FORWARD

A Law Enforcement Perspective on
George W. Bush and the Environment

As a former environmental law enforcement officer, I commend Rick Abraham for laying out the facts of the Texas State government's failure to protect its citizens from industrial pollution, air toxins and hazardous wastes.  Most importantly he and others explain the connections of key government environmental policy decisions and the flow of money to the Governor of Texas from powerful polluters.  It is not a pretty picture...

To be fair, as Rick Abraham is in his book, this situation was not created by Republicans or by Governor George W. Bush.  The power of lobbyists in the state capitol passing out campaign contributions has long permeated the Governor's office, the Legislature and the state agencies...

In my battles as an attorney for the local government of Harris County, I frequently found myself on the same side of issues with Rick Abraham and Texans United.  Harris County and Texans United fought to get the state agency to increase an administrative air pollution penalty for Crown Central petroleum, an egregious grandfathered refinery polluter.  We were together in fighting the state agency permit for the AEI industrial hazardous waste incinerator which was to be located in the center of the worse air quality in America.  We lost and AEI was given a permit to release tons of pollution into air that was already severely polluted...

Later I spoke at rallies and public demonstrations for clean air and against the continued grandfathered facilities exemptions.  In front of the Governor's Mansion in Austin, I witnessed Rick Abraham and other Texans United members, a PTA mom from Dallas, and sympathetic refinery workers unlawfully arrested.  Their 'crime' was that they dared to peacefully carry signs connecting air pollution to the campaign contributions given to Governor Bush by major polluters...

Unfortunately, the story you are about to read is true.  Fortunately, Rick Abraham has the courage and stamina to carry on the fight for a decent quality of life for all our citizens.  I salute him.

Terry O'Rourke
Attorney and Counselor
Houston, Texas
August 2000

From the introduction to The Dirty Truth

You can order Rick's book at www.amazon.com