Across the Country Environmental Champions Win

Progressive voices at the core of new majority will hold GOP accountable for corruption and cronyism

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Democrats tonight won a string of victories across the country that will reshape the nation’s political landscape and prioritize environmental protections at all levels of government.

In response to tonight’s victories, Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth Action, issued the following statement:

Tonight’s victory is a strike against corruption and a win for the environment. The progressive voices that propelled the Democrats into the majority mark a new chapter that must be heeded by leadership in the months ahead. We have the power to fight Trump’s giveaways of our lands and water to corporate polluters.

After two years of attacks on the environment by Trump and his corrupt cronies, we expect Democratic leaders to hold them fully accountable. The corrupt actions of leaders at the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of the Interior must be uncovered and investigated. Democrats must send a clear message to Trump: industry must not appoint their own regulators or make their own rules. Industry cronies like Scott Pruitt, Andrew Wheeler, Ryan Zinke or David Bernhardt have no place in government.

As our planet spirals toward climate crisis, this new class of Democratic leaders needs to urgently address climate change — and reject compromises from an administration that refuses to acknowledge basic science. Rapidly transitioning our economy away from fossil fuels, while ensuring impacted communities are not left behind, must be our top priority. 

Communications contact: Patrick Davis, (608) 770-4800, pdavis@foe.org

Related News Releases