NextGen Climate Asks: What is God Telling Senator Vitter?

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NextGen Climate today followed up on the July 8 challenge from its president, Tom Steyer, to U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-LA) to donate to charity the $1,135,792.00 in campaign contributions he has received throughout his career from fossil fuel interests.

"It has been two weeks since Senator David Vitter was challenged to do the right thing and donate more than one million dollars in campaign contributions he has received from the fossil fuel industry to a philanthropic community cause of his choice in Louisiana," said NextGen Climate advisor Chris Lehane. "Given his history, we are guessing Senator Vitter's inability to address the challenge is simply a reflection that he is busy having one of the semi-regular conversations with God he has in such moments of conscience and that the Senator will be reporting back shortly as to which charity he will be supporting.

"We're concerned his is overwhelmed by the many choices he has, such as supporting the victims of the BP oil spill, contributing to the continuing efforts to support the state's recovery from the extreme weather of Hurricane Katrina, or giving a helping hand to those hard-working Louisiana citizens economically impacted by the Mississippi River drought last year. To make it easier, we've done some of the legwork and identified a few worthy charities in his home state that are helping Louisianans impacted by extreme weather and fossil fuel industry disasters."

Four charities working on those issues are:

• Lowernine.org
• Rebuilding Together New Orleans - http://www.rtno.org/
• Gulf Restoration Network - https://healthygulf.org/
• America's WETLAND Foundation - http://www.americaswetland.com/

Steyer issued the challenge to Vitter by pledging to donate 100 percent of his personal profits from the divestment of his Kinder Morgan investments, which are expected to be completed by the end of the year, to the victims of the wildfires in the U.S. Southwest.

SOURCE NextGen Climate