Continued Hypocrisy of "Conservation" Groups

Previously, we highlighted how the group Conservation Voters of PA lambasted Tom Corbett for receiving campaign contributions from the Anadarko company PAC – but failing to note Gov. Rendell gave the same company a no-bid contract to drill on Pennsylvania state lands, or that PennFuture received direct corporate contributions from BP, or that Arlen Specter received even more contributions from the Anadarko PAC.

Instead of correcting their oversight, they joined with Keystone Progress, furthering their blatant hypocrisy and partisan electioneering. You can read their full missive on Capitol Ideas, oddly posted without a snarky comment. Here is an email I sent them (in the hopes that perhaps this time they will end their hypcrisy, or at least start filing campaign finance reports with the state for their election work):

Michael and Josh,

Thanks for your alert demanding Tom Corbett return campaign contribution he got from the Anadarko PAC (though PAC money comes from individuals, not the corporation), because Anadarko owned 25% of the Deepwater Horizon rig.

I am hopeful that. since you are truly concerned about the environment and not simply engaging in partisan attacks to influence elections, you will call on others to return their oil spill money.

Call on Sen. Arlen Specter to give back the $10,000 he got from Anadarko for his failed 2010 re-election effort.

Call on Gov. Rendell to rescind the no-bid contract he gave Anadarko to lease state forest lands for less than the going market price.

Call out so-called environmental groups which accepted direct corporate contributions from BP – including PennFuture, which took $40,000 – and have yet to return the money. This funding of course, unlike PAC money, could actually be used to clean up the Gulf.

If you truly care about the issue, you will call on Sen. Specter to return the money, Gov. Rendell to rescind the Anadarko contract, and PennFuture to return the BP money. If not, your call on Corbett to return PAC funds comes across as nothing more than a partisan stunt.