* The Southern…
This year’s Coal & Mining Expo opened Wednesday at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center.
A meeting of the minds was highlighted by the presence of four CEOs from the nation’s top coal companies — Alliance Coal, Knight Hawk Coal, Peabody Energy and Prairie State Energy — and was bookended by political stumping from the state’s top coal supporters and political hopefuls this fall.
Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, was the first to take the stage and said unlike others in Washington, “we love coal,” he said of the other Republicans on stage with him. […]
Speaking next was Erika Harold, the Republican nominee for Illinois attorney general. She told those in attendance that the last thing Illinois needed was another attorney general who capitulates to environmentalist groups.
Yikes.
* I was able to get some audio of the event and this is Harold’s quote…
With all of the challenges that Illinois faces, the last thing that Illinois needs is another attorney general who will do the bidding of the environmentalist activist groups.
* Some of Harold’s speech so we can put that into context…
For the first time in 16 years, the Attorney General’s seat will be an open seat, and that’s because Lisa Madigan, who severed as Attorney General for the past four terms, dropped out of the race a month after I announced my candidacy. This provides the state with a much-needed opportunity to move the Attorney General’s office in a new direction.
Lisa Madigan often used this office in activist political ways, targeting industries such as the coal industry, on the basis of her own personal views as opposed to simply following the law. Whether it was joining with other states attorneys general in lawsuits that targeted the coal industry, or working to enact rules that unduly burdened the coal industry, Attorney General Madigan has used her office to pick winners and losers in the energy industry as opposed to advocating for a balanced and fair playing field for everyone.
My opponent, state Sen. Kwame Raoul, would be more of the same. He’s from Chicago, was appointed to President Obama’s former state senate seat, and is strongly backed by Mike Madigan and the Cook County Democratic machine. And as a state Senator, he’s championed legislation that would hurt the coal industry.
A specific example is Senate Bill 3005, which he sponsored this past legislative session. SB3005 would have given legal standing to any person, regardless of whether or not they lived in Illinois, to use Illinois courts to challenge the decisions of Illinois state agencies. So if a mining company followed the procedures to obtain a permit, and state agencies found that the permit should be granted, SB3005 would have allowed a political activist from California or New York to have legal standing to come into an Illinois court to challenge the state agency’s decision and to try to block the permit from being granted.
This unfettered expansion of standing would exacerbate Illinois’ already overly litigious environment. It would hurt job creation by driving up the cost of business in Illinois. And it would harm industries like the coal industry that simply want a predictable and consistent and fair playing field.
Unsurprisingly, environmental activist groups strongly backed Sen. Raoul’s bill. In fact, the Illinois Environmental Council took credit for it as being their initiative in the first place.
With all of the challenges that Illinois faces, the last thing that Illinois needs is another attorney general who will do the bidding of the environmentalist activist groups. As attorney general I will follow the law, I will enforce the law, I will refrain from picking winners and losers. And I will advocate for a fair playing field. I will also listen more and be willing to constructively engage with groups to be able to understand their industry and to see how Illinois’ regulatory environment may be inhibiting economic growth. […]
The coal industry is an extremely important one in Illinois, and you deserve an Attorney General who understands that. And you deserve an attorney general who will not use the office’s vast powers to try to destroy coal as an industry. And I will be that attorney general.
Thank you for what you do to support jobs in Illinois, to create energy options for consumers and to sustain a way of life for generations of mining families now and the years to come. Thanks so much for having me.
…Adding… A clever comment…
This is a rich vein that I expect Raoul to mine to great effect. I’d start with a map of Chicago overlaid with rates of childhood asthma and simply take it from there.
Except, Raoul has raised $13,000 from Foresight Energy during his career, including a February contribution. Harold has not yet taken any coal money.
…Adding… Sen. Raoul tweets about his record here.
*** UPDATE *** From Jen Walling, the executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council…
Erika Harold’s misreading of SB3005 is concerning.
Far from allowing out of state plaintiffs to challenge permits, SB3005 would allow only those adversely affected by a project to challenge a permit. As I hope any candidate for attorney general would understand after researching the issue, “adversely affected” is a term well-established by case law to refer only to those who can demonstrate injury in fact caused by a project. Constrained by this precedence, standing could not possibly be extended to a resident living in California or New York, as Harold mistakenly claims.
