Contact: Chuck Porcari (cell: (240) 286-7566) or Mark Sokolove (cell: (703) 599-7656) or (202) 785-8683
WASHINGTON D.C. - The League of Conservation Voters (LCV), the national political voice of the environmental and conservation community, today named former Republican Representative John Thune of South Dakota to its 2004 "Dirty Dozen" list. Thune, currently running for a seat in the United States Senate, has a record that shows a blatant bias toward corporate polluters and special interests over South Dakota.
"While serving in the House of Representatives, John Thune has repeatedly voted to let corporate polluters off the hook, earning a place on our æDirty DozenÆ list," said LCV Senior Vice President for Political Affairs Mark Longabaugh. "Thune has a clear record of siding with corporate interests over South Dakota families."
Among other anti-environmental actions, Thune voted down legislation to help farmers improve water quality in South Dakota and co-sponsored a bill to significantly weaken the Clean Air Act. He also voted to allow more arsenic in South DakotaÆs drinking water. ThuneÆs lifetime LCV score is a paltry 12 percent, and this is his second trip to the "Dirty Dozen" list.
For the first time ever, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) today also included the President of the United States on its election year "Dirty Dozen" list of anti-environment policy makers. The group cited President BushÆs consistent anti-environmental record and his unabashed support for energy legislation representing a taxpayer giveaway to wealthy corporate interests. Vice President Cheney, whose secret Energy Task Force meetings helped formulate the legislation, and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), who is trying to force the bill through Congress are also included on the Dirty Dozen list.
Through the "Dirty Dozen" campaigns, LCV identifies those holding or seeking public office - Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike -- who consistently vote against the environment, as part of its ongoing effort to educate voters about voting records.
For more information on LCVÆs Dirty Dozen, </Campaigns/CampaignsList.cfm?c=1>
- 30 -
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.
