No Surprise: Mike Rogers Lies About Historic Investments in American Manufacturing

Lansing, Mich. –It’s no surprise that Trump’s hand-picked candidate Mike Rogers spent tonight’s debate spouting falsehoods and distortions about historic investments in clean energy manufacturing because he can’t defend his own record. Rogers has taken over $400,000 from Big Oil, and he’ll keep parroting their company line as long as they keep sending him checks.

FACT: The clean energy plan “encouraged onshoring of clean energy industries,” and has created more than 330,000 jobs, with over 21,000 jobs in Michigan and more than 8,000 in the EV sector.

FACT: Mike Rogers has taken more than $400,000 from Big Oil.

FACT: There is no gas car ban. But don’t just take our word for it.

• LOS ANGELES TIMES EDITORIAL, “Trump and oil companies are lying to you about electric cars to serve their own interests.”
• NEW YORK TIMES: “The rule does not mandate sales of electric vehicles, and consumers can still buy and drive gas-powered cars.”
• POLITIFACT: “A fuel trade group is running ads in battleground election states that claim, ‘EPA regulators just banned most new gas-powered cars.’ …We rate the claim False.”
• NPR – “Voters in Midwestern states are seeing ads railing against President Biden’s gas car ban. But there’s one catch: the Biden administration hasn’t prohibited gas-powered vehicles. That’s not stopping fossil fuel industry groups and former President Donald Trump from targeting swing state voters with warnings of car bans.”
• FACTCHECK.ORG: “The proposals to reduce tailpipe emissions and raise the fuel efficiency standards of cars and trucks would not ‘ban’ the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles, as a trade group for fuel makers falsely suggests in an ad campaign.”

FACT: A recent University of Michigan study of current EV plants found that EV production requires three times as many employees as traditional auto plants. Investing in EV production creates good-paying manufacturing jobs.

FACT: General Motors’ executive vice president for manufacturing says that EV manufacturing will require as many employees as gas-powered vehicles.

FACT: The Detroit News’ politics editor Chad Livengood says, “Trump, Republicans boxed in on beating China in EV war”

FACT: While Rogers-endorser Donald Trump was president, his hostility towards the clean energy industry allowed China to pull ahead in clean energy and EV manufacturing.

FACT: Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, says repealing the country’s clean energy plan “would be a blow to manufacturing.” … “China would certainly benefit.”

FACT: General Motors’ executive vice president for manufacturing says that EV manufacturing will require as many employees as gas-powered vehicles.

FACT: As the head of the largest U.S. automakers’ trade association has said, “the future is electric.”

FACT: China is actively challenging the clean energy plan with complaints to the World Trade Organization.

FACT: U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell noted in a recent opinion column that gutting investments in America’s EV industry will cede the technologies of the future to foreign competitors like China.

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