Washington, D.C. – In response to reports that Trump will nominate ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, LCV President Gene Karpinski issued the following statement:

“This seems like it should be fake news, but it’s all too real and scary. By naming Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, Trump would truly be turning over several key cabinet positions to Big Oil. His appointment would cause a massive conflict of interest, giving ExxonMobil — a company that investigative reports have shown covered up their own climate research and misled the public for decades–an unprecedented ability to sway foreign policy to protect their own interests. As CEO of ExxonMobil, Tillerson has consistently opposed policies to take action on climate, and he can now threaten the global efforts to meet this challenge. Tillerson simply cannot be trusted to look out for people instead of his companies’ profits.”

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