Donald Trump, the unabashed climate denier, has asked the Department of Energy to name those in the department who have worked on climate change. Trump’s investigation has unnerved employees at the department, who are worried that they will get penalized or fired for working on climate change, aka doing their jobs. The DOE is concerned about what Trump & Co. will do with the information—perhaps because Trump thinks climate change is a Chinese hoax—so they are refusing to name names.It is not surprising that the Department of Energy is concerned that Trump will penalize those who work on climate change since Trump has made climate denial a major talking point during his campaign. And Trump is filling his Administration with climate deniers and dirty energy allies. His pick for head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, thinks climate change is “subject to considerable debate” and has been a mouthpiece for fossil fuel interests. Rick Perry, who has been tapped to head the Department of Energy, agrees that climate change has “not been proven” and sits on the board of the oil company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. And Trump’s latest pick, Interior Secretary Nominee Rep. Zinke (R-MT), thinks “it’s not proven science.” So while Department of Energy employees face uncertainty for doing their jobs, the fossil fuel industry is gearing up to make even more money.
TRANSITION TRACKER
Dream Nominee. For a coal executive that is. Trump keeps adding to his climate denying team. Just yesterday, Trump tapped Congressman Ryan Zinke to head the Department of the Interior. Zinke has received massive contributions from the coal and oil industries. Another questionable thing about Zinke’s selection: Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., had a major role in selecting the Interior nominee. Don Jr. also is going to run his dad’s business while Trump is president. Conflict of interest, anyone?
Progressive Report 12/14/16
danetteoneal1
Danette O'Neal, PhD 