"Integrity abuses" charged in initiative to suspend California climate law

A bitter split among backers of the controversial November ballot initiative to suspend California's 2006 first-in-the-nation global warming law broke into the open Wednesday. Ted Costa, chief executive of People's Advocate, a Sacramento-based anti-tax group that was an original sponsor of the measure, told the Los Angeles Times that "big money interests have come in and shut out the people."

Costa, whose populist group has sponsored conservative ballot propositions for more than two decades, had drafted the initiative along with Assemblyman Dan Logue (R-Marysville), Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Granite Bay) and Sacramento attorney Thomas Hiltachk, but said he was shut out of the process after the group, calling itself the "California Jobs Initiative Committee," raised some $600,000 from two Texas-based oil companies.

"I wanted to do a grassroots operation and involve a lot of people," Costa said. "But they believe they can run this thing out of the country club and to hell with the little people of California. If they have half a million dollars, how come they haven't reported it?" he asked.

Under state law, financial disclosure forms are required to be filed with the California Secretary of State within 10 days of raising $50,000. However, although paid signature gatherers were deployed more than a week ago, financial forms for the initiative committee have yet to be filed. Costa charged that "you have to put up $250,000 to do that"  (launch signature gathering) and added that the group "spent $160,000 on research more than 60 days ago." He said he would consider filing a counter-initiative "to point out the integrity abuses."

Costa also aimed his attack at Goddard & Claussen, Sacramento political consultants, who have taken over the campaign. "They're a bunch of greedy consultants feeding off the trough," he said. "I said I could qualify this initiative for $1.2 million. They'll probably spend $3 million, and all that money will go to consultants. These guys have a Watergate mentality."

Logue, however, responded that "there is no corruption in any money that is coming through. Everything is above board. When the money is in, we will abide by state law." He declined to confirm reports that most of the money has been donated by two Texas-based refinery giants, Valero Energy Corp. and Tesoro Corp. Logue also said he did not know when the financial disclosure forms would be filed, nor did he know how many signature gatherers are on the streets. "I would like to know that myself," he added.

Costa's criticism, Logue charged, results from the fact that People's Advocate was not hired to operate the signature-gathering. "Ted basically didn't get the contract to do the signatures, so he's mad," Logue said. "Goddard Claussen decided to go with another firm which guaranteed they'd get the signatures. The best company is going to get the contract. That is called free enterprise."

Logue said that the Jon and Ken radio show will sponsor a five-hour signature gathering rally in Ontario March 18. The conservative talk hosts are outspoken opponents of the state's climate law, the most comprehensive in the nation, which seeks to cut greenhouse gases 15% over today's levels by 2020. Climate scientists say that carbon dioxide and other gases emitted from cars and factories since the industrial revolution threaten to disrupt the planet's climate.

Under the California law, known as AB 32, power plants, refineries, cement manufacturers and other industries would be forced to install expensive equipment to cut emissions. The proposed ballot initiative would suspend the law until unemployment in the state drops to 5.5% or below for at least a year. The state's jobless rate is over 12% today.

-- Margot Roosevelt

Photo: Activists favoring the ballot initiative rallied Tuesday at a Valero gas station in Sacramento with signs saying "Thank you Valero" after a Monday protest at the same station by anti-initiative activists. Credit: Californians for Clean Energy and Jobs

Comments

[sandcanyongal]

Pardon me if this is a duplicate. How does Chavez play into this? During the first year of Bush's Presidency he made a mandate to open up as much foreign investment as possible. If someone presses me I'll find the actual text as proof.
Someone addresses the Venezuelan commies. How is the US so different? The US is a Republic and considered to be an oligarchy. We are under marshall law and every single dollar we make is scrutinized and taxed. This is not freedom! Further, health care has us all held financially hostage as does other mandatory insurance.

It may be convenient to deny what is happening with our climate but just look around. I live outside of Tehachapi and very rural. However, I can see at leat 115 wind turbines, 4 lanes of freeway, railroad tracks frontage roads and barbed wire. I've seen 1 bobcat, a few frogs, tarantulas, coyotes, ravens, and sparrows in 6 winters. It's very scary... the turbines kill the birds of prey including the federally protected California condors (182 in the wild). Their habitat is so fragmented they can no longer thrive. My neighbors say there used to be scrub jays and all sorts of orioles, a sea of frogs migrating annually and wildlife. Face it. Man is running over earth like locust, killing everythin in our path. What we haven't faced is mass starvation or severe water shortage...yet. Our politicians deserve to be put in prison for treason against the american people for putting our entire existence at risk. All for tax dollars to build their empires. It is collusion with companies. How often do our politicians get polygraphed. Monthly should be the number.

