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Comptroller Brad Lander is a progressive darling because he gets arrested opposing ICE. It's great for public officials to take such commendable actions. However, symbolic protest is not a substitute for wielding real power to help people. And when it comes to using the powers of the Comptroller's office, Brad Lander is breaking his promises for major action.
We can't let Brad Lander run out the clock on his term as Comptroller without taking major action to stand up for New Yorkers. New York needs elected officials like to wield their power for us, not merely to create a public image that misleads us.
Sign this petition: BlackRock Brad, Keep Your Promise.
As the City's Comptroller, Lander directs a $300 billion pension fund. Lander promised major actions to take on Wall Street's biggest polluters, like BlackRock.
He said last year that this early year, he would set into place a policy to end new private equity investments into oil and gas. (this came *after* he'd already made big new investments in BlackRock and KKR's super-polluting private equity oil and gas funds). ?
Even more importantly in May, he said that over the summer or at the latest in September, he would set policy that would comprehensively shift funds from the city's dirtiest money managers, like BlackRock, to cleaner managers over time. The city has enormous power and leverage as a major client.
According to Lander, the city does about $60 billion in business with BlackRock alone. We've demanded that the city shift funding over time from dirtier money managers to cleaner money managers. Lander agreed to do so, which would protect both the pension funds and the planet. It would be major, global-level action that stands up to Trump and the right-wing. Large European pension funds are now taking such action.
But Lander is breaking his promises to New York City. He hasn't acted. And he and his staff's excuse-making indicates he just wants to run out the clock on his term as Comptroller. We can't let him do so.
BlackRock Brad must keep his promises. Sign the petition now to tell him to act.
- NYCC
