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President-elect Joe Biden is criticized for one of his cabinet choices to address climate issues, with a liberal group calling the choice a “betrayal” because of the record of the nominee receiving money from the oil industry and gas.
Representative Cedric Richmond, D-La., Announced on Tuesday that he would join the incoming administration as senior adviser to President-elect Joe Biden in the White House Office of Public Engagement, leaving his seat in the House of representatives.
U.S. Representative Cedric Richmond, D-La., Speaks at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport where he announced he is leaving Congress to work as an advisor to President-elect Joe Biden.
(The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
Former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Richmond was one of Biden’s first high-profile supporters and served as his campaign co-chair.
Richmond’s new role will include, among other things, liaising with business and climate change activists.
According to Open Secrets, climate activists denounced Richmond’s nomination because of its record of receiving nearly $ 341,000 from oil and gas industry donors.
The Sunrise movement, a progressive group that urged Biden to disengage any connection to the fossil fuel industry, called Richmond’s appointment a “betrayal.”
In one declarationVarshini Prakash, executive director of the group that served on Biden’s political task force, said: “Today it looks like betrayal because one of President-elect Biden’s very first hires for his administration took more donations from the fossil fuel industry during his congressional career than any other Democrat.
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Alexandra Rojas, the executive director of Justice Democrats, leveled similar criticisms of Richmond, which he called “one of the main Democratic beneficiaries of fossil fuel money”.
“Richmond has been aggressively criticized by its own constituents for failing to address their concerns about industry regulations and the climate crisis,” Rojas said. “This decision gives greater urgency to create a Climate Mobilization Office on day one and appoint progressives with records to match the fossil fuel industry.
Fox News has contacted the Richmond office for comment.
Richmond officially announced his role in a press conference at a regional airport in eastern New Orleans not far from his home. He said he would resign from his post in Congress in January.
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Richmond said he believed having Biden’s ear in an office in the West Wing would allow him to help Louisiana and other southern states facing similar issues including poverty, health and ineffective education.
“This new role will allow me to offer advice to the president when he wants – maybe sometimes when he doesn’t,” said Richmond.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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