Chris Deschene--candidate for Az Sec of State

[panader0]

Acouple of days ago I posted about Chris' candidacy and had two replies from one post new DUers saying that Chris had deep ties to big coal. I wrote to the campaign and received a prompt and personal reply:



Hi Doug,


I wanted to take a moment to reply to your e-mail that you sent the campaign last night.


Our primary opponent has been spreading rumors around that are not true in the slightest about some kind of coal connection Chris has, and it couldn't be farther from the truth. When Chris is not serving in the legislature, his regular day job is with his law firm, where he is a partner. This law firm works with tribes from across the country helping them gain access and resources for clean energy development, mostly solar and wind. Over 90% of the firms that Chris deals with deal solely with clean energy, and he does extensive work in getting many tribes, including ones in Arizona, access to renewable sources.


The one minor blip that our primary opponent is focusing on is the energy the Navajo Nation uses. The Navajo Nation does use coal, but they are working hard to attain access to renewable energy. Many families on the reservation do not have access to any kind of power at all, and in the meantime, before the tribe can get the contracts and tools needed to start alternative energy development, they are needing to use coal. Without it, thousands of families on the reservation would have access to no power at all.


Chris has been working for a few years now to get the Navajo Nation access to some contracts to build alternative energy sources, but they haven't had the success they would have hoped for. He's still continuing that work, along with many others.


I can promise you that Chris believes very strongly in alternative energy and making Arizona one of the solar capitals of the United States, and his record shows that he's fought to do just that. If you look at his votes in the legislature, he has an extremely green record, and can match up with any other Democratic legislator in office. He's told me multiple times that if he had his way, the tribes he's working with would be 100% energy independent and only use renewable resources. Unfortunately, the infrastructure is not there yet, so until they have access to that infrastructure, they have to use something to power their homes. It's an unfortunate scenario, but until the resources are in place to deliver renewable energy, the tribes, being located so far away from many of the major power plants in Arizona, have to rely on their own resources, which, for the moment, includes coal.


As far as campaign contributors go, we haven't received a single dime from coal companies. Absolutely none. I know this because I've seen all the contributions. Chris is not in touch with them, hasn't received money from them, and doesn't meet them with at all.


We hope to have your support going forward in the Democratic primary. Our primary opponent, who has no voting record or electoral history to speak of, is grasping for straws and trying to create a fake controversy here.


I urge you to contact me again if you have any questions.

--
Sean Bowie
[e-mail]

[blondeatlast]

1. So Deschene is a threat? so much so that a rumor campaign is up and running?

I think that is WONDERFUL news! :bounce: Go Chris!

[JCW]

2. Clean Coal is an oxymoron

I am an environmentalist first and a Democrat second, some things are just more important than politics. Call me Mother Earth's guardian. Don't take my word for it, look at these articles. I think Al Gore would have a bone to pick with that comment on global warming.

http://azdailysun.com/news/article_71442acb-ff5e-5cb1-ac10-8913ae363130.html?print=1

http://www.pe.com/business/local/stories/PE_Biz_D_coalplant25.2665669.html