EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is cracking down on what conservatives call a massive Democrat slush fund. The $20 billion climate program, rushed through in the Biden administration’s final days, sent taxpayer cash to groups with ties to left-wing causes.
The money was part of the “Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund,” approved under Biden’s climate spending law. Zeldin says the funds were “parked” at Citibank to avoid oversight. An undercover video caught a Biden adviser comparing the scheme to “throwing gold bars off the Titanic” before Trump took office.
Most of the cash went to groups created just months before getting billions. Climate United, a nonprofit formed in late 2023, received $7 billion. Another group, Justice Climate Fund, got $940 million despite being brand new. Zeldin slammed the handouts as “reckless,” saying these groups had “no business” handling taxpayer money.
Citibank froze the funds after Zeldin demanded answers. Eight groups approved for grants still can’t access the cash. Some warn they’ll have to lay off workers. Zeldin claims the Biden team broke rules to push money out fast, weakening safeguards.
The EPA chief canceled over $287 million in other “wasteful” grants, including DEI programs and a $50 million deal with a group backing “Free Palestine” activism. He’s working with the Justice Department to investigate possible fraud. Watchdogs say the rushed process allowed conflicts of interest, with Biden allies funneling cash to political friends.
Stacey Abrams was paid by a group linked to the fund, raising ethics concerns. Though she’s no longer involved, conservatives say it shows cronyism. Zeldin vows to “review every penny” and stop subsidies for “far-left activist groups.”
Republicans argue the climate fund is a green giveaway to China, since many clean energy parts come from Chinese mines. They’re pushing to repeal the program entirely, calling it a corrupt scheme that risks national security.
Zeldin’s probe has become a rallying cry for conservatives demanding accountability. With billions still in limbo, the fight over Biden’s “green gold bars” is far from over.
