Yesterday, Donald Trump was impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives. Impeachment and removal are how we hold Trump accountable for his clearly seditious actions. It draws that ever-important line in the sand. It echoes the point that dangerous, illegal, hate-filled actions demand a response.

I remember my father serving as a lawyer during the Nuremberg trials. The Holocaust was over, and the Nazis had lost. Some wanted to move on to rebuilding. But there needed to be accountability. The Nuremberg trials weren’t about humiliation, grudge-settling, or vengeance. They were about transparently holding accountable the individuals who committed those evil acts and condemning the ideals they represented — the same ideals that were on full display during the January 6th attack on our capitol.

Without the actions of the House and the impending trial in the Senate, what is to prevent this violent, illegal behavior from happening again? As we know from despots, both past and present, half-measures and slaps on the wrist don’t work. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

My parents raised me to do the right thing, but sometimes that’s hard to discern. This is not one of those times.

Impeachment shines a light on the actions that brought us here, and that those actions can’t define us. To mitigate, to make excuses, to delay judgement on behavior that is outrageous serves only to divide us.

We are called on by every ounce of decency in our bodies, our communities, and our country to remove Donald Trump from the roll call of American leaders now and in the future. After years of white supremacist rhetoric, racist policies, and deliberate anti-democractic actions by the President of the United States, the insurrection on January 6th was the inevitable conclusion. Our only choice now is to stop saying, “This isn’t us.” Instead, we must draw a line in the sand and say, “This can’t be us ever again.”

Republicans are talking about impeachment dividing America. But America is already divided. What we now need is to set the foundations for reconciliation following condemnation. And that can only happen if we unequivocally reestablish the norms and laws our diverse country is built on. Impeachment is a judgement, a judgement about what’s acceptable and what’s clearly wrong. It’s a line between acceptable partisanship and inciting a mob to violence, between supporting free and fair elections and denying the will of the people, between supporting your constitutional oath and breaking the law to subvert democracy. There must be a dividing line between right and wrong for our republic to survive.

We have drawn lines many times before between acceptable conduct and unacceptable, inexcusable behavior. Last week’s insurrection is unique in its straightforward attack on American democracy and the American people, but it confronts us with a choice: move on or move forward. To move forward, to have any semblance of unity, and to ensure the foundations of democratic institutions remain strong — we need full, unequivocal accountability.

The line in the sand has been drawn. History will look at where we all stood.

A Line in the Sand was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

As we celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Paris Climate Accords, I’ve been reflecting on the United Nations Climate Change Conferences I’ve attended since COP21 in 2015. These have been pivotal moments in the climate movement. And as we prepare to step into a new era of American climate action, it’s good to look back on how we got here.

The first thing I remember when I got to Paris was just how many people were there. I was leading a delegation of California business leaders with Gov. Jerry Brown, and we joined an entire global community of environmental, political, justice, and business leaders — — all committed to the goal of climate action. Everyone acknowledged that climate action was a necessity and that collaboration was vital.

Paris in 2015 was a moment of global leadership with America at the helm of global collaboration. And being there, I felt hopeful that the world could come together and meet the challenge of our climate crisis. We had the momentum and the wind at our backs — it felt fantastic. And then Trump was elected.

2016. COP22 in Marrakesh was a bleak affair with many wondering if our global coalition would be able to survive. The subsequent conferences proved that, while the global community would continue acting on climate, Trump’s administration would not take part, and global momentum halted. The world was in a disastrous holding pattern.

2017. COP23 in Bonn was the first conference after Mr. Trump announced his intent to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. We organized a delegation of sub-national leaders to show the world that a lot of climate action was still happening in the U.S., despite what was happening with our federal government. It was true, but everyone knew it wasn’t enough.

2018. At COP24 in Katowice, you could feel the impact of the void in American leadership really starting to settle in. The official U.S. presence in Poland was actively working to undermine global climate commitments, siding with Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Kuwait to block key climate reports, and even hosting a panel praising “clean coal” as a climate solution. Our partners felt abandoned and the climate community felt tremendous fear that the door the Paris Agreement opened was beginning to shut. Emblematic as the only official U.S. presence at COP24, was a closed door.

