Washington, D.C. — Today, as the White House begins its “Energy Week,” the Center for American Progress Action Fund launched Dirty Deputies, a project that tracks the fossil fuel affiliations of political appointees working on energy and environmental issues in the Trump administration. Of the more than 100 political staff in the tracker, nearly one-third have ties to the fossil fuel industry and the Koch brothers.
CAP Action’s Dirty Deputies maintains a running list of political appointees working on energy and environmental issues in federal agencies and at the White House, along with their previous employers and connections. Additionally, it directs visitors to submit tips on any of the appointees or new staff that has been hired.
“While President Donald Trump continues to bow to oil and gas interests, the American public is in the dark about who is actually pulling the strings on Trump’s pro-polluter agenda,” said Erin Auel, research associate at CAP Action. “What’s clear is that the administration prioritizes experience in the fossil fuel industry above all else. Across the administration, political staff have close ties to the Koch brothers, Exxon Mobil, and coal trade associations, among others—and many of the people tasked with regulating the industry were getting their paycheck from it just months ago.”
As White House and agency staff decline to confirm the names of political appointees, this tracker will allow the public to see who is behind the administration’s agenda that prioritizes polluters at the expense of the health and well-being of American families.
In recent weeks, President Trump has ramped up his attacks on our nation’s environmental and public health protections, including with the announcement of withdrawal from the Paris Agreement; the elimination of pollution requirements for oil and gas companies; and even knowingly taking steps that will make children sick. As the administration continues to hire new staff and float the names of former fossil fuel lobbyists for top environmental positions, Dirty Deputies will serve as a resource to monitor the toxic influence of special interests within the Trump administration.
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Morgan Finkelstein at [email protected] or 202-478-5311.