Commentary: Congress Must Investigate John Podesta’s Role in Biden’s LNG Decision
By Larry Behrens
Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?
Commentary by Larry Behrens originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire
Ever since 2016, talk to a liberal and there’s a good chance that they will blame “Russia” for something. Election interference, inflation, record-high gas prices, the list goes on and on. Since taking office, Joe Biden continues to take this deflection to a new level. As a gallon of gas soared past $5 in the summer of 2022 it was all Russia’s fault. And who can forget the ill-fated #PutinsPriceHike campaign as Team Biden tried to dodge criticism for skyrocketing inflation.
Yet according to recent revelations, there may be more to Biden’s “America Last” energy policy than meets the eye, and again, Russia enters the picture.
According to a bombshell report from the Washington Free Beacon, the decision to halt American liquified natural gas (LNG) exports was pushed by Biden’s new Climate Czar John Podesta, who recently took over for John Kerry.
As a well-known climate warrior, it makes sense Podesta would be pushing for policies against American energy interests. Yet at the same time, Podesta’s brother, Tony, one of DC’s most well-connected mega lobbyists, has financial connections to foreign LNG companies, including one with links to a Russian oligarch. It is concerning to see the Podesta family standing to profit from a policy priority of the White House who employs another Podesta. Foreign companies, including Russia, are clear beneficiaries Biden’s LNG attack. It should be raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and profit motives at the White House.
Even more troubling is the fact that this decision plays right into the hands of Vladimir Putin, the same dictator that Biden and his allies have been quick to blame for our country’s woes. By halting American LNG exports, Biden is handing Putin a wider energy market, allowing him to continue raking in billions while American energy workers suffer, and our families pay higher prices.
As even the left-leaning Washington Post editorial board put it, “Biden’s LNG decision is a win for political symbolism, not the climate.”
For the record, this is not the first time the Podestas were caught in ethical compromising situation. In 2019, Tony Podesta was investigated by the Southern District of New York for potential violations of foreign lobbying rules. Back in 2021, the same Podesta brother pocketed a cool $1 million by lobbying Biden in favor of Chinese telecommunications. Instead of tapping the brakes on this questionable influence, Joe Biden picked John Podesta to replace John Kerry and then put him in charge of the largest green slush fund in American history.
At a time when the country is still facing too-high gas prices and inflation, it is unacceptable for the Biden administration to prioritize the interests of foreign companies, and his radical green supporters over those of American workers and consumers. It is imperative that Congress launch an investigation into these suspicious ties to uncover the truth behind Biden’s energy policy and determine whether there is any real Russian collusion at play.
The House of Representatives deserves credit for investigating other elements of Biden’s green grift, including an electric vehicle battery deal that Ford reached with a Chinese company. It seems there is no end to the amount of our money Team Biden is willing to spend for more…green.
It is time for Biden to put America first and prioritize the needs of the American people over the profits of foreign entities.
It is time for Congress to step up and ensure that our energy policies are in the best interests of the country, not those of foreign oligarchs. The time for action is now. Let us demand the truth and hold our leaders accountable for their actions. Congress must investigate because America deserves nothing less.
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Larry Behrens is the Communications Director for Power The Future. He has appeared on Fox News, OANN and NewsMax speaking in defense of American energy workers. He is the author of the book “Sabotage: How Joe Biden Surrendered American Energy Independence.”
This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.
