Big Oil Lobbyist Exposes Industry Playbook to Sink Infrastructure Bill and Climate Action; Says the Quiet Part Out Loud

WASHINGTON – According to published reports, a powerful oil industry lobbyist has been recorded detailing efforts to derail climate action and investment on Capitol Hill, dismissing industry support for a carbon tax as “a talking point” and asserting that the “political courage” to pass climate legislation “doesn’t exist in politics.”

The following is a reaction from John Bowman, managing director for Government Affairs at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):              

“The oil industry and its Washington enablers work hard to cover up their corrupting influence on Congress. Today the ugly truth slithered out of the swamp: a powerful oil lobbyist boasts of owning key U.S. senators - by name - then openly scoffs at their lack of political will.

“To anyone wondering why President Biden’s having such a tough time passing his popular American Jobs Plan, this sickening anatomy is revoltingly revelatory. To those who think our democracy is too important to be corrupted by big oil, this is energizing. And to anyone who may still doubt it, leaders of conscience need to reject industry arm twisting and help the country move beyond fossil fuels - and fast – to avert the worst consequences of the climate crisis.”

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.