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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 13, 2010
Contacts: Kate Geller, LCV (202) 454-4573
Maggie Kao, Sierra Club (202) 675-2384
New TV Ad in Perriello Race from League of Conservation Voters and Sierra Club
*** VIEW THE AD HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--uVEExeFes
***
Robert Hurt Puts Uranium Business Ties over Community Interest
Charlottesville, VA
- Today the League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club jointly released
a new television ad highlighting Virginia’s
5th District GOP candidate Robert Hurt and his father's ties to the
uranium industry. While serving as a Virginia
state senator, Hurt voted in favor of industry interests and against public
health, allowing uranium mining projects to move forward, despite evidence that
uranium mining can lead to radioactive contamination of air and ground water,
causing cancer and birth defects. The six-figure buy will have the ad
running on broadcast and cable in the district through the end of the election.
“With his father's connections to the uranium industry, and a moratorium on the
mining already in place, Robert Hurt has tough questions to answer about his
position on risky uranium mining in Virginia,”
said Cathy Duvall, Sierra Club’s Political Director. “We are working to get the
word out that we can’t let extremists like Robert Hurt vote for their own
business interests over the interests of Virginians.”
Hurt is a Tea Party-supported candidate who opposes legislation to create more
jobs, less pollution and greater security by refusing to hold corporate
polluters accountable for their share of climate change pollution.
“Voters in Virginia’s fifth district have a choice this election: they can vote
for Robert Hurt who would side with corporate polluters over Virginia families,
or they can re-elect Tom Perriello who has proven his commitment to bringing
new clean energy jobs to Virginia and making America less dependent on foreign
oil,” said Tony Massaro, LCV’s Senior Vice President for Political Affairs.
“Hurt’s support for the failed dirty energy policies of the past makes him the
wrong choice for Virginia.”
Both the LCV Action Fund and the Sierra Club have endorsed Tom Perriello for
his strong leadership on clean energy legislation.
The TV ad can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--uVEExeFes
///
Transcript:
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Audio
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Visual
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Backup
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VO:
It was a shocking conflict of interest.
A key vote on the future of Uranium mining.
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CHYRON:
Shocking Conflict of interest
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“'Hurt concedes he's in an
'uncomfortable situation' because his father, retired Readers' Digest editor
Henry Hurt, is an investor and actively involved in Virginia Uranium.”
(WPCVA, January 9, 2008)
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VO:
Robert Hurt should have stepped aside – but he
voted yes.
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CHYRON:
Voted Yes
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Hurt's vote in favor of
conducting the study to determine if uranium mining is safe: SB 525,
Virginia State Senate Vote, 2/12/08
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+vot+SV0382SB0525+SB0525
Text of the bill: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+ful+SB525ES2
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VO:
Maybe its because Hurt’s father has a financial interest in Uranium mining –
or because Hurt has taken thousands from Uranium interests.
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CHYRON:
Father Has A Financial Interest in Uranium
Taken Thousands From Uranium Interests.
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Robert Hurt is the son of
Henry Hurt, co-financier and developer of the project.
“Sen. Robert Hurt, a Pittsylvania Republican, is the son of a project
investor.”
(Richmond Times Dispatch, March 9, 2008)
“Thirty other people have invested in the company, several of whom live in
the area, including Henry Hurt, a former editor for Reader's Digest. Hurt's
son Robert served three terms in the House before winning his Senate seat.”
List of donors to Robert Hurt as a delegate is found here.
They include $1,500 from Walter Cole, the executive vice president of
Virginia Uranium, and $7,000 from Henry Hurt, his father, and co-financier
and developer of the project.
According to the Washington Post on January 2, 2008, Hurt’s father had financial interest in the
uranium lode discovered in southern Virginia.
“Uranium Lode in Va. Is Feared, Coveted”, Washington Post, 1/2/2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/01/AR2008010101811_pf.html
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VO:
Uranium pollution can cause cancer and birth defects.
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CHYRON:
Can Cause Cancer
and Birth Defects.
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Scientific studies have
shown that exposure to uranium ore can lead to radiation poisoning, cancer
and other defects. Uranium mining can also radioactively contaminate
underground water and soil.
“Technical Report on Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive
Materials from Uranium Mining. Volume 2: Investigation of Potential
Health, Geographic, and Environmental Issues of Abandoned Uranium Mines”, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Radiation and Indoor Air, Radiation Protection Division, August 2007. http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/docs/tenorm/402-r-08-005-volii/402-r-08-005-v2.pdf
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VO:
But Robert Hurt voted his interest – not yours.
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CHYRON:
Robert Hurt Voted
His Interest – Not Yours.
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VO:
The League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club are responsible for the
content of this advertising
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CHYRON:
The League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club are responsible for the
content of this advertising. Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters, www.lcv.org,
and the Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
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Paid for by the League of Conservation Voters, www.lcv.org,
and Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org,
and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee
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