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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 25 June 2019

Blurred lines: Trump’s U.N. choice and her coal magnate spouse

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER change may not have email account to ask Pruitt
Associated Press been sensitive, “but he to come speak to his com-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The should not be accessing pany’s board and to a coal
email went out from senior her official emails under investment forum.
Environmental Protection any circumstances,” how- The Crafts donated more
Agency officials to Kelly ever he came to reply to it, than $2 million to President
Craft, the U.S. ambassador she said. Donald Trump’s 2016 cam-
to Canada, responding to “It’s an indication that their paign.
questions she had about a interests are intertwined — At a hearing last week, Kelly
funding matter. his business interests and Craft told members of the
But the acknowledgment her government interests,” Senate Foreign Relations
email the EPA got back a Canter said. She noted the Committee she would re-
few hours later wasn’t from conflict that could raise cuse herself from U.N. mat-
the ambassador. It was in the U.N. job, given the ters dealing with coal and
from her husband, coal international focus on cli- other fossil fuels, given her
magnate Joseph Craft, a mate change and coal, husband’s coal interests.
wealthy GOP donor who In this April 4, 2018 file photo, Kelly Knight Craft, U.S. Ambassador an objection also raised Not good enough, com-
to Canada, speaks about NAFTA and Canada-US relations at an
had been taking part in a Empire Club meeting in Toronto. by Democratic lawmakers plained Sen. Edward Mar-
months-long press by the Associated Press and others. key, a Massachusetts Dem-
coal industry for access on the burning of coal, with Alliance Resource Partners The Sierra Club’s climate ocrat on the panel.
and regulatory relief from its heat-trapping emissions. LP. His response ended with policy director, Liz Perera, Kelly Craft drew attention
the EPA and the Trump ad- “Thanks!!” the coal baron the breezy auto-tag from said in a statement: “It is in 2017 when she told re-
ministration in general. replied to the December his cellphone: “Sent from deeply concerning that a porters in Canada there
The blurring of roles — and 2017 email from EPA offi- my iPhone powered by coal executive is receiving were “good scientists on
email accounts — by the cials, which had been ad- coal!” and responding to corre- both sides” of the climate
Crafts this time and others dressed to “Ambassador In a statement Monday, spondence intended for change debate. The
since she began represent- Craft.” The agency was fol- the State Department said U.S. diplomats. With Trump, Trump administration has
ing the U.S. is raising ques- lowing up on a briefing she Joseph Craft had been it is impossible to see where dismissed repeated warn-
tions as senators consider had gotten from then-EPA copied in on the EPA re- the coal industry ends and ings from government and
her nomination by Presi- head Scott Pruitt on feder- sponse to his ambassador where the administration other scientists about dev-
dent Donald Trump to be al funding for cleaning up wife after her Great Lakes starts.” Spouses of ambas- astating effects of climate
U.S. ambassador to the the Great Lakes, an issue of discussion with Pruitt be- sadors typically are closely change from fossil fuel
United Nations. That post great interest to Canada. cause he “had played a involved in the social, cul- emissions.
would give her a prime Joseph Craft sent the ac- role in facilitating the ex- tural and ceremonial as- She has said since her U.N.
seat at international talks knowledgment on his work change.” The statement pects of a diplomat’s job, nomination she accepts
to fight climate change, in email for his Tulsa, Oklaho- did not elaborate, or say reaching out on the soft that humans and their burn-
part by encouraging limits ma-based coal company, why his help was needed power aspects of countries’ ing of oil, gas and coal play
arranging a discussion be- charm offensives overseas. a role in climate change.
tween two government of- But emails and other deal- “Let there be no doubt: I
ficials. “However, he does ings by the Crafts with Ca- take this matter seriously,
not play a role in official nadian and U.S. officials and if confirmed, I will be
U.S. government business,” raise questions about their an advocate for all coun-
the State Department said. neutrality and possible tries to do their part in ad-
Kelly Craft has fully com- overlaps of interest be- dressing climate change,”
plied with her ethics agree- tween government repre- she testified last week.
ment as ambassador to sentative and coal tycoon, Trump before and after
Canada, the statement Canter and environmental taking office declared it his
said. advocates say. mission to save the declin-
EPA spokesman Michael Kelly Craft’s Twitter ac- ing U.S. coal industry and
Abboud noted that Kelly count for her post as am- promote fossil fuels in gen-
Craft separately respond- bassador to Canada also eral. He has acted to take
ed to the email, a few hours shows Joseph Craft joining the U.S. out of the Paris cli-
after her husband. her in meetings with lead- mate-change accord — a
The Sierra Club obtained ers of Canada’s parlia- major topic for the coun-
the emails under the feder- ment; Kelly Craft meeting try’s next U.N. ambassador
al Freedom of Information at least twice with officials — and intervened against
Act and provided them to of Canadian utilities and several Obama-era mea-
The Associated Press. energy companies; and sures that aimed to rein in
Virginia Canter, chief eth- Kelly Craft socializing at a coal emissions.
ics counsel at the non- University of Kentucky bas- Records obtained under
profit watchdog Citizens ketball game with Pruitt. the federal Freedom of In-
for Responsibility and Eth- Her husband at the time formation Act show Joseph
ics in Washington, reacted was contacting Pruitt and Craft repeatedly emailing,
strongly when told Joseph the EPA repeatedly as the texting and meeting with
Craft responded to a gov- U.S. coal industry pressed Pruitt and other EPA of-
ernment email sent to his a successful campaign for ficials as coal companies
wife in her capacity as U.S. regulatory rollbacks from have pressed for relief from
ambassador. the Trump administration. the government as compe-
“That’s highly unusual. I’ve Two months after the ex- tition from cheaper natural
never heard of that,” Can- change over the Great gas and from renewables
ter said. Lakes, Joseph Craft wrote has driven down U.S. de-
The topic of the email ex- Pruitt’s aides from his same mand for coal.q