Kendrick Meek Rejects Sierra Club Co-Endorsement
"Kendrick: This election is about taking a stand and fighting for principles you believe in."
MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. -- Kendrick Meek issued a statement following the Sierra Club's co-endorsement announcement in Florida's U.S. Senate race.
"This election is about taking a stand and fighting for principles you believe in. Today's Sierra Club co-endorsement is an insult to Florida's environmental community. The Sierra Club has chosen to stand with a governor who stood on stage applauding as Sarah Palin chanted, 'Drill, Baby, Drill,' a governor who signed a law making it easier for big developers to drain the Everglades, a governor who endorsed a bill that would have allowed drilling just three miles away from Florida beaches, and a governor who used polluter talking points to attack climate change legislation.
"For years, I have stood with everyday Floridians and the environmental community against Big Oil and the big developers who want to pollute our great state. I have consistently stood against drilling since day one and took on some members of my own party in the process. I fought against developers draining the Everglades and worked hard to ensure that any development occurs responsibly.
"I cannot in good conscience accept an endorsement from an organization that would stand with a governor who has consistently put developers, oil companies and the special interests first. I choose to stand with the environmental community and everyday Floridians who want clean energy jobs, clean water, and clean beaches. It's an insult to Florida's environmental community and Sierra Club members that the organization would endorse a governor who, in the organization's own words, 'sold out to developers' by 'failing to veto even the worst bills.' While I agree that Marco Rubio is an unacceptable choice for Florida's environment, Charlie Crist is also an unacceptable choice. We should all take a stand and, in doing so, I respectfullydecline the Sierra Club's co-endorsement."
Below is a series of statements the Sierra Club has made criticizing Governor Crist for taking stands that hurt Florida's environment:
Sierra Club Urged Crist to Veto SB 2080. The July 2009 Sierra Club Florida Sentry wrote that, "Next up is SB 2080 - a terrible bill that would give the executive directors of the five water management districts the sole power to decide the fate of water withdrawals from our rivers and aquifer. Tell Crist to veto this bill! [Sierra Club Florida Sentry, July 2009]
Sierra Club: "Crist Takes An Ugly Turn." The July 2009 Sierra Club Florida Sentry wrote, "Our 'environmental' Governor has sold out to developers. Crist signed SB 360 which is designed to spur construction by eliminating requirements that force developers to pay for road and other transportation improvements. It also grants broad exemptions to the state's chief mechanism for regulating growth across multiple jurisdictions." [Sierra Club Florida Sentry, July 2009]
Sierra Club: Crist Vetoed None of the 2009 Bills We Wanted Him To, Including SB 2080 and SB 360. According to the Summer 2009 Sierra Club Florida Pelican, "Governor Crist especially let us down, failing to veto even the worst bills." They cited Crist's signing "SB 360 guts a major part of growth management in Florida," and "SB 2080 eliminates transparency and restricts public input into Water Management District Governing Board decisions." [Sierra Club Florida Pelican, Summer 2009]
Suwanee-St. John's Group Sierra Club: Crist Refused Vetoing Anti-Smart Growth Bills to Avoid Alienating Wealthy Donors for his U.S. Senate Campaign. In July 2009, the Suwanee-St. John's Group Sierra Club's Newsletter stated, "There was some hope that Gov. Charlie Crist would veto the most outrageous bills, with Florida Sierra Club campaigning vigorously for vetoes of five bills. Crist was not willing to alienate wealthy backers that he would need for the US Senate race so developers won on these veto requests 5-0." [Suwanee-St. John's Group Sierra Club Newsletter, July 2009]
Sierra Club: Despite Outcry from Environmentalists and Growth Management Activists, Crist Signed SB 360. According to the August 2009 Sierra Club Florida Sentry, "On June 1, Gov. Crist, over the objections of environmentalists, growth- management activists, and many local governments, signed Senate Bill 360, euphemistically known as the 'Community Renewal Act.' There has been outcry and lawsuits throughout Florida following Crist's controversial action." [Sierra Club Florida Sentry, August 2009]