Fresh Loaf

Just two weeks before the Dec. 2 runoff, the Georgia Conservation Voters’ political action committee has slammed Georgia Public Service Commission Republican nominee Lauren “Bubba” McDonald on a website called “The Truth About Bubba.”

The site brands McDonald as a “special interest puppet” who consistently voted in favor of industries — the same ones who’ve contributed “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to his campaigns — when he previously served on the commission. The site includes specific instances where it says McDonald pushed for helping out the utilities more than Georgians.

“Having Bubba McDonald serve on the Public Service Commission is like letting the fox guard the hen house,” says Chris Osborne, Executive Director of Georgia Conservation Voters. “During his tenure holding public office, Bubba McDonald has proven to be nothing more than a puppet of the special interests. He has consistently voted against middle class ratepayers in favor of his campaign donors.”

McDonald is running against Democratic candidate Jim Powell. CL endorsed Powell in its General Election issue.

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Something to keep in mind when you go into the voting booth. The pro-conservation nonprofit organization gives its seal of approval to the following candidates:

UPDATE: An eagle-eyed viewer reminds me via e-mail that Jacobs is no longer a Democrat.

Senate
District 6 – Doug Stoner (D)
District 29 – Seth Harp (R)
District 42 – David Adelman (D)
District 46 – Bill Cowsert (R)

Public Service Commission
District 4 – Jim Powell (D)

House
District 8 – Charles Jenkins (D)
District 11 – Barbara Massey Reece (D)
District 13 – Katie Dempsey (R)
District 28 – Jeannette Jamieson (D)
District 34 – Rich Golick (D)
District 44 – Sheila Jones (D)
District 80 – Mike Jacobs (D) (R)
District 81 – Jill Chambers (R)
District 85 – Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D)
District 177 – Mark Hatfield (R)

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The Georgia Conservation Voters released their annual scorecard grading our elected officials on how they voted when it came down to the environment. A preserved and clean Earth makes all the chichanery and favor-letting more possible, right guys?

From their press release (emphasis added, full version follows after the jump):

The latest scorecard shows the average score in the Senate dropped by two percent while the House average experienced a nine point increase. The Senate average was 64 percent in 2005-06, but it fell slightly to 62 percent in 2007-08. The House average rose from 54 percent in 2005-06 to 63 percent in 2007-08.

“We’re pleased with all the legislators who improved their scores over last year, but the General Assembly overall is still bringing home a scorecard that shows room for improvement,” said Georgia Conservation Voters Executive Director Chris Osborne. “Talking about the environment is not enough – measuring improvements and providing accountability for conservation-minded voters is a necessary task.”

This session, the conservation community made strides in expanding incentives for land conservation, obtaining funding to clean up dirty school buses, protecting part of Jekyll Island with easy beach access and defeating efforts to make it more difficult to remove billboards. However, efforts to create a funding mechanism for all forms of transportation, including rail transit options, and statutory criteria to protect communities from unnecessary water transfers failed during the last hours of the 2007-08 legislative session.

“We’re pleased to see a greater awareness of how environmental issues from water to transportation to energy affect the lives of Georgians every day. But there is still need for more leadership from the General Assembly if we are to tackle challenges before they turn into a crisis,” said Mr. Osborne.

Freshmen lawmakers scored better than the veterans, Democrats scored better than Republicans, and a round of applause should go out to Sens. Vincent Fort and Bill Jackson and Reps. Roberta Abdul-Salaam, Stephanie Benfield, Doug McKillip, Robert Mumford and Mary Margaret Oliver. They all scored 100 percent.

The rundown can be viewed on the organization’s website here.

(more…)

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Candidates in last night’s primary who were endorsed by Georgia Conservation Voters won big last night. Here’s a win/loss rundown of the group:

List of 2008 Primary Endorsements:

Public Service Commission
District 4: Pam Davidson (R) – LOSS
District 4: Jim Powell (D) – WIN

Senate
District 2: Lester Jackson (D) - WIN
District 3: Jeff Chapman (R) - WIN
District 12: Freddie Powell Sims (D) - WIN
District 36: Nan Orrock (D) - WIN
District 46: Bill Cowsert (R) – WIN, will face challenger in November

House
District 10: Rick Austin (R) – WIN
District 44: Sheila Jones (D) – WIN, will face challenger in November
District 59: Margaret Kaiser (D) – WIN
District 66: Virgil Fludd (D) – WIN
District 98: Bobby Reese (R) – WIN
District 177: Mark Hatfield (R) – WIN, will face challenger in November

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A group of trial lawyers who won the largest environmental settlement in Georgia history yesterday handed over checks worth a total of $100,000 to several local and regional organizations.

In 2006, Joel Wooten, Robert Killian, John Bell and Pam James represented Glynn County and 200 property owners in a case against a Brunswick plant that had discharged mercury into nearby creeks and rivers. The team won a $50 million settlement against the plant’s owner, Allied/LCP. Over the years, the group has donated more than $285,000 to various causes around Georgia, such as the Coastal Georgia Community College.

Among the recipients are Georgia Conservation Voters, GreenLaw, Georgia Watch, and the Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper, Glynn Environmental Coalition, Altamaha Riverkeeper and the Satilla Riverkeeper.

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