Pence group launches $10M ad buy pushing American energy production amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Former Vice President Mike Pence’s coverage and advocacy group launched a $10 million advert marketing campaign Monday, focusing on a number of congressional Democrats and pushing for American power independence amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Pence’s group, Advancing American Freedom, a 501(c) (4) devoted to advocating for “Conservative values and coverage proposals,” launched its first advert purchase with an advert titled “Horrific Resolution.” The advert is ready to run in quite a lot of media markets in states throughout the nation.

BLINKEN SAYS U.S. WEIGHING RUSSIAN OIL BAN ‘IN COORDINATION’ WITH ALLIES

“With the intention to set america again on a path of power independence, we’d like Congress to face as much as [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and get up for American Vitality,” Pence mentioned Monday. “It’s time for President Biden to show American energy by restarting the Keystone Pipeline, restoring oil and pure gasoline leases, and issuing sanctions and imposing embargoes on all oil and gasoline exports from Russia.” 

The advert is focusing on Democratic Reps. Colin Allred of Texas, Cindy Axne of Iowa, Jared Golden of Maine, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Kurt Schrader of Oregon, Lizzie Fletcher of Texas, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Chrissy Houlahan, Susan Wild and Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Tom O’Halleran of Arizona, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Sharice Davids of Kansas and Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico.

The advert will run in Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston, Texas; Des Moines, Iowa; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Tuscon, Arizona, Virginia Seashore and extra.

“Earlier than Russian bombs started to rain on Ukraine. Earlier than a whole lot of harmless Ukrainians misplaced their lives. A horrific choice had already been made,” the advert’s narrator states. “Joe Biden caved to the novel environmentalists and stopped America’s Keystone Pipeline and dramatically elevated Individuals’ dependence on Russian oil, endangering America’s safety and serving to Russia fund their invasion.”

The advert calls on viewers to name their member of Congress to inform them to “assist America’s safety as a substitute of Russia’s terror.”

REPUBLICANS DEMAND BIDEN STOP FUNDING PUTIN’S WAR WITH OIL PURCHASES

Pence’s advert purchase comes as lawmakers on either side of the aisle have been pushing laws to ban oil imports from Russia, and Republicans, particularly, have been calling for extra home oil and gasoline manufacturing within the wake of Russia’s ongoing assault on Ukraine.  

The newest knowledge from the U.S. Vitality Info Administration present that in December, the U.S. imported 405,000 barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum merchandise from Russia or nearly 5% of all U.S. imports for the month. That is down from about 800,000 barrels in August. 

The most important exporters of power to america are Canada and Mexico. 

Democrats have referred to as for a federal gasoline tax vacation as a attainable resolution for assuaging costs, whereas Republicans need expanded home oil drilling.

And a few critics have accused the Biden administration of funding Russian Putin’s battle on Ukraine by chopping down home oil manufacturing and counting on Russian oil.

White Home press secretary Jen Psaki final week mentioned “a variety of choices stay on the desk,” when requested about probably reopening the Keystone XL pipeline to reduce power dependence overseas, however reiterated Biden’s issues surrounding U.S. power costs.

PELOSI FAVORS BANNING ALL RUSSIAN OIL IMPORTS INTO THE UNITED STATES

“This Keystone pipeline, it will take years for that to have an effect on costs,” Psaki mentioned. “Clearly, there are a number of explanation why the president opposes it, however it wasn’t functioning, is not functioning. It will take years. There are additionally 9,000 authorized oil leases that oil corporations are usually not tapping into.”

“So sure, all of us need to take steps to deal with any increase in gasoline costs that influence the American folks,” she continued. “However we ought to be very clear about what insurance policies will assist and what insurance policies won’t assist.”

And on Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that the U.S. is contemplating a ban on Russian oil imports “in coordination” with European and NATO allies amid bipartisan requires a full embargo whereas Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine.

Talking from the former Soviet republic of Moldova on CNN’s  “State of the Union,” Blinken mentioned the administration was trying on the “prospect” of banning Russian oil imports “in a coordinated approach” with allies, whereas ensuring there’s nonetheless sufficient oil on the worldwide market, however he declined to elaborate on how that might be achieved.

Fox Information’ Marisa Schultz and Jessica Chasmar and The Related Press contributed to this report.