Anti-Oil Groups, Undeterred by Harris's U-Turn on Fracking, Spend Big To Boost Her Campaign

A coalition of high-profile climate activist nonprofits, which have pushed fracking bans at the state and federal levels, are unleashing a colossal advertising campaign in support of Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.

The 501(c)(4) affiliates of the League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defense Fund, Climate Power Action, and Democratic-aligned PAC Future Forward unveiled a staggering $55 million advertising campaign in support of the Harris campaign and targeting battleground states. The ads highlight Harris's support for green energy and opposition to oil.

The major ad campaign—which was highlighted during a climate panel at the Democratic National Convention on Monday—suggests that the climate movement is ready to rally behind Harris, even as questions linger about her positions on climate-related issues. Harris, in particular, backed off her past vow to ban fracking in the month after she replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.

But the same groups unleashing the ad blitz have made cracking down on fracking a priority issue.

The League of Conservation Voters, for example, has closely tracked multiple pieces of federal legislation related to fracking, such as a 2021 amendment proposed by Sen. Mike Braun (R., Ind.) that would prohibit agencies from issuing guidance banning fracking. The group stated that voting against the bill is the "pro-environment position" and highlighted every lawmaker's vote on the bill.

The group also cheered California regulations permanently banning fracking earlier this year, supported a Maryland law banning fracking, and opposed a federal bill blocking the Delaware River Basin Commission's ban on fracking.

In addition, the Environmental Defense Fund has stated that it has "never advocated in favor of fracking" in response to its position acknowledging that fracking is a "widespread reality." The group has focused its efforts pushing for more regulations governing how fracking is conducted.

And Climate Power has issued messaging guidance memos that highlight former president Trump's support for fracking as a potential electoral weakness for Democrats to exploit.

"The case against Trump is strong and impactful, particularly messages that emphasize threats to drinking water from fracking and his close ties to corporate polluters who harm vulnerable communities," guidance issued by Climate Power in June stated.

The group has also blamed fracking companies for "driving the climate crisis" and repeatedly argued fracking can cause "serious health issues" while blasting Trump's support for fracking.

"What it suggests is that [the Harris campaign] is in on the charade with the green group movement," Tom Pyle, the president of the American Energy Alliance who led the Trump transition energy team in 2016, said in an interview. "If they truly want to ban fracking, why would they support a candidate who reversed her position from wanting to ban fracking to no longer wanting to ban fracking?"

"I'm sure that there were winks and nods behind the scenes because, again, there's no distinction anymore between the green political movement and the Democratic machine," he continued.

"Those organizations are worried that if they don't step up to try to help Kamala Harris, then they're going to watch President Trump work to dismantle all the horrible policies and regulations that the Biden-Harris administration has put in place."

Overall, the League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defense Fund, and Climate Power are some of the most active groups pushing extreme environmental policies in Washington, D.C. The organizations have spearheaded public advocacy campaigns, been involved in litigation seeking to push green policies through the court system, and have spent millions of dollars in recent years lobbying Congress, according to financial filings.

During the Biden-Harris administration they have taken a particularly hard stand against new fossil fuel drilling and pipeline projects, while pushing the shutdown of existing fossil fuel-fired power plants and the full-scale electrification of the economy. And they emerged as some of the loudest backers of the $739 billion Inflation Reduction Act, which earmarks billions of dollars to green energy interests.

Those groups, alongside others like the Sierra Club, Sunrise Movement, and Natural Resources Defense Council, are also rapidly scaling up donations to both Harris's presidential campaign and down-ballot Democrats as the 2024 election nears.

The organizations—which, in addition to fracking bans, advocate for broad fossil fuel shutdowns, taxpayer handouts for green energy, and electric vehicle mandates—have already spent more than $7 million backing individual Democratic candidates and political committees supporting Democrats this election cycle, according to the latest data reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon.

"Vice President Harris will deliver," Natural Resources Defense Council president Manish Bapna wrote in a recent blog post endorsing Harris. "There’s no leader anywhere who is better prepared, more deeply committed, and more adept at what’s required to champion the climate action we need. In two decades of public service on the frontlines of climate and justice progress, Kamala Harris has stood up for the kind of future we must create."

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