- Former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday night denied that a fundraiser he was attending would be hosted by a former fossil fuel executive.
- Speaking at CNN's climate change town hall, Biden was confronted by a member of the audience about the fundraiser.
- "How can we trust you to hold these corporations and executives accountable for their crimes against humanity when we know tomorrow you are holding a high-dollar fundraiser hosted by Andrew Goldman, a fossil fuel executive?" an audience member asked.
- "He's not a fossil fuel executive," Biden quickly responded. Goldman is the co-founder of Houston-based natural gas production company Western LNG.
- Goldman, however, is no longer "involved with the day to day of the company," Biden spokeswoman Symone D. Sanders said on Twitter. "He's not on the board of the company, nor the board of the portfolio company."
- The 76-year-old has already released a $1.7 trillion plan to fight climate change and signed a pledge alongside other leading 2020 Democrats to reject funding from the fossil fuel industry.
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Former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday night was confronted at CNN's climate change town hall on his ties to a former fossil fuel executive. He along with other candidates pledged not to take any money from the industry.
The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate discussed climate change policy, as part of a seven-hour marathon Q&A session that included individual sessions with 10 of the Democratic candidates.
The 76-year-old has already released a $1.7 trillion plan to fight climate change and signed a pledge to reject funding from the industry in June.
"How can we trust you to hold these corporations and executives accountable for their crimes against humanity when we know tomorrow you are holding a high-dollar fundraiser hosted by Andrew Goldman, a fossil fuel executive?" asked audience member Isaac Larkin.
"He's not a fossil fuel executive," Biden quickly responded, before pivoting to his plan to hold fossil fuel executives and corporations responsible.
The Intercept reported on Wednesday that Biden was scheduled to attend a fundraiser in New York on Thursday by Andrew Goldman, co-founder of Houston-based natural gas production company Western LNG. The company's leading project is an offshore floating gas production facility designed to provide Canadian gas to the growing market in Asia.
"I was told by my staff he doesn't have any responsibility related to the company," Biden added later after moderator Anderson Cooper followed up. "If that turns out not to be true, then I will not, in any way, accept his help." Biden's campaign stressed that Goldman has no present responsibilities with Western LNG or its board, according to the New York Times.
Goldman, is "not involved in the day to day operation" of the company, according to a tweet from Biden spokeswoman Symone D. Sanders. "He's not on the board of the company, nor the board of the portfolio company."
"VP Biden signed a pledge not to take money from fossil fuel executives," she continued. "He stands by it, and he has not violated it."
Before co-founding Western LNG, Goldman served as an adviser to Biden until he entered the White House in 2009, CNBC reported.
According to CNBC, Biden was slated to attend two fundraisers on Thursday hosted by Wall Street executives - the first hosted by Jack Rosen, the CEO of real estate firm Rosen Partners and president of the American Jewish Congress, and the second held by David Solomon and Goldman, partners at investment firm Hildred Capital Partners.
Biden has refused to take money from corporate lobbyists in this election cycle, though a major fundraiser was held at the beginning of his campaign and was hosted by David L. Cohen, a top Comcast executive who supervises the telecommunications company's Washington lobbying efforts. Cohen is legally not required to register as a lobbyist.