Gordon Smith Fights for Campaign Contributors then Tries to Trick Oregonians

Press Release

After nearly 12 years of voting for polluters and against the environment, Republican Gordon Smith today is bragging about a few election year flip-flops. Smith has spent his years in Washington D.C. working on behalf of the same special interests that have supported his campaign, and then flip-flopped on important issues right before an election in an effort to fool Oregon voters.

Fact: Oil companies have given Gordon Smith $271,000

Fact: Forest Product companies have given Gordon Smith $758,000

Fact: Mining companies have given Gordon Smith $29,550

What have these industries gotten in return...? A 28.9 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters.

Fact: After voting against increasing fuel standards to 40 miles per gallon over 11 years. [Senate vote #157, 6/23/05], this year Smith voted for increasing CAFE standards. [Senate vote #226, 6/21/07]

"For nearly 12 years Republican Gordon Smith has fought for big oil companies and big polluters and ignored the interests of regular Oregonians," said Matt Canter, Merkley campaign spokesman. "If the big oil and energy companies, the mining industry, and the forest-product corporations issued scorecards for the Senators they count on - Gordon Smith would get an "A" rating."

"Smith takes special interest money, votes their interest, and then pretends he is fighting for what real people care about. Regular Oregonians care about clean air, about maintaining this beautiful landscape, and about protecting the state's precious natural resources. People in Oregon are tired of the politics as usual. They want a U.S. Senator just like them, who will fight for what they care about - not what the special interests want."

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