Yesterday the trial lawyers and radical environmental groups launched a campaign to dupe the California Republican Party delegates assembling this weekend to back their big government “genetically modified food” labeling initiative, Prop 37. Here is the warning I sent to delegates about this trial lawyers’ dream:
The trial lawyers and radical environmentalists are trying to fool CRP delegates about an upcoming proposition, and I wanted to bring it to your attention right away.
Let me explain.
During my four years as Chairman, once in a while the leftists would show up at convention trying to dupe the CRP into supporting their liberal, big government propositions when they thought they might get away with it.
Fortunately, we stopped them every time and the CRP has been very consistent in supporting good initiatives and opposing bad ones.
Well, now they’re back.
Earlier today you received a very misleading email from a “Tom Fendley” spinning why Proposition 37 is a great idea.
It is terrible public policy and we need to oppose it.
The trial lawyers and radical environmental groups cooked up Prop 37 ostensibly to require the labeling of “genetically modified food.”
In reality, Proposition 37 is a dream come true for trial lawyers looking for grocers, neighborhood stores, and others to file lawsuits against.
The proponents know very well that most corn and soy products produced into US are genetically modified to be drought and disease resistant, increase yields, etc.
It’s a big part of why our farmers are the most efficient and productive in the world.
Yet, the trial lawyers and the “environmental” groups they back smell an opportunity to soak California businesses already struggling with high taxes and regulations with more lawsuits.
Have you ever noticed all those signs outside of California businesses like hotels stating that the building contains cancer-causing chemicals? Those ridiculous signs (California buildings are no different than buildings in other states and no more “carcinogenic”) are required by a similar measure called Prop 65 that was marketed as the same kind of phony “right to know” measure. It really should be called “right to file frivolous lawsuits and force businesses to settle by paying you off.”
Prop 37 would enable trial lawyers to shake down businesses including neighborhood grocers without even showing any harm was caused. What a racket.
Proposition 37 is bad public policy. Its proponent is James Wheaton, the legal director of the Environmental Law Foundation in Oakland, and is supported by all the usual suspects on the left who have made California such a difficult place to create jobs and do business.
Please join me in opposing Proposition 37.
Thank you for your leadership in the California Republican Party and I look forward to seeing you this weekend!