Jason Funes
Credentials
- Associate of Arts, Tallahassee Community College, Tallahassee, Florida1“Jason Funes Resume,” uploaded to DocumentCloud by ProPublica. Archived. pdf on file at DeSmog.
Background
Jason Funes was an assistant in the Office of External Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) during the Trump administration. His appointment was announced on May 26, 1917 among 18 other new hires at the department, including Daniel Jorjani and Timothy Williams.2“Interior Announces 19 New Hires,” U.S. Department of the Interior, May 26, 2017. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RcPot
The hiring announcement described Funes as follows:3“Interior Announces 19 New Hires,” U.S. Department of the Interior, May 26, 2017. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RcPot
“Immediately prior to joining the Department, Jason Funes worked in the Florida office of Donald J. Trump for President. He has also worked in a Sarasota area emergency room as an EMT, was a teaching assistant for Hispanic migrant workers, and also did medical sales. He attended the University of South Florida, and comes from 3 generations of ranchers/cattle runners from Central America. Mr. Funes was born in New York, and raised in Sarasota, Florida.”
According to Funes’ resume, in his position as “Florida RV Driver” for the Trump campaign, he “conducted voter outreach across the Democratic strongholds of South Florida, assisted the Trump/Pence advanced teams with events, increased the volume of volunteer activities, and specifically targeted minority and bilingual Hispanic Voters.” Among his “key results,” he “was directly involved with the Cubans4Trump, Latinas for Trump, and other grassroots movements in South FL,” and “ensured the Hispanic outreach on television and radio in support of the Presidential campaign and GOTV [Get Out The Vote] efforts.”4“Jason Funes Resume,” uploaded to DocumentCloud by ProPublica. Archived. pdf on file at DeSmog.
Stance on Climate Change
August 10, 2018
Speaking at the Heartland Institute’s second America First Energy Conference (AFEC) in New Orleans, Funes claimed there had been a “literal war on American fossil fuels.”5“VIDEOS – JASON FUNES ON PANEL 1A: THE FUTURE OF COAL, OIL, AND NATURAL GAS,” The Heartland Institute, August 10, 2018. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
While Funes did not speak specifically on climate change or climate science, the conference featured appearances by climate change deniers, and panelists who argued that carbon dioxide is not a pollutant.6“Talk of unicorns and ‘eco‑terrorists’ at alternative forum,” E&E News, August 8, 2018. Archived June 11, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/9va7s
Key Quotes
January 2017
“Trump supporters have been marginalized by the mainstream media — people are surprised at how many of us there are, but they shouldn’t be,” Funes said at a Latino Coalition event, according to The Washington Post.7Emily Heil. “At the Latino Coalition ball, Trump backers (and those who’ve come around) celebrate,” The Washington Post, January 18, 2017. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/kSj2Y
NBC News quoted Funes at the same event as saying, “regardless of what Hispanic country you might come from, we’re Americans first, and we would hate to see the socialist policies that plague our native lands in Central and South America come and poison our American nation.”8“Latinos Are in D.C. to Celebrate, Protest Trump’s Inauguration,” NBC News, January 20, 2017. Archived June 11, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/edKmK
Key Actions
August 10, 2018
Jason Funes spoke at the Heartland Institute‘s second America First Energy Conference (AFEC) in New Orleans.9“VIDEOS – JASON FUNES ON PANEL 1A: THE FUTURE OF COAL, OIL, AND NATURAL GAS,” The Heartland Institute, August 10, 2018. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. He spoke on Panel 1A, “The Future of Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas.”10Collin Eaton. “At ‘America First Energy Conference’, solar power is dumb, climate change is fake,” Reuters, August 9, 2018. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/De8oq
Partial transcript with notable excerpts below:
Jason Funes: [00:00:17] I have a few messages I want to convey to you all on behalf of the administration and Secretary Zinke. [00:00:23]
Jason Funes: [00:00:24] First off, it sounds a little redundant, but these are the type of things that I think are strikingly important that we just remember when we’re talking about oil, gas and coal here in the United States. You know, for all those people who, like, turning the lights on at night or opening their fridge in the morning to get their kids something to eat in the morning, you love fossil fuels. For all those people who enjoy using air conditioning. Cooler homes in the summer, turn on their heat during the winter. Stay warm. You love fossil fuels. For all those people who like to drive their cars instead of walk or for those people who prefer to fly instead of taking a horse and carriage long distance, you love fossil fuels. And for those who take leftovers home in a Styrofoam container from your local restaurant, use plastic straws or drink out of your favorite beverage, except for California, you love fossil fuels. So despite what the anti fossil fuel hypocrites say, the everyday American in this country loves fossil fuels. [00:01:24]
Jason Funes: [00:01:25] So I want to preface this with saying that the previous administration’s war on fossil fuels was more than just mere hyperbole. At the Department of Interior, we are the second largest revenue generator into the Treasury second only to the Department of Internal Revenue Services. And 2008, the Department of Interior off of royalties on fossil fuels onshore and offshore energy production and hard rock minerals collected 24 billion dollars into the U.S. Treasury in 2008.
