Post by bot on Dec 18, 2016 18:55:31 GMT -5
Hoyer Statement on the Nomination of Rex Tillerson to Serve as Secretary of State
WASHINGTON, DC – Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement after President-Elect Trump announced that he intends to nominate Rex Tillerson to serve as Secretary of State:
“I am very disappointed at the nomination of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State. It is one more instance of President-Elect Trump recommending individuals for leadership roles in our government who not only lack experience or knowledge of the policy area they will be tasked with overseeing, but who also bring extraordinary conflicts of interest to their projected duties.
“It should concern every American that at the very moment our intelligence agencies are assessing that Russia worked to sway our election, President-Elect Trump wants to entrust our foreign policy to a man with close ties and substantial economic interests in Russia. American diplomacy is often the linchpin of conflict resolution throughout the world, and Mr. Tillerson's history of foreign business entanglements poses a serious obstacle to this work. There are serious questions that have to be answered, including whether he will recuse himself from engaging with countries where ExxonMobil has business dealings.
“I also have very serious concerns about the efforts by ExxonMobil under Mr. Tillerson to promote doubts about climate change while profiting from the sources of pollution that threaten our planet. Such denial of climate change only serves to weaken our national security over the long term, benefiting our global adversaries.
“And I seriously doubt that Mr. Tillerson would consider hiring someone for a leadership role in ExxonMobil who had so little relevant experience in the energy business, as he has in diplomacy.
"I strongly urge Senators from both parties who worry about the potential for Russian influence over the next administration to join in opposing this nomination. We need someone as Secretary of State who is experienced in statecraft, ready to defend the United States against climate change, sensitive to America’s values regarding human rights and democratic principles, and not compromised by questionable ties to a dangerous foreign autocrat with designs on weakening our nation and its leading role in the world. Mr. Tillerson is the wrong choice to lead our foreign policy and relations with the rest of the world.”