'The Leader We Can Pressure And Move': Climate Group Behind Disruptive Protests Backs Kamala for President, Saying She'll Adopt Its Positions Once in Office

Climate Defiance, a group known for conducting disruptive protests at public events, on Wednesday endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president, saying it could successfully pressure her to adopt far-left positions on climate change once elected.

"Harris is not the visionary we need, but she is the leader we can pressure and move," Climate Defiance said in a statement posted to X. "Harris we can move. Trump we cannot. Kamala—to some extent—is accountable to her base. And that means we can continue to change her. Trump is beholden to racists, rapists, fascists, and billionaires. Moving him is much harder."

Since it was founded in early 2023 by activists Michael Greenberg and Rylee Haught, Climate Defiance has crashed fundraisers, conferences, and engagements to protest prominent federal leaders such as Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Joe Manchin (I., W.Va.). The group has accused those officials of being too friendly to fossil fuel interests.

As part of its mission, Climate Defiance states that it favors ending "fossil fuel extraction on federal lands and waters"—which would have disastrous impacts on the U.S. economy. Such a policy would threaten the $1.8 trillion that the oil and gas industry contributes to the nation's gross domestic product and the 10.8 million direct and indirect jobs created by the industry.

On its face, Climate Defiance's endorsement of Harris appears to contradict its oft-stated position that government leaders should oppose all forms of fossil fuel production. Shortly after being selected as Democrats' presumptive presidential nominee in July, Harris promised not to ban fracking as president, and she later touted high levels of oil production in the United States under her and Biden's administration.

"A vote is not a valentine. It is a chess move. We must avert a worst-case scenario where Trump rises to power again. That can only happen if Harris wins. That's why you should vote for her," the group reasoned on Wednesday. "We recognize that this election represents a painful choice to many people. A genocide has been getting livestreamed into our living rooms every day for a year. Fossil fuel extraction is at a record high. Our climate tipping points are fast approaching."

"In case you are wondering, we are not changing tactics. We are not softening. We are not 'selling out,'" the group's statement continued. "We are still 100% committed to bringing nonviolent fire and fury to people in power from ANY party, Democratic, Republican, or Independent."

Harris's tendency to flip-flop on issues should be viewed as an asset, Climate Defiance says.

"Kamala is a finger-to-the-wind politician but we will use that to our advantage," the group said. "We will roll through with a Category Five hurricane. It is now on us to build enough power to make her into the climate candidate we so desperately need her to be."

While the group has repeatedly targeted the White House for not being aggressive enough on climate change, it appeared to have an inside track on President Joe Biden's January action ordering a moratorium on all pending natural gas export projects. Weeks earlier, the group's leaders were granted a private meeting with White House clean energy czar John Podesta, whom they urged to implement a "swift end to any federal support for new fossil fuel infrastructure," according to a letter written by the group.

Then, after Biden ordered the moratorium, the White House issued a press release touting Climate Defiance's support for the policy. "This is the most significant move any President has ever made on stopping fossil fuels," Climate Defiance said at the time.

Climate Defiance is the latest green group to throw its weight of support behind Harris and brush off her newfound friendliness to fossil fuels. Some of the highest-profile climate activist organizations launched a $55 million ad blitz in support of Harris's presidential campaign last month, a staggering show of support from groups dedicated to forcing a rapid economy-wide green transition.

The Harris campaign didn't respond to a request for comment.

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