John Kroger seems to be shaping up as the environmentalists’ choice to be Oregon’s next attorney general.
Kroger already has been endorsed by the Oregon chapter of the Sierra Club, and last week he picked up endorsements from more than 20 of the state’s environmental leaders, including Mac Lacy, staff attorney for the Oregon Natural Desert Association.
Earlier in the week, Peter Rothberg on The Nation’s blog had high praise for Kroger’s progressive stands, especially on environmental issues:
“His environmental agenda is especially strong, focusing on targeting chronic corporate polluters and lobbying for stiffer penalties for environmental infractions. He wants to use the state’s criminal laws ‘to put the worst polluters in jail. That’s never been done in the state, and we’re going to do it.’ He’s even threatened to partner with environmental organizations and take the federal government to court unless it curbs what he says is the Bush Administration’s reckless flouting of our nation’s environmental protection, endangered species, and forestry laws.”
This article appears in Feb 14-20, 2008.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
These environmental leaders realize that John has a detailed plan for protecting Oregon’s natural beauty, unlike his opponent. Kroger for Attorney General!
Oops. Turns out that the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, the political arm of Oregon’s environmental movement, endorsed Greg Macpherson.
And for good reason:
“Greg Macpherson has an outstanding record of fighting for Oregon’s environment,” said OLCV Executive Director Jonathan Poisner. “We know he will take on polluters and over-zealous developers, because that’s what he’s already done.”
In 2006, Macpherson, was co-author of Ballot Measure 49, to curb out-of-control growth by big developers, and keep Oregon’s farm land protected.
Full disclosure: My company hosts Macpherson’s campaign website, but I speak only for myself.
John is picking up the support of the environmental community that recognizes the importance of having an active AG to enforce Oregon’s tough environmental laws. The OCLV endorsed Greg because of his past accomplishments in the legislature and not based upon his plans for the future as AG. The Sierra Club and Environmental activists across the state endorsed John because of his plan and vision for Oregon’s future. John will bring the same skills he used in prosecuting Enron, drug traffickers, and mob bosses, to combat Oregon’s environmental challenges.
Big polluters and timber companies are also lining up behind Macpherson, as Kroger gets the vast majority of environmental support.
Portland General Electric, which runs one of the West’s dirtiest coal plants and Oregon’s largest stationary source of air pollution at Boardman, OR recently gave Macpherson $2500.
Roseburg Forest Products, one of Oregon’s largest timber companies, gave Macpherson $5000.
Given the increasing amounts of polluter and timber money pouring in to Macpherson’s campaign, its unclear exactly how OLCV can be so confident that Macpherson ‘will take on polluters.’
The Sierra Club and numerous environment leaders around Oregon have this one right.
Big polluters and timber companies are also lining up behind Macpherson, as Kroger gets the vast majority of environmental support.
Portland General Electric, which runs one of the West’s dirtiest coal plants and Oregon’s largest stationary source of air pollution at Boardman, OR recently gave Macpherson $2500.
Roseburg Forest Products, one of Oregon’s largest timber companies, gave Macpherson $5000.
Given the increasing amounts of polluter and timber money pouring in to Macpherson’s campaign, its unclear exactly how OLCV can be so confident that Macpherson ‘will take on polluters.’
The Sierra Club and numerous environment leaders around Oregon have this one right.
As an active member of the Clackamas County Urban Green, I am totally supporting John Kroger for Attorney General. He is very clear about taking on the companies that continue to pollute our rivers with impunity; the current folks at the helm have let this go on too long. I am a member of the OLCV, and believe strongly that they called this one wrong. We don’t owe Greg the AG’s seat for his work on 49. We owe the rivers and wildlife the most independent and fierce AG we can hire!
Macpherson didn’t get the OLCV’s endorsement solely because of his work on 49. Ms. Shawn, as a member of the OLCV, you should know that Macpherson has 100% voting record with the OLCV. He has pledged to enforce the green standards he helped set in the legislature. Environmental prosecution is largely the realm of the DAs, not the AG. Macpherson has said that the DEQ simply lacks the resources to enforce the environmental laws we have on the books. He has pledged to push for increased funding for the DEQ, which I think will make a much stronger impact than the two attorneys Kroger is pledging to put on staff at the DOJ. Macpherson’s connections in the legislature and understanding of the budget will help him get those increased funds for the DEQ.
And Macpherson’s intimate knowledge of Measure 49, since he wrote it, will help him scrutinize Measure 37 and 49 claims, a function of the Attorney General.
OLCV gives an “automatic” endorsement to any legislator who gets 100% on their scorecard. Mac did a good job in the legislature but for Oregon’s chief prosecutor, John Kroger, an experienced prosecutor is the better choice. Look at the environmental lawyers who are lining up behind John Kroger:
Ralph Bloemers, Co-Executive Director, Cascade Resources Advocacy Group (CRAG) Law Center*
Chris Winters, Co-Executive Director, Cascade Resources Advocacy Group (CRAG) Law Center*
Brent Foster, Executive Director, Columbia Riverkeeper*
Mark Riskedahl, Executive Director, Northwest Environmental Law Center*
Dan Rohlf, Executive Director, Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center*
Melissa Powers, Staff Attorney, Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center*
Allison Laplante, staff attorney, Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center*
Brett VandenHeuvel, staff attorney, Columbia Riverkeeper*
Charlie Tebbutt, staff attorney, Western Environmental Law Center*
Aubrey Baldwin, staff attorney, Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center*