Top Schwarzenegger air-quality officials depart under protest
If Arnold Schwarzenegger were a cobbler, his children would have no shoes. Or something like that. While the Governator has been busy spreading the climate gospel around the world, his air-quality agency is coming apart at the seams. Last week, Schwarzenegger fired Robert Sawyer, chair of the California Air Resources Board — allegedly for not being tough enough on pollution and greenhouse gases, but Sawyer says the reason was just the opposite. Yesterday, CARB Executive Director Catherine Witherspoon quit, citing interference by administration officials that hampered the board’s efforts. “They were ordering us to find ways to reduce costs and satisfy lobbyists,” she said. She added that the Schwarzstaff publicly accused Sawyer and her of not doing enough to battle polluters and global warming, creating “a triumph of appearances over reality.” Some claim the CARB shakeup is part of a pattern of the Governator talking tough on pollution while caving to big industry. Excuse us while we weep.
