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Contact: Matt Fenlon

617-939-0800

 

BOSTON- With Gov. Deval Patrick once again taking bold action on an important issue for the future–today he is announcing a program to help the state prepare for the effects of climate change–it is a good time to look at another episode of, “The 2010 Republican Charlie Baker Story.”

Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Tom McGee released the following statement challenging Republican Charlie Baker to stop denying the existence of climate change.

“In 2010, Republican Charlie Baker refused to acknowledge the reality of climate change, claiming he’s ‘absolutely not smart enough’ to know,” said McGee. “Charlie’s had four years to study climate change, so we deserve to know where he stands.”

In 2010, Republican Charlie Baker was quoted as saying this about climate change: “I’m not saying I believe in it. I’m not saying I don’t…You’re asking me to take a position on something I don’t know enough about.’’

On February 11, 2010, the Boston Globe editorialized,  “Changes in climate caused by greenhouse gases are the premier environmental issue of our day, so it is surprising to see Republican candidate for governor Charlie Baker evading questions on the issue with feeble claims about not being smart enough.”

Baker went so far as to say, “I don’t think whether I believe that or not matters in this conversation.”

Under Governor Patrick and the Democratic legislative leadership, Massachusetts has become a worldwide leader in clean energy. According to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, there are now nearly 80,000 clean energy jobs in Massachusetts, with a 24% growth in the last two years.

“Gov. Patrick has been a bold leader on climate change issues and making our state No. 1 in energy efficiency. The only energy plan Republican Charlie Baker has is to waffle on the issue of climate change. This year, we have the same old 2010 version of Republican Charlie Baker.”