Former Wisconsin GOP congressman and two-time MTV cast member Sean Duffy, chosen by President-elect Donald Trump for transportation secretary, could dry up federal funding needed to build several LA Metro rail line projects and bus system improvements, critics warn.
Duffy, announced by Trump on Nov. 18, was described by many environmental and pro-transit groups as having ties to the fossil fuel industry and a climate-change denier who favors internal combustion cars and widening highways over mass transit. The Sierra Club said he worked against rail, bus and pedestrian-friendly investments during his tenure in the House of Representatives.
“Sean Duffy has no business leading the Department of Transportation. His real-world understanding of transportation investments and economic opportunities are limited to a MTV show,” said Ben Jealous, the Sierra Club’s executive director, in a statement.
“Donald Trump and Sean Duffy are a threat to the good-paying jobs (in rail line construction) and the future of America’s transportation sector,” Jealous said.
Duffy is a former lumberjack athlete, vehement Trump defender and co-host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. He was featured on MTV’s “The Real World: Boston” in 1997. He met his wife on the set of MTV’s “Road Rules: All Stars” in 1998.
Trump noted that Duffy is married to a Fox News host, calling him “the husband of a wonderful woman, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a star on Fox News.”
Later in the announcement, Trump said Duffy would use his experience and relationships built over the years in Congress “to maintain and rebuild our nation’s Infrastructure, and fulfill our mission of ushering in ‘The Golden Age of Travel,’ focusing on safety, efficiency, and innovation. Importantly, he will greatly elevate the travel experience for all Americans!”
If confirmed, Duffy would lead a department of 57,000 employees with a yearly budget of about $108 billion. He would oversee the…
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