Clean Virginia Spends $200,000 in First Contribution to Candidates for Virginia Governor

Wow, that’s a ton of money!

Clean Virginia Spends $200,000 in First Contribution to Candidates for Virginia Governor

Sen. McClellan and Del. Carroll Foy each receive $100,000 for gubernatorial bids 

June 25, 2020

Charlottesville, VA — Clean Virginia Fund, Clean Virginia’s Political Action Committee, has donated $100,000 each to two candidates for Virginia Governor: Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond) and Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-Prince William), who have both launched gubernatorial campaigns.

“Senator McClellan and Delegate Carroll Foy have both proven their commitments to put the interests of Virginians before those of our utility monopolies and have championed strong action on climate change, environmental and economic justice, and fair energy bills during their time in the General Assembly. All communities in Virginia have benefited from their compassionate leadership and sophisticated policy understanding,” said Clean Virginia Executive Director Brennan Gilmore. “Clean Virginia is honored to support both of these exceptional candidates, either of whose election to Governor would be historic for our commonwealth and our country. We are prepared to do everything in our power to ensure that Virginia’s next governor will fight for Virginians, not corporate special interests.”

Both candidates share a principled stance against accepting campaign contributions from regulated monopolies Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power, including their employed registered lobbyists, and do not own stock in these corporations.

Sen. Jennifer McClellan and Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy have both championed legislation that would advance clean energy, protect the environment, and promote good governance:

• Sen. McClellan championed landmark climate and energy legislation in 2020, the Virginia Clean Economy Act and the Solar Freedom Act, fighting for aggressive carbon-reduction goals and more accessibility to small-scale solar in order to combat the climate crisis. The Senator has since challenged Dominion Energy to revise its latest long-term energy plan, citing its failure to meet the goals of the Virginia Clean Economy Act and for shifting costs disproportionately to customers.
• Del. Carroll Foy sponsored bipartisan legislation to force Dominion Energy to excavate coal ash from its Virginia facilities and pay for a clean water supply for residents whose well water may have been contaminated. Del. Carroll Foy also successfully led a legislative effort to encourage more public utility contracts with small, women-owned, and minority-owned businesses.

During the 2018-2019 Virginia General Assembly election cycle, Clean Virginia Fund and its Board Chair Michael Bills contributed over $1.8 million to Democratic and Republican candidates who demonstrated a principled stance against accepting contributions from utility monopolies regulated by the General Assembly. Clean Virginia Fund anticipates an even larger involvement in Virginia’s 2021 primary and general election cycles to support candidates who prioritize Virginians over corporate interests and who are committed to greater transparency and ethics in government.

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Clean Virginia is an independent advocacy organization with an associated Political Action Committee, Clean Virginia Fund. Clean Virginia works to fight corruption in Virginia politics in order to promote clean energy and community control over our energy policy.  For more information, visit cleanvirginia.org.