Statement by SanDiego350 Executive Director Masada Disenhouse
While we’re pleased the Trump administration backed off an expected executive order to strip climate nonprofits of their tax-exempt status on Earth Day, we know the threats to our organizations, our planet, and our democracy are still very real.
The fact that the administration blinked is a victory and shows that resistance matters. The “Hands off Earth Day” protest (photos / TV coverage) we and partners organized in San Diego yesterday of EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin contributed to public opposition across the Country to climate-destroying policies and the targeting of climate nonprofits.
When asked about stripping nonprofits of their status, Zeldin’s statement that the administration will make sure nonprofits follow the law was laughable. The EPA has illegally fired workers (including hundreds of workers on earth day) and unlawfully retracted grants from much needed environmental programs, including several here in San Diego, and also failed to follow multiple court rulings to restore these funds.
We’ll be keeping a careful eye on Trump’s efforts to target climate and environmental justice nonprofits like SanDiego350. And we’ll continue to resist a federal administration that prioritizes fossil fuel profits over people and mocks the Constitution with unlawful actions.