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McCollum: Serious Concerns Over ExxonMobil Nominee for Secretary of State

January 11, 2017

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is considering President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to be Secretary of State. Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement urging the Senate to reject Tillerson's nomination:

“I have serious reservations about former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, serving as our nation’s top diplomat. Tillerson has spent forty years searching for petroleum profits, often advancing his shareholders’ interests in direct conflict with U.S. foreign policy interests, making him a troubling choice for such a critical position.

"Tillerson’s close ties to Russia are of deep concern to me in light of Russia's efforts to interfere in our electoral process. Under Tillerson’s leadership, ExxonMobil worked against American sanctions on Russia in order to secure more profits. Russian President Vladimir Putin even personally awarded Tillerson his Order of Friendship.

"I am also troubled by ExxonMobil’s environmental record under Mr. Tillerson. The State Department is involved in delicate international negotiations to protect our planet, but Tillerson’s primary experience has been presiding over destructive environmental practices and obstructing efforts to combat climate change.

“Our Secretary of State must put American interests before corporate profits, especially when it comes to environmental protection and human rights. I urge Republicans and Democrats to come together and reject the Tillerson nomination.”