Mitchell camp hits back against critics on energy issues

U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Tempe)Seth Scott, campaign manager for the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Tempe), is responding to charges of inaction by Mitchell on the issue of the nation's energy crisis, which has been the main line of attack being taken against the freshman Democrat.

"Harry has been talking about energy for two years now," Scott told PolitickerAZ.com. "To say that his position isn't clear indicates some people haven't been paying attention."

Mitchell has come under fire from his prospective opponents, who are engaged in a six-way Republican primary to face him on the general election ballot, as well as the National Republican Congressional Committee for what they characterize as the failures of the Democratic-controlled U.S. House, and Mitchell in specific, to take action on high gas prices.

When Laura Knaperek, one of the GOP hopefuls in the 5th Congressional District, released her energy plan yesterday, she offered a dig at Mitchell by including the passage:

"During the 2006 election, Democrats across America held press conferences promising to reduce the high cost of gasoline. This includes Democrat Rep. Harry Mitchell who pledged to reduce gasoline prices at a local Exxon Mobil station in April 2006. When Mitchell was elected in 2006, the average price for gas in Arizona was $2.33. Today, according to AAA, the national average is $4.11 for a gallon of regular unleaded."

It also criticizes Democrats for proposing a windfall profits tax on "Big Oil" and holding hearings about possible price gouging by oil companies, saying, "Neither stunt helps to reduce gas prices or make America more energy independent and Americans know it." Knaperek concluded the energy "white paper" by "challenging Congressman Mitchell to support me in reforming our energy portfolio for the future."

The same day, the National Republican Congressional Committee issued another in a series of energy-focused attacks on Mitchell by saying he has a "do-nothing" approach to the nation's fuel problems. The release swiped at Mitchell for not signing a discharge petition to bring a bill that would have benefitted companies that produce liquid fuel from coal.

Scott countered by pointing out that Mitchell had voted for an increase in fuel efficiency standards for cars in the U.S. - "the first in 30 years" - and voted in favor of a renewal of the investment tax credit (ITC), which provides tax breaks to companies developing alternative energy sources, and which supporters of the proposed Solana solar power generating station, to be built near Gila Bend, say is vital to the project going forward.

He also mentioned the "use it or lose it" legislation Democrats have proposed and which Mitchell backs. The bill would force oil companies to drill on federal lands they're currently leasing but not producing oil from before being granted new leases. "We need to do a better job of producing energy at home," said Scott, which demonstrates Mitchell and his foes are in accord on at least one point. Increasing domestic oil production is one of the cornerstones of the Republican position in 2008, and has been advocated by every GOP candidate in the 5th district race. The schism comes over how and from where the energy is produced.

Ultimately, though, Scott said the high energy prices are predominantly the fault of Republicans, particularly President Bush.

"The problem is we've had eight years of failed energy policy," Scott said. "You can't turn that around overnight."