Former Vice President Al Gore Jr. said Thursday the Senate should reject Mike Pompeo to head the State Department because he’s a climate denier.
Mr. Pompeo, the current CIA director who appeared Thursday for his Senate confirmation hearing as President Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, “denies the climate crisis, and he’s been doing the bidding for fossil fuel interests his whole career,” Mr. Gore said.
Senators should reject Mike Pompeo’s nomination to be Secretary of State. He denies the climate crisis, and has been doing the bidding for fossil fuel interests his whole career. The American people deserve better.
— Al Gore (@algore) April 12, 2018
Mr. Gore, a leading climate-change activist dating back to his 2006 film “An Inconvenient Truth,” has also targeted Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, saying Monday he should be fired over his climate views.
Important piece from @JustinHGillis about the threat of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. The climate crisis is real and unequivocal. The President should fire Mr. Pruitt. https://t.co/o2d5wfeUbp
— Al Gore (@algore) April 9, 2018
Mr. Pompeo underwent questioning by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after being nominated by the president to succeed Rex Tillerson, who was fired last month.
Under the Obama administration, former Secretary of State John Kerry took the lead in championing the 2015 Paris climate agreement, which is aimed at limiting the rise of global temperatures.
Mr. Trump has since announced that he will withdraw from the accord, saying it would “undermine the economy” and place the country at a “permanent disadvantage,” prompting an outcry from Democrats, including Mr. Gore, and the climate movement.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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