labor. Puzder is currently the CEO of CKE Restaurants, which owns Carl’s Jr. and Hardees — both of which have been accused of stealing wages from their workers.
- Steven Mnuchin for Treasury secretary, who benefited from the housing crash of 2008. A former Goldman Sachs partner, Mnuchin profited handsomely while running a bank that foreclosed on the homes of tens of thousands of people.
- Former Texas Governor Rick Perry for Department of Energy (DoE). Perry recently resigned from the board of the corporation building the Dakota Access Pipeline and said he wanted to eliminate the DoE altogether.
None of these men are acceptable choices for these powerful positions. They will no doubt advocate for policies that endanger our planet, hurt workers, and threaten access to our most basic resources like water.
The movement we need right now
The rallies earned media coverage across the country. According to our allies at 350.org, who played a lead role in organizing the Day Against Denial, at least one senate office reported that Monday’s action was their largest meeting with constituents ever.
Huge thanks to all of you who let your senators know you stand against this corporate Cabinet. As Trump moves to entrench corporate power, it is more important than ever to build this movement and shift power back to people. Whether we’re confronting climate denial or calling on President Obama to fund climate justice, we are taking action for the world we need.
Want to play a part in the people-powered movement to challenge Trump? Join the corporate accountability action league.
