National Environmental Groups Denounce RFK Jr. Candidacy

WASHINGTON— A dozen leading national environmental advocacy organizations published an open letter today exposing the dangers of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign for president amid his anti-environmental positions.

Kennedy has repeatedly claimed to be an “environmentalist” and attempted to leverage the goodwill from his earlier career as an environmental attorney to bolster his political campaign. However, today’s open letter warns voters that Kennedy does not have a viable plan to address the climate crisis and his conspiracy theories go against the science-based foundation of all environmental protections.

As the letter explains: “RFK Jr. is peddling the term ‘climate change orthodoxy’ and making empty promises to clean up our environment with superficial proposals. The truth is, by rejecting science, what he offers is no different than Donald Trump. In the fact-free world that both he and Trump live in, objective reality simply does not exist. Their policy platforms are instead driven by what will benefit Big Oil and the greedy corporations that fund them. We know, however, that environmental progress depends on following scientific fact and putting people over politics.”

The open letter is signed by the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, Friends of the Earth Action, LCV Victory Fund, Sierra Club Independent Action, Sunrise Movement, Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund, Climate Emergency Advocates, Climate Power, Earthjustice Action, Food & Water Action, NextGen America, Sunrise Movement and 350 Action.

Contacts:

Brett Hartl, Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, 202-817-8121, [email protected] 

Shaye Skiff, Friends of the Earth Action, [email protected] 

Kelci Hobson, LCV Victory Fund, 973-886-3839, [email protected] 

Jonathon Berman, Sierra Club Independent Action, 202-297-7533, [email protected] 

Kidus Girma, Sunrise Movement, 214-471-9823, [email protected] 

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The Center Action Fund is a national nonprofit organization that advocates for legislation and legislators that will advance a progressive environmental agenda. The Center Action Fund is the 501(c)(4) affiliate of the Center for Biological Diversity, but these organizations’ names are not interchangeable. This news release is from the Center Action Fund, not the Center for Biological Diversity.

Friends of the Earth (Action), Inc. fights for transformational environmental policy and pushes political discourse to center justice and the environment. Friends of the Earth (Action), Inc. is the 501(c)(4) affiliate of Friends of the Earth U.S., but these organizations’ names are not interchangeable. This news release is from Friends of the Earth (Action), Inc., not Friends of the Earth.

LCV Victory Fund runs independent campaigns to influence competitive federal races where our involvement and issues can be decisive for pro-environment, pro-democracy candidates who reflect the racial and gender diversity of our country.

The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action.

Sunrise Movement is a national organization of young people fighting to stop the climate crisis and win a Green New Deal. Sunrise Movement is the 501(c)4 affiliate of Sunrise Movement Education Fund but these organizations’ names are not interchangeable. This news release is from Sunrise Movement, not Sunrise Movement Education Fund. 

Paid for by Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, www.centeractionfund.org, Friends of the Earth (Action), Inc. www.foeaction.org, LCV Victory Fund, www.lcvvf.org, Sierra Club Independent Action, www.sierraclubindependentaction.org, and Sunrise Movement, www.sunrisemovement.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.