How Republicans are 'weaponizing' the civil service against climate action

A Times investigation has revealed a coordinated effort by state treasurers to use government force and public funds to punish companies that attempt to reduce greenhouse gases.

Nearly two dozen Republican State Treasurers across the country are working to thwart climate action at the state and federal government, fighting regulations that would clarify the economic risks posed by a warming world, lobbying climate-conscious nominees for key federal positions, and using taxpayer dollars they control to punish companies that want to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Over the past year, treasurers in nearly half of the United States have coordinated tactics and points for discussion, met privately and cheered each other on in public as part of a well-funded campaign to protect fossil fuel companies that support their local economies.

Last week, Rile y Moore, West Virginia's Treasurer, announced that several major banks — including Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Wells Fargo — would be barred from government contracts with his state because they are reducing their investments in coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel. /p>

Mr. Moore and the treasurers of Louisiana and Arkansas have withdrawn more than $700 million from BlackRock, the world's largest investment manager, over objections that the firm focuses too much on environmental issues . At the same time, Utah and Idaho treasurers are pressuring the private sector to drop climate action and other causes they call “woke”.

< p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">And the treasurers of Pennsylvania, Arizona and Oklahoma joined a broader campaign to thwart appointments by federal regulators who wanted to require banks, funds and businesses disclose the financial risks posed by global warming.

At the crux of these efforts is the State Financial Officers Foundation, a little-known nonprofit based in Shawnee, Kansas, which once focused on cybersecurity, borrowing costs, and debt management, among other routine issues.

Next, President Biden took office, promising to accelerate the country's transition away from oil, gas and coal, the burning of which is dangerously warming the planet.

The foundation has begun pushing Republican state treasurers, who are mostly elected officials responsible for management of their state's finances, to use their power to advance oil and gas interests and thwart Mr. Biden's climate agenda, according to the records.

The Le The New York Times has reviewed thousands of pages of internal emails and documents obtained through public records requests by Documented, a watchdog group, that have shed light on the treasurers' efforts since January 2021.

< p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0" > In conferences, on weekly calls, and with a steady stream of emails, the foundation hosted oil industry representatives and channeled research and insights discussion from conservative groups to treasurers of the state, which channeled the goals of private groups into public policy.

The Heritage Foundation, the Heartland Institute and the American Petroleum Institute are among the conservative groups linked to the fossil fuel industry that have worked with the State Financial Officers Foundation and state treasurers to shape their national strategy.

Many Democratic state treasurers support climate change efforts and want banks and corporations to investment be clear about the risks posed to returns for retirees and others. Democratic lawmakers in California and New Jersey are working on legislation that would force their state pension systems to divest from fossil fuels. But the Democrats didn't mount anything...