2019. COP25 fell in the middle of my presidential campaign, and I made sure representatives from my climate team participated. New reports were released that revealed we were on track for over 3 degrees of warming, even if every country met their emissions target from the Paris Agreement. Again, all eyes turned to the United States, hoping the 2020 election would mark a turning point when we would restart working with other countries and major emitters to take urgent climate action.

As we look towards 2021 and COP26 in Glasgow, we know America has a reputation to repair and trust to rebuild. We are going to have to prove to the world that we are good partners, that we are ready to make and meet our commitments, and that we won’t turn our back on this global crisis again.

I know that the Biden-Harris administration will show the world that America is ready to lead, ready to act, and ready to build a clean energy future. If the world is going to believe us though, we are going to have to act here at home first. We need to show American businesses that their future prosperity lies in the clean energy economy.

We know that the ways we live, move, build, trade, work will all be shaped by climate change. And American businesses have an amazing opportunity. Either they step up and lead, or they cede the moment to foreign competitors. There are millions of jobs and investments that can be created through climate action. Years ago, I co-sponsored the Risky Business Project, an initiative that assessed and publicized the economic risks to the U.S. associated with climate change. And now finally we are seeing the market move this direction as international banks look at climate targets and financial markets move toward companies focused on addressing climate change and clean energy.

With new American leadership in government, I’m hopeful that more American business leaders will also see this as their moment and come to the table for climate action.

The first year of the Biden-Harris Administration and the lead up to COP26 at the end of 2021 will be a defining time in our history. As President-Elect Biden has said, “there is not a single thing we have not been able to accomplish once we set our minds to it. Together, we can and will meet the challenge of this climate emergency.”

Reflections on the 5th Anniversary of the Paris Agreements on Climate was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

With less than two weeks until Election Day, we wanted to share how Team Tom staffers are helping get out the vote, making sense of the election news cycle, and prioritizing self-care.

How does this election feel different?

Julia: I think people are finally getting the urgency. I worked on the Hillary for America campaign as an organizer in Virginia, and while I did have some very committed and wonderful volunteers, I would often call people and they wouldn’t want to help get out the vote. This year, I think people are trying to ignore the polls, just vote, talk to voters, and take nothing for granted. I’ve seen people become more involved in politics like never before, and honestly, it makes me really proud.

I also think there’s more of an understanding that our norms as a country will go away if we don’t fight for them. We have to fight publicly every day to ensure that elections will happen as fairly as possible and that everyone’s vote is counted.

Casey: In 2016, I was in my third year of college taking a course called “Electoral Politics: Elections, Media, and Strategy.” We treated Donald Trump as an anomalous case study, and not a truly viable candidate. I remember the day after Trump’s victory, the whole class was in a stupor as we silently took our seats, looking at each other with a mixture of shock and dread. Since then, I pivoted my ambition to work in international relations to do as much as I can to fight for marginalized communities at home. In 2018, I started an internship at NextGen America, helping register young voters across the country. The historic youth turnout and progressive victories that year gave a resounding message — when we put in the work, we can win, and win decisively.

2020 has given us plenty of reasons to feel like we’re on the precipice of doom, which certainly differentiates it from the other elections I’ve lived through before. But I’ve also noticed the same beams of hope I saw from 2018, with people working hard to innovate new ways of exchanging information, organizing, and engaging with each other through the digital space. It’s on every one of us to join these efforts and shine that light even brighter.

What are you most excited about?

Julia: I think I’m most excited about how comprehensive Biden’s platform is — particularly his comprehensive plan to fight the climate crisis! His environmental justice plan was written by collaboration between a number of environmental champions and shows how much we can count on Biden to listen to scientists, and how much we can accomplish as a country if we elect him in November.

Casey: What’s excited me the most so far from the political side is to see different groups coming together to support Vice President Biden. In particular, I’ve been inspired by the creation and policy proposals by the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Forces, the maelstrom of constituency phonebanking and textbanking events (shoutout to AAPIs for Biden!), and the coalition of labor, environmental justice, and climate leaders helming Vice President Biden’s Climate Engagement Advisory Council.

