By Tate Miller
The Center Square

In the midst of the ongoing government shutdown, a number of Democrat governors, mayors and other officials are flying to Brazil climate change convenings.

Founder and executive director of Power the Future Daniel Turner told The Center Square: “Calling the shutdown a ‘disaster’ and then jetting to Brazil is politics at its phoniest.”

Power the Future is a nonprofit dedicated to Americans working in reliable energy sources, according to its website.

Turner told The Center Square: “If politicians can find time for COP30 [U.N. Climate Change Conference] selfies, then their crocodile tears over the shutdown are as sincere as AOC or Bill Gates telling us the world is going to end.”

“These climate boondoggles are little more than elitist gatherings where politicians sip cocktails, pose for cameras, and lecture working families about sacrifice,” Turner said.

“Meanwhile, our oil and gas workers continue to show up rain or shine – because these politicians will need fuel to fly home after their vacation,” Turner said.

As an example of Turner’s point, U.S. Climate Alliance Co-Chair and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is a part of leading the delegation gathering in Brazil, but also recently declared a state of emergency over the government shutdown.

Similarly, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is a part of leading the delegation, decried the Trump administration’s response to the government shutdown as it concerns SNAP funds

Neither Evers’ nor Grisham’s media relations responded to The Center Square’s two individual requests for comment.

The delegation Evers and Grisham were put in charge of leading is made up of more than 100 local leaders including “U.S. governors, mayors, and other top city and state officials,” an America Is All In press release said.

America Is All In is a coalition of leaders in support of climate action in the U.S., according to its website.

The release explained that at the climate convenings, “participating U.S. leaders will reinforce their commitment to the Paris Agreement’s goals and share local climate solutions that are lowering energy costs, growing jobs, and cutting dangerous pollution in America.”

Two other leaders of the delegation besides Evers and Gresham are Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego – who also serves as Climate Mayors’ chair and C40 Cities vice chair – and America Is All In managing co-chair Gina McCarthy.

When reached, Gallego’s media team said she did not have a comment.

America Is All In media relations did not respond in time for publication, but Gina McCarthy said in the release concerning the convenings: “When the federal government fails to act in our country’s best interest, America Is All In is stepping up to organize U.S. leaders who are ready, willing and able to come to Brazil in force.”

“We are determined to deliver on the promises we made to the American people and our international partners,” McCarthy said.

The November climate convenings listed in America Is All In’s release were the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP30), the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, and the C40 World Mayors Summit.

America Is All In, Climate Mayors, and the U.S. Climate Alliance hosted events at COP30 Local Leaders Forum and C40 World Mayors Summit, the release said.

The Center Square reached out to Climate Mayors media relations and U.S. Climate Alliance media relations twice each, neither of whom responded