League of Conservation Voters

The League of Conservation Voters has endorsed U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Tempe) Tuesday in his re-election bid against Republican challenger David Schweikert, the organization announced.

"Congressman Mitchell has done a remarkable job in his first term, working across the aisle to pass meaningful legislation that promotes clean energy, energy efficiency and holds oil companies responsible," said League of Conservation Voters president Gene Karpinksi. "His hard work will help create thousands of new jobs in Arizona, cleaner air and safer water for Arizona families."

"Harry Mitchell has stood up for Arizona's environment during his time as mayor and at the state capitol," said Catlin. "We knew he would take that commitment to Washington and he has delivered. We are thrilled to send him back."

It’s been a busy week for outside groups in the hotly contested Senate race and the environmental organization League of Conservation Voters is the latest to hit the airwaves.

“Every drop of water is precious to the Western Slope,” an announcer says in the 30-second television ad. “But Bob Schaffer supported giving state government a $2 billion blank check to take water away from the Western Slope and send it to front-range developers. Schaffer has accepted over $400,000 from developers, dipping his fingers further into special interests and leaving Colorado high and dry.”

An LCV spokesperson did not specify the size of the media buy, but said the ad would be running in the Grand Junction media market.

The League of Conservation Voters has endorsed U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter's (D-Rochester) re-election campaign.

Gene Karpinski, president of LCV, praised Shea-Porter's stance on the environment and commitment to renewable energy sources.

Both the National League of Conservation Voters and the Oregon League of Conservation Voters came out in support of U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-Portland) on Thursday.

With energy and the environment emerging as hot button topics this election year, two environment-focused advocacy groups are spending heavily in competitive House and Senate races in Colorado.

The League of Conservation Voters is coming out strongly for Democrat Mark Udall in his run for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Loveland). The organization has sunk more than $565,000 into two television advertisements slamming Udall’s Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer.

Earlier this week, Defenders of Wildlife PAC began airing two television advertisements targeting U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, who is engaged in a competitive race with Democrat Betsy Markey. The organization has purchased about $200,000 in television airtime and spent about $12,000 to produce the ads.

Ethan Strimling’s campaign has settled a dispute with the League of Conservation Voters.

On Friday, the League sent a letter to the campaign accusing Strimling and his staff of violating intellectual property rights, and threatening legal action. Officials from LCV said that old literature from Strimling’s 2006 state Senate campaign was handed out during his current campaign for the Democratic nomination in the First Congressional District.

The literature discussed Strimling’s endorsement by LCV – which did happen in 2006. In his current race, however, the League had endorsed opponent Chellie Pingree.

The League of Conservation Voters unveiled a new TV ad this week criticizing Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer's ties to oil and gas companies.

The ad, featuring a gradually growing oily fingerprint, features a narrator stating:

"What kind of mark has Bob Schaffer made as a politician? He's left a definite imprint, accepting over $150,000 in campaign contributions from oil and gas interests and voting in Congress to give oil and gas companies over $13 billion in tax breaks. As a politician and corporate oil executive, Bob Schaffer has had all of his fingers in Big Oil. Colorado deserves cleaner representation in the Senate."

Schaffer manager Dick Wadhams responded by noting that the LCV was fined $180,000 by the Federal Election Commission in December 2006 for funding pro-Kerry and anti-Bush canvassing without registering with the FEC or reporting donors and contributions to the agency, as political action committees are required to do. 

POLL: Will Bob Schaffer take any significant hit from the League of Conservation Voters' new TV ad?

The League of Conservation Voters, a Washington, D.C.-based national environmental group, will unveil a new TV ad Wednesday questioning Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer's environmental record.

The ad, called "Fingerprints," will raise "critical questions about former Congressman Bob Schaffer, who earned a place on LCV's Dirty Dozen List for consistently voting with Big Oil and against Colorado values," according to a LCV press release.

The group will screen the new ad Wednesday at the State Capitol, the release stated.

CD1 candidate Chellie Pingree, D-North Haven, has recently picked up two endorsements.

Today her campaign announced an endorsement by the United Auto Workers based at Bath Iron Works.