For Immediate Release
March 18, 2014

WHAT IS REPUBLICAN CHARLES BAKER AFRAID OF?

HE ONCE AGAIN SAYS “NO” TO FORUM ON THE ENVIRONMENT

BOSTON – While five candidates for Governor are saying, “yes” to attending a forum on energy and the environment this Friday, Republican Charles Baker has told forum organizers he is a solid “no.”

Candidates Joe Avellone, Don Berwick, Martha Coakley, Steve Grossman, Juliette Kayyem have all indicated they are set to attend, but Republican Baker declined, according to a press release yesterday from the group of 28 environmental organizations sponsoring the Friday Faneuil Hall forum.

“What on Earth is Republican Charles Baker afraid of,” said Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Tom McGee. “Could it be he is afraid someone in the audience of passionate believers in protecting our environment might ask Republican Charles Baker why he still has the same position he did in 2010 when he said he didn’t know enough to say whether climate change was impacted by what we spew into our environment?”

In 2010, Baker said this to the Boston Globe:

“I’m not saying I believe in it [climate change]. I’m not saying I don’t…You’re asking me to take a position on something I don’t know enough about.’’

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

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.”

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