Editors at the Washington Examiner note that the Biden administration’s green agenda translates into green — money — for a close relative of one of its top advocates.
It has become impossible to deny that both Hunter and James Biden have profited from access to President Joe Biden, so Democratic Party apologists have fallen back on claiming Biden never changed policy to benefit his family.
They won’t have that excuse when they defend new climate czar John Podesta’s role in suspending liquefied natural gas exports and the money his lobbyist brother will make representing foreign firms and governments profiting from the decision.
Considering that Biden illegally installed Podesta as his new top climate diplomat in a manner specifically designed to avoid Senate confirmation, Congress has every right to investigate Podesta’s role in enacting the LNG export ban and how many of his brother Tony’s current and former clients stand to benefit financially.
When Biden first appointed John Kerry to be the first special presidential envoy for climate, there was no statutory requirement that the position get Senate confirmation. But then, in 2021, the Democratically controlled House and Senate passed the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which included a provision that any “special envoy,” or post performing a similar function, must obtain Senate approval.
When Kerry announced he was leaving the administration to join the Biden reelection campaign, Biden should either have left the post vacant or appointed a successor via Senate confirmation.
Instead, the president created a new “senior adviser to the president for international climate policy” position and named John Podesta to the post without any consultation in the Senate. Not only did Biden give Podesta all Kerry’s old power and responsibilities, but he also advertised Podesta as Kerry’s successor. This is a blatant violation of federal law and the separation of powers.
