Unmasking Mr. Pombo

This Halloween night, the Sierra Club invites you to go as California Congressman Richard Pombo. Why Pombo? Because as head of the House resources Committee, he's an anti-environmental zealot who is in a position to do real violence to longstanding environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act ... and the list goes on. To quote Jim DiPeso, policy director of Republicans for Environmental Protection:

"The long-range implications of following the path that Pombo is leading us on really haven't gotten the publicity they ought to have. His priorities in the areas of energy, public lands and wildlife conservation are completely at odds with the best interests of our nation. I cannot think of a worse person to be chairman of the Resources Committee."

For more on Mr. Pombo's exploits, we direct you to this editorial in the New York Times, plus a longer piece from High Country News. Among other things, the article illuminates Mr. Pombo's connection with a group called the International Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources -- a group whose funders include many restaurant chains and seafood companies, not to mention the National Trappers Association, the International Fur Trade Association, and the Japan Whaling Association.