FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2/7/2018

CONTACT: Adam Beitman, adam.beitman@sierraclub.org or 202-670-5585

STATEMENT ON WHEELER FUNDRAISER SCANDAL

Sierra Club Calls for Delay of Vote, Investigation, New Hearings

WASHINGTON, DC - In a shocking report this morning, The Intercept reveals that the coal lobbyist nominated to be #2 at EPA, Andrew Wheeler, hosted fundraisers for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chairman as well as the immediate past chairman months after he was already the presumptive nominee.

In Response, Sierra Club Legislative Director Melinda Pierce Released the Following Statement:

“Trump’s swamp runs even deeper than anyone imagined. It’s obvious a coal lobbyist shouldn’t run the agency that safeguards against air and water pollution from coal, but it’s even more obvious that he shouldn't host fundraisers for the very people who will vote on him after he was the presumptive nominee.

“This shocking revelation needs to be immediately investigated, and hearings should be held again to ask Wheeler why he was so eager to hold fundraisers for the very people voting on his nomination. No vote should proceed till that happens.”

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MORE ABOUT WHEELER

Climate Denier, Never Trumper & “Milo Truther”

• CLIMATE DENIER: Wheeler is best known for being a denier of the scientific consensus on climate change and an coal industry hack in Washington.

• NEVER TRUMPER: Wheeler was also an aggressive Never Trumper, As reported by the Washington Post Wheeler wrote that Trump “is a bully. This alone should disqualify him from the White House.” that he “doesn’t understand how the government works” and that “as a businessman, he really hasn't been that successful.”

• MILO TRUTHER: Apparently Wheeler is also a “Milo Truther” who promoted a pro-Milo apologia by an InfoWars conspiracy theorist on Twitter.