Press releases
|
29 August 2024
(Washington, DC) – Judicial monitoring announced today that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit against the U.S. Department of Energy over documents relating to Joe Biden’s climate czar John Podesta and/or his brother Tony Podesta, who are associated with the lobbying firm Podesta.com (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of Energy (No. 1:24-cv-02174))
The lawsuit was filed after the Department of Energy failed to respond to an April 3, 2024, FOIA request from Judicial Watch for access to the following information:
A. All emails between Department of Energy officials or employees and email addresses ending in the “Podesta.com” domain.
B. Any agenda, briefing materials, memos, or other records prepared in preparation for, during, or following a meeting between an official or employee of the Department of Energy and Anthony Podesta and/or Helen Hagerty. For clarity, Hagerty is a lobbyist for the company Podesta.com.
John Podesta replaced John Kerry as Joe Biden’s U.S. special envoy for climate (climate czar) in March. He oversees implementation of the anti-inflation bill, which has been called the “largest green slush fund in American history,” and coordinates interagency efforts to advance the Biden administration’s climate agenda. In particular, Podesta is responsible for allocating funds to clean energy projects and ensuring that they align with the administration’s goals to reduce carbon emissions and transition to renewable energy sources, including major infrastructure projects related to the energy grid.
Concerns were raised by The Washington Free Beacon about potential conflicts of interest arising from John Podesta advising the Biden administration on climate issues while maintaining close ties to Podesta.com, a lobbying firm co-founded by his brother Tony Podesta:
His (John’s) brother Tony Podesta could benefit as a longtime lobbyist for foreign liquefied natural gas (LNG) companies – including one founded by a Russian energy oligarch.
***
“It is no secret that John Podesta is behind this moratorium… Congress should look very closely at the fact that his own brother benefits financially from restricting U.S. liquefied natural gas on the global market, whether through his past work with the Qataris or current work with Russian-backed companies interested in liquefied natural gas.”
“Simply put, John Podesta and the Biden-Harris administration are not trustworthy,” said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch. “That the Biden-Harris Department of Energy is hiding documents on John Podesta in violation of FOIA is all you need to know.”
Judicial Watch used the FOIA law tirelessly to expose cover-ups of bribery and influence peddling.
In October 2024, Judicial Watch published a Investigative Bulletin entitled “John Podesta: The Scandal Master Returns,” which tells the following:
Scandal analysts took notice when President Biden announced the appointment of one of the most corrupt figures in presidential politics as his clean energy czar. John Podesta, the White House said, will step in as “senior adviser to the president for clean energy innovation and implementation” and oversee the “expansive” energy and climate provisions of the new anti-inflation bill. Podesta is now in charge of a $370 billion pot of federal money and incentives authorized under the new law. History suggests he will not shy away from using the federal funds to reward Democratic Party allies, punish opponents and protect Joe Biden.
On March 8, 2024, Judicial Watch published a Chronicles of Corruption Article examining how a Chinese mining company sold to a Swiss firm hired Tony, the brother of Biden’s new clean energy czar, John Podesta, to lobby the U.S. government.
In May 2018, Judicial Watch published U.S. State Department documents showing that the Podesta Group worked on behalf of the pro-Russian Ukrainian political group Party of Regions. The documents also showed that longtime Obama and Clinton adviser John Podesta was lobbying on behalf of his brother’s firm.
###
