The Lever - How To Blow Up A Pipeline Bill

Friends:

If you’re not standing with billionaires and corporations, wins tend to be rare in American politics — and it’s worth recognizing them when they happen. So take a moment to celebrate yesterday’s big victory: As a climate-intensified hurricane headed for Florida, Democrats were forced to drop Sen. Joe Manchin’s fossil fuel pipeline bill, at least for now.

We review our extensive reporting on the battle on this week’s new episode of Lever Time — and you’ll hear us ask one Democratic U.S. Senator some tough questions about why he was pushing the bill.

The context of the pipeline story is key: For weeks, corporate media and fossil fuel lobbyists were trying to get Democrats to pass the permitting legislation, which could significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions. And yet a determined climate movement backed by investigative journalism successfully shamed Democrats into backing off for the moment.

I’m particularly proud that the The Lever was one of the independent news outlets deeply engaged in this fight. Over the last month, our reporting and live events helped:

• Pressure Democratic lawmakers to declare their opposition to the deal.
• Expose Democratic leaders hiding data about the climate impacts of the deal.
• Spotlight Manchin admitting his bill was a GOP priority.
• Warn that the bill could destroy clean water laws.
• Uncover the fossil fuel industry’s attempt to greenwash the bill.
• Illustrate how the deal was a fossil fuel giveaway, not a green victory.
• Amplify data showing how much the deal could damage the climate.

This fight is almost certainly not over. The fossil fuel industry will probably try to get Democrats to attach Manchin’s pipeline deal to another bill before the end of the year.

Rest assured, we will keep reporting on the matter, following the money, and holding politicians accountable to climate science.

Rock the boat,

Sirota

Spread the word: Forward this email to encourage others to subscribe to The Lever.