Democratic presidential challenger Sen. Bernie Sanders is tying foe Hillary Rodham Clinton to former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney, accusing the two of promoting “disastrous” fracking.
On the side of those who believe the gas extracting process pollutes ground water, Sanders said in an email to supporters Friday that “fracking is a disaster for the planet.”
A hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, natural gas extraction site is shown Jan. 17, 2013, in New Milford, Pennsylvania. AP Photo
He wrote: “Hillary Clinton supports fracking. I do not.”
And he added, “Dick Cheney pushed through changes to the Safe Drinking Water Act that legalized fracking, despite the fact that fracking companies keep the chemicals they pump into the ground a secret.”
While not directly related, the issue of water pollution has become a Democratic presidential issue as both Clinton and Sanders have traveled to Flint, Mich., to woo voters hit by the water disaster there.
Sanders also used the issue to blast Clinton’s Wall Street ties, since many fracking firms are backed by hedge firms supporting her.
His email is below:
Sisters and Brothers –
Just days before the Iowa caucus, Hillary Clinton left the campaign trail for a high-dollar fundraiser at a hedge fund. That same hedge fund is a major investor in fracking, an incredibly destructive practice of extracting natural gas by pumping hundreds of secret chemicals into the ground.
Hillary Clinton supports fracking. I do not.
And just as I believe you can’t take on Wall Street while taking their money, I don’t believe you can take on climate change effectively while taking money from those who would profit off the destruction of the planet.
Please contribute $3 to our campaign right now to help elect a president who isn’t beholden to special interests that profit off of pollution.
Dick Cheney pushed through changes to the Safe Drinking Water Act that legalized fracking, despite the fact that fracking companies keep the chemicals they pump into the ground a secret.
People who live near fracking locations no longer have drinkable water, and in some cases their tap water is actually flammable. Oklahoma has even seen a rash of earthquakes that many believe are a result of fracking.
In short, fracking is a disaster for the planet.
We need a president who is not beholden to special interests and who will do everything in his or her power to fight the effects of climate change. It’s clear that to elect that kind of president, millions of people need to come together and chip in whatever they can.
Make a $3 contribution to our campaign now to send a message that you want to elect a president who will do everything possible to fight climate change.
We can’t afford to let people who would destroy our planet elect our next president.
Thank you for your support.
In solidarity,
Bernie Sanders
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
