Robin Carnahan Sides with Liberal Environmental Group in Support of Cap and Trade Energy Tax

Posted on 2009-08-26

JEFFERSON CITY - Robin Carnahan is getting help from her liberal friends for siding with Nancy Pelosi and the liberal environmental lobby in support of a costly cap and trade national energy tax. Carnahan's support for the tax has already earned her campaign money from the liberal League of Conservation Voters. Now the group is airing even more false television ads against Roy Blunt on behalf of Robin Carnahan's campaign.

"Robin Carnahan had a choice," said Blunt spokesman Rich Chrismer. "She could side with Missourians against the so-called 'cap and trade' national energy tax or with Nancy Pelosi and the liberal environmental groups who are supporting the tax. Liberal groups are obviously rewarding Robin Carnahan for her support of their national energy tax and now her liberal allies are rewarding her decision with campaign money and false attack ads against Roy Blunt."

Robin Carnahan has received campaign contributions from the League of Conservation Voters which is sponsoring the false attack ads. The political ads are also running outside of Roy Blunt's Congressional District making clear they are aimed at helping Robin Carnahan.

The misleading ad does not make clear that Roy Blunt opposes the bill Robin Carnahan supports because it would increase Missourians' energy bills by as much as 40 percent over five years and 80 percent over ten years according to a study conducted for the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission. Even President Obama, who supports the tax, has said that it would cause electricity rates to "skyrocket."

The ad further misleads by asserting the so-called "American Clean Energy and Security Act" would create 1.7 million new jobs while ignoring the number of jobs that would be lost if the cap and trade energy tax was enacted. The Heritage Foundation found that this job-killing legislation would lower employment by 1,105,000 jobs per year, and in some years, cap and trade would reduce employment by nearly 2.5 million jobs.

Finally, the ad makes no mention that Robin Carnahan has taken more than $20,000 from oil lobbyists over the last several months.

"If these contributions are an issue then Robin Carnahan ought to come out of hiding and explain to Missourians why she has taken $20,000 from oil lobbyists in her Senate campaign," said Chrismer. "Roy Blunt has been a leader in the fight for more American energy and an all-of-the-above energy policy that includes responsible drilling, wind, solar and renewable energy of all kinds. He will continue to fight for Missourians and will not be intimidated by the liberal groups who are running these false attack ads on behalf of Robin Carnahan."

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