The US invaded Iraq for their oil...nothing else. Now that the deals have been made with Chevron and Exxon we'll leave a war-torn people in the hands of another dictator.

Ft Irwin is moving federally protected Mojave Desert tortoises for the 3rd time. They failed the first 2 times. First time the tortoises were moved while they were hibrinating, didn't know where they were and got eaten. I guess the military has special privileges where they don't need to follow the laws.

I can keep going for weeks of the business as usual propaganda. My advise is to quit trusting what people say. Find out for yourself.
http:\//www.wsws.org/articles/2009/nov2009/pers-n11.shtml

[sandcanyongal]

The Invanof solar plant is planned in the Piute Mtns in Kern County near Lake Isabella. I did some research. It's closed of to off-roaders supposedly to protect the environment. You know, I try hard to believe in our government. But, these folks don't know the meaning of telling the truth.

They plan to fence off from other areas, remove the burros, intrude on the federally protected Mojave tortoises, purchase the land and take ownership over the watershed and basically do anything they want with the land. Our wildlife is being mitigated out of existence. My personal opinion is the American people are not being told the truth and this is treason against the people. Donkey Rescue is a few miles up the road. They are constantly filled up because the burros continue to be removed so developers can move in.
Everyone needs to decide if the bling/iphone lifestyle is worth dying for.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/ivanpah/documents/2010-01-12_CDFG_Draft_Desert_Tortoise_Mitigation-Options-Exhibit_310_TN-54761.PDF

[Umpire Bill]

Isn't Valero partly owned by Venezuela and it's communist leader, Hugo Chavez? So, Chavez and his commie cronies don't like a clean California? Why are tea party types and Jon and Ken from KFI cuddling up with this commie?

[Thomas Chavez]

Everyone knows an initiative needs money to pay signiture gathers. The fact that a couple of oil companies put up some money is understandable and reasonbable. What isn't is that the media (like the L.A. Times) won't even report on all the activities and debate going on with the California Air Resources Board. How can a guy at CARB (Mr. Tran) with a fake degree make up CARB's major report, get discovered and then the head of CARB (Mary Nichols) hide this info from CARB's own board members and everyone thinks it's okay. Too bad the L A Times gave up being impartial and reporting real news long ago.

[sandcanyongal]

Climategate??? The logic that peer reviewed studies and scientists from Stanford, Scripps Oceanography are not credible is absurd. The logic that politicians, developers, profiteers are the ones to believe is down right false. Get real or quit smoking that funny stuff. Every time I hear people parroting the propaganda from the corporate media stations I get mad. Look into the sky. Where are all the flocks of birds and bees hiding? Where are the frogs and wildlife? Gone and replaced by roads, grass and fences.

Most kids today are completely detached from nature and fearful of animals, bugs, birds and wildlands. Fictional TV dramas, cartoons, parents all discourage engaging in nature, except from a hotel room or tour. Remember the word "detached". Guess what? Man is inimately tied to nature. Instead of worrying about managing other species we need to start managing ourselves. The earth is over populated. Vehicle emissions, pesticides, herbicides are are poisonous. Plastic bottles leach out poisons. Adhd and juvenile leukemia, diabetes is popping up in great numbers but there is chronic denial and propaganda that slickly dispense with the facts. I live close to a cement plant that explode local mountain areas every few weeks, and yes, they feel and sound like earthquakes. The plant is coal powered. Coal spews oust mercury. Mercury is dangerous to kids. Connect the dots.

[Andre from Sacto]

A Texas oil company using big money to buy votes and trash the enviroment. Wow. This has never happened before!

[Vicki Kirschenbaum]

Thank you Margot Roosevelt for reporting on the Valero/Tesoro plot to derail California's landmark anti-global warming legislation and for shedding light on the dirty dealings of these power-hungry corporations. Obviously they would forsake the futures of our children to make a buck. They must be stopped.

[AB]

I wish the fuel of the world was happiness rather than anger. - AB in Santa Barbara

[james andrews]

Our green "fever" is so out of touch with reality. The Governor turned down building a liquid natural gas depot in Long Beach. Now the $5 Billion dollar plant in being constructed less than 10 miles from our border in Tijuana. The 5,000 construction jobs and the 1,200 permanent jobs are lost. The gas will now be taxed in Mexico before being piped north to California.

How did this save the world? How did it hurt our economy not just by losing jobs but now paying taxes to Mexico forever. It also gives Mexico more clout in negotiations as we become more dependent on them for our energy.