The standing provisions contemplated by SB3005 are already available under federal and Illinois law on permits related to coal mining or coal power plants, meaning SB3005 would have literally no impact on the coal industry, despite what industry talking points may say.
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:00 pm:
Great strategy Erika. You’ll solidify your downstate support. Support you already had, but who wants to split hairs. Meanwhile, there are a few folks who care about climate change and want a future life for their children and grandchildren.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:02 pm:
===Lisa Madigan often used this office in activist political ways, targeting industries such as the coal industry, on the basis of her own personal views as opposed to simply following the law. Whether it was joining with other states attorneys general in lawsuits that targeted the coal industry, or working to enact rules that unduly burdened the coal industry, Attorney General Madigan has used her office to pick winners and losers in the energy industry as opposed to advocating for a balanced and fair playing field for everyone.===
This is a rich vein that I expect Raoul to mine to great effect. I’d start with a map of Chicago overlaid with rates of childhood asthma and simply take it from there.
Pollution kills. Burning coal creates pollution. Harold wants a level playing field so that multi millionaire corporate coal producers continue to profit while contributing to respiratory illnesses in low income communities.
Please tell me there video of Harold’s speech.
- Former Downstater - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:04 pm:
Pandering at it’s most boring and unsubstantial.
- Skeptic - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:06 pm:
“I will follow the law, I will enforce the law, ” and if the law doesn’t happen to be favorable to coal companies?
- Can - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:09 pm:
I truly do not mean this as a cheap shot, but seriously, what century are these people campaigning in? Coal is not exactly a growth industry.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:09 pm:
Erika Harold, choking in a thick cloud of smog and barely able to breathe, “Owned you libs.”
- Jibba - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:11 pm:
Dangerous route for her to follow. If the AG has to follow the law, but may have a lot of leeway to follow their personal beliefs, who is she going to attack or support based her personal beliefs, all the while following the law? Bet the first ones to get support are religious groups that want to exclude gays and lesbians from private adoption, all while using state funds.
- Nacho - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:13 pm:
In case you needed more proof Harold is just another GOP attempt to manufacture a “rising star” a la Paul Ryan.
- Da Big Bad Wolf - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:13 pm:
==simply put, pollution kills. Burning coal creates pollution.==
Burning coal not only causes respiratory diseases, the mercury from burning coal has been associated with a greater number of miscarriages.
Pro coal is not Pro Life.
- Moe Berg - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:15 pm:
If I were the Raoul folks, I’d be pointing out to the good people of the north suburbs Harold’s views juxtaposed against all the pollution forecast to come down from that Foxconn plant being built just over the border in Southern Wisconsin. Cool of her to let everyone know in advance she’ll be turning a blind eye.
- Nick Name - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:21 pm:
Someone has told Harold that Lisa Madigan isn’t running again, right? Is she aware that she’s running against Raoul, not AG Madigan?
- Henry Francis - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:26 pm:
I stopped reading after she said that Lisa decided not to run after she announced her candidacy.
- DuPage Bard - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:33 pm:
Generations of coal miners now and years to come.
From that same conference they said for almost the same output of coal they had reduced workforce significantly.
As the coal industry continues to find ways to excavate coal through innovation there will be very few generational coal miners.
It’s just not a realistic job for the future.
If your talking engineers maybe that’s another story.
But she didn’t say that did she now?
- Give Me A Break - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:34 pm:
At some point and time the voters in coal m
Continue to support and advocate for an industry the world continues to turn away from, or get on board with the reality of changing world.
I don’t feel sorry for voters who continue to buy what people like Harold are selling.
These people continue to fail adapt to a changing a world.
- Give Me A Break - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:36 pm:
Sorry, the first part was to read, At some point and time the voters in coal mining areas have a choice to make.
- Cheryl44 - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:44 pm:
Wow. Just wow. My grandfather was a coal miner who made sure none of his sons followed him into the mines.
- VerySmallRocks - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 12:52 pm:
“Because Madigan!”, Take 2.
