National Dems defend Rep. Space on 'cap and trade' bill

After the Ohio Coal Association went after U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, for his vote in favor of energy legislation that the OCA says will cost Ohioans jobs, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee came back swinging at a former Ohio University conservative activist who now does some legal work for the OCA.

Space represents Ohio's 18th Congressional District, which includes the northern portion of Athens County. He joined the majority of House Democrats in narrowly passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 with a vote of 219 to 212.

The county's other congressman, U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville, was one of 44 Democrats to vote against the legislation. Wilson represents Ohio's 6th Congressional District, which includes the city of Athens and most of the county.

The centerpiece of the legislation is a "cap-and-trade" program that sets a ceiling on emissions of heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and allows polluting industries to trade emission permits or allowances to meet it.

With the U.S. Senate now looking to vote on a similar bill, the OCA has put up approximately a dozen billboards in the 18th District reading: "Like a puppet on a string, Congressman Space danced to (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi's tune in voting for the National Energy tax. Sen. Sherrod Brown, don't make the same mistake."

DCCC spokesperson Gabby Adler rallied behind Space, saying he helped to secure $150 billion in clean-coal technologies to secure a future for Ohio coal.

"While Zack Space is working hard to bring long-term economic relief to the local Appalachian economy, these operatives are on a mission to distort the truth and smear the congressman's record," Adler said. "These underhanded tactics are nothing short of shameful and should be condemned."

Information provided by the DCCC said that Republican activist Scott Pullins serves the OCA through his Pullins law firm, as well as his public affairs firm, The Pullins Group.

"Throughout Pullins' disreputable career, he has been criticized by people in his own party for his sleazy tactics... Now, Scott Pullins is applying his dirty, underhanded tactics to the Ohio Coal Association attempt to smear Zack Space's record in Congress," reads a forward to the list of newspaper quotes and information slamming Pullins.

The information points to a Twitter page entry by Pullins that appeared to support the OCA efforts.

"I'm blogging about a new campaign from my client, the Ohio Coal Association, to target Congressional Turncoats!" the tweet reads.

Pullins said, however, that he has had little involvement in the OCA campaign.

"I have reviewed one or more phone scripts and/or radio scripts to ensure that they comply with federal and state election law," Pullins said of his involvement as counsel to the OCA. "I did post a copy of an article about this campaign on my weblog."

Pullins said that most of his work for the OCA concerns the organization's compliance with complicated federal and state election laws.

"I support this campaign but have no role in it to speak of," Pullins said.

OCA President Mike Carey said that Pullins did not work with his organization to develop the campaign.

"This is not politically motivated," Carey said. "This has everything to do with a very bad vote. No matter how they try to spin it, cap-and-trade kills jobs in southeastern and eastern Ohio. Period."

Carey said that the DCCC doesn't want to talk about the legislation itself, but would rather use misdirection.

"They don't want to talk about the issue, obviously," Carey said. "That is so far removed, I can't even see the correlation at all. That's unbelievable."

Space said in a release at the time of his vote that the legislation would make unprecedented investments in Ohio's coal industry, creating thousands of jobs.

Carey acknowledged that his association has donated to Space in the past, which includes a $1,000 contribution on Feb. 10 of this year, but he said it will not do so again unless Space apologizes for "voting against the coal miners."

At the time of his vote, Rep. Space said the bill would create thousands of jobs in Ohio and generate opportunities for local industries, as well as ensuring that savings would be passed directly to consumers.

A release from Space claimed that 59,000 lower-income households in the 18th District would see a net income gain from the legislation, thanks to offset payment provisions that Space secured.

"I worked with and also stood up to members of both parties to make sure this bill protects Ohio businesses while laying the groundwork for new jobs and lower prices for Ohio consumers," Space said at the time. "From securing a future for Ohio coal to creating new opportunities for our steelworkers and our manufacturers, it is time we finally declare our energy independence, making our nation stronger, more prosperous, and more secure."

But Carey, who testified before a Senate committee on the matter, predicted that this bill, if passed, will kill the coal industry.

"If you vote on a bill that kills the coal industry, you're not voting in the best interest of the hard-working people in your district," Carey said, "period."

Carey disputed Space's claims that the legislation helps the coal industry, saying there are no such provisions in the bill.

"This bill is bad for coal because it will start the process of fuel-switching to other energy over coal," Carey said. "It will make coal-consumption technology expensive. And the technology that both of these bills talk about going into 2020 and 2030 has not even been developed commercially yet. And it is still being developed now."