What are you most concerned about?

Casey: I’m most concerned by people who only singularly commit to either voting or to direct action (e.g. protesting, calling elected officials), as if only one of them matters! These two modes of participation are jointly crucial in our system, and if you have the access and ability, I think you should definitely invest time into both — especially on behalf of those who are not afforded the same privileges and opportunity.

Julia: As someone that actively tries to ignore polls, I’m most concerned about the voters who say they’re undecided or voting Biden, when they’re actually voting for Trump or third party and are just ashamed of it. Don’t take anything or anyone for granted. We must keep organizing in our communities, talking to our families, show up to vote and not take the polls verbatim!

If you could tell a young voter one thing about voting this election, what would that be?

Casey: Even though it may always not seem like it and many won’t admit it, young people are and have always been the drivers of moral leadership. Despite the world seeming like it was teetering on an apocalyptic state, in only the past seven months, young people took to the streets for Black Lives Matter protests and climate strikes, went on TikTok and Instagram to educate their followers, dismantled hashtags on Twitter used by white supremacists by sharing K-pop videos, and even held virtual rallies in video games. Your voice is powerful — make it heard not only in this upcoming election, but also for the years to come.

Julia: Y’all are so cool, please think I’m cool too. No, I’m joking (sorta).

What I would actually say is: Adults love to underestimate and denigrate y’all. Like Casey said, young people are more politically engaged and progressive than ever before in history, and are the largest and most diverse voting block. I know every organization on the planet is yelling at you to vote, but just want you to keep speaking truth to power, and challenging the status quo.

What has been your favorite moment from this election cycle?

Julia: I was put in charge of Tom’s official Facebook a few months ago, and I have been really enjoying it and have grown a lot professionally. Not only do I get to develop my social media writing skills, I have really gotten to push the issues that I care about deeply and have loved seeing all the support from the public on the page in response.

Casey: Has there been a phrase that captures more perfectly today’s zeitgeist than, “Will you shut up, man?”

Julia T. is a Digital Strategist on Team Tom. She has previously also worked for Hillary for America and the Democratic Party of Virginia.

Casey L. is a Political Manager on Team Tom.

Lessons Learned from Past Elections was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

From clean energy to recovery from the pandemic, this election is all about justice.

While our country continues to battle a confluence of crises, Tom explained how these issues are intertwined — and how injustice is at the core of all of them. When we talk about the COVID-19 pandemic, the youth vote, or clean energy jobs, it’s all centered on the fight for an equitable economic recovery, a sustainable future, and a healthy, prosperous nation. Take a look.

• Tom Steyer thinks business is missing a big opportunity on the green economy — Fortune
  “I did two studies five or six years ago with Hank Paulson and Mike Bloomberg with the support of American CEOs and policy leaders called ‘risky business’ to show that moving to clean energy creates faster growth, more and better-paying jobs, and better health while avoiding the climate disaster. It is a win, win, win. Clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuel energy. Trump either doesn’t know what he’s talking about, or he’s lying. Those are the only possibilities.” Read more here.
• Tom Steyer discusses the climate policy solutions for the economy and pandemic — Reuters
  “When you look at a really deep issue like climate, there’s no way to separate it in your solution from the interconnected and overlapping issues like job creation, economic growth, prosperity, and also health.” Read more here.
• Tom Steyer on starting NextGen America — The Future of Activism with Joe Hobbs
  “I really got into activism through a lens of climate, and through a lens of justice. I started NextGen — I quit my job. I left the company I started and walked away from it because I felt as if there’s no way to succeed in this part-time. You have to give your heart and soul to it, if you’re going to succeed. And so I wanted to be part of the group of people pushing our society to address a huge issue about justice, and a huge issue about safety and health for Americans across the board.” Listen here.
• Tom Steyer discusses Biden-Harris climate plan, which creates millions of union jobs — MSNBC
  “The Biden campaign, and Joe Biden personally, have a very strong climate plan. It directly addresses our climate crisis. And in doing so, it creates $2 trillion of federal spending over four years that are going to create the millions of good-paying, union jobs that Senator Harris was referring to. It also specifically addresses environmental justice, cleaning up the air pollution, water pollution toxins in underserved Black and brown communities…We can see right now in the marketplace, the biggest American financial institutions coming around to support exactly the kinds of ideas that the Biden Build Back Better plan is in favor of…What we can see in Joe Biden’s very aggressive and absolutely necessary plan that he understands and believes in is something that is going to catalyze growth, and in particular job growth, at a time when we have very high unemployment. There is a plan here that is very well-crafted, that Joe Biden deeply understands and believes in, and it’s going to happen very early in this administration, and not just address climate, but also address systemic racism, and unemployment, and the need to create good-paying union jobs.” Watch here.

