What Could Go Wrong? Biden Appoints Dem Operative Podesta to Hand Out $370 Billion In Climate Funds

President Joe Biden has appointed former Clinton advisor and Democratic operative John Podesta to manage nearly $370 billion in green energy funding authorized by the recently passed climate bill, the White House announced Friday.

Podesta will supervise the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) climate and clean energy initiatives as chair of the President’s National Climate Task Force, the White House said. The new law contributes $60 billion toward maintaining clean energy manufacturing and $1 billion toward increasing energy efficiency in affordable housing and $27 billion in funding to back emission reduction technologies, according to Forbes.

The IRA hands the Environmental Protection Agency $40 billion in funding and establishes electric vehicle and appliance efficiency tax credits, the outlet reported. It also supports “climate-smart” agriculture practices in rural communities to the tune of over $20 billion and funds more than $60 billion in “environmental justice” efforts.

Podesta has close ties with the Democratic establishment and climate activist groups; he was former President Bill Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff and former President Barack Obama’s counselor before chairing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. He is the left-leaning think tank the Center for American Progress‘ founder and chair.

“His deep roots in climate and clean energy policy and his experience at senior levels of government mean we can truly hit the ground running to take advantage of the massive clean energy opportunity in front of us,” Biden said. A current ClimateWorks Foundation board chair and Climate Jobs National Resource Center board member, Podesta coordinated the Obama administration’s climate policy.

Biden also announced Friday that Ali Zaidi would succeed outgoing National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy. Zaidi was previously an Obama administration climate and energy leader and New York’s Climate Policy and Finance Chairman and Energy and Environment Deputy Secretary.

The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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