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Steve Early via Counterpunch: “Toxic Entanglements: Big Oil’s Democratic Primary Favorite in California”

Embedded with Organized Labor: Journalistic Reflections on the Class War at Home

Steve Early, author of Embedded with Organized Labor: Journalistic Reflections on the Class War at Home and Save Our Unions: Dispatches from A Movement in Distress, writes about big oil and primary politics:

“Residents of Richmond and other California refinery towns have learned, over time, to be wary of state and local officials too closely tied to companies like Chevron. ¶ Politicians who benefit from ‘independent expenditures’ on their behalf or direct campaign donations from oil producers or, their lobbying group, the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) tend to be less enthusiastic about protecting the environment by reducing fossil fuel dependence. ¶ In Sacramento, for example, Governor Jerry Brown and state Senate President Kevin de Leon were unable to pass legislation last year that would have reduced greenhouse gas omissions by cutting car and truck petroleum use in half over the next 15 years. During the debate about this measure, Chevron doled out $235,000 in new campaign donations to key Assembly members, mainly Democrats….”

Read the entire article in Counterpunch

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