Republican West Virginia state treasurer Riley Moore announced Monday that he is running for congress in West Virginia’s 2nd District.
In his announcement, Moore made his pitch to voters saying, “I’ve dedicated my career to tackling the big issues – expanding educational opportunities for our students, fighting for American energy against woke corporate activism, and helping build an economy that creates jobs and opportunities for working people. As an America First conservative, that’s exactly what I’ll do for the people of West Virginia in Washington,” local affiliate WBOY reported.
Moore’s comments are likely referring to his fight against the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) movement devoted to climate investments in opposition to fossil fuels. In November 2021, Moore formed a 15-state coalition to “push back against bank boycotts of traditional energy industries,” a memo released by the West Virginia Treasurer’s office noted.
Treasurer Riley Moore announces run for Congress, another early political announcementhttps://t.co/56UswMZf6d
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) November 21, 2022
The coalition of states represents more than $600 billion in assets and announced a decision to reconsider banking contracts with financial institutions boycotting the oil & gas industry, according to the memo. Moore followed up by terminating West Virginia’s usage of BlackRock’s investment fund, which he announced in a separate memo in January 2022. He cited BlackRock’s push for companies to embrace “net zero” investment strategies in the announcement.
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has been a leader in the ESG movement. In a 2022 letter to CEOs, Fink wrote, “As stewards of our clients’ capital, we ask businesses to demonstrate how they’re going to deliver on their responsibility to shareholders, including through sound environmental, social, and governance practices and policies.” (RELATED: Corporate Influence Industry Gears Up To Pounce On Projected Republican Majorities)
In June, Moore sent a letter to six financial institutions warning that their environmental policies may jeopardize their eligibility for state contracts, MetroNews reported. The move came after legislation was passed which directed the treasurer to list financial institutions that avoid fossil fuel investments in order to potentially withhold state deposits from them.
The 2nd District’s congressional seat is up for grabs after GOP incumbent Alex Mooney announced his 2024 U.S. Senate campaign last week, WBOY reported. Mooney has already endorsed Moore, touting his “excellent service as our state treasurer where he fights for coal and all energy by refusing to invest with woke banks who discriminate against West Virginia businesses.”
I am proud to endorse @RileyMooreWV for the U.S. House of Representatives. pic.twitter.com/t4VhySWBiF
— Alex Mooney (@MooneyforWV) November 21, 2022
Moore was first elected state treasurer in 2020 after he served in West Virginia’s House of Delegates, according to his campaign website. He is a former Majority Leader in the House of Delegates and previously worked as a welder.
Moore did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment.