Great work by the Virginia Student Environmental Coalition. Just one tactical question is whether, at some point, it would make sense to accept the offer to meet with Warner staffer(s) – preferably senior – with an additional promise to try to arrange a conference call or meeting (or something!) with Sen. Warner as soon as possible?
Virginia Students Demand Mark Warner Votes No On Rex Tillerson
Washington, DC – 2/1/17: Today at 12:00 PM, several students and concerned citizens occupied the senate office of Mark Warner (D – VA). This is in response to his vote for cloture in Tillerson’s hearing – a stance shared by his GOP colleagues – and his heavy indication that he will vote in favor of Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State. This vote will isolate him from the majority of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate, and is indicative of his unwillingness to stand up to the Trump Administration.
We’re demanding that Senator Warner vote “no” on Tillerson’s nomination – there is no negotiation with those who would destroy our climate for their own profit. Young people across Virginia need legislators who will stand up for their futures, not sell them out for the sake of political expediency.
“Democrats who claim to care about climate change and the future of our planet cannot in good conscience support the nomination of Rex Tillerson.” says Lauren Malhotra, Virginia Tech Class of 2017. “As Virginia youth, we’re demanding that Mark Warner represents the best interests of our commonwealth, which does not mean allowing Exxon Mobil to run the State Department.”
“Virginia is experiencing massive amounts of sea level rise in Hampton Roads, environmental devastation from fossil fuel extraction in Appalachia, and a state house dangerously controlled by big corporate interest.” says Drew Shannon, University of Mary Washington Class of 2019. “For Senator Warner to know all this and still choosing to vote in favor of a corrupt climate denier is not only negligent, it furthers the same systems of destruction.”
###
The Virginia Student Environmental Coalition (VSEC) is a statewide organization dedicated to unifying Virginia students and igniting an irreversible transition towards clean energy in Virginia.
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
