Bill McKibben, co-founder of the environmental group 350.org, has undergone a dramatic transformation from New Yorker journalist to activist extremist, including having advocated for a one-child policy and proposing that Americans reside in small communities, each with their own militia.  He’s set to take center stage on January 31 as environmentalists gather in Washington, D.C., for Fossil Free Fast: The Climate Resistance with a pledge to “end the use of fossil fuels.”

Notwithstanding his fringe positions, deep-pocketed foundations have aided McKibben in raising his profile over the years dumping more than $1 million into 350.org.  Most significantly for manufacturers, McKibben has also taken on a key role in driving a string of misguided lawsuits filed against manufacturers that are backed by some of the same foundations that have supported him through the years. McKibben also stood beside New York Mayor Bill de Blasio as he announced the city was filing litigation against energy manufacturers and divesting their pension funds from those companies as well—a publicity stunt that does not serve the interests of New Yorkers and does nothing to improve the environment.

The public should know who is behind this coordinated attack on manufacturers  that potentially impacts millions of hardworking Americans employed in the manufacturing industry. Those jobs may be in jeopardy if McKibben and his fellow activists, aided by plaintiffs’ attorneys and public officials, are successful in their efforts.