McMorris Rodgers is pick for Interior
Environmentalists object to Trump’s selection of GOP congresswoman
President- elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington as his secretary of Interior, a source close to the transition told USA TODAY Friday.
The timing of the announcement of Rodgers’ selection has not been determined, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because transition officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the nomination.
McMorris Rodgers is chair of the House Republican Conference, which makes her the fourth- highest- ranking Republican in the House and the highestranking GOP woman in Congress.
News of the pick was swiftly criticized by environmentalists.
League of Conservation Voters President Gene Karpinski said the selection amounted to “amassive ‘ for sale’ sign on our public lands.”
“McMorris Rodgers has been part of the Republican leadership of the most anti- environmental House of Representatives in history, and she has an abysmal 4% lifetime score on LCV’s National Environmental Scorecard. She simply should not be put in charge of stewarding America’s wildlife, national parks and other majestic landscapes,” Karpinski continued.
Said Greenpeace spokesman Travis Nichols: “At best, Trump can delay the inevitable clean energy revolution, but he can’t stop it. McMorris Rodgers is clearly not the right choice for a 21st century Department of Interior that will steward public lands on behalf of the American people.”
The Sierra Club also joined in, saying McMorris Rodgers has often voted to open public lands to drilling, mining and logging.
Trump, meantime, met Friday with House Speaker Paul Ryan and was to hold rallies in Louisiana and Michigan.