Press Releases

LCV Action Fund Endorses Brendan Kelly and Erik Jones for Congress from Illinois

Jan 25, 2018

Craig Auster, 202-454-4633, Craig_Auster@lcv.org

Washington, D.C. – The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, which works to elect candidates who will support sound environmental policies, announced today its endorsement of Brendan Kelly (IL-12) and Erik Jones (IL-13) for election to Congress.

“Brendan Kelly and Erik Jones are exciting new voices for climate action and environmental protection,” said LCV Action Fund Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Tiernan Sittenfeld. “They both have strong records of fighting for public health and will bring that commitment and experience to Congress. When elected, they will put Illinois families first and stand up to polluters, and we are thrilled to endorse Kelly and Jones in their respective campaigns.”

“In Southern Illinois, low-income communities in urban and rural areas are disproportionately harmed by those who disregard the most basic laws protecting clean water and clean air,” said Kelly.  “As a result, these communities can suffer from more asthma and illnesses, contaminated soil and water, infrastructure that crumbles in extreme weather, job loss and displacement. In every zip code in Southern Illinois, I’ll fight for every citizen’s right to clean air, safe drinking water and access to open spaces like the beautiful Shawnee National Forest. That’s morally right, economically smart and why the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund is an important part of the Kelly Coalition.”

“I am honored to receive the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund’s endorsement,” said Jones. “For nearly 50 years, LCV has fostered a grassroots movement to protect our environment. My campaign is also built upon a grassroots movement, and I look forward to working with LCV and its members to protect our environment as a candidate and member of Congress. It is critical that we have leaders in our government who respect science and who are willing to accept that climate change is happening. For my own two sons and for the thousands of young people across the 13th District, I will work tirelessly to ensure we are preparing ourselves for the future. I am truly humbled by this endorsement.”

Brendan Kelly has served as the State’s Attorney for St. Clair County, Illinois since 2010, where he has been named “Southern Illinois Prosecutor of the Year” by the Southern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission in recognition of his leadership. In this role, Kelly has been at the forefront of fighting the opioid crisis by prosecuting big pharmaceutical manufacturers for deceiving patients, and domestic violence cases and crimes against children. He has also demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting the environment, working with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to prosecute cases that threaten public health. In Congress, he will work to bring clean energy jobs to his district.

Erik Jones has a long track record of public service in Illinois and at the federal level. He is a former Policy Director and Assistant Attorney General for the Illinois Attorney General’s office. Previously, he was Counsel to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce and Oversight & Government Reform, then chaired by Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA). He also worked in the Senate, serving as Deputy General Counsel and Chief Investigative Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, then chaired by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), where he helped create the Committee’s Office of Oversight and Investigations. During his time working in the House and Senate, Jones helped direct more than 30 investigations and hearings, including on the politicization of science under the George W. Bush Administration. He led investigations on the decision to overturn EPA scientists’ findings for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) on ozone and another on formaldehyde in the trailers used by FEMA during Hurricane Katrina that led to a law for tougher standards on the chemical. Jones will bring his experience to Congress to advocate for clean air, clean water and climate action.

About LCV Action Fund

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, the connected federal political action committee (PAC) of the League of Conservation Voters, works to elect candidates who will implement sound environmental laws and policies, and defeat those who stand in the way of progress. Since the 1994 election cycle, LCVAF has helped elect and re-elect 74 U.S. senators and 331 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.  In the 2015-2016 election cycle, LCVAF endorsed over 100 candidates and, since 2009, has raised and contributed more than $17.6 million dollars via GiveGreen. Over the last several years, our efforts have also helped elevate climate change and clean energy as critical issues in key elections.

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Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and authorized by Brendan Kelly for Southern Illinois and Erik Jones for Congress