Tom in the News — October 22, 2020 was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In the years I’ve spent grassroots organizing for justice, I’ve seen that we can make real change happen right here at home when we raise our voice, mobilize, and vote.

The California ballots have dropped — it’s time to make a plan on how to vote and return our ballots as soon as possible.

I am joining community-based organizations across the state to highlight these seven ballot measures that can help bring about critical justice improvements in our state this election.

Here’s what you should vote YES on:

Proposition 15: Increases Investments in Education and Local Government — It would close corporate tax loopholes for nonresidential commercial and industrial properties and would direct those funds to local government projects and bring needed funding to our schools.
Vote YES to close corporate tax loopholes and properly fund schools and local government.

Proposition 16: Reinstate Affirmative Action — It reinstates affirmative action to level the playing field for women and people of color by allowing public institutions to have the option of taking diversity (gender and race) into account for hiring, contracting, and admissions decisions.
Vote YES to reinstate affirmative action in California.

Proposition 17: Voting Rights Restoration for Persons on Parole Amendment — It amends the California Constitution so that Californians who have completed their prison term can fully participate in our democracy by restoring their right to vote.
Vote YES to give parolees an equal right to vote.

Proposition 18: Primary Voting Amendment — It would allow those who turn 18 by the General Election to vote in the Primary Election of that year.
Vote YES to empower youth and increase their political participation.

Proposition 25: Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum — It creates a fairer system that doesn’t base freedom on the ability to pay but on the public safety risk of the defendant.
Vote YES for a bail system based on safety not profits.

Here’s what you should vote NO on:

Proposition 20: Criminal Sentencing, Parole, and DNA Collection Initiative — It would reverse criminal justice reforms by allowing certain misdemeanors to be charged as felonies, requiring DNA collection for certain misdemeanors, and making it harder for some of those charged to receive parole.
Vote NO to protect criminal justice reform.

Proposition 22: Protecting App-Based Drivers — It would deny app-based drivers’ key labor rights such as a minimum wage, overtime, and paid sick leave. It would also exempt billion-dollar gig companies from providing riders and drivers with important safety protections.
Vote NO to protect gig economy workers’ safety and their rights.

Passing these ballot measures will be critical in determining how California moves forward and lives up to its ideals as a real progressive state. We must vote for the Biden-Harris ticket and these statewide ballot measures — your vote will directly impact our communities and build a more just California.

Now is the time to make a voting plan so that you vote safely and ensure your voice is heard.

Not sure if you’re registered to vote?
Check out our Voting Center to confirm or update your registration.
Then share it with your friends and family so they can do the same.

How to vote for justice on the 2020 CA ballot was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Clean energy jobs are not just good for the planet — they’re good for the economy and health of Americans too.

Tom discussed Vice President Biden’s Build Back Better plan as an all-around win: essential for urgent climate action, fantastic for rebuilding the economy, and crucial for the health of everyone in our country. Tom knows that climate action and environmental justice is not a niche issue — it’s the key to addressing all the crises we’re facing today. Take a look.

