Sen. Martha McSally a Republican from Arizona was sworn into the United States Senate in 2019 to replace Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ). She was defeated in a 2020 special election by Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ). Before her appointment, she served in the United States House of Representatives for Arizona’s second congressional district since 2015. She was appointed to the vacant Senate seat by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey after she lost the Arizona Senate race to Kyrsten Sinema in 2018. Prior to her political career, Senator McSally served 26 years in the United States Air Force, and retired as a Colonel in 2010. She served on the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Special Committee on Aging.
Martha McSally on Climate Change
One of the biggest threats facing Arizona is the threat of wildfires that has been amplified by climate change. In fact, it is estimated that by the year 2050 some parts of Arizona could face a 500% increase in acres of land burned each year. There are dozens of towns in Arizona with high wildfire potential that have inadequate evacuation routes. Climate change has also been responsible for intensifying Arizona’s monsoon thunderstorms, which contributes to the threat of mudslides after fires.
Senator McSally claimed that there is a “likely” human element to climate change, and denies the connection between fossil fuel emissions and global warming. She refused to support the United States reentering the Paris Climate Agreement, and repeatedly voted against allowing the federal government to consider climate change when making decisions about policy. She voted in favor of the Trump Administration on the Affordable Clean Energy Rule (ACE), which sought to extend the lifetime of dirty coal plants. Senator McSally voted consistently in support of bills that make it easier for the transfer of federal public lands to state authorities or private businesses. In her state of Arizona, these transfers typically are given in the form of leases to oil, gas and mining companies.
Senator McSally had a Lifetime score of 7% on her League of Conservation Scorecard, which highlights her consistent failure to combat climate change.
Martha McSally and Friends
Senator McSally accepted $489,505 from oil and gas companies in the form of donations over the course of her political career. This figure does not include a donation of $154,000 from billionaire Paul Singer, who contributes a lot of money to the climate denial movement.
See Also: David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, Donald Trump
Climate of Denial