O’Rourke declines to sign pledge barring fossil fuel money

Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke has refused to sign a pledge not to accept donations from the fossil fuel industry, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday.

O’Rourke reportedly told members of the Sunrise Movement, a progressive group that brought the pledge, that he won’t take money from executives, lobbyists or political action committees. But he added that he would accept donations from workers.

{mosads}“If you work in the oil fields, you answer the phones in the office, if you’re one of my fellow Texans in one of our state’s largest employers, we’re not going to single you out from being unable to participate in our democracy,” the former Texas congressman said during a campaign stop in Virginia, according to Bloomberg.

The pledge the activists asked him to sign reportedly stated, “I pledge not to take contributions from the oil, gas, and coal industry, and instead prioritize the health of our families, climate, and democracy over fossil fuel industry profits.”

O’Rourke’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

The Texas Democrat has previously faced some some criticism for donations his past political campaigns have taken from the oil and gas industry.

Several other 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have signed the pledge, according to the Sunrise Movement’s website, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as well as South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D).