Environmental and Union Support for Patrick Murphy

Today on a conference call Tony Massaro of the League of Conservation Voters and John Meyerson, Chairman of the Southeastern PA Area Federation of Labor announced their support for Congressman Patrick Murphy (PA-08). Murphy ‘s Republican opponent Mike Fitzpatrick represented the district from 2004-2006.

Murphy said one of the inevitabilities in public office is that no one will agree with your actions all of the time, but it is important to vote with conviction and not political whim.

Meyerson said he has watched Murphy’s career closely and said “Murphy is one of us. He shares our values.” When Fitzpatrick was first elected he had some union support. In April, 2005 he signed a pledge to support the Employee Free Choice Act but now opposes it. He promised unions to opposed CAFTA but then voted for it. He said he didn’t always agree with Murphy and they have had discussions and debates, but he always knows where Murphy stands.

Massaro said in 2006 Fitzpatrick was a co-sponsor of climate legislation introduced by Rep. Henry Waxman but now Fitzpatrick now says he no longer supports it and in fact says climate change science is unproven. Massaro said he does not always agree with Murphy, who has a 91% lifetime approval score from his organization, that sometimes Murphy will say “I am not with you and this and here’s why.” Massaro thinks that Fitzpatrick now wants tea party support more than he wants environmentalist’s support. In 2006 the LCV did support Fitzpatrick but his rhetoric and positions have now changed. The facts behind climate science and the need to wean ourselves off dependence on foreign oil have not.

Meyerson also said that he has no problem with people changing their position with new information but on issues like CAFTA there is no new information.