Energy advocates are criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for hiring a top campaign advisor with connections to a controversial environmental group that is pushing to ban gas stoves. O.H. Skinner, the executive director of the nonprofit Alliance for Consumers, expressed his concerns about the Biden-Harris administration’s focus on imposing regulations and mandates that limit consumer choice and increase costs for household appliances.
The debate over American energy production is particularly significant in states like Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state. The Harris campaign has assured energy producers and consumers that they do not plan to ban fracking but aim to lower energy production costs while investing in clean energy solutions.
However, conservatives are questioning Harris’ decision to hire Camila Thorndike, who previously worked for the dark money climate activist group Rewiring America as the campaign’s “climate engagement director.” Rewiring America gained attention in 2022 for advocating to ban gas stoves and is sponsored by the Windward Fund, a nonprofit part of the billion-dollar dark money network managed by Arabella Advisors.
One of the group’s primary goals is to promote the electrification of homes to combat climate change and advocate for significant spending on climate programs. Thorndike has made controversial statements in the past, including referring to the oil and gas industry as “ecoterrorism” and urging those in the fossil fuel industry to consider alternative careers to mitigate climate change effects.
Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, criticized Harris’ decision to include Thorndike in her campaign staff, highlighting the administration’s apparent hostility towards American energy sources and the potential negative impact on the economy and job market. The hiring of Thorndike is seen as a sign that Harris may continue to support policies that undermine energy independence and jeopardize workers’ livelihoods.
Despite these criticisms and concerns, Rewiring America did not respond to requests for comments from Fox News Digital. The ongoing debate surrounding the connection between Harris’ campaign advisor and the push to ban gas stoves underscores the importance of energy policies in the current political landscape.
