Throughout his career, Jeff Gorell has repeatedly proven that he puts himself and special interests first, and middle class California families last. So for five days, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is highlighting the reasons why Jeff Gorell is a puppet of special interests and cannot be trusted.
Today’s reason: Jeff Gorell received large contributions from the oil and gas industry, lobbied for them, and was the lone vote in the state legislature against requiring more stringent pipeline safety standards after a horrific accident.
In case you missed it, here is the 1st reason Jeff Gorell is a special interest puppet who cannot be trusted.
“Jeff Gorell’s record of profiting from special interests like Big Oil and gas companies at the expense of middle class families tells Ventura County voters one thing loud and clear: he’s for sale to the highest bidder,” said Tyrone Gayle of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “It’s shameful that Jeff Gorell was the lone vote in the state legislature against more stringent pipeline safety standards after a horrific accident, but after seeing who’s been funding his campaigns over the years – it’s not surprising. Ventura voters deserve better than Jeff Gorell.”
BACKGROUND:
Accepted $36,600 from Oil & Gas Industry. From 2009 to 2013, Gorell accepted $36,600.00 from the oil and gas industry, including donations from BP, Chevron, and Exxon and Valero for his State Assembly campaigns. [California Secretary of State,accessed 9/9/14]
1996 – 1999: Worked for Lobbying Group that Represented Big Oil, Gas, and Tobacco. Between 1996 and 1999, Gorell served as Communications Director for the then-California Manufacturers Association (CMA), “advocate[ing] for job-growth legislation in the areas of taxes, regulations, workers compensation, tort reform, and trade law.” Indeed, Gorell described his role with CMA as one in which he “[c]reated strategies for powerful business lobby to work with business leaders, legislators, executive branch appointees and regulators to develop more business-friendly legislation.” According to the CMA (now-CMTA) website, CMA currently represents hundreds of companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil Corporation, Altria, and BP America, Inc. [Jeff Gorell campaign website, archived 6/17/13; Jeff Gorell LinkedIn page, accessed 7/01/14; CMTA Website, accessed 9/09/14]
Described as a “Lobbyist” by Ventura County Star and Los Angeles Times. In November 2010, Timm Herdt with the Ventura County Star stated that Gorell worked as a “lobbyist” for the now-California Manufacturers and Technology Association. Herdt: “Gorell worked in Sacramento as a lobbyist for the California Manufacturing and Technology Association while attaining his degree at McGeorge Law School.” [Timm Herdt column, Ventura County Star, 5/16/10; Los Angeles Times, 11/14/10]
Timm Herdt, Ventura County Star: Gorell’s Position “Clearly Included an Element of Lobbying.” “But, as he describes the job he held on his LinkedIn profile page, the position clearly included an element of lobbying.” [Timm Herdt blog, Ventura County Star, 9/04/14]
Americans Listed Lobbyists as Least Trustworthy Occupation. According to a December 2013 Gallup poll, only 6% of Americans view lobbyists as having “very high” or “high” honesty and ethical standards, beating out a long list of polled professions—including car salespeople—as the least trusted profession in the United States. [Gallup poll, 12/16/13]
Lone Vote Against Bill Requiring more Stringent Pipeline Safety Standards in Wake of Deadly Pipeline Blast. In August 2012, Gorell was the only state legislator to vote against a bill requiring the adoption of more stringent pipeline safety standards in wake of San Bruno pipeline explosion that killed eight people. Specifically, the bill required the California Public Utilities Commission to “adopt gas pipeline safety recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board, which oversees the nation’s pipeline infrastructure.” According to the bill’s author, Assemblyman Jerry Hill, the CPUC “ignored a recommendation from the NTSB that gas utilities avoid using brittle plastic pipe for transmission lines—the same type of pipe that ruptured and ignited a fire in a Cupertino condominium in August 2011.” The bill passed 79 to 1 in the Assembly, 37-0 in the Senate, and was signed by Governor Brown. [AB-578, 8/30/12; San Bruno Patch, 9/24/12]