The perfect is the enemy of the good and it's our good people that are losing.

[Jim Townes]

I wish the anti global warming / anti evolution crowd would also refuse modern medicine and technology. They accept science when it doesn't interfere with their other beliefs so who is the real hypocrite. Global warming involves predictions on future events so its not going to be 100% accurate all of the time.

The thing that gets me is that the majority of scientists who are smart people to begin with and who spend their lives studying this all come to the same general conclusions. Yet they're dismissed so quickly by people with no scientific background. These people have a 9th grade science background yet dismiss the people who have spent decades studying the issue - it is insanity. It would be one thing if it was expert versus expert but its expert versus idiot. Unfortunately the idiots are a powerful group.

[Nancy R.]

Whoops, better shut down JPL, where much of this research is going on. Those darn scientist guys are always making stuff up.

Oh, and the world is flat.

[kikem71]

Paul Taylor Examiner sound like another political prophet defending big corporations that make millions by destroying the environment! I think he needs to travel a little more around the world to see the environmental destruction is going on right now! Not the tourist attractions but poor countries that had seen big climate changes!

[michelle]

Hey Paul,what exacly is climategate, you right wing nut job? Did you happen to notice the insane weather so far this year,? Have you noted reports that polar bears and seals can't even find enough ice to float on in the artic and in Canada? How about today's forcast of multiple tornadoes in the South East, the insane freeze in Florida, etc. This is all proof of climate change due to what we are doing to the environment. This is not a religion. Its what's known as science. SOmething foreign to you guys who base your entire judgement on YOUR religion. Isn't it intersting that the backers of this initiative are 2 giant oil corporations? What a huge surprise! I would have never guessed that all they and the Republicans, as usual, care about is making huge profits at the expense of our lives, and our survival.

[Kura Khot]

Big Oil will do anything to discredit anything to do with protecting the environment. It is high time to shut down Big Oil, sequester its assets, and then NATIONALIZE ENERGY PRODUCTION in this country.

[Paul Taylor Examiner]

The recent “Climategate” incident of climate science manipulation has shaken the foundations of both the science and politics of global warming. And when seen by those for whom environmentalism is a religion, Climategate reporting is blasphemy, herecy and sacrilege. Climategate has environmentalists and climate change crusaders scrambling to defend the crude and unsettled science of global warming proliferated by the U.N., E.U., Obama’s E.P.A. and the thousands of eco-nonprofits around the world that have leveraged gratuitous green lies as a routine fund-raising tactic.

As with most religions, environmentalism also has its false prophets, and its extremist followers. Here the ecologista claim moral authority by requiring your adherence to the cause of environmentalism. Your personal commitment and sacrifice for their fanciful and costly climate change imperatives provide your path to environmental enlightenment, purity and ultimate green redemption. Al Gore, one of environmentalism’s false prophets, has prospered mightily from the global warming hysteria he has promoted. Gore is not only a climate campaigner and partisan political operative, but also a green profiteer positioned to capitalize on government climate regulations such as the cap-and-trade carbon tax systems and renewable energy programs. He also operates a $300 million global propaganda campaign to eliminate coal and oil use in favor of unproven renewables.

E.P.A. regulations designating carbon dioxide a "pollutant" have prompted numerous business and government interests to challenge E.P.A. findings in court, and stop the costly new carbon cap-and-trade controls. These trials will ultimately require E.P.A. to prove the scientific cause and effect involving manmade greenhouse gases and global warming – the theories of global warming would be put on trial.

Corporate enterprise has also withdrawn its investments and ad campaigning for green policy priorities and products. Except for those for whom environmentalism is a practiced religion, eco-themes and incentives have been largely exhausted in our fickled popular culture. Speculative spending to fix eco-issues for political expediency during economic recession will only hasten and lengthen a global economic collapse, with far greater human suffering, conflict and pollution than any of the worst-case scenarios being proliferated in environmentalism's 21st-Century climate crusade.

Given recent climate frauds, it is clear that partisan ideologies and cultish environmentalism have replaced prudent science and economic realities in climate policy. What is also clear is that environmentalism no longer offers any product or service in support of our future security and prosperity. Militant environmentalism and green-obsessed bureaucrats have become an “axis of antagonism” that we can no longer afford. Yes, the Green God has died from its own hubris and corruption. May it, and its extremists, rest in peace.

[wendy wendlandt]

thank you Margot for exposing the real backers of this measure, the oil companies who predictably want to maintain the status quo.