- DarkHorse - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 1:02 pm:
Not to worry, she’ll be too busy prosecuting Madigan to fend off the environmentalists.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 1:09 pm:
I would challenge anyone to find one retired coal miner who would say he liked his time in the mine.
#GetMyOxygenTank
- hisgirlfriday - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 1:30 pm:
This issue is one where who the AG really matters.
What legally is there to stop an AG Harold from directing her people to throw away/ignore all referrals for prosecution they get from the illinois epa?
- The Dude Abides - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 1:31 pm:
Erika is fighting hard for those 4000 coal mining jobs left in Illinois. If Lisa Madigan was running again she would have beaten Erika like a drum.
- Vole - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 1:32 pm:
ALEC’s play book.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 1:43 pm:
==Erika Harold’s misreading of SB3005 is concerning.==
Yeah, I don’t think “misreading” the bill was the problem here. But that was very diplomatic of Ms. Walling to say it that way.
- Demoralized - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 1:57 pm:
==to see how Illinois’ regulatory environment may be inhibiting economic growth==
I thought you just said you’d follow the law? If that’s the case your job won’t be to engage in conversations about the state’s regulatory environment. If you are going to follow the law your job will be to enforce those regulations.
- A guy - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 2:04 pm:
What’s in your…stocking?
- Anon - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 2:07 pm:
Coal is dying. How do you defend something that clearly is going away? Illinois GOP wants to invest in a dead horse…
No thanks
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 2:25 pm:
A cheap natural gas bill
- DarkHorse - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 2:28 pm:
Here’s what I don’t get about Harold: she’s supposed to be this political star, and she’s clearly very smart - but with her campaign, it’s all these missteps: botched reply to “gay adoption” controversy: botched reply to “prosecute Madigan”; and now this unforced error on “coal”.
What’s the over/under on her for November? 42%?
- DuPage Bard - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 2:46 pm:
If you’re trying to get the suburban moms and the city folk you may want to just not go down that rabbit hole.
Look around the suburbs and you’ll see eco friendly cars, rain barrels, brick pavers instead of asphalt, solar panels on businesses, energy efficient appliances at every Home Depot and Menards, the list goes on and on. Suburbis believes in climate change, they don’t think it’s a hoax and are educated to the reality.
Taking a conspiracy theory towards coal and saying you’ll use your power as AG against the environment is just a bad campaign decision.
Doesn’t anyone know how to do this?
- siriusly - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 2:55 pm:
Dear Erika:
Thanks for reminding people to think about Obama while they are voting for me!
Love
Kwame
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 3:01 pm:
47, your point and suggestion are as always well made, but is Kwame, the guy who has taken a ton of tobacco money, exactly the poster child for pulmonary health?
- Anon221 - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 3:40 pm:
Keep playing to the base Erika. This stance, however, is a strikeout. Next , why not tell us what you would Do with something like Dynegy’s ( now Vistra) coal ash “problem” on the Middle Fork. Is that too environmental for you?
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 3:47 pm:
You’re right Arthur Andersen about the conflicts, but even an imperfect messenger can land this punch. Talk about low hanging fruit.
- wordslinger - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 3:54 pm:
Perhaps if the IEC can come up with a million bucks for Harold’s campaign she could be persuaded otherwise.
I hear that’s the going price for action from the office, if she’s elected.
- City Zen - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 4:30 pm:
==Kwame, the guy who has taken a ton of tobacco money==
While this information would be a layup for most AG candidates, Erika Harold prefers to heave up half-court shots.
- Mama - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 5:21 pm:
I just heard that Trump just signed and EO to allow coal companies to dump coal ash, etc. into the water. Now the poison from coal will be in our air and our water.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 13, 18 @ 6:38 pm:
The pro-coal talk is a dog-whistle that has nothing to do with coal, and everything to do with pandering to less-educated, bigoted people who don’t like the fact that their way of life and ways of thinking have seen their day… people who blame minorities and “foreigners” and “librulz” for their ills. The Conservative Republicans keep promising them things that will never happen… as long as they keep voting red. It’s another version of the WW-2 Pacific Islands “cargo cults”, where natives built symbolic runways and aircraft of palm fronds and bamboo to lure back the G.I. cargo planes that used to land there. Only substitute “coal mines and mining jobs”.