Antonio Villaraigosa, a candidate for the 2018 election for Governor of California, has pledged to reject campaign contributions from the oil industry, and to put the health of families, our climate, and our democracy ahead of industry profits.
Villaraigosa’s announcement means that four out of four major Democratic candidates for governor have now signed the pledge. Delaine Eastin signed in May, John Chiang signed in August, and Gavin Newsom signed in September.
“I’m delighted to see that all of the major candidates for governor have shown real political courage,” said RL Miller, cofounder of Climate Hawks Vote. “The oil industry has infiltrated and dominated California politics for too long – Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature cap and trade extension bill, AB398, literally began as an oil industry wish list – and I applaud anyone willing to stand up and say no.”
Miller will join other clean money advocates in Sacramento on Thursday, January 25 to present signatures from over 80,000 Californians demanding that all California politicians stop taking oil money. The press conference will begin at 11:30 AM on the north steps of the Capitol, 1100 L St., Sacramento, CA.
The movement began last fall when over 75 candidates for the Massachusetts State Legislature – including 40 current state legislators of both parties– signed a similar pledge spearheaded by 350 Mass Action, followed by over 25 candidates/electeds in California signing a similar pledge at the California Democratic Party convention.