• Tom discusses the vice-presidential debate — Fox News
  “As [Vice President Biden] deals with clean energy, he’s also addressing the very high unemployment in America, and he absolutely respects the dignity and work and rights of every working person and family to take care of themselves…What we know is that clean energy is a way to create millions of American jobs, it’s a way to create new American industries and manufacturing, and it is a way for us to lead the world again, and have a trade policy that makes sense, and brings jobs home to us.” Watch here.
• President Trump ‘has been putting his political interests ahead of the safety and health of Americans’: Tom Steyer — Yahoo! Finance
  “[Trump] has basically failed in his basic function as president, which is to preserve the safety and health of Americans first and foremost. And he has absolutely failed to come up with any concerted plan to deal with this virus and to keep Americans safe. I think it’s emblematic of his presidency…He’s putting his own political interests ahead of the safety and health of American citizens, and that is just plain wrong. But let me say, this is by no means a unique performance by this president because he has been putting his political interests ahead of the safety and health of Americans in terms of our climate crisis from the time he was inaugurated. And so what we’re seeing is somebody who has chosen not to do his job for the American people, and it is absolutely dangerous in terms of health. It is absolutely dangerous in terms of prosperity and growth.” Watch here.
• Politicians Shining a Light on Climate Change — NBC Boston
  “My concern about climate has always been about the suffering of human beings…Talking to [Vice President Biden] backstage at the debates, I was very impressed both with his knowledge about climate, his understanding of the issue and the problem, but also with his commitment to solve it…We need the kind of clean energy infrastructure program that is in Joe Biden’s climate plan that will create millions of good-paying, middle-class, union jobs…We need to clean up the air and water in our country, particularly in Black, brown and poor communities.” Watch here.
• Tom Steyer calls for clean energy jobs to help California’s economic recovery — Palm Springs Desert Sun
  “This is about cleaning up the air so people don’t get sick, and providing good-paying jobs that a family can live on as a result of the move to clean energy…We don’t want to just get back to California February of 2020. We want to rebuild a state that is more equitable and just. We want to rebuild a state that is cleaner, greener, and more forward-looking in terms of energy.” Read more here.
• Tom Steyer discusses climate change and the climate crisis — SN1CLA: Inside the Issues
  “I think the number one thing that we can do for the climate crisis in America and around the world is to elect Joe Biden president on November 3. And the number two thing that we can do is flip the Senate to Democratic control. Because honestly, we need the kind of policy that the Biden campaign has put forward as their climate policy, as part of a big jobs policy and environmental justice policy. And that is the number one thing in America we can do is to get people into office who understand how urgent this is and have a realistic, aggressive plan to do the kinds of things we need to get this crisis under control.” Watch here.

Tom in the News — October 9, 2020 was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A global 2018 study found that few people participate in politics apart from voting. A healthy democracy relies on high levels of civic participation to function.

The 2018 midterm elections saw record turnout, and protests have increased since Trump took office. Americans are standing up and making their voices heard. But the actions we take cannot stop at the ballot box. Democracy depends on everyone’s active, routine participation.

Voting is essential, and everyone should make a plan to vote. But that is not enough — we must hold elected officials accountable. We must call our representatives to remind them what truly matters. We must email legislators to keep them focused on our best interests. We must organize with grassroots movements year-round to ensure the causes we care about get the support they need.

The global pandemic has demonstrated the agility of activism. There are so many opportunities to get involved safely, right from your home. Civic action should be a part of our daily lives, but that doesn’t mean it’s an overwhelming time commitment. We can all take one or more small actions every day to maintain a healthy democracy.

Take our Civic Action Challenge leading up to the November election. It’s 31 days of direct democracy and volunteering for important causes. The more you get involved, the easier it becomes. Our democracy is not just a privilege — it’s a practice.

