He’s “One of the Biggest Threats to Planet Earth on Planet Earth”

I’m pretty sure that I’ll be the only one mentioning this to you, but on Tuesday, we have a chance to take out the reigning king of the polluters, Rep. Fred Upton, the Republican Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The Los Angeles Times has called Fred Upton “one of the biggest threats to Planet Earth on Planet Earth.”

Upton has tried to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas pollution. He says that Congress’s failure to act against climate disruption – a failure that he is largely responsible for – means that the EPA must sit on its hands, as well. Upton says that doing anything to fight carbon pollution would “hamstring our economic recovery.”

But Upton’s not all bad. He cosponsored a bill to make light bulbs more energy efficient. Then he led the fight to prevent President Obama from enforcing it.

Let me put it this way: When Upton was an infant, his first words were “drill, baby, drill.”

Pollution defender Fred Upton has got to go. Click here to make a last-minute contribution to his opponent, progressive Democrat Paul Clements.

Prof. Lawrence Lessig runs MAYDAY PAC, the “PAC to end all PACs,” which is dedicated to countering special-interest sewer money in politics. Lessig has this to say about Upton:

“When it comes to Fred Upton, the link between the people who fund his campaigns and the way he votes in Congress is crystal-clear. . . . Upton has taken $10 million in special interest PAC money over his career. He took $2.1 million from Big Oil and energy interests, and [then] he voted to give away billions in subsidies for oil and gas companies. MAYDAY decided to work to defeat Fred Upton because he is the epitome of the modern corrupt politician.”

MAYDAY PAC is spending over $2 million in grassroots small-dollar donations to defeat Fred Upton.

What about you? Do you want to join the grassroots donors who support MAYDAY PAC, and help Paul Clements defeat Fred Upton next Tuesday?

A right-wing special-interest PAC called the “American Future Fund” (don’t fake names like that make you want to barf?) is spending heavily to defend Upton. Here is what they have to say in Upton’s defense: “Upton has led the fight to . . . approve the Keystone Pipeline.” The Keystone Pipeline! NASA climate scientist James Hansen says that if the Keystone Pipeline is built, “it’s game-over for the planet.”

And Upton’s district is not the kind of district where you can sell out to the oil and gas industry, and expect cheers for that. In 2008, President Obama won Upton’s current district by eight points. And in 2012 in Upton’s district, Michigan’s “favorite son,” Mitt Romney, eked out a one-point victory over President Obama.

If we can’t win in a district like this, then we can’t win anywhere. Donate today, and let’s show Fred Upton that he can’t sell out his district, his country, the whole freakin’ planet! – and expect to get away with it.

Upton’s opponent is Paul Clements, a political science professor at Western Michigan University. Clements isn’t pulling any punches: he says that environmental protection is THE issue. He is running against Upton because defeating Upton means defeating climate change. Clements wants to bring more clean-energy jobs to Michigan.

It looks like Clements has Upton on the run. A poll last week showed Clements down by only four points, within the margin of error, with ten percent of the voters still undecided. Clements has momentum. He can win.

With our help, Paul Clements can beat Fred Upton. Your contribution today will help Clements get out his vote on Tuesday. Do something nice for Planet Earth today – help us defeat Fred Upton.

Courage,

Rep. Alan Grayson