The last year, the previous administration, that number reduced down to five point nine billion dollars, a significant significant reduction and as Fred mentioned, that the shale revolution and hydraulic fracturing and horizontal, drilling, it couldn’t really stop the federal government from increasing its revenues and production here in the country. But let me give you a dollars and cents description of how we increased revenues at the interior and slowly as a stranglehold of the previous administration’s regulations and the burdensome business practices that the federal government was involved with the private sector just kind of took a stranglehold down on everything. So in 2010 was about nine billion and increased all the way up to 13 billion in 2013 until the federal government realized we need to regulate the heck out of them because we’re anti fossil fuels. The war on fossil fuels was a reality. And then again, it came down all the way to, again, five point five billion dollars in 2016. [00:03:04]
Jason Funes: [00:03:06] Let me give you paint a picture on offshore royalties. So in 2012, we’re producing generating an income of about eight billion dollars of offshore royalties alone. And 2016, that reduced down to 2.8 billion dollars. Again, a burdensome regulatory agenda that the previous administration imposed on the private sector hindered the energy production here in America and ultimately affected everybody. [00:03:35]
Jason Funes: [00:04:49] So with that, I do want to tell you some good news about all this. Donald Trump is president of the United States, right? Under President Trump and Secretary Zinke, the literal war on American fossil fuels is now over and becoming energy dominant is a true reality of today [00:05:12]
Jason Funes: [00:14:08] President Donald Trump is not only a builder, he’s a preservationist and he’s a conservationist. And through oil and gas production here in the United States of America, we’re going to get back to building the bridges, the roads, the facilities that our national parks that all Americans are going to be able to enjoy. [00:14:25]
Affiliations
- Donald J. Trump for President — Worked in the Florida office (August 2016 to November 2016) 11“Interior Announces 19 New Hires,” U.S. Department of the Interior, May 26, 2017. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RcPot
- Republican Party of Florida — Regional field director for Sarasota, Manatee, and North Charlotte counties (June – August 2016).12“Jason Funes Resume,” uploaded to DocumentCloud by ProPublica. Archived. pdf on file at DeSmog.
- First Generation American Consulting and Faith Filled Services LLC — Florida business registration records list a Jason Funes as manager and registered agent.13Detail by Entity Name for FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN CONSULTING AND FAITH FILLED SERVICES LLC. Document Number L19000182646. FEI/EIN Number 85-1417790. Filled 08/04/2020. Florida Department of State Division of Corporations. The address listed for Funes matches that in FEC data.14ITEMIZED RECEIPTS Line #: 17A for MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN PAC. Dated 07/19/2016.
Social Media
Publications
Jason Funes does not appear to have authored notable articles or books.
Other Resources
- “Jason Funes,” ProPublica Trump Town
- “Jason Funes,” Department of Influence
Resources
- 1“Jason Funes Resume,” uploaded to DocumentCloud by ProPublica. Archived. pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 2“Interior Announces 19 New Hires,” U.S. Department of the Interior, May 26, 2017. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RcPot
- 3“Interior Announces 19 New Hires,” U.S. Department of the Interior, May 26, 2017. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RcPot
- 4“Jason Funes Resume,” uploaded to DocumentCloud by ProPublica. Archived. pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 5“VIDEOS – JASON FUNES ON PANEL 1A: THE FUTURE OF COAL, OIL, AND NATURAL GAS,” The Heartland Institute, August 10, 2018. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
- 6“Talk of unicorns and ‘eco‑terrorists’ at alternative forum,” E&E News, August 8, 2018. Archived June 11, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/9va7s
- 7Emily Heil. “At the Latino Coalition ball, Trump backers (and those who’ve come around) celebrate,” The Washington Post, January 18, 2017. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/kSj2Y
- 8“Latinos Are in D.C. to Celebrate, Protest Trump’s Inauguration,” NBC News, January 20, 2017. Archived June 11, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/edKmK
- 9“VIDEOS – JASON FUNES ON PANEL 1A: THE FUTURE OF COAL, OIL, AND NATURAL GAS,” The Heartland Institute, August 10, 2018. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
- 10Collin Eaton. “At ‘America First Energy Conference’, solar power is dumb, climate change is fake,” Reuters, August 9, 2018. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/De8oq
- 11“Interior Announces 19 New Hires,” U.S. Department of the Interior, May 26, 2017. Archived June 10, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/RcPot
- 12“Jason Funes Resume,” uploaded to DocumentCloud by ProPublica. Archived. pdf on file at DeSmog.
- 13Detail by Entity Name for FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN CONSULTING AND FAITH FILLED SERVICES LLC. Document Number L19000182646. FEI/EIN Number 85-1417790. Filled 08/04/2020. Florida Department of State Division of Corporations.
- 14ITEMIZED RECEIPTS Line #: 17A for MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN PAC. Dated 07/19/2016.
