Monday's Chronicle contained a detailed analysis of the heavily promoted T.
Boone Pickens energy plan that involves generating more electricity through
wind power and switching a large number of motor vehicles to natural gas
(see the story on line at
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/01/MNO512K43O.DTL
<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/01/MNO512K43O.DTL&
hw=pickens&sn=001&sc=1000> &hw=pickens&sn=001&sc=1000). The article failed
to mention the fact that the family of San Francisco's Congresswoman,
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has a $100,000+ investment in Picken's natural gas
firm, Clean Energy Fuels (http://www.cleanenergyfuels.com). The Pelosi
family increased its exposure to Clean Energy Fuels by over $50,000 in 2007.
News of the investment may be found at the Winning Green web site
(http://www.winningreen.com/site/epage/66912_621.htm) which links to a copy
of Pelosi's federal financial disclosure form on OpenSecrets
(http://pfds.opensecrets.org/N00007360_2007.pdf).
While this story has been kicking around right wing alternative media
interested in attacking Pelosi's opposition to offshore drilling, it should
also interest local progressives. After all, why should someone with a
large financial interest in a firm that stands to profit from certain energy
policies be able to exert so much influence on these policies? Honest
governance dictates that the Pelosi family divest itself of this holding,
or, better yet, place all of its corporate investments in a blind trust.
I think a letter to the editor of the Chronicle would be in order here.
I've been published a few times recently and thus doubt that I could get in.
I hope someone else can rise to the occasion.
Marc
P.S. - Two on-line commenters mentioned the connection on SFGate. I've
reprinted one of their comments below. Unfortunately, I don't think these
web comments are nearly as well read as traditional letters to the editor.
TWO THINGS: (1) T.Boone was the KINGPIN in a company back in the 70's in
Texas named LO-VACA GATHERING COMPANY, which was the biggest in the WORLD.
NOT "LA-VACA"... LO-VACA.... He is pushing natural gas because HE IS NATURAL
GAS. NO WONDER HE THINKS THIS WILL WORK - HE'S BEEN SITTING ON HUNDREDS OF
CAPPED NATURAL GAS WELLS WHICH have been capped FOR DECADES due to the
depressed ( relatively ) prices of natural gas. (2) NOT A WORD IN THE
ARTICLE ABOUT THE FACT THAT PELOSI & HER HUSBAND HAVE INVESTED $ 250,000 +
IN NATURAL GAS.... IS that why she wouldn't allow the Congress to vote for
or against DRILLING FOR OUR OWN OIL ?? Do you NOT REALIZE or are you NOT
WILLING TO ADMIT that the price of CRUDE OIL has gone down from $ 147 to
about $ 111 ( closing price today ) DUE SOLELY TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS
HUGE DISCUSSION ABOUT DRILLING FOR OUR OWN!! SAVE your BS about the "Euro
vs. the Dollar" crap - it ain't enough to affect THAT MUCH of a drop in
price ( $ 36 drop ).