Hillary Clinton is growing cozier with the hydraulic fracturing industry, just months after she promised to heavily regulate it.
The Democratic Party’s presidential candidate attended a $50,000 per place fundraiser in Aspen, Colorado on Tuesday, hosted by fracking magnate Charif Souaki. The event raised $650,000 for the campaign.
As the International Business Times reported, Souaki “amassed his fortune working for natural gas companies including one he founded last year, Tellurian Investments.” A subsidiary of Tellurian, Driftwood LNG, filed for a license in June with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to construct a natural gas export facility in Louisiana.
Hydraulic fracturing — or fracking — refers to a process by which energy, primarily natural gas, is extracted. It involves shooting millions of gallons of water and chemicals into underground shale rock formations, which releases hydrocarbons trapped inside.
Fracking is heavily scrutinized due to concerns about the slurry of chemicals used in the process. The injection of the industrial mixtures into the earth may be contaminating nearby drinking water sources, critics say. Congress passed legislation in 2005 that shields the industry from having to report on the contents of their fracking fluids.
The splitting of rock deep underground has also resulted in increased seismic activity for those living around fracking wells. A study published in May by researchers at the University of Texas concluded that hydraulic fracturing is now the leading cause of earthquakes in the state.
Fracking is also known to release large quantities of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas and significant contributor to global warming.
During the Democratic primary against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — a staunch opponent of fracking — Clinton tried to downplay her support for the controversial energy extraction technique in hopes of appealing to the greener electorate.
In a March debate in Flint, Michigan, Clinton laid out a number of new conditions that fracking companies would have to comply with in order to stay in business. They included: the need for local support; the capture of methane and the prevention of water contamination, and the disclosure of chemicals used in the process.
“By the time we get through all of my conditions, I do not think there will be many places in America where fracking will continue to take place,” Clinton claimed.
During her prior stints in public service, however, Clinton has been gentler to the industry.
State Department cables released by Wikileaks in 2010 show that Clinton was a major proponent of hydraulic fracturing while serving as the nation’s top diplomatic envoy. They revealed, according to Mother Jones, that with Clinton at the helm, the department “worked closely with energy companies to spread fracking around the globe,” including to countries with “scant environmental regulation.”
Clinton did give a nod to frackers last month, when delegates she appointed to the Democratic Party’s platform writing committee helped thwart an attempt by Sanders’ delegates to call for a ban on hydraulic fracturing. The committee instead settled on a provision calling for tighter regulations.
Food and Water Watch executive director Wenonah Hauter told DeSmogBlog that the compromise “sweeps the debate over fracking under the rug.”
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $81,000 in one-time donations and to add 1250 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.
Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy