Date: November 15, 2017
Role: Lead Organizer & co-founder
LOS ANGELES, CA,
Beverly Hills, LA – While American Governors and Mayor met at the Bonn Climate Convergence in Germany, New York Governor and presidential hopeful Andrew Cuomo held a private fundraiser hosted by the nation’s top media executives at the home of NBC Universal chairman’s house Jeff Shell.
Hosting committee tickets garnered up to $50,000 which included members of the media elite such as Bob Iger chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company , Leslie Roy Moonves CEO of CBS Corporation, Co-President of Viacom, Kevin Tsujihara CEO of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Bob Bakish CEO of Viacom since 1997, Jim Gianopulos CEO of Paramount Pictures , Jeffrey Katzenberg co-founder and CEO of DreamWorks, and Stacey Snider Co-Chairman of 20th Century Fox.
A group of activists, lead by Leah Garland of SoCal 350 and Jay Ponti organizer of the George Clooney Hillary Clinton fundraiser protest made Occupy Wall St style chants addressed to the Governor and his guests raising questions about the intersection of telecom special interests and his presidential campaign, as well as for Cuomo’s role in the New York State Senate’s I.D.C., where 8 Democratic Senators have been caucusing with Republicans to support the Trump Administration’s political agendas. The group also petitioned Cuomo to take a stronger stance on climate change by pledging support to the Climate and Community Protection Act as well as to commit to 100% renewable energy in his home State Robust Opposition Lauren Steiner’s Live Stream captured the demonstration where protestors confronted Governor Cuomo about these issues, as one of his security guards manhandled the citizen journalist covering the event.
“Governor Cuomo can come all the way to California to raise money for his campaign, but he can’t run away from his responsibility to be a true climate leader in New York State,” said Leah Garland, a participant in the rally. “True climate leadership would be committing NY state to a plan to reach 100% renewable energy – and making corporate polluters pay for the damage they’ve caused to the health and safety of New Yorkers.”
“In the wake of the 2016 democratic primary, it is deeply disconcerting to see Governor Cuomo meeting behind closed doors with the media elite inaccessible to the general public.
Governor Cuomo thinks he can pretend to be progressive while being the prime mover of the Senate takeover by the GOP blocking any serious climate legislation, and his administration is owned by hedge funds. It is clear he cares about one thing; being President. The people of Los Angeles will not tolerate this. He may be able to get away with this in Manhattan, but not in our town,” said Jay Ponti about the event.
