"Biden can't expect to
convince Americans that he's a leader on climate if he's also cozying up to
fossil fuel power players."
Dozens of environmentalists
gathered outside the New York home of investment banker David Solomon on
Thursday to protest former Vice President Joe Biden's decision to attend a
fundraiser there, despite calls
for the 2020 candidate to cancel the event following news of the
co-host's deep ties to the fossil fuel industry.
"Biden can't expect to
convince Americans that he's a leader on climate if he's also cozying up to
fossil fuel power players," said Laura
Shindell, an organizer with Food & Water Action who participated in
Thursday's demonstration.
Ahead of the $2,800-per-ticket
fundraiser, protesters led chants of "No fossil fuel money!" and
"Biden, Biden, you can't hide, we can see your greedy side!"
The high-dollar fundraiser
came just 24 hours after Biden participated in a CNN presidential
forum on the climate crisis, during which an activist directly confronted the
former vice president over the event with Andrew Goldman, co-founder of natural
gas company Western LNG.
In response to criticism, the
Biden campaign denied that Goldman fits the definition of a fossil fuel
executive and said the former vice president is not violating the No
Fossil Fuel money pledge, which is a vow "not to take contributions
over $200 from oil, gas, and coal industry executives, lobbyists, and
PACs."
During the swanky event
Thursday night, Biden continued
to insist he is not taking fossil fuel cash, claiming there was a
"mild misrepresentation" during the CNN climate town hall.
"I just want to be very
clear to everyone here: I am committed to not raising money from fossil fuel
executives and I am not doing that tonight," Biden said. "Climate
change presents an existential threat, and it is real."
The former vice president also
acknowledged the scrutiny the event has drawn. "Folks, I know there's been
a lot of attention paid to you showing up tonight," Biden said. "More
than I think you anticipated."
Journalists and observers have
challenged the Biden campaign's efforts to downplay Goldman's role in the
fossil fuel industry, pointing
to documents that describe him as a current member of the Western LNG
leadership team and "a long-term investor in the liquefied natural gas
sector."
Sam Bernherdt, an
organizer with Food & Water Action, told the New
York Daily News that Biden "knows where this money is coming
from."
"We got a decade to solve
the climate crisis," said Bernherdt. "Biden has shown that he can't
do that by holding events like this."
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