Big Oil Is Funding False Attacks On Dave Jones
Big Oil and its allies are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars attacking Dave Jones. Here’s the proof:
Click on the slides to see in greater detail
Previous
Next
Big Oil Is Attacking Dave Because He Fights For People, Not Corporations
Big Oil companies are attacking Dave because he has a record of fighting for Californians, not polluters. Dave is supported by the Sierra Club, California Environmental Voters, Sunrise Movement Sacramento, California Environmental Justice Alliance and the Democratic Party because he has a track record of protecting the environment.
As California’s Insurance Commissioner, Dave was the first financial regulator in the world to ask an entire industry to divest from coal, and the first to require insurance companies to disclose their investments in fossil fuels and utilities.
Dave’s Environmental Record
CLIMATE CHANGE
- Incentivized insurance companies to invest their reserves in green and clean technology development (AB-1011, 2010).
- Encouraged transit-oriented development by basing traffic mitigation fees on reduced auto trip generation data (AB-3005, 2008).
- Required insurance companies to disclose investments in fossil fuels and secured cooperation to divest $4 billion from the fossil fuel industry.
NATURAL RESOURCES & WILDLIFE
- Protected flood plains from overdevelopment by making local governments jointly liable for approving projects in protected areas (AB-666, 2008).
- Created stiff penalties for poaching sea otters and funded research into sea otter mortality (AB-2485, 2007).
- Raised fees on new greenfield developments to promote urban infill in Sacramento and prevent sprawl.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
- Directed federal funds to transportation projects that reduce vehicle miles traveled (SB-375, 2008).
- Incentivized development of low-cost student housing at UC and CSU campuses (Vetoed: AB-1221, 2006).
- Required developers to pay the costs of new firefighting capacity for developments in wilderness areas (Vetoed: AB-666, 2009; AB-2477, 2008).
CLEAN AIR & WATER
- Strengthened enforcement of diesel emission regulations, including anti-idling regulations (AB-233, 2007).
- Established a remote air pollution sensing program for locomotives to protect vulnerable communities (AB-1222, 2005)
- Required smog checks for all vehicles 15 years and older and assisted low-income drivers in obtaining smog check (Vetoed: AB-616, 2007).
Fact Check: Big Oil Is Pumping Out Lies
Here are the facts about the misleading attacks on Dave Jones.
Big Oil says: Dave Jones is beholden to insurance companies because
“Dave Loves Those Insurance $$$”
The truth: As California’s Insurance Commissioner, Dave refused to accept any campaign contributions from insurance companies or their executives. Dave was the most pro-consumer Insurance Commissioner in the United States, and he wrote and implemented landmark insurance regulations to protect consumers. Dave received campaign contributions from attorneys who work at law firms (almost every big law firm does some insurance work), but never accepted contributions from lawyers employed by insurance companies. The ultimate in hypocrisy is that insurance companies are helping to fund the false ads attacking Dave for supposedly being close with insurance companies! Here’s the proof:
Big Oil says: Dave “voted to slash money from schools and social services”.
The Truth: In the State Assembly, Dave wrote the law that created the California State Preschool Program, the largest pre-school and early education program in the country. Dave is an educator, and has always fought for more funding for public education and social services. Big Oil’s “evidence” is that, after the economy crashed in 2009, the state budget faced a huge shortfall, and the legislature was forced to balance the budget and cut spending until revenues came back. Dave fought in the Assembly to preserve as much funding as possible for public education and social services, but Big Oil doesn’t care about facts.
Dave is supported by:
Big Oil says: Dave had a political “slush fund” when he was on the City Council, and was “appearing to use $185,000 in taxpayer funds for political gain.”
The Truth: Members of the Sacramento City Council were each allocated $40,000 a year to spend on community and neighborhood improvement projects in their districts. Dave used these funds exclusively on community projects, and no one (including the big oil companies) has ever alleged that the money was spent improperly. But Big Oil companies don’t care about funding for community and neighborhood projects, so they’re calling the money allocated to councilmembers for projects a “slush fund.” As Insurance Commissioner, Dave helped to investigate and put corrupt politicians in prison, but Big Oil does not care about the facts. Dave has always fought corruption and stood up to political cronyism, which is why he earned the endorsement of the Courage Campaign, one of California’s leading organizations combating political corruption.
Big Oil Says: Dave Jones was sued because he allegedly failed to regulate out of state insurance adjustors
The Truth: The court decided that the lawsuit was completely without merit and issued a ruling in favor of Dave, in his capacity as California Insurance Commissioner. You can read the judge’s ruling here. Dave fought for wildfire victims, issued orders requiring insurers to accelerate pay-outs, and obtained hundreds of millions in payments for wildfire victims.
