Billionaire Tom Steyer profited from fossil fuels, and now he wants them eliminated

Over the past decade, billionaire presidential candidate Tom Steyer has reinvented himself from fossil fuel funder to climate crusader. He reached a net worth of $1.6 billion as a hedge fund manager who invested in coal, oil, and gas (among other things). But lately, he’s become better known as an activist and donor hell-bent on removing Donald Trump from office and funding a transition away from the fossil fuels that helped him get rich.

In July, Steyer stepped down from leading his Need to Impeach campaign in order to enter the Democratic primary race. He’s polling at just 1 percent, but he’ll take the stage during the debates tonight. Taking on climate change, he says, is his top priority.

The Verge talked with Steyer about his...

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