Jul 24, 2024 - Energy & Climate

Kamala Harris makes opening energy move on Trump

Ben Geman

Photo illustration of Kamala Harris. — Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Joshua Lott/Stringer.

Kamala Harris is reminding voters of Donald Trump's April meeting with oil lobbyists, when he urged them to funnel dollars into his campaign while touting his pro-drilling agenda.

Why it matters: The vice president's remarks on Tuesday at a Milwaukee rally are Harris' first since becoming the presumptive nominee, and may preview campaign tactics to come.

State of play: Trump asked some of the industry's top executives to help raise $1 billion for his campaign as he outlined his pro-drilling agenda for a second term, the Washington Post first reported.

"Y'all saw that a couple months ago at Mar-a-Lago, he literally promised Big Oil companies, Big Oil lobbyists, he would do their bidding for $1 billion in campaign donations," she said.
"On the other hand, we are running a people-powered campaign," Harris said.

The other side: The industry's main trade group, the American Petroleum Institute, has parried Democratic criticisms of the meeting as a quid pro quo, noting that its policy goals are no secret.

In addition, Trump has been open about his energy policies.

What we're watching: Whether and when Harris offers more expansive remarks on her energy plans, and whether they'll diverge at all from Joe Biden.

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Kamala Harris makes opening energy move on Trump

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