White, male career politician gains top staff position.

Governor Greg Abbott Appoints Big Oil Shill Robert Black as Chief of Staff

Texas, meet your new overlord: a fossil fuel-loving, climate change-denying puppet of corporate interests.

Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Robert Black, a longtime political insider and fossil fuel industry apologist, as his new chief of staff. Black, who has deep ties to the Republican establishment, will take over from Gardner Pate on July 22, becoming the new point person for the day-to-day operations of the governor's office.

Black's appointment is a reunion of sorts, with his relationship with Abbott dating back to the governor's first campaign for Texas Attorney General over two decades ago. Back then, Black was already spinning lies and manipulating the media as the press secretary for the state Republican Party. He then became Abbott's communications director during the 2002 election cycle, a role he exploited to push a right-wing agenda.

But it doesn't stop there. Black's resume is a who's who of corporate and political interests. He was a key member of Rick Perry's entourage during his tenure as governor, serving as both press secretary and communications director. And when Perry made his disastrous bid for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, Black was there to spin the narrative as deputy communications director.

As if that weren't enough, Black has also held cozy positions with energy giants, including American Electric Power Texas, where he was vice president of external affairs. Most recently, he was vice president for public affairs for the notorious ERCOT, the state's electric grid operator that failed miserably during the deadly winter storm in February 2021, leading to widespread power outages and countless deaths.

"With over three decades of political, government, and corporate experience, Robert Black’s wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of Texas will be instrumental in our efforts to build a bigger, better Texas," Abbott said in a nauseating news release on Monday.

Make no mistake, Texas, this appointment is a slap in the face to anyone who cares about the environment, social justice, and ethical governance. Robert Black is yet another example of Governor Abbott putting the interests of Big Oil and corporate profiteers ahead of the people of Texas.

It's time to hold these corrupt, fossil fuel-loving politicians accountable. The people of Texas deserve better.