July 30, 2008 09:26 PM UTC

Oops!

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• by: Colorado Pols

After Monday’s debate between Senate candidates Mark Udall and Bob Schaffer, Schaffer campaign manager Dick Wadhams sent an email to reporters, highlighting (we suppose) the best hit they could find in the transcript.

—–Original Message—–

From: Dick Wadhams [mailto:dickwadhams@—–.—] [redacted by Pols]

Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 4:24 PM

To: Riley, Mike; Sealover, Ed; cashby@chieftain.com

Subject: Udall Missed 2004 Vote On Renewable Energy Tax Credit Extension

In 2004, when the recently expired renewable energy production tax credit came up for a vote to be renewed and extended, Mark Udall missed the key vote.  See the vote summary below and the American Wind Energy Association Press Release explaining the legislation.

House Vote 472 – HR 1308: Family and Corporate Tax Breaks – Conference Report

September 23, 2004 – Adoption of the conference report on the bill that would extend the $1,000 per child tax credit through 2009, the upper limit for the current 10 percent bracket through 2010 and tax breaks for married couples through 2008. It also would provide a one-year extension of current income exemptions from the alternative minimum tax and extend the expiring research and development tax credit through 2005.

Adopted (thus sent to the Senate) 339-65: R 213-0; D 125-65; I 1-0.

UDALL NOT VOTING: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/200…

To back up his claim, Wadhams attached a press release from the American Wind Energy Association explaining the 2004 bill and thanking the sponsors (after the jump).

We’re guessing Wadhams really wishes he had read it before he sent it:

“Gaining the PTC extension became a reality through the cooperative leadership of Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA),” said AWEA Legislative Director Jaime Steve. “AWEA is also very appreciative of strong efforts by Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Tom Daschle (D-SD), Harry Reid (D-NV), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Jim Jeffords (I-VT), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Tom Harkin (D-IA) and many others,” Steve said. “On the House side, Reps. Jim McCrery (R-LA), Mark Foley (R-FL), Bob Matsui (D-CA), Jerry Weller (R-IL), Ron Kind (D-WI), Jay Inslee (D-WA), Mark Udall (D-CO) [Pols emphasis] and Greg Walden (R-OR) were vital in gaining this extension.”

“Particular thanks go to the entire team responsible for this victory,” said AWEA Deputy Legislative Director Jon Chase, “including AWEA member companies and those participating in AWEA’s Legislative Committee…

Even better is the reason Udall apparently missed the vote on this bill, as the Denver Post added to their original report on Monday’s debate:

…Udall’s campaign said he missed the vote while visiting troops in Iraq. [Pols emphasis]

We’re convinced there was a point trying to be made here, but somewhere in the avalanche of mind-blowing, self-immolating stupidity we lost track of it. How can you not perform the most elementary level of fact-checking–reading the damn thing–before you send it out to reporters? Don’t staffers who screw the pooch this badly get fired? Isn’t this one of the most important Senate races in the country?

Bob Beauprez is turning over in his grave. And yes, we know he’s not dead.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 24,  2004 Contact:

Jaime Steve (202) 383-2500

Jon Chase (202) 383-2500

Christine Real de Azua (202) 383-2508

Wind Energy Tax Incentive Wins Extension to End of 2005

Congressional Action Should Pave Way for Strong Industry Growth Next Year

Washington, D.C.–The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today that the wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC)–a critical factor in financing new wind power installations–will be reinstated through 2005 as part of a major tax package (H.R. 1308) extending a number of individual and business tax provisions. The House and Senate approved the bill last night, and President Bush is expected to sign it into law. The PTC provides a 1.5 cent-per-kilowatt-hour tax credit (adjusted annually for inflation) for electricity generated with wind turbines.

The PTC, which had expired December 31, 2003, will be extended retroactively from that date to December 31, 2005. AWEA also continues to support a longer-term extension (to December 31, 2006) now included in the corporate tax/JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) bill (H.R. 4520) still pending before Congress. The JOBS bill also calls for creation of a new tax credit to encourage the use of small wind systems for homes, farms and small businesses.

“The American wind energy industry welcomes Congressional passage of a 15-month extension of the wind energy production tax credit,” said AWEA deputy executive director Tom Gray. “This action by Congress and the expected signature of President Bush mean that about $3 billion in wind energy investments forecast over the next several years are now back on track across the country. More importantly, hundreds of furloughed wind industry employees can now go back to work building and installing new high-tech wind turbines.

“We believe wind energy can provide 6% of U.S. electricity by the year 2020, or about as much electricity as hydropower generates today, and this action allows us to go forward toward that goal. AWEA will continue to pursue policies-such as a long-term PTC extension and a renewables portfolio standard (RPS)-that will move the wind industry beyond the boom-and-bust cycles that have resulted from short-term PTC extensions in the past.”

The delay in extending the PTC came following a banner year for the U.S. wind industry, in which it installed a near-record 1,687 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity-enough to serve nearly half a million average American homes. This year, a sharp drop in new installations is expected due to the absence of the incentive for nine months.

“Gaining the PTC extension became a reality through the cooperative leadership of Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA),” said AWEA Legislative Director Jaime Steve. “AWEA is also very appreciative of strong efforts by Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Tom Daschle (D-SD), Harry Reid (D-NV), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Gordon Smith (R-OR), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Jim Jeffords (I-VT), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Tom Harkin (D-IA) and many others,” Steve said. “On the House side, Reps. Jim McCrery (R-LA), Mark Foley (R-FL), Bob Matsui (D-CA), Jerry Weller (R-IL), Ron Kind (D-WI), Jay Inslee (D-WA), Mark Udall (D-CO) and Greg Walden (R-OR) were vital in gaining this extension.”

“Particular thanks go to the entire team responsible for this victory,” said AWEA Deputy Legislative Director Jon Chase, “including AWEA member companies and those participating in AWEA’s Legislative Committee.

“This winning effort has spanned the tenure of two AWEA presidents: current president Sam Enfield (Atlantic Renewable Energy Corp.) and previous president John Johansen (Sunfire, LLC). It also has spanned the terms of two AWEA legislative committee leaders, Mark Haller (Haller Wind Consulting) and Roby Roberts (PPM Energy, Inc.).”

Since beginning the PTC extension effort, AWEA and its allies have achieved a number of milestones, including:

• Attracting 76 sponsors to the original stand-alone House PTC bill (H.R. 570, by Rep. Mark Foley, R-FL), including numerous members of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.

• Gaining 15 sponsors on the original stand-alone Senate PTC bill (S. 395, by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-IA), including numerous members of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee.

• Gaining support from the Bush Administration through inclusion of a PTC extension proposal in the last three budget proposals and the Bush-Cheney energy plan.

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AWEA, formed in 1974, is the national trade association of the U.S. wind energy industry. The association’s membership includes turbine manufacturers, wind project developers, utilities, academicians, and interested individuals. More information on wind energy is available at the AWEA web site: www.awea.org