Climate change deniers at Tx Dept of Ag

Wasteful Grandstanding
While most Texans were spending their time this week hoping for some meaningful rainfall, my opponent Todd Staples was busy getting his face on television and his name in what seems like every newspaper in Texas.

Although the program my opponent was promoting, the TDA's federally funded Summer Nutrition Program, is a wonderful program that feeds thousands of needy children all summer, Todd Staples was busy taking a chunk out of the program's money, in effect taking food out of the mouths of the least among us, by running up the bill on the administrative costs--namely, advertising.

Last year alone, my opponent took nearly four million dollars out of a program to feed Texas Children by spending large sums of money on administration, promotion, and advertising. Although the Texas Department of Agriculture has previously refused to disclose the full amount the agency paid for advertising, at least $80,000 went just to make television ads featuring Todd Staples himself!

It’s official! We’re closing the gap on Todd Staples!

According to a new Texas Tribune Poll released this morning, Hank Gilbert is closing the gap on Todd Staples and out-performing nearly every other statewide Democratic candidate on our party’s ticket!

Hank is presently polling 28 percent to Staples’ 39.

“When we examine the results of the Tribune’s poll in contrast with the results of other Tribune polls from the primary, taking into account the fact that the Tribune typically under-samples in areas where we have our biggest strength and over-samples Republicans overall, we believe the reality is that we’re very close to neck-and-neck with Todd Staples,” said campaign spokesperson Vince Leibowitz.

According to the poll, Hank leads Staples significantly among African Americans, as well as among Hispanics. Among moderate voters, Hank leads Staples a whopping 38.9 percent to 13.9 percent, and Hank is even gaining significant ground with light Republicans, polling 17.1 percent of that demographic.

“We’re pleased with these results and believe they show just how strong of a campaign we are really running,” said Hank Gilbert.

PoltiFact Check 6/7/10
Staples says EPA regulation of greenhouse gases endangers Texas farms, dairy plants and cattle operations

Todd Staples, the state agriculture commissioner, this year joined Gov. Rick Perry and Attorney General Greg Abbott in objecting to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designating half a dozen greenhouse gases as endangering public health.

Staples says on his campaign website, which we visited in late May, that he’s fighting the December "endangerment" finding because the consequences would be disastrous for Texas farmers who, he implies, would suffer from government monitoring and regulation of gases emitted by animals and equipment.

"Companies that will be endangered in Texas include 575 dairy facilities, 58 swine operations (and) 1,300 corn farms," Staples says. "No industry is more threatened than the cattle industry. If this rule is implemented, an estimated 28,000 beef cattle operations in Texas will fall under EPA regulation."

(snip)
The commish had a basis for his numbers in the 2008 USDA letter.

But his assumption that farms would be subject to the regulations expired when the EPA issued its final rule weeks ago. Since, Staples has neither adjusted nor reasonably explained his outdated complaint.

His statement is False.