FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 22, 2013

Contact:       Ruben Aronin, 310.612.5663
ruben@betterworldgroup.com

Big Oil Attempting to Buy Even MORE Influence in Sacramento?
Chevron Welcomes Lawmaker Into the Fold

It seems that Big Oil is attempting to buy ever more influence in Sacramento. Today Sen. Michael Rubio (D-Bakersfield) abruptly announced he is resigning from office in order to take a “government affairs” job at Chevron.

“For too long Chevron and Big Oil have been trying to buy influence over our  elected officials so they can keep gouging consumers, maintaining their oil monopoly, and polluting with impunity,” said Martha Dina Argüello, Executive Director, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles (PSR-LA).

Oil and gas companies spend more than $100 million a year to buy access to lawmakers in Washington and Sacramento. The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) alone has spent more than $16 million lobbying in Sacramento since 2009. Last quarter, Chevron made $3.3 million every hour[1].

“Given that Sen. Rubio comes from a place that suffers so much from the pollution caused by oil, I can only hope that he will help lead Chevron in a new direction. Perhaps he can persuade his new employer to stop working to tear apart the very regulations that the people in his district support because they will finally deliver on the promise of clean air and consumer choice,” said Kathryn Phillips, Director, Sierra Club California.

Voters want to get off oil and they want cleaner fuels. If Big Oil can’t succeed by winning votes, they’ve shown time and time again that they are willing to buy and sell influence in Sacramento.

About Stop Fooling California: StopFoolingCA (www.stopfoolingca.org) is an online and social media public education and awareness campaign that highlights oil companies’ efforts to mislead and confuse Californians.