Knollenberg Lies About His Environmental Record

On his new and improved website, Joe Knollenberg claims he is an”environmentalist”.

This is yet another example of where Knollenberg says one thing, but what he does is very, very different.

Knollenberg is a liar like Scooter Libby!


Knollenberg is NOT An Environmentalist By Any Stretch of Any Imagination
My definition of an environmentalist is someone who wants to protect the environment – all aspects of the environment. Based on his voting record in Congress, Joe Knollenberg is NOT an environmentalist by any stretch of the imagination.

Knollenberg Voted AGAINST Making EPA a Cabinet Level Department
Contrary to popular belief, the EPA is not a Cabinet level position. It isn’t equal to the Treasury, or Dept of Health & Human Services, or the Dept. of Education – all of which are cabinet level posts. Being a Cabinet level agency would elevate the importance of Environmental Issues by assuring that the leader of the Department was involved in Cabinet meetings. Right now, the Administrator of the EPA would not generally participate in such meetings and thus they have less influence over what the President learns or thinks about Environmental issues. Given the chance to elevate the EPA to a cabinet level position – Joe Knollenberg voted NO.

Here are some more of Knollenberg’s ANTI-Environmental Votes:

• · Joe Knollenberg Voted Against Strengthening Environmental Regulation of Mining Operations;
• · Joe Knollenberg Voted Against Expanding protections of the Endangered Species Act;
• · Joe Knollenberg Supported Legislation That Would Allow Private Property Owners To Harm delicate Environments and the Global Commons;
• · Joe Knollenberg Supports Legislation Allowing for Major Industrial Operations such as Oil Drilling to take place in pristine areas such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge;

In fact, looking through Knollenberg’s voting record, I was unable to identify a single vote by Knollenberg that was pro-environment. Knollenberg votes Pro-polluter instead.

Environmental Groups Rate Knollenberg As One of the Worst
The idea that Knollenberg is pro-polluter is supported by all the ratings given by environmental organizations.

According to the website, “On the Issues”, Knollenberg has voted to:

• · Reduce "critical habitat" for endangered species;
• · Speed up Forest Thinning Projects
• · Only rated 5% by the League of Conservation Voters (which means he has a poor record on environmental issues).

For a whole list of issues showing how Knollenberg is pro-polluter and anti-environmental, look here.

Here is a 1998 Article About Knollenberg’s Poor Record on Environmental Issues & The Fact that He Gets Lots of Campaign Contributions from Polluters.

Joe Knollenberg calls himself an environmentalist, but all of his votes in Congress have been anti-environmental protection.

We know Cheney's Chief of Staff Scooter Libby is a liar. He was convicted on four counts of federal felony charges of lying including perjury and obstructing justice.
The only difference between Scooter Libby's lies and Joe Knollenberg's lies is that Libby has been convicted of lying.

Joe Knollenberg should be ashamed of himself.