Ex-Rep. Pombo returns to politics...and the Dirty Dozen

Today, via Facebook, we named Richard Pombo to the 2010 "Dirty Dozen" list. Ex-Rep. Pombo (R-CA) recently announced that he will make a comeback attempt in an open House seat that neighbors the district he lost in 2006. And Dirty Dozen history buffs will remember that Pombo was Chair of the 2006 Dirty Dozen.

“Few candidates deserve a spot on the Dirty Dozen more than Richard Pombo because he will side with Big Oil over a cleaner, more secure future for California every chance he gets,” said LCV President Gene Karpinski. “Californians want new clean energy jobs not more industry bailouts.”

Pombo has taken nearly $700,000 in campaign cash from Big Oil and other energy interests, and more than $220,000 from lobbyists. The 2005 Bush-Cheney Energy Bill, which Pombo supported and helped shepherd through the House Resources Committee, contained more than $21 billion in subsidies for the oil and gas industries. Pombo earned an abysmal 7% LCV lifetime environmental score, consistently championing efforts to stand in the way of energy reform during his three terms.

Click here for more on Pombo's record of siding with corporate polluters over a cleaner, healthier planet.

The election year is upon us

As we noted yesterday, we've begun to roll out our 2010 endorsements for House and Senate candidates. In 2008, 53 out of 66 LCV-endorsed candidates won -- that's an 80 percent winning percentage.

More importantly, though, 17 of the new House members we supported last election cycle voted for the American Clean Energy & Security Act last June, which passed by just seven votes!

For a complete list of the candidates we've endorsed thus far, click here.

Who's the next member of the 2010 Dirty Dozen?

For the first time, LCV will be naming the next member of the Dirty Dozen via Facebook. We'll be making the announcement at 12 noon EST this Monday, February 8.

If you are not already a fan of LCV on Facebook, click here to become one now!

The next member of the Dirty Dozen is one of Big Oil's biggest cronies – having taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign cash from corporate polluters and leading the charge on numerous anti-environment initiatives.

Curious to find out who it is?

Become a fan on Facebook today, and be the first to find out the next member of the Dirty Dozen when we announce it tomorrow.

We recently announced the first two members of the 2010 Dirty Dozen: Sen.Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and former Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM).

Podesta: Bipartisan support for clean energy & climate

Participating in the round table on ABC's This Week today, Center for American Progress President John Podesta noted that there is bipartisan support for comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation legislation.

JAKE TAPPER: John, is there any hope for bipartisan work in this Congress this election year?

JOHN PODESTA: Well, you know, you have to kind of turn over a lot of rocks to try to find some possibility of that. I think the one place where you still might be able to find bipartisan work is the efforts that Lindsey Graham and John Kerry and -- and Joe Lieberman are undertaking to try to find out whether they can do a comprehensive energy and climate bill that would actually create an energy revolution in this country. Senator Graham has stuck his neck out. He's working hard at it. And, you know, I'm still hopeful that we can find some bipartisan support on a bill that the president could -- could sign.

LCV Action Fund Endorses Perriello, Peters & Titus

This past week LCV Action Fund announced three more endorsements: Reps. Tom Perriello (VA-05), Gary Peters (MI-09) and Dina Titus (NV-03). All three of these freshmen members of Congress voted for the American Clean Energy & Security Act last year -- and all three are likely to face tough re-election fights against opponents backed by the same special interests that have opposed comprehensive clean energy legislation.

Virginia LCV Executive Director Lisa Gutherie:

"Congressman Perriello has demonstrated bold leadership in his votes to advance sound energy policy. These measures are exactly what Virginia's 5th Congressional District needs to jumpstart clean energy job creation right in the heart of our Commonwealth."

Michigan LCV Deputy Director Kerry Duggan:

“During his first term, Congressman Peters fought to ensure that Michigan did its part to transition the U.S. into a clean energy economy while creating clean energy jobs and spurring renewable industries within the state. When it comes to protecting the planet and renewing Michigan’s economy, Gary Peters is delivering.”

Nevada Conservation League Executive Director Scot Rutledge:

"Congresswoman Titus supports building a clean energy economy that will put Nevadans back to work while reducing harmful carbon pollution. She has been a tireless advocate for both the environment and Nevada workers for almost three decades and we look forward to her continued leadership."

Reps. Perriello, Peters and Titus are featured on LCV Action Fund’s GiveGreen website, the only bundling website devoted exclusively to raising money for environmental champions.

Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, www.lcv.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

NWF studies extreme "oddball winter weather"

This winter's extreme weather -- heavy snowfall at LCV's offices here in Washington D.C. and unusually low temperatures in our area -- is another sign of how climate change is intensifying long-standing weather patterns, according to a new report from our allies at the National Wildlife Federation.

Scientists typically avoid making direct associations between individual weather events and global warming, but NWF's study charts how climate change is linked to a trend of heavy precipitation, including intense snowstorms like the one that blanketed the nation's capital with a record 17.8" this weekend.

“Oddball winter weather is yet another sign of how uncontrolled carbon pollution amounts to an unchecked experiment on people and nature,” says NWF climate scientist Dr. Amanda Staudt on the group's website.

NWF's report says curbing global warming pollution is the best way to minimize the dangers presented by extreme weather, just another reason why it's time for the Senate to work swiftly to pass comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation.

RELATED: A 2009 report by 13 federal agencies entitled Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States makes the same connection between climate change and increasing precipitation, a topic Joe Romm discussed at length in a post from his must-read Climate Progress blog after a major snowstorm hit D.C. in December.

President Obama: Don't Give Up on Comprehensive Bill

Earlier this week, President Obama spoke to Senate Democrats -- urging them not to give up on comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation.

Six years ago on this day...

Six years ago today, LCV endorsed then-State Senate Barack Obama in the crowded Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. In annoucing our endorsement, we noted that he would bring his proven leadership on environmental issues in Illinois to the U.S. Senate.

"As community organizer, civil rights attorney and a leader in the Illinois Senate, Barack Obama has built a career fighting for clean air, safe drinking water and the right of citizens to know about threats to their environment. Barack will be a real champion for our environment and the health and safety of Illinois citizens in the U.S. Senate."

At the time of our endorsement, some polls placed him in third or fourth place. Speaking at an LCV rally months later, after he had won the nomination, Obama said, "We had a lot of important moments in this race, but one of the key moments was when we got the support of the League of Conservation Voters."

Here's the television ad we ran in support of Obama's Senate race in 2004.