"CA League of Conservation Voters" Gives State Senate Candidate Gonzalez $2,500 Contrib After Big Oil Money Surfaces In Indie Campaign To Elect Her And She Avoids Saying If She Supports Or Opposes SB 246 (Proposed CA Oil Severance Tax)

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(Mar. 25, 2019, 10:35 a.m.) -- The "CA League of Conservation Voters" -- which describes itself on its website [text March 25] as "the non-partisan political arm of California's environmental movement" whose "mission is to protect and enhance the environment and the health of all California communities by electing environmental champions, advancing critical priorities, and holding policymakers accountable," has given a $2,500 contribution to LB Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez's state Senate campaign.

The March 14 contribution is reported on the CA Secretary of State's website.

[Scroll down for further.]

CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS			OAKLAND	CA / 94612
ID NUMBER	EMPLOYER		OCCUPATION
743094
AMOUNT	TYPE	TRANS. DATE	FILED DATE	TRANS #
$2,500.00	INITIAL	3/14/2019	3/15/2019	2367543-INC443

The "CA League of Conservation Voters" had already endorsed Gonzalez before a political committee funded mainly by large oil industry interests ("Coalition to Restore California's Middle Class, Including Energy Companies Who Produce Gas, Oil, Jobs and Pay Taxes") disclosed expenditures of over $1,000,000 in late February in an independent campaign (by law must operate separately from Gonzalez's campaign) to support her election. Since late February, Candidate Gonzalez hasn't responded to questions by LBREPORT.com (and at some point at least one other media outlet) on whether she supports or opposes SB 246 by state Senator Bob Wieckowski (D, Fremont) that would create a CA oil severance tax (levied on oil extracted; a number of other states have such taxes, which oil interests have historically defeated in CA.)

At this point, SB 246, introduced Feb. 22, has no listed co-authors; it was eligible for legislative action on March 14 and is awaiting assignment to a state Senate committee.

Sponsor

On Feb. 26, CLCV issued a release saying its "California Environmental Scorecard" shows "Chevron investment paid off in electing Senator Ling Ling Chang" (an OC Republican.)

[CLCV release text] -- Freshman Senator Ling Ling Chang (R, Brea) scored a disappointing 36% on this year’s California Environmental Scorecard, siding with corporate polluters and their lobbyists.
...Elected in November 2016, then Senator Josh Newman (CLCV score 81%) came into confrontation with Chevron early in his time in office over his support of community-led efforts to preserve open spaces in the West Cyote Hills. Ultimately, Newman was successful in securing $15 million in state funding to make preservation possible, dampening plans by Chevron to build a commercial center and housing on the site.
Chevron then bankrolled a recall election to the tune of $500,000, electing Senator Chang, who succeeded in momentarily breaking Democrats' 2/3 supermajority in Sacramento.
If this year's vote totals are any indication, investment by Chevron and their allies is paying off.
In her first year in office, Senator Chang voted against efforts to prohibit expanded offshore oil drilling, despite recent polling finding a majority of voters in Orange County support the ban. Chang voted against legislation to disclose health impacts of industrial projects, and against California's 100% renewable energy standard. She also voted with petrochemical companies against measures to reduce waste from plastic straws and takeout containers.
"When Chevron spent $500,000 to elect Senator Chang to office, they got exactly what they paid for," said Mike Young, Political and Organizing Director of the California League of Conservation Voters. "Voters in SD 29 deserve a Senator who will fight for the health of our communities, not corporate polluters who can buy elections."...
Members of the California legislature were graded for the 2018 scorecard on their responses to 19 pieces of key legislation, then given a percentage score for their pro-environmental actions. This year, 47 legislators, including 21 State Senators -- the majority of the chamber -- and 26 state Assembly members, received a perfect score of 100%. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon scored 100%, and Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins scored 100% as well. Governor Jerry Brown scored 80%.

CLCV's Board of Directors can be viewed here.

The group's "Green Advisory Council" can be viewed here.

Sponsor

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