Embarrassed Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm confirmed Thursday that her staff hitched an electric car charging station during a summer trip, leading to law enforcement getting involved.
Granholm, 64, was on a four-day trip from North Carolina to Tennessee with a caravan of electric and non-electric vehicles when a member of his predecessor’s team used a gasoline-powered car to reserve a charging spot, angering family who had been waiting in line.
“Yes, I’ve seen the report,” Granholm told Rep. Scott Franklin (R-Fla.) when he asked during a House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing whether an NPR report from last weekend outlining the incident was true.
When Franklin pressed the former Michigan governor, he replied: “Let me just say, I have a great young staff. Just great.”
Franklin then cuts him off again.
Scott Franklin recalled that on a trip to California all the gas-powered cars were rented and he stuck with an electric vehicle. Twitter/@SteveGuest
“Well, that’s neither here nor there,” he interjected. “Is it true that … one of your representatives was placed at the electric charging station to reserve a position for you so that you could do so and not be prevented from your journey?”
“It was poor judgment on the part of the team,” Granholm admitted.
“Poor judgment,” Franklin agreed. “But why do you think they did that?”
“I can only imagine they want to keep moving,” the energy secretary said. “But the bottom line is, it’s not going to happen again.”
Franklin took the anecdote to highlight some of the drawbacks of electric vehicles, namely the lack of infrastructure and slow charging times.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has also come under fire from Republicans over stock ownership.Twitter/@SteveGuest
The Biden administration has sought to promote electric vehicles to combat climate change.Getty Images
“I personally have no problem with electric vehicles,” he said. “The technology is not there to support what this administration is doing.”
While using a gas-powered car to reserve a charging spot is subject to a $100 fine in Washington, DC, the Columbia County (Ga.) Sheriff’s Office took no action against Granholm’s staff, as the practice is not illegal there.
The trip was meant to highlight the billions the Biden administration has poured into green energy and electric cars, including a $7.5 billion investment to expand EV charging stations.
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
