Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 02:05 pm
By saying that Trump’s Sec. of State nominee, Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson must be opposed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) took the first step in mobilizing his millions of grassroots supporters against a Trump cabinet pick.
Sen. Sanders said in a statement, “Mr. Trump’s nomination of Rex Tillerson for secretary of state is sending a very troubling message to the international community. Not only is Mr. Tillerson a pal of Russia’s authoritarian leader, Vladimir Putin, but he is the head of one of the largest oil companies in the world. In this appointment, Mr. Trump is making it abundantly clear that the short-term profits of the fossil fuel industry are more important than climate change and the future of the planet. Very sad. Very dangerous. Mr. Tillerson must be opposed.”
Sanders nailed it. The CEO of Exxon Mobil is completely unqualified to be secretary of state. The nominee has dangerous ties with a hostile foreign actor and has a major conflict of interest.
Sanders is not alone.
Sen. Tim Kaine tweeted:
Tillerson for Secretary of State! What's next — climate change deniers for EPA & Energy? Oh wait….
— Senator Tim Kaine (@timkaine) December 13, 2016
Non-partisan money in politics groups are also sounding the alarm. David Donnelly, Every Voice president, and CEO said, “Nominating Rex Tillerson is Donald Trump’s latest broken promise. He said he’d shake up Washington, but Trump has nominated billionaires and big donors to lead the government. Tillerson represents everything Trump campaigned against and voters hate about Washington.”
“Donald Trump couldn’t nominate an oil corporation to represent our nation abroad, so he sprung for the next best thing – it’s CEO,” Donnelly continued. “On the campaign trail, Donald Trump mocked donors and wealthy interests while promising to represent all Americans, yet now he’s trying to place a Big Oil executive in charge of our foreign policy.”
The Tillerson nomination will be one of the first tests of Sen. Sanders’ grassroots power. While the Senate is sending signals that they may reject the nomination, it will take the efforts of millions of Americans to make sure that they follow through.
Bernie Sanders and the Democrats in the Senate need help to stop this nominee, which is why the left must lead the effort to defeat the nomination of Rex Tillerson.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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