Political Quotes

“I appreciate that question. It is something we have witnessed unfold over the last two decades. It was not that long ago Republicans--both parties--for example, would stand up and say: We have a serious threat to our planet. That threat is the temperature of the planet is increasing, that we are suffering the impacts of methane and carbon dioxide pollution, and we must address that threat, but in the last few years, we have seen a steady diminishment of Republican commitment to address that threat. What does that correspond to? It corresponds very precisely to the growth of dark money from the fossil fuel industry. I hate to lay out this story because it is offensive to anyone--any patriotic American who wants to see government of, by, and for the people--to hear this story about the massive corruption of our body politic by this dark money. If I go back a few years and look at a set of campaigns the last time I ran for office, that dark money became involved in Senate campaign after Senate campaign after Senate campaign after Senate campaign, and it very much had an impact on the composition of this body. As those races were won with dark money from the fossil fuel industry, the willingness of some individuals to stand up and speak truthfully, forthcomingly, and powerfully about the challenge to the environment diminished and diminished and diminished. That really has to change. It is why we have to take on this role of dark money.…”