Here are some tips to get you started:

• Because voting this election is critical, begin by ensuring you’re ready to vote and making sure your friends, family, and community are too. Get all the information you need here, and share this page with everyone you know.
• Then, be a part of the movement to elect Joe Biden by signing up to be a climate voter — we are working to make sure everyone turns out this election, and they could use your help mobilizing voters. Become a Biden Climate Voter to learn more.
• Are you young and healthy? One of the most impactful actions you can take this election is to be a poll worker. This year, older folks who have worked as poll workers for previous elections must stay home to stay safe. To help keep polling locations open and help Election Day run smoothly, sign up to be a poll worker.
• We must protect undocumented immigrants. Reports of abuse at ICE detention centers uncover inhumane treatment of immigrants, including coerced sterilization and sexual abuse. Congress needs to push for an immediate investigation of ICE detention centers. Call your Congressperson to demand an investigation.
• Fight for environmental, racial, and economic justice every day by contacting your representatives. Find an organization working on the issue you’re most passionate about and volunteer some of your time. Read up on intertwining issues of injustice. And challenge your friends to do the same. Visit our Action Center to get started, and share to encourage others to get involved too.

We can accomplish so much when we all come together, and with these small, daily actions, we can build progress and sustain the fight for justice, day after day. Being an engaged citizen helps build communities and grow nationwide support for efforts that affect our lives. It also encourages a healthy democracy that represents people’s best interests. Thank you for being a part of the Civic Action Challenge and an active participant in our democracy!

Take the Civic Action Challenge was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Tom’s fight for climate action is wedded to his fight for racial and economic justice.

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent natural disasters have exacerbated long-standing injustices in our society — economic, environmental, and racial. As Tom continues to push for urgent climate action, a safe COVID-19 recovery, and a progressive 2020 election sweep, he keeps the fight for justice front and center. Take a look.

• Tom Steyer: The climate crisis is now threatening the health and safety of every American — Fast Company
  “Millions of African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans have been dealing with climate realities for much longer, with far less Twitter attention. Climate is inseparable from racial justice because America has consistently and deliberately concentrated our toxins and pollution in communities of color…But anyone still denying the climate disasters and environmental injustices, anyone still unaffected by climate, lives in a bubble of privilege — and that bubble is popping.” Read more here.
• Joe Biden Wants to Make Almost Every Policy a Climate Change Policy — Wall Street Journal
  “He’s providing a comprehensive answer to overlapping problems in society,” said Tom Steyer…one of Mr. Biden’s top climate advisers. “And he’s communicating it in terms of how it affects human beings.” Read more here.
• Tom Steyer on His Fight for a More Inclusive America — Spectrum News 1
  “We’re at a precipice, certainly on climate, certainly on race, certainly on economic justice. We’ve gone to a place that is, in my mind, absolutely in need of redress and reparations. And I’m deeply committed — there is a better way…I want us as a society, as a country, as a people, to do better, and I don’t like to see suffering. My motivation in this is to be part of the group of people contributing to a more just, fairer, more positive, prosperous America, with more inclusion.” Watch more here.
• Video: Tom Steyer discusses Gov. Newsom’s plan to stop the selling of gas-powered cars — FOX 11
  “It goes right to the heart of greenhouse gas emissions in our state. It is an important, substantive change for us, and it is a symbol to the whole world of what we think can be done — the kind of innovation and leadership and job creation and product creation that California’s famous for…There’s going to be huge competition for this, and it’s going to drive jobs — good-paying, middle-class jobs here in California…We’re in a crisis related to climate change. And so there are two things that we have to do simultaneously. One is to adapt to the problem that we’re in, which is to mean different forestry management, trying to make sure we contain the fires, prevent the fires, and we help the people affected. Absolutely. But we also have to go after, not just the symptom, but the root cause.” Watch more here.

Tom in the News — October 1, 2020 was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Tom wants everyone to fight for climate and justice at the ballot box.

Tom penned an op-ed with George Galvis, Executive Director of Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), asking CA legislators to pass meaningful police reform. Also, while fires rage on in California, Tom talked to reporters about the connection between natural disasters and climate change and called on everyone to vote for climate action and Joe Biden this November. Take a look.

