Pro-pollution Advocates Squabble Over Polluted Money

Two giants of the effort to ensure that polluting industries can continue to sicken the people of California and wreck the climate are squabbling over corporate money. Both Ted Costa of the interestingly named "People's Advocate" and Assemblymember Dan Logue (CLCV lifetime score 5%) were early backers of the initiative that, according to the California Attorney General,  “Suspends Air Pollution Control Laws Requiring Major Polluters to Report and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions That Cause Global Warming Until Unemployment Drops Below Specified Level for Full Year.” Now these two pro-pollution champions are fighting over the polluter money that's paying for the effort. In short, Ted Costa has changed his mind. He is even offering to write a ballot argument against the initiative if it makes it to the ballot. Capitol Alert has the story.

Costa didn't change his mind by realizing that it wasn't California's landmark AB 32 that wrecked the economy and put hundreds of thousand out of work (greedy bankers and Wall Street did that). He isn't even troubled that there is no evidence that suspending AB 32 stands in the way of putting people back to work. Nope, Costa is unhappy that two Texas-based oil companies, Valero and Tesoro, are putting millions into the campaign so they can continue with their polluting ways. I say bless his stone cold heart. Assemblymember Logue has a different take on Costa's turn around. According to the Capitol Alert story, Logue  "characterized Costa's opposition as 'sour grapes'  stemming from his failure to secure a lucrative contract -- likely exceeding $1 million -- to gather signatures."

Interesting story. Nice people.