Saenz Calls On Opponent To Return Thousands in Campaign Cash From Major Utility That Raised Electric Rates and Spread Acid RainDemocratic Challenger Says Incumbent
Pocketed Political Donations from Company While Families Paid 56 Percent More For Electricity
(EDINBURG) — Democratic House challenger Eddie Saenz today called on his opponent to return thousands of dollars in campaign donations from a major utility company that has raised electricity rates on middle-class families and small businesses and this week received one of the biggest environmental fines in history for producing chemical emissions that are responsible for spreading acid rain across America.
“My opponent should return this cash and apologize to South Texas for once again putting his new Austin political friends ahead of his own community,” Saenz said.
The company, American Electric Power (AEP), has helped bankroll the political career of incumbent State Representative Aaron Pena, donating at least $4,500 to him over the same period that electricity rates went up an average of 56 percent, according to an investigative report by the Houston Chronicle.
Earlier this year, AEP was forced to rebate more than $64 million the company had overcharged South Texas families. The utility serves the cities of McAllen and Harlingen.
In addition, the company this week agreed to settle a federal lawsuit and spend $4.6 billion to reduce chemical emissions from coal-fired plants it operates in state from Ohio to West Virginia. Scientists agree that those emissions cause acid rain and contribute to global warming.
Pena, who was recently named as having the worst environmental record of any Democrat in the Texas House, voted to block a study to reduce global warming emission during the legislative session earlier this year. He also voted to create new taxpayer-funded subsidies for coal burning power plants and to weaken emission standards for those plants.
Texas Utilities/TXU, the major company pushing for subsidized coal plants, donated at least $2,500 to his campaigns.
“South Texas families and small businesses pay some of the highest electric rates in the country,” Saenz said. “Now we know part of the reason why — because my opponent would rather take their money than save us money.”
Saenz is running for the Democratic nomination for State Representative, District 40, in the March 4, 2007, primary election.
