Republican opponent Jeff Gorell’s support of Prop. 23
swayed by donations from oil companies
Ferial Masry, the Democratic nominee for California’s 37th Assembly District, affirmed her opposition to oil company-backed Proposition 23, which would repeal California’s world-renowned global warming legislation.
“Proposition 23 is a measure on the November ballot that would harm California’s environment, economy and exploding green jobs sector,” Masry said.
Masry’s positions sharply contrast with those of her Republican opponent Jeff Gorell, who supports Proposition 23, a measure aimed at eliminating California laws that protect our coastlines, air and water from the same special interests who donate to his campaign. Proposition 23’s main funding comes from the same oil companies that are funding Gorell’s campaign and for whom he has worked as a lobbyist in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Gorell has received more than $16,000 from the oil industry. He even proudly claimed that British Petroleum, the international oil giant responsible for the worst oil spill in U.S. history, “endorsed his ideas.”
“Once again, Jeff Gorell is doing big oil’s bidding,” said Masry. “Proposition 23 will discourage the creation of green jobs in California. I support green jobs and a clean environment, my neighbors support that. Jeff Gorell does not. We need a representative who will listen to us, not BP, Chevron, and Exxon.”
Jeff Gorell is a partner at the lobbying firm Paladin Principle, where his clients include Venoco Inc., an oil company that drills off the Santa Barbara coast. Venoco is a major contributor to Proposition 23. Public records disclose that he has also received campaign contributions from Prop. 23 backer Valero Energy Corporation and from Occidental Petroleum, one of the largest oil companies in the world. Occidental drills in Ventura and has assets in Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Libya and Bahrain.
“It’s time for Jeff to return his oil company contributions. Jeff, your hands are already dirty. Please don’t make our coastline dirty as well,” Masry said.
