


The prominent environmental group Sierra Club voted out its executive director, Ben Jealous, on Monday due to allegations of misconduct.
The nonprofit organization’s board “has unanimously voted to terminate Mr. Jealous’ employment with the Sierra Club for cause following extensive evaluation of his conduct,” Sierra Club spokesman Jonathon Berman told Politico in an email.
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“The Sierra Club values all of its employees, members, and volunteers, not just those holding influence and power. The Sierra Club will continue to look into concerns raised regarding misconduct irrespective of who they are raised against in furtherance of our policies, the law, and our mission,” Berman continued.
There was significant criticism of Jealous within the organization’s rank-and-file after years of budget cuts, layoffs, and complaints about unfair labor practices. He was then placed on leave in July. During his absence, Loren Blackford served as the interim executive director.
The removal of the environmental groups’ leadership overlaps with President Donald Trump’s efforts to roll back climate policies and regulations. The Sierra Club is involved in multiple lawsuits challenging the administration’s efforts to roll back environmental protections while boosting the fossil fuel industry.
Patrick Murphy, president of the Sierra Club board, sent an email to staff Monday evening about Jealous’s termination.
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The board “made a difficult but principled decision to uphold our values and commitment to accountability, which will be carried forward by the leadership team,” said Murphy’s statement, according to Politico.
Jealous is a longtime liberal activist. He previously led the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and was the Democratic nominee for governor in Maryland in 2018.