SACRAMENTO, CA — (March 17, 2025) Greenpeace USA, in collaboration with the California Working Families Party and Courage California, is launching a new campaign to hold legislators accountable for their campaign donations and voting records. The campaign, titled “Dirty Dems,” will shine a spotlight on Democratic lawmakers who have taken the most money from the oil and gas industry and voted against critical climate, economic justice and other progressive priority legislation.
Amy Moas, Ph.D., Greenpeace USA Senior Climate Campaigner said: “The Dirty Dems are selling out our future. This campaign will expose the politicians who deserved to be called out – the Democratic lawmakers who have chosen corporate money over the health and safety of their communities. We will no longer stand by while these legislators block vital progress that our families and communities demand.”
Jane Kim, State Director of the California Working Families Party, said: “The Working Families Party is shining a light on elected officials who put billionaire polluter profits ahead of the health and safety of California’s working families. Despite being a super blue state, it is alarming that the majority of our state legislature is supported by Bil Oil. Having a D next to your name isn’t enough- we need champions who will fight for our future.”
Starting this week, “Dirty Dems” will reveal at least one legislator each week, detailing their harmful votes, connections to the fossil fuel industry, and the damage they have caused to local communities. The first “Dirty Dem” to be exposed today is Assembly Member Stephanie Nguyen, who represents South Sacramento’s Elk Grove area. Since entering the legislature in 2022, Nguyen has already taken over $31,000 in donations from Big Oil, including $20,000 during the last legislative session alone. She has also accepted gifts from the Western States Petroleum Association, the largest trade association representing oil and gas in California.
Nguyen’s voting record paints a troubling picture. She has abstained from voting on a shocking number of critical climate and environmental protection bills, including those aimed at reducing toxic pollutants (AB 674), cleaning up idle oil wells (AB 1167 and AB 1866), and improving climate financial disclosure (SB 253 and SB 261). Nguyen also voted against protections for grocery workers (SB 725), against increasing the number of paid sick days (SB 616) and against strengthening labor law enforcement (AB594). These actions, or lack thereof, have directly harmed the very communities she was elected to serve.
Moas Said: “Real leadership means answering to the people, not to corporate donors, Assemblymember Nguyen and others like her are on the wrong side of justice. Their actions are allowing the climate crisis’ devastating effects to run rampant, delaying protections essential workers desperately need, and exacerbating the economic inequality our families face. The time to act is now, and we won’t stop until we’ve held every one of these Dirty Dems accountable.”
Contact: Gigi Singh, Communications Manager at Greenpeace USA
(+1) 631-404-9977, [email protected] Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
