FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 3, 2008
CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.679.7570 (m)
Wednesday RNC Line-Up Underscores McCain-Palin Continuation of Failed Bush Energy Policies
St. Paul, Minn.—Gov. Sarah Palin and Mayor Rudy Giuliani are both expected to address energy issues during their speeches before the Republican National Convention tonight. Both have extremely close ties to the dirty energy interests that have controlled our energy policy for the past eight years and are now strongly backing John McCain in order to maintain their chokehold on our economy and politics for the next four.
Sierra Club National Political Director Cathy Duvall is in St. Paul and will be available this evening and throughout the day tomorrow for further reaction to the RNC proceedings.
Statement of Cathy Duvall, Sierra Club National Political Director
"Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani only further underscore John McCain's embrace of the Bush administration's failed energy policies. These policies have wrecked our economy and left us ever more dependent on oil and hostile foreign regimes. America cannot afford four more years of the same disastrous Bush-McCain energy policy.
"Even the Bush administration has slowly and grudgingly acknowledged the unquestionable scientific reality of man-made global warming. Governor Palin's refusal to acknowledge the reality of global warming, combined with John McCain's outdated global warming plan and long record of voting against clean energy make it clear that they are not the candidates we need to make the clean energy future a reality.
"John McCain and Sarah Palin both claim to stand up to Big Oil, yet Governor Palin enjoys a cozy, ‘mutually beneficial' relationship with the oil industry and John McCain and the Republican Party's pro-oil agenda has been fueled by millions in campaign cash from Big Oil. McCain opposes taxing Big Oil's windfall profits and wants to go even further and give Big Oil more than $3.8 billion in additional tax breaks, while providing no tax relief at all for tens of millions of Americans suffering from the effects of high gas prices.
"John McCain also claims to stand up to lobbyists, but Rudy Giuliani and his lobbying firm are perhaps the biggest dirty energy lobbyists in Washington. They've been paid millions by these special interests to block clean energy legislation that could've made America more energy independent and created tens of thousands of new jobs. By giving Giuliani a prime speaking slot, picking an oil-friendly, global warming-denier running mate, and employing nearly three dozen Big Oil lobbyists on his campaign, John McCain has made it clear that he has chosen to side with Big Oil instead of hardworking Americans.
The Facts on John McCain and Sarah Palin:
*John McCain has consistently voted against pro-renewable energy policies, funding for clean energy, and has failed to support key clean energy tax incentives.
Source: Senate Votes: 1999, #171; 2001, #125; 2002, #50, #55, #59; 2005, #141, #363; 2006, #42; 2007, #97, #223, #416; and 2008, #8, #95, #147, #150, #190, and #192.
*Thirty-three McCain staffers and fundraisers have received $9.65 million in lobbying fees from at least 30 oil and gas industry corporations and associations. These lobbying clients' executives and PACs have donated $225,651 to McCain's campaigns.
Source: http://www.campaignmoney.org/mccainoil
*John McCain and the RNC have taken nearly $6 million in campaign cash from Big Oil.
Source: http://www.opensecrets.org/
*Sarah Palin denies the reality of man-made global warming:
"A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location," Palin said, adding, "I'm not one though who would attribute it to being man-made."
Source: Newsmax, 08/29/2008
*Sarah Palin wants a "mutually beneficial relationship" with Big Oil:
"When I look every day, the big oil company's building is right out there next to me, and it's quite a reminder that we should have mutually beneficial relationships with the oil industry."
Source: Roll Call, 08/25/08
*Rudy Giuliani and his firm, Bracewell & Giuliani, are among "the higher-profile defenders of the oil, gas and energy industries, to which it provides legal help and extensive lobbying services in Washington."
Source: New York Times, 05/02/2007
*NYT's Tom Friedman calls McCain "just another representative of big oil."
Source: New York Times, 09/03/2008
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