Politics

Steyer Says He Would Use Presidential Powers To Tell Companies ‘What Kind Of Cars They Can Build’

REUTERS/Mark Makela

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Chris White Tech Reporter
Font Size:

Billionaire Tom Steyer suggested Monday night that he would declare a state of emergency as president to tell auto companies what kind of vehicles they can build in the name of weaning Americans off oil.

“I will use the executive emergency powers of the presidency to tell companies how they can generate electricity, what kind of cars they can build, what kind of buildings we’re gonna have,” he told CNN’s Chris Cuomo at a town hall event in South Carolina.

Steyer, a former hedge fund manager and coal investor, also noted that he has throttled oil companies in the past and bragged that he “stopped the last fossil fuel plant in my home state that will ever be proposed.”

WATCH:

Steyer staked his fledgling presidential campaign to two issues: impeaching President Donald Trump and fighting climate change. He has since plowed more than $100 million into his campaign, trailing only former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in that area.

Bloomberg, a billionaire in his own right, has spent more than $400 million on advertisements since he announced his candidacy in November 2019. (RELATED: Tom Steyer Pivots To Climate Change After Being Asked About Military Action In The Middle East)

Steyer, for his part, has used climate change as a cover during past Democratic debates. He said during January’s debate that he could never vote for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement because it doesn’t address climate change.

“I would not sign this deal, because if climate is your number one priority, you can’t sign a deal — even if it’s marginally better for working people — until climate is also taken into consideration,” Steyer said during the January presidential debate.

Steyer’s campaign has not responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.