Energy advocacy group sues State Department for official info on ex-climate envoy Kerry, his office

Power The Future has filed a lawsuit against the State Department for not disclosing information to the energy-workers advocacy group regarding the office of former U.S. Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

Kerry’s office, which had a budget of $4.3 million a year, regularly failed to respond to media requests for information, such as the names of top staffers. Power The Future filed a Freedom of Information Act request in January requesting an un-redacted list of Kerry’s staff, according to Fox News.

Last year, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer threatened to subpoena the department to get responses to requests for information, which Kerry’s office had failed to fulfill after two years.  

Kerry critics argue he regularly flew around the world – on expensive, fossil-fuel burning jets – to try to reduce carbon emissions. 

"John Kerry has been jet-setting on the international climate conference circuit while sending taxpayers the bill," said Power The Future’s founder and Executive Director Daniel Turner. "Today, we begin the process of teaching John Kerry and [President] Joe Biden that they work for the taxpayers. No one should have to waste resources on litigation, but that is our only option since John Kerry thinks he can keep his office off the books."

John Kerry stepped down from the position in January, and John Podesta was named as Kerry’s successor.