WASHINGTON DC — The following is a statement from Gene Karpinski, President of the League of Conversation Voters, in response to Senator Rand Paul’s comments criticizing Secretary Hillary Clinton’s speech at the National Clean Energy Summit: 

“In her remarks yesterday, Secretary Clinton demonstrated a clear and compelling vision of a new clean energy economy, and made it clear that fighting climate change is a top priority. On the other hand, Senator Paul’s response reflects a profound lack of understanding of how serious a threat climate change poses to the future of our country and the world. Rather than repeating  Tea Party and Koch Brothers talking points to deny the science of climate change, Senator Paul would be better served reading the Department of Defense’s latest Quadrennial review, which recognized that the impacts of climate change like extreme weather, drought, and sea-level rise will act as ‘threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions – conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence.’” 

Senator Paul has a history of denying the science of climate change, saying in 2011: “If you listen to the hysterics…you would think that the Statue of Liberty will shortly be under water and the polar bears are all drowning, and that we’re dying from pollution. It’s absolutely and utterly untrue.” 

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