• California’s leaders failed on critical police reforms. Where’s the moral courage? — Sacramento Bee
  “California has an opportunity to be a leader in police reform — and build a more progressive and equitable environment for all its residents — much like it’s done with progressive climate change laws. But with that comes a need for California legislators with strong political will to bring about much-needed police reform and not adhere to the status quo.” Read more here.
• Tom Steyer speaks about California fires and upcoming Nov. election — MSNBC
  “We’re in a situation, which is grim, which is expected, which is causing historic damage, and there’s absolutely no question that these fires are related to the record-setting heat on the West Coast this summer. So in fact, we need bold action. We need to take into account that this was predicted, as Governor Newsom said. And we have to do the kind of aggressive program that Joe Biden has proposed as part of his campaign.” Watch more here.
• Tom Steyer on Trump’s handling of climate change — CNN
  “There’s no doubt about the connection between climate change and these fires…We have three of the four biggest fires in California history going on right now. This year, just in California, we’ve burned up more acreage than exists in the state of Connecticut. This is a huge, immediate, urgent problem…Donald Trump is playing politics with the pain and suffering of American citizens. It’s reprehensible…This is a signal failure of leadership by the President of the United States. ” Watch more here.
• Tom Steyer Reviews CA Wildfire Response From Biden, Trump — KCBS Radio
  “Joe Biden has done a terrific job on climate. If you look at the plan, his climate plan, it is very progressive, it is very aggressive…If we elect Joe Biden and flip the Senate, the United States of America is going to make the changes we need to make and we’re going to lead the world to get this crisis under control…This president won’t deal with climate, and Joe Biden will. It couldn’t be a starker contrast…I believe Mr. Trump needs a dose of truth and reality in his face.” Listen in here.
• Climate change’s effect on current wildfires in the West — KGO
  “This is not a financial problem. This is not an economic problem. This is a political problem. Republicans get a third of their money for their campaigns, for their careers, from fossil fuels…The issue here is there are politicians putting their careers ahead of the health and safety of every single American, and that’s wrong, and Trump is leading them. It’s absolutely wrong, and the only way we change this is throw them out.” Listen in here.

Tom in the News — September 18, 2020 was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Tom continues to push for climate action and tell it like it is — we’re living the climate crisis right now.

Fires rage through California and western states, burning the most acreage in history. And it’s not just the West — climate change is affecting temperatures and natural disasters across the country and around the globe. That’s why Tom has been speaking out and working to rally climate voters for Vice President Joe Biden and down-ballot candidates. Take a look.

Watch what Tom had to say and then share how the climate crisis has affected you by posting on social media with the hashtag #MyClimateReality.

• California Wildfires Proof of Climate Emergency: Tom Steyer — Bloomberg
  “It really was as if the sun never rose. There was so much ash in the air that at noon, it looked as if it were 10 o’clock at night. It was dark. Streets were lit by street lamps. And you could see that this was in some way a physical explanation that we’re in a climate emergency.” Watch more here.
• Who’s advising Joe Biden on climate? His former rivals. — Grist
  “This [Climate Engagement Advisory Council] is really about connecting the vice president to different parts of the climate community, letting him hear from them and also letting them hear what I heard during the campaign, which is how much he knows and how much he cares.” Read more here.
• Can Democrats hold on to this seat? — Raleigh News & Observer
  Tom is supporting climate champion NC House District 37 Sydney Batch. “North Carolina has traditionally been a swing state, and then in the last few years, it’s sort of dipped into this far-right, Republican mode. I’m really hoping that in 2020, we’re going to see North Carolina as a swing state with a much more progressive group of representatives across the board.” Read more here.
• Top green group aims record $100 million at defeating Trump and Republicans — The Washington Post
  Environmentalists are backing Joe Biden because his climate plan is exactly what we need. As Tom says, “The vice president is very passionate about this. He’s taken climate and done exactly what we’d hoped he’d done.” Read more here.
• Biden campaign: Tom Steyer, IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson, and central and western Wisconsin Workers discuss Build Back Better plan — WisPolitics
  “If you look at his Build Back Better plan, it is an aggressive and comprehensive reaction to our climate crisis. But more than that, it is a huge infrastructure job-creating plan for working people across America, at a time when unemployment is unacceptably high and we need good paid union jobs. And it’s also at its heart an environmental justice plan, one that deals with the high levels of unacceptable air pollution and water pollution, particularly in our underserved black and brown communities.” Read more here.

Tom in the News — September 14, 2020 was originally published in Tom Steyer on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.