To commemorate Earth Day, my congressman, Rep. Erik Paulsen, posted appealing photo ops on social media and bland positive statements about national parks on his website.
However, his actual voting record bears no resemblance to the persona he creates online and in my district. Few are aware of his terrible record on the environment, as documented by the League of Conservation voters (16% lifetime environmental voting record).
Just this year he has already voted to repeal a regulation that protected thousands of miles of streams from coal mining debris, and to devalue federal lands to make them easier to sell off for sale, mining or development.
His constituents deserve a representative who presents himself honestly. Something doesn’t match — either Paulsen needs to stop dissembling or change his votes to match his public persona.
Jena Martin, Minnetonka
MinnPost, April 24, 2017