Energy Dept. Nominee Rick Perry: Fossil Fuel's $14 Million Man

In the midst of a slew of rapid-fire cabinet nomination hearings, Trump’s pick for Department of Energy stands out. Although like many other nominees, he is bizarrely unfit to lead the agency he’s been tapped for. Our research shows deep ties to the fossil fuel industry, for starters.

During his 2012 presidential run, he (tried) to threaten to disband the Department of Energy. Until a few weeks ago, he was a board member for Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the destructive Dakota Access Pipeline. And when it comes to fracking and fossil fuels, he has accepted nearly $14 million in campaign contributions (see here, here and here) from oil and gas company PACs, trade associations and their employees, like Exxon’s Chevron’s and BP’s.

With puppet strings like those, is it any surprise that he refuses to acknowledge the dangers of fracking?

We need our energy leaders to be promoting clean, renewable energy sources--not advocating for their oil and gas donors. As Head of the Department of Energy, Perry would be a disaster.