Beto Birddogged on Video, Fails on Green New Deal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – When confronted by organizers with Friends of the Earth Action, newly announced presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke refused to support a Green New Deal that phased-out fossil fuels, including fracked natural gas, which he strongly supported in 2018. His response was disappointing and out of step with climate champions running for president and climate science:

Watch the video here.

In the recording, which was made in Keene, N.H., on Tuesday, March 19^th, O’Rourke said he supports “net zero” emissions, leaving the door open for false solutions like carbon capture and storage, a wildly unproven and extremely expensive technology.

In response to the recording, Liz Butler, vice president of organizing and strategic partnerships at Friends of the Earth Action, issued the following statement:

O’Rourke’s continued embrace of fossil fuels is a slap in the face to frontline communities that have suffered at the hands of the oil, coal and gas industry for decades. A Green New Deal needs to be centered on ending our use of fossil fuels.

While O’Rourke’s support for fossil fuels is disappointing, it is not surprising. He has failed to sign the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge and, in 2018, he took more money from oil and gas industry employees than any other member of Congress except Ted Cruz.

Expert contact: Nicole Ghio, (510) 900-8061, [email protected]
Communications contact: Patrick Davis, (202) 222-0744, [email protected]