Oil spills spark debate over politicians taking oil money

Political candidates are signing the “No Oil Money Pledge” to protest campaign funding by fossil fuel companies. Unsplash

In light of recent oil spills in California, constituents are pushing for politicians to reject money from fossil fuel companies. Over 3,000 candidates across the country have now signed the “No Oil Money Pledge” started by Oil Money Out.  

Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, who is running for California State Assembly in 2022, is one of those candidates. Iqbal-Zubair serves on the board of directors for the California Democratic Party and feels the 2022 midterms will be a crucial opportunity to vote for candidates who are not funded by fossil fuel companies. 

“A lot of people don’t realize how many (Democrats) take money from big oil,” Iqbal-Zubair told The Panther. “We need to replace them with candidates who will actually work to protect our environment.” 

An Oct. 1 oil spill at Huntington Beach led to coastal closures, death of wildlife and a broader conversation about environmental policy among politicians. Panther Archives

A report by Public Citizen, a liberal advocacy group, found President Biden has been slow to reverse Trump's fossil-fuel-friendly agenda, despite his campaign promise to push for “no more drilling on federal lands" because of climate change. The analysis looked at data from the Bureau of Land Management, which processes applications for drilling permits on public lands.

“If (candidates)  take fossil fuel contributions from those responsible for the climate, as a way of ensuring we get into office, we continue to enable those sharing a significant responsibility for environmental racism, poor air quality, and stalled environmental legislation,” said Brian Orsorio who’s running to represent California District 21.

A poll by the Pew Research Center found that two-thirds of Americans want the government to do more to combat climate change. 

There has also been renewed debate over the landmark case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2009), which found that corporate funding of candidates could not be limited under the First Amendment. Advocates of overturning Citizens United say it encourages candidates to take money from the fossil fuel industry in order to compete with their fellow candidates. 

“If we can neutralize lobbyists and shareholders, we can put our planet’s needs above short-term profits. There’s been nothing that’s done more damage to climate progress than the political power of the fossil fuel industry,” Mark Paul, a researcher for People’s Policy Institute said. 

The World Health Organization has found that Climate Change is a threat to public health. Iqbal-Zabair says she decided to run largely because of her concern over a climate change related health crisis.

“I'm running because in a district that is highly impacted by environmental injustices, we deserve to have our health & wellbeing prioritized. South LA and our state deserves so much better,” said Iqbal-Zubair.