For years, I’ve written to Devin Nunes about his denial of human caused climate change, but his repeated response has been merely that reasonable people can disagree. At a meeting, when my friend asked him about climate change, Nunes said blithely: “The climate is always changing.” But perhaps Nunes can be influenced by a director of Cal Fire, the state’s firefighting agency, who recently said: “It’s our changing climate that is leading to more severe and destructive fires.” www.nytimes.com/…
Going back to a long statement written in 2012, it is apparent that Nunes has long doubted “man made global warming”:
However, in the same 2012 statement, Nunes said he supported initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as “good public policy”. If true, perhaps in the future he will vote for policies that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
In 2017 Nunes continued to promote fossil fuels by supporting offshore drilling (“offshore energy exploration”):
As a long-time advocate of offshore energy exploration, I believe it's utterly absurd to ban ourselves from developing vast energy resources that would help lower fuel prices, relieve our dependence on unstable and hostile foreign energy suppliers, create jobs, and strengthen America's international influence…. I mean no offense to the global warming prophets of doom, but I welcome more offshore energy exploration and want to see it move ahead quickly.”
Because he thinks it’s a liberal rag, Nunes doesn’t read his local paper, but he should see a constituent’s letter published today in the Fresno BEE (8/12) titled Real deal: climate change and fires.
California’s wildfires rage with unprecedented frequency and size. Scientists have predicted for years that the drier, hotter climate fueled by climate change would lead to more frequent fires. Daniel Berlant, assistant deputy director of Cal Fire, the state’s firefighting agency, agrees: “It’s our changing climate that is leading to more severe and destructive fires.”
Yet despite agreement among scientists and firefighting experts that climate change is causing more frequent and devastating forest fires, Devin Nunes insists that climate change doesn’t even exist. Nunes’ ignorance is more than unfathomable. It is dangerous and irresponsible, ensuring Nunes will never support measures to reduce climate change. His message to California: burn, baby, burn. www.fresnobee.com/…
Nunes’ opponent in the 2018 congressional race is Andrew Janz, who has this to say about climate change:
We’re already experiencing the effects of climate change in the Central Valley and around the world. Protecting the environment and ensuring clean air and water will be priority issues in my campaign. We can’t afford a member of Congress who ignores the threat of climate change; we need one who is ready to act. The Central Valley can become California’s renewable energy powerhouse, creating good-paying jobs that the Valley desperately needs, but we will only achieve that through local, state, and federal cooperation and leadership.
ballotpedia.org/...
Today’s letter in the Fresno Bee concludes with the contrast between Janz and Nunes:
Andrew Janz, Nunes’ challenger in the November’s election, knows that climate change and its destructive effects are real and will strongly support legislation to reduce climate change. Nunes is a danger to California. Janz is our one hope at the national level for effective action.
www.fresnobee.com/...
UPDATE: Another anti-Nunes letter appeared in the Fresno BEE August 14. It doesn’t mention climate change, but emphasizes other reasons Nunes should be defeated in November:
Nunes perverts oath he took
With the recent tape recordings from a closed door GOP fund raising event, Devon Nunes has exposed himself as to where his allegiance lies and what he thinks his job is. Apparently it’s not to protect health care for his constituents; he voted against it. Apparently it’s not to fix the water issues of the Valley; he’s done nothing. Apparently it’s not to communicate with or face his constituents unless he’s safely behind a mic on a radio show; he has been invisible here in the district he’s supposed to represent. Apparently it’s not to protect the Constitution and its laws nor honor his oath to do so. Apparently he thinks his job is to protect Donald Trump, regardless of the rule of law that may find Trump potentially guilty of breaking many laws. Under our Constitution, the duty of Congress is not to clear the President. The duty of Congress is to be a check and balance on the executive branch, and to pursue the facts wherever they may lead.
Devin Nunes should resign for perverting the oath he took.
www.fresnobee.com/...
UPDATE: This article online in the BEE August 15 does not mention climate change, but it clearly defends the newspaper against Nunes’ attacks: Nunes’ ad strategy: When you have no confidence in your message, attack the messenger
Nunes is campaigning against The Fresno Bee. The same “left-wing rag” that has endorsed him every two years since 2002.
What have we done to trigger Nunes into chipping off at least $30,000 from his $7 million war chest in an absurd, desperate attempt to discredit Central California’s leading news organization? Let’s sum up:
● We had the temerity to ask Nunes why he doesn’t hold town halls or do meet-and-greets with anyone except wealthy donors. (For this, he went on a petulant rant.)
● We reported Nunes is an investor in a Napa Valley winery, owned by a friend, that was sued by an employee for civil rights violations, intentional infliction of emotional distress and sexual harassment following a fundraiser held on a yacht.
● We, through our McClatchy D.C. colleagues, reported Nunes used political donations to pay for $15,000 worth of Boston Celtics tickets, nearly $43,000 on hotels, meals and site rentals in Las Vegas and thousands more on wineries and limousine service outside his district.
● The Bee’s editorial board called Nunes a “stooge” in a headline and charged him with “doing dirty work for House Republican leaders trying to protect President Donald Trump in the Russia investigation.”
Nunes may not appreciate being described in such a fashion. Except he himself all but confirmed it during a closed-door fundraiser that was secretly taped. Whoops.
● I, too, have been tough on Nunes, and for reasons that have nothing to do with Trump, Russia, collusion, deep states or Communist fish.
Why? Because after 16 years on Capitol Hill, you can’t point to any major legislative victories that benefit his constituents. Water? Not an extra drop. Immigration? Still no bill for farmworkers or Dreamers. Highway 99? Still dreadful. Tariffs on Valley-grown nuts and fruits? Not a peep….
What’s false? Please tell us. Not his eyebrow-raising campaign-donor spending. Not his financial ties to a Napa winery that got sued and settled. And certainly not his self-admitted protection of Trump, “or else this all goes away.”
The reporter says Nunes attack ads on the BEE suggest “he’s squirming behind the scenes.”