05-10-07 by dugan
The Sacramento CBS affiliate, Channel 2, went out to gas stations yesterday and asked folks what they thought of OilWatchdog’s demand that Gov. Schwarzenegger return his $100,000 donation from Chevron, which was sent May 1 just as prices hit new record highs. Drivers said the donation was “completely outrageous,” had “at least an air of inappropriateness,” and that the 100K should have gone to reduce prices at the pump. I’m gonna hire these fellas as spokesmen. (short video clip here)
The governor’s spokesman, of course, said he saw nothing wrong with the Chevron big bucks and no, the governor wouldn’t think of returning it.
The anchors and reporter Kris Pickel ably described OilWatchdog’s request that the Gov and Legislature quit their silent man routine and call a special session on gasoline prices. The stations’ morning-show version of the report was more of the arm-waving and eye-rolling “Well, what can anyone do” variety. You be the judge. (Another short clip).
Here’s what we’d like to know: In 2004, Schwarzenegger said he returned a $100,000 donation from California oil driller New West Petroleum, after the company president asked to speak with him about policy concerns at a fund-raiser. Does this mean that if Chevron had “policy concerns”, he’d return the money? Gosh, it’s nice to know Chevron wants nothing from state government, even though it spent tens of millions of dollars last year to defeat Proposition 87, the oil profit tax for alternative energy, and has a flotilla of lobbyists in Sacramento seeking to block legislation it doesn’t like.