In a story featured in E&E today, Democratic Senate candidate Katie McGinty is called out for her support of fracking as both her primary opponents – Joe Sestak and John Fetterman – attack her on the issue.
This isn’t the first time McGinty has been criticized for her position. Just last week, McGinty’s position was highlighted in a piece, “Senate Hopeful Katie McGinty: The Pro-Fracking Environmentalist,” noting that McGinty is caught in a “tug-of-war” on the fracking debate.
As a result, McGinty has been running scared from her revolving door career and energy industry connections. She even misled voters about taking substantial donations from her friends in the oil and gas industry at a Democratic candidate forum in Pittsburgh less than two weeks ago.
More, here:
Pa. Dems squabble over fracking — and guess who’s for it?
Environment & Energy Publishing
By Jennifer Yachnin
In the battle for Pennsylvania’s competitive Senate seat this fall, candidates have spent recent weeks squabbling about the future of hydraulic fracturing in the state as well as taking aim at each other over campaign contributions tied to the energy industry.
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On one side is McGinty, a former head of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection, who has called fracking the state’s "secret sauce" for job growth…
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"I don’t support a moratorium," McGinty told NPR’s StateImpact Pennsylvania last month. She did not respond to a request for comment for this article. "I think the responsible production and use of the Marcellus Shale gas is actually part of the secret sauce as to how we will create jobs and how we will compete and win."
But McGinty — who served as Wolf’s chief of staff before stepping down to launch her Senate bid and is widely seen as the establishment Democrat in the contest — has drawn fire for her moderate stance from her competitors for the Democratic nod.
Fetterman launched a video attack against McGinty earlier this month criticizing the Democrat for asserting at the Democratic debate that she had not accepted campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry.
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In the background, Fetterman can be heard stating: "From oil and gas, really?"
The video then asserts that McGinty has received $198,600 from energy industry-related donors during both her gubernatorial and Senate primary bids.
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