Contact: Chuck Porcari (cell: (240) 286-7566) or Mark Sokolove (cell: (703) 599-7656) or (202) 785-8683

WASHINGTON, DC - The League of Conservation Voters (LCV), the political voice of the national environmental and conservation community, today launched a new TV ad criticizing Representative Phil Crane (R-IL) for being out of touch and putting special interest ahead of his constituents.  Earlier this week, LCV named Rep. Crane to its 2004 "Dirty Dozen" list of anti-environment candidates.

The TV ad, titled "Touch," starts running today through Election Day in the Chicagoland market.  

"Rep. Crane has been out of state and out of touch with his constituents,'" said LCV Senior Vice President for Political Affairs Mark Longabaugh.  "Whether its taking special interest junkets or providing special interest policy paybacks like easing the ability for oil drilling in Lake Michigan, Rep. Crane has repeatedly sided with corporate interests over Illinois families - that is why as the political voice of the national environmental movement we are educating voters in the 8th Congressional district about his abysmal record."

In both 2003 and 2004, Rep. Crane voted for deeply flawed energy legislation that provides billions in tax giveaways to corporate polluters and special interests while threatening the health and safety of Illinois families and costing the state's taxpayers more than $1.8 billion. Crane has also catered to his campaign contributors in the utility industry by voting to weaken the Clean Air Act, and has voted for legislation that could make it easier for oil companies to drill in Lake Michigan. Rep. Crane has an abysmal 10% LCV voting score for 2003.

To view the ad, visit www.lcv.org.

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The nonprofit League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is the political voice of the national environmental and conservation community.  LCV, which is not a partisan organization, is the only national organization working full-time to hold Congress and the president accountable for their environmental actions.  For more information, please visit us on the web